How well do we really know the people we love?
This is the question that Elkin poses in Scaffolding through a winding narrative of intertwined characters who inhabit the same space but in different decades. I found her writing to be poignant, captivating and reflective. I would normally be put off by a book that started off mentioning so many academic themes I was unfamiliar with by this book made them accessible in an unpatronizing way.

Something about this book didn't click with me, and I'm bummed! Set in the same apartment in Belleville, Paris in 1970 and 2019, we explore the complexities of marriage, monogamy, and desire through two couples. The premise alone had me racing to NetGalley to request this ARC, but unfortunately this book missed the mark for me. I found the jump from one timeline to the next to be awkwardly placed, and would've appreciated more connections between the two couples other than the apartment. I did really enjoy how Elkin portrayed how motherhood and the longing for a child can affect marriages. There were some really beautiful and poignant moments, but unfortunately it didn't save the story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this title!

Two couples live in the same Parisian apartment, one now, one back in the 1970s. Both couples have issues about desire and selfhood and what they want their lives to look like, and are redecorating the apartment.

Not my favorite, and I can't exactly put my finger on why. There's an intellectualism and essayistic bent (so much Lacan!?) and a somber, thinky self-consciousness that all of the characters have that makes them feel slightly unreal. The actions and changing relationships between the characters feel overly designed and happen very quickly, compared to the slow thought of the rest of the book. I didn't really believe the main character was French or a psychoanalyst.

I like Lauren Elkin's writing—her book of essays about taking the bus in Paris is great—but I feel like the style didn't settle into a novel for me.

Elkin's "Scaffolding" delicately explores themes of feminism, queerness, and desire, offering a nuanced look at human connections. While some concepts may seem complex initially, Elkin's elegant prose makes them accessible and engaging, sparking an interest in delving into deeper theories like Lacan's psychology. The narrative's unique structure drew me in, immersing me in the characters' inner lives. I was completely engrossed and look forward to revisiting this thought-provoking story. The upcoming release of "Scaffolding" fills me with anticipation, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have experienced it early as an ARC.

I would call this a gripping contemporary that develes into womanhood and its darkest aspects. I have so many annotations highlight the books is now rainbow.

This was a good book. I really love the world building and the characters. The pacing was really good and it was an interesting story to read