Between being named as President Obama’s favorite book of 2015 and Amazon’s book of the year, author Lauren Groff’s novel "Fates and Furies" has received much buzz in the past year. Finally having had some free time to read for fun, I decided to take a chance on Groff’s novel, which tells the tale of a whirlwind romance between Lotto, an aspiring actor from a wealthy background, and Mathilde, a tall, blonde beauty with a mysterious past. The plotline is reminiscent of any old cheesy romance novel at first glance, but "Fates and Furies" is anything but cheesy. In fact, it may be the most highbrow romance novel published in recent memory (that I’ve read, anyway).
The book is split into two parts: “Fates,” which chronicles Lotto’s point of view of the marriage, and “Furies,” which is told through Mathilde’s point of view. Both students at Vassar, Lotto and Mathilde elope in the final weeks of their senior year and then move to a modest New York City apartment as Lotto pursues a career in acting. Lotto, whose father passed away during his youth and left behind a fortune made through a bottled water business, is consequently cut off from his family’s financial support due to his mother’s disapproval of his marriage. The couple struggles for a few years before Lotto ultimately finds his success as a playwright. Despite the odds and the doubts of their friends (as well as Lotto’s history of promiscuity), their marriage endures…on the surface, anyway.
The real star of the book is Mathilde, a Lady Macbeth-like character from relatively humble beginnings. She’s the breadwinner of the marriage as Lotto struggles in his early career, and she harbors many secrets of her own. Their dynamic is reminiscent of that between Frank and Claire Underwood in "House of Cards"; in many ways, Mathilde and Lotto are the Underwoods’ entertainment world equivalents.
"Fates and Furies" is widely praised for being a “realistic” account of marriage and the secrets that accompany it. While this is true, it seems most of the secrets are harbored by Mathilde – even the ones regarding Lotto himself. Lotto had a sheltered childhood and then has a subsequently sheltered marriage; he is none the wiser to the scheming that is later revealed in “Furies,” when Mathilde unravels the truth one lie at a time. Nevertheless, it is refreshing that it is the lead male character who is the idealistic one while the lead female plays the role of the complex cynic.
Groff’s novel is worth a read for simply the fact that it is well-written. While denser in language and chock-full of Shakespearean parallels and allusions, its literary prowess overshadows the weaker aspects of its plot. Also, as demonstrated by President Obama’s praise, it is a novel that can appeal to anyone, regardless of gender. Check out the book on Amazon here.
