Intimate Ties: Two Novellas by Robert Musil
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This volume collects two recently-translated novellas written by the Austrian author, Robert Musil. Originally published in Musil's native tongue in 1911, the novellas in question are: "The Culmination of Love" and "The Temptation of Silent Veronica." Both novellas revolve around a woman tormented by love relationships and indiscretion. In the first, the woman is haunted by marital infidelity, and in the second, the titular character is entangled in an unconsummated love triangle gone awry.
While I can't speak to how true the translations are to the original, I will say that the language is beautiful and is the highlight of book. However, these works shun story, and so readers of popular fiction will find them unengaging, and may come away thinking that the book's greatest feature is its brevity. I will say, that "The Temptation of Silent Veronica" was more pleasurable to read as it built up some tension. Readers of prose poetry may enjoy the play of words and emotional content of these novellas.
For readers of literary fiction and prose poetry, I would recommend "Intimate Ties." However, I suspect readers of popular fiction will find the book tedious. Particularly, likely to think so are those who pick up the book thinking it is romance or - even more so - erotica. While the themes revolve around love and relationships, the "action" is more in the character's mind than in the bedroom.
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