Wittgenstein’sMistressisanovelunlikeanythingDavidMarksonoranyoneelsehaseverwrittenbefore.Itisthestoryofawomanwhoisconvincedand,astonishingly,willultimatelyconvincethereaderaswellthatsheistheonlypersonleftonearth.Presumablysheismad.Andyetsoappealingishercharacter,andsowittyandseductivehernarrativevoice,thatwewillfollowherhypnoticallyassheunloadstheintellectualbaggageofalifetimeinaseriesofirreverentmeditationsoneverythingandeverybodyfromBrahmstosextoHeideggertoHelenofTroy.Andasshecontemplatesaspectsofthetroubledpastwhichhavebroughthertoherpresentstate-obviouslyametaphorforultimateloneliness-sotoowillherdramabecomeoneofthefewcertifiablyoriginalfictionsofourtime.“ThenovelIlikedbestthisyear,“saidtheWashingtonTimesuponthebook’spublication;“onedizzying,delightful,funnypassageafteranother...Wittgenstein’sMistressgivesproofpositivethattheexperimentalnovelcanproducehigh,pureworksofimagination.“
ASTONISHINGLY DELIGHTFUL astonishingly delightful
