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Acclaimed as a sensuous literary treat" by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Priority is a lovely and nuanced exploration of intellectual admiration that develops into consuming passion. It begins as a young woman, Delphine, writes a letter to Jean-Luc, a painter whose work has touched her. She is sure he will not read it - but he does, and he answers. Over the next eighteen months, Delphine's letters bare her soul layer by layer, making her ever more vulnerable to his teasing replies and long silences. Helplessly, Delphine finds herself falling in love with a man she knows only through what he reveals in his letters. Her fascination with him begins to overwhelm her, until she begins to long for a lover she has never seen. Finally, it seems, a meeting may no longer be postponed. "A gem of an epistolary novel, a tiny thriller ... Hermann reveals a startling capacity of human beings for self-invention." - Joan Mellen, The Baltimore Sun "… (more)
User reviews
Delphine from Denmark sends a fan postcard to French painter Jean-Luc. An exchange of letters ensues, growing into a intellectually challenging connection and a love story in letters. Finally both agree to meet in real life.
Characters:
Two, only. Delphine Hav in Denmark, young-ish, single, and
Style: Letters. Long letters, short letters, postcards. Intensely personal.
Plus: The Postscript. I didn't see that one coming. And that it is possible to write a well-rounded story on 150 pages.
Minus: Some of the more sensual passages didn't seem to ring true in the style of writing (i.e. you wouldn't expect the person to write this way). Could be because of the translation.
Summary: A well written romantic story with a twist!