A review by ecari
Because They Wanted to, by Mary Gaitskill

4.0

Mary Gaitskill has an incredible talent for putting into writing intimate and often perhaps best-left-unrevealed thoughts, urges, emotions. The stories of "Because They Wanted To" were incredibly well-written, thought-provoking and - I found - painful, taken in full. Gaitskill frequently writes the way I feel somehow, which convinced me that even when the thoughts expressed were not mine, they are nonetheless real. I've never read such raw emotion, I don't think, except for The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing. There were a few times when I read a passage that was like finding out that the emotions I hold deep inside and couldn't not even articulate to myself, but only feel, have been discovered and put down for everyone to read. It's simultaneously comforting, familiar and distressing. But these stories are heartbreakingly sad... it made me wonder if Gaitskill can do the same thing with joy or happiness or discovery? Most of the stories are of desperation, visceral desire, depression, fear - it would be a pleasure to read her exploration the brighter side of emotion, which I believe can have the same depth and complexity. Regardless, read this book, but I recommend taking it one story at a time. Thanks for recommendation, Cara!