The Ravishing of Lol Stein

“ ‘Oh, how I'd like to show you my ingratitude, show you how ugly I am, how impossible it is to love me. I'd like to offer you that.'
‘You have offered it to me' ”

How erotic this novel is. How moving. How powerful a gaze is in the game of love. The writing here is detached from its reader, but it's alive. It's hypnotic, and the way the novel seamlessly weaves through time, memory, people...oh, wow! There's elements here that remind me of Anais Nin, mainly the voyeurism and the pleasure our main character derives from that. Lol Stein is one of the most interesting characters I have read, Duras does a great job here. This book is actually so, so wonderful and special. I think this just became one of my favorite books...adding it to the list!