Stephanie Cross reviews three new literary fiction novels: David Eggers's "Contrapposto," Daisy Johnson's "Long Wave," and Avni Doshi's "The First House."
David Eggers returns with "Contrapposto," a novel two decades in the making. The title, meaning "counterpoise" in Italian, refers to both the artistic poses of the protagonist, Cricket, and his complex relationship with Olympia, a curator and patron. The novel spans over 60 years, depicting Cricket's artistic career and his on-again, off-again dynamic with Olympia. While the book includes sketches by Eggers and offers insights into the art world, Cross notes that the narrative occasionally struggles for elevation and "its vitality got sapped somewhere along the way."
Daisy Johnson's third novel, "Long Wave," is characterized by its evocative, dream-hazed style. The story centers on a river and a young woman named Ruth who longs to escape to an uninhabited island. Years later, Ruth's daughter, Ori, struggles with postnatal depression and her mother's sudden disappearance. Johnson's narrative moves fluidly between generations as the characters seek connection and meaning. "Johnson's plot draws the reader along," Cross observes.
Avni Doshi's "The First House" shifts focus from her debut's exploration of a mother-daughter relationship to the dissolution of a marriage. The unnamed narrator's husband ends their 13-year union on the first page, prompting the narrator to reassess past compromises and her search for safety. Doshi employs the arrival of cicadas as an analogy for the narrator's transformation. While the novel maintains a confessional tone and offers unsparing analysis reminiscent of Rachel Cusk and Eleanor Ferrante, Cross suggests the narrative can feel disjointed at times, leaving the reader a bystander to the emotional intensity.
