What I Loved

What I loved is a novel by American writer Siri Hustvedt, which was published in London in 2003. In German he appeared in the same year in Rowohlt Verlag. He told from the perspective of Leo Hertzberg, a New York-based art historian. The author himself lived from 1978 in New York. In a discussion about 9/11, she described New York as " as much an idea as an actual place ."

The book follows the relationship between Leo and Bill changer and the close connection of their two families. It focuses on the themes of love, loss, art and psychology.

Summary

What I loved begins with the painting of a nude woman, on which the shadow of the artist is to see. The protagonist of the book, the art historian Leon Hertzberg (Leo), buys the painting and befriended some time later with the artist, Bill Wechsler. Bill is at this time an unknown artist, but in the course of the novel becoming well known in the New York art scene. He is married to Lucille, a hypersensitive poet, and Leo is married to the Anglistin Erica. The two couples become friends and move into the same apartment block. Erica and Lucille become pregnant during the same period and each have a son, Matthew and Mark. The first part of the novel shows the quiet, domestic life of two families, which is told from Leo's perspective. Lucille and Bill split up after he has begun a relationship with Violet. Violet is the woman, with whose paintings the book had begun.

The start of the second part of the novel is like a big bang: The son of Leo and Erica, Matthew, dies suddenly. From this point the narrative rhythm accelerated. Leo is heartbroken over the death of his son and loses Erica, who pulls away. A close but problematic relationship is created between Leo and the son of Bill, Mark. Again and again abused the trust prone to dishonesty Mark Bills, to Leo ( and the reader ) notes that Mark not to affection is more than capable.

Mark became friends with Teddy Giles, a performance and installation artist whose art seems to have only one objective: to shock you. Bill eventually dies, and Leo tries to find Mark and to save that which is lost in Teddy Giles scene. Finally, Leo confesses his love for Violet. She tells him that he could have them for one night, but that she would then move away. He refuses and goes back alone to his apartment.

A minor character in the novel, Lazlo Finkelman, moving in similar circles as Teddy Giles and Mark, but with different intentions and values. At the end of the novel, Leo finds solace while playing with his young son.

Reception

In the TIME Michael Naumann has reviewed the novel very positive. He refers to him as " educated and artfully constructed " novel and praise him among other things for his " no-frills style, his unobtrusive self-reflection, his microscopically detailed description of the spiritual movements of his characters, his sometimes pebble cool presentation of the life needs of these five men."