If marriages They are (among many other things) energy exchange systems, let’s admit that sometimes energy flows adopt different directions and voltages. It is often said that these imbalances are beneficial because they “complete” partners, as the saying goes, “opposites attract”, but it cannot be denied that sometimes these differences threaten to disrupt the couple’s stability.
Heroes of the last novel Lionel Shriver (Gastonia, 1957)—with a rich title: Movement of the body in spaceno less – they have been living together for years and maintain an adversarial relationship with their bodies; this is a difference that has proven to be complementary and beneficial.
Remington Alabaster (caress the evil of the name) is the prototype of the sedentary man, who does not have the slightest concern about shaping or shaping his body, does not worry about his health. While Serenata Terpsichore (keep patting the titular evil) is a physical exercise addict who distributes her physical energy across various disciplines: cycling, running, swimming…
relationship with the body
However, when both spouses turn 60, this advantageous agreement changes irrevocably. Not one, but both (Remington and Serenata) change overnight their relationship with their bodies and their desire to increase “wellness” through physical exercise, thus reversing the opposites in their marriage.
Remington Alabaster loses his job after a violent argument with his new supervisor and decides to channel the energy of his disappointment at work into sports. He gives up the extremely sedentary lifestyle he has become comfortable with and decides to train for a marathon. Serenata Terpsichore (how can we resist mentioning her full name once again) receives a fatal diagnosis in return for her devotion to the god of physical exercise: She suffers from osteoarthritis.
Forced by Serenata to abandon the sport that is the center of his life, and dragging Remington into an obsession with improving his records, both temperaments change irreversibly. While Alabaster gets lost in the mirror maze of narcissism, Serenata turns out to be tougher than expected. Will the couple be able to withstand this change in attitude, personality and lifestyle habits? So what will they sacrifice on this path?
agile prose
This shift in the couple’s magnetic field produces one hilarious situation after another, supported by nimble prose that often uses well-constructed sharp dialogue for moments that replace the “action.” Comedy shoots an arrow at one of the secular gods of our mercantilist world: the cultivation of the body, physical exercise, devotion to sweat, which in many cases leads to physical problems and psychological complications.
The result is a satirical altar of our traditions. Lion Shriver He forever pursues a career marked by his brutal and lucid first book, We should talk about Kevin, this is where memory usually refers when we hear or read the author’s name. A memorable first work that should not be forgotten, he continues to write books that are as malicious and understandable as they are entertaining, with a perhaps less sharp and certainly more relaxed style.