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A review by georgiepie
Love and Virtue by Diana Reid
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Privilege, entitlement and power, all set at a university college. This was captured and executed so well, my hat goes off to you Diana Reid. Love and Virtue follows a pair of young women, Eve and Michaela, grappling with assault, sexism and philosophy during their study at a prestigious tertiary institution. Intrigued and intimidated, Michaela is drawn to the charismatic and unapologetically outspoken figure that is Eve, and the two begin a relationship that quickly turns toxic; equal parts rivalry, jealousy and attraction.
With that in mind, Eve might be the most realistic literary character I have read in recent memory, not because I love her, like her, or even dislike her, but because I know her. Eve wears her politics as an identity and a challenge, and the scholarship that she is awarded is merely an accessory to this. Eve’s insidiousness lies in her intellect, her ability to eloquently invoke theoretical critiques of class, race, gender and institution whilst artfully excluding her own position of privilege.
Whilst exploring the larger themes of class and patriarchy it is in the details, the shades of grey that this novel shines. Performative activism and appropriation of the personal to further the political are difficult and complex themes but this novel does not shy away from the messiness. The writing is raw and unflinchingly blunt but not without a self-deprecating wit, no sentence meaningless and if first appearing so would often become clear in a satisfying pay off.
With that in mind, Eve might be the most realistic literary character I have read in recent memory, not because I love her, like her, or even dislike her, but because I know her. Eve wears her politics as an identity and a challenge, and the scholarship that she is awarded is merely an accessory to this. Eve’s insidiousness lies in her intellect, her ability to eloquently invoke theoretical critiques of class, race, gender and institution whilst artfully excluding her own position of privilege.
Whilst exploring the larger themes of class and patriarchy it is in the details, the shades of grey that this novel shines. Performative activism and appropriation of the personal to further the political are difficult and complex themes but this novel does not shy away from the messiness. The writing is raw and unflinchingly blunt but not without a self-deprecating wit, no sentence meaningless and if first appearing so would often become clear in a satisfying pay off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, and Sexual assault