First published 1996
Anthony Greville sits in Parliament as a conservative member, but his convictions crumble beneath him. Religious faith wavers. Political ambition feels hollow. Then there is Natalia Jones, the wife of a parliamentary colleague, who becomes his lover and his obsession. Greville calls her by two names that reflect her dual nature. Natalia represents the angelic side of their connection. Natalie embodies something more dangerous and consuming. Their affair unfolds across England and extends to Central Africa, where the stakes of their relationship become clear. Greville discovers that Natalie speaks in coded messages that reveal what Natalia truly means. The relationship forces him to confront the creative power of love alongside its capacity for destruction. As his personal and political worlds collide, Greville must navigate the ethical complexities of desire, duty, and belief.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, obsession
Setting: Africa, Central Africa, England
Period: 20th-century
278 pages · Paperback · Dalkey Archive Press