Books like Love Warps the Mind a Little

John Dufresne's glorious new novel is a tragicomedy about love and death that highlights the absurdities of everyday life and in the same breath reveals heart-wrenching truths. The comedy is what makes the tragedy bearable, what prevents us, as readers, from finally turning away from the irreversibility of death and the disappointments of love. The narrator of Love Warps the Mind a Little, 36-year-old Lafayette Proulx, a struggling writer, has just wrecked his marriage of 14 years and moved in with his lover, Judi Dubey, who is not overjoyed to see him. Then, when Judi is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Laf finds himself in the role of caregiver, witnessing the stealthy approach of death and learning about the sacrifices and duties of love that offer a surprising amount of redemption. Dufresne's master storytelling and keen ability to mirror the torment and resiliency of life make his novel a joy to delve into and impossible to put down.