Very Cold People

I like to think I know pretty early on whether I will fall in love with a book or not. I can usually sense a tone, either of unease or unspoken terror, that immediately captivates me. What that says about me, I don’t wish to explore. But Sarah Manguso’s debut novel, Very Cold People, hooked me from the very start. There is something immediately unsettling about this book, and our narrator, Ruthie, as she recounts her youth in the small town of Waitfield, Massachusetts.

Very Cold People is a wonderfully crafted collection of vignettes, as Ruthie shares the ghastliness of her adolescence. The stories are depressingly familiar, with teenage pregnancies, violence, broken friendships, and seemingly inescapable misfortune. Manguso’s sparse prose is gorgeous; there are certain breathtaking lines that tell a million stories in ten words. This is a novel to be savored.

The main thread of the novel is an incredibly toxic relationship between Ruthie and her mother. Ruthie is bombarded with insults, attacks on her character, and flat-out indifference. It is absolutely heartbreaking, but becomes even more so when we discover Ruthie’s mother’s motivation. The plot unravels slowly and beautifully. Again, something to be savored.

I can’t recommend Very Cold People enough. It is a phenomenally beautiful book, and Ruthie is an incredibly compelling central character. While it is Manguso’s first novel, she has found success with philosophical, non-fiction titles such as 300 Arguments, and Ongoingness. Her rich and incredibly personal writing style has translated to fiction incredibly well. Take a few hours and lose yourself in Very Cold People; you won’t regret it.