Montreal author Nadine Bismuth’s previous works established her ability to artfully pick apart the intricacies of relationships. Notably, her 2009 short-story collection,
Êtes-vous mariée à un psychopathe? (which was nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award and translated into English the following year as
Are You Married to a Psychopath?)
, delved deeply into the frustrations of women in search of – and unable to find – a decent effing relationship. In her latest novel, Bismuth once again undertakes a careful examination of the many ways love, lust, and even malaise play out in romantic situations.
Initially,
A Family Affair feels a bit convoluted: everyone is sleeping with someone they shouldn’t be, most of them are hiding those dalliances from the people they