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Natalia Ginzburg
The Dry Heart
Synopsis
Finally back in print, a frighteningly lucid feminist horror story about marriage The Dry Heart begins and ends with the matter-of-fact pronouncement: “I shot him between the eyes.” As the tale—a plunge into the chilly waters of loneliness, desperation, and bitterness—proceeds, the narrator's murder of her flighty husband takes on a certain logical inevitability. Stripped of any preciousness or sentimentality, Natalia Ginzburg's writing here is white-hot, tempered by rage. She transforms the unhappy tale of an ordinary dull marriage into a rich psychological thriller that seems to beg the question: why don't more wives kill their husbands?
Genres
Frequently asked questions
Is this book part of a series or can it be read as a standalone?
This is a standalone novella that does not require reading any other works to understand its narrative or conclusion.
Does the book have a non-linear structure?
The story begins with the final event of the plot and then unfolds primarily through a series of flashbacks that explain the events leading up to that moment.
What is the significance of the original Italian title?
The original title is È stato così, which translates to It was like that, reflecting the narrator's detached and matter-of-fact tone as she recounts the events of her life.