Couplets

Maggie Millner's Couplets is a novel-in-verse exploring a woman's journey through love, identity, and desire after leaving a long-term relationship.

In Couplets, Maggie Millner delivers a captivating debut that intertwines themes of love, identity, and sexual exploration through the lens of a woman in her late twenties. After leaving a long-term relationship with a boyfriend, she embarks on an affair with another woman, thrusting her into a vibrant world of queerness, polyamory, and unrestrained desire. This novel-in-verse intricately navigates the complexities of obsession and the transformative power of relationships, all while maintaining a playful yet poignant tone.

The narrative unfolds through a series of rhyming couplets, which serve as both a structural device and a metaphor for the protagonist's journey. Millner's clever modulation of tone and perspective prevents the story from becoming confined to a singular erotic quest, offering a broader commentary on intimacy, self-discovery, and the forms that define our lives. The narrator's voice is both lovestruck and griefstruck, capturing the emotional tightrope she walks as she navigates her new reality.

Ultimately, Couplets is more than just a love story; it is a rich exploration of the questions surrounding identity and desire. Millner's writing compels readers to reflect on their own experiences and the societal structures that shape them. With its dazzling language and insightful observations, this book invites readers to reconsider the forms of intimacy they seek and the boundaries they wish to break free from.