Author: Anaïs Nin
Length: 140 pages
Year Written: 1954
Why I chose this book: I purchased this book when I was 18 or 19, purely based on the feeling I got from the title and back cover description.
I once read a quote by Anaïs Nin that gave me an incredible sense of oneness with her: "If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don't write, because our culture has no use for it."
I have owned by copy of 'A Spy in the House of Love' for at least six years. It is water-warped and has a brown coffee-ish stain creeping down its slim paper side. I had no idea what the book was really about until I picked it up this year. Most importantly, it is book four of a five-part "continuous novel" called 'Cities of the Interior.' If I'd known that, I'd certainly have started at one, or not started at all. However, this small novel in itself is dreamy, emotional, and strangely moving.
The idea of infidelity in relationships being perpetrated by the girl — it's something I don't often see. It's something I can identify with personally, having been torn between different perceptions of myself that were based on dishonorable acts in love. We rarely get to see inside the head of a woman who is obviously smart, obviously wonderful in all ways except her ability to contain her love within the framework of a nice, faithful, cookie-cutter companion. Because these books are "distillations" of Nin's personal diaries, it is easy to imagine that much of her personal life flowed into this story. I can only wonder what percentage is drawn purely from imagination. Her words are poetic, strong, sometimes racist (but I guess that's unintentional, and indicative of her time - oh well). It was a very short novel, and explores themes like love, respect, guilt, and identity. I would love to read the other four parts of 'Cities,' but mostly I want to learn more about Nin.
Rating: 7.6/10
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