Discretion
A Novel
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $2.99
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
"A captivating tale of Oufoula Sindede, an African diplomat in a passionless marriage who falls madly in love with Marguerite, a New York City artist." —Essence
Dutifully married to lovely Nerida, Oufoula goes through the motions, formally keeping his distance from the woman with whom he shares his bed. And yet there is a deeper, buried passion within him that will lead him to question which values he holds sacred and which can be sacrificed.
Despite his quiet marriage, the memory of a fiery love affair triggers Oufoula to entangle himself in the life of another woman, a Jamaican-born painter named Marguerite. Soon he discovers that Marguerite is nothing like his quick old flames or his gentle wife, Nerida—Marguerite is much more.
And so begins a whirlwind affair, spanning over twenty years, between a young woman who wants order and love and a man who is torn between the honors of his profession and his dishonorable love life; the old African customs of polygamy and the American dream; the passion for a mistress and the duty to a wife.
"A provocative new love story." —The Seattle Times
"Refreshingly ambitious in its intellectual scope." —The New York Times Book Review
"Right from the start of this haunting novel, Nunez adopts the mesmerizing myth-spinning voice of an oral storyteller . . . Nunez explores self-deception, envy, Christian monogamy vs. African polygamy, and the very real dilemma of loving two people at once." —Publishers Weekly
"A complex portrait of a love triangle by a gifted writer." —Booklist
A main selection of the Black Expressions Book Club
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A tinted review in adult Forecasts indicates a book that's of exceptional importance to our readers, but that hasn't received a starred or boxed review.DISCRETIONElizabeth Nunez. Ballantine, (288p) XRight from the start of this haunting novel, Nunez adopts the mesmerizing, myth-spinning voice of an oral storyteller, assuming the identity of an African-born male. When Oufoula Sindede becomes his unnamed country's foreign ambassador to the U.S., he is a happy husband and father, married to the daughter of his country's president. Yet he's aware of an unfulfilled need, and it comes as no surprise when he falls in love with Marguerite, an artist in New York. Their subsequent relationship spans a quarter of a century, most of it spent apart after Marguerite balks upon learning Oufoula already has a wife. By the time their final meetings occur, tragedy has befallen both. Always torn between his responsibilities to Africa, family and passion, what will Oufoula now choose to do? In unaffected prose, Nunez (whose Bruised Hibiscus won an American Book Award) explores self-deception, envy, Christian monogamy vs. African polygamy and the very real dilemma of loving two people at once. Her nonjudgmental exploration of the simple/complex nature of marriage, love and fidelity enriches her portrayal of Oufoula, allowing the reader to feel sympathy for a decent man who cannot deny his passion. To some extent, the code of his profession is to blame: Oufoula is told, early on, "to be a successful diplomat you will have to learn how to lie." At the end, a broken Oufoula contemplates the lessons of his life and wonders what really constitutes the better part of valor, behaving discreetly or choosing the truth? This rich, multilayered narrative is powerful in its sweep and moving in its insight. , this novel has the potential to reach all readers appreciative of fine prose and an emotionally resonant story.
