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A woman disappears, leaving behind an incendiary diary chronicling a journey of sexual awakening. To all who knew her, she was the Good Wife: happy, devoted, content. But the diary reveals a secret self, one who's discovered that her new marriage contains mysteries of its own. Inspired by a manuscript written by an anonymous Elizabethan woman who dared to speak of what women truly desire, she tastes for the first time the intoxicating power of knowing what she wants and how to get it. The question is, How long can she sustain a perilous double life?In writing The Bride Stripped Bare, the author decided to remain anonymous so she would feel absolutely free to explore a woman's inner world. As she writes in her afterword, "That doesn't mean this book is a memoir; it's many things to me, fiction and nonfiction, fantasy and fact, a quilt pieced together not only from my stories but those of my friends."Coolly impassioned, The Bride Stripped Bare tells startling truths about love and sex. It will make you question whether it is ever entirely possible to know another person.
A seemingly content wife vanishes, leaving behind a clandestine diary that exposes the stark dissonance between her public domesticity and her private sexual awakening. The protagonist navigates the tension between her role as a devoted spouse and her burgeoning desire for autonomy and self-discovery. As she explores the boundaries of her marriage, she encounters the inherent risks of maintaining a double life. The narrative utilizes the diary as a central device, blending personal reflection with the unfolding mystery of her disappearance.
The novel is characterized by its provocative exploration of female sexuality and the hidden complexities of modern marriage. Readers often note the stark contrast between the protagonist's outward domestic stability and her intense, internal search for self-actualization. The work is frequently discussed for its candid approach to desire and the risks associated with living a dual existence. Its stylistic choices, particularly the use of the diary format, invite a deep engagement with the protagonist's evolving perspective on her own life and choices.
Page Count:
384
Publication Date:
2004-03-16
Publisher:
Harper
ISBN-10:
000716226X
ISBN-13:
9780007162260
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