One Knife, One Fork, One Spoon — Patty Friedmann

During forty years as a psychologist, I've tried to help people avoid the error of simply judging behavior, because this keeps us from deepening our understanding of how uncanny, perverse, complex, and fascinating our human stories really are. Patty Friedmann gives us Renna and thereby dares us not to judge pathology but to find the humanity in her journey.-Gary Ahlskog, Psychoanalyst --- Is the way to escape a dismal marriage by seducing an underage lover? In One Knife, One Fork, One Spoon, Patty Friedmann delves into the depths of a crumbling marriage and the devastating consequences that unfold when a desperate woman, Renna Newlin, seeks solace in an illicit relationship with a young lover. However, this tale diverges markedly from the controversial themes of Nabokov's Lolita. Friedmann skillfully employs her unique brand of dark literary humor to shed light on the disintegration of a family, particularly its impact on the most innocent members involved. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of New Orleans, this novel takes readers on a journey through the slow and arduous path of redemption. As the Newlin family is torn apart, Friedmann's writing unflinchingly exposes the raw emotions and complexities inherent in such a situation. With a keen understanding of human psychology and a talent for crafting multifaceted characters, Friedmann weaves a captivating narrative that confronts readers with the true cost of pursuing forbidden desires.