Member Review

Larissa Pham's first novel, "Discipline," explores the intricate connections between trauma, artistic creation, and the search for purpose after a painful event. This striking work has been widely praised for its taut prose and philosophical depth.

The story follows Christine, a first-time author on a book tour for her novel—a thinly veiled revenge fantasy about her former painting professor, Richard, with whom she had a devastating, brief affair a decade earlier. This relationship derailed her promising career as a visual artist. The novel's structure mirrors Christine's journey, split into two distinct parts: the first tracks her book tour and reconnecting with past friends and lovers. In contrast, the second abruptly shifts to a remote Maine island for a tense confrontation with Richard after he reaches out with an ominous email– “That’s not how I remember it.”

The unexpected return of Richard completely disorients Cristine. She had painstakingly rebuilt her life, shifting her creative focus from painting to writing, and believed she had finally expelled his memory by fictionalizing his death in her novel. This hard-won peace came after years of silence; she had never told anyone about the trauma before her book's publication, a deliberate secret that had even sabotaged a later relationship. Given all this, her decision to accept his invitation to stay with him raises a central question: what outcome could she desire? Is she seeking closure, a confession, or simply a confrontation with the source of her pain?

The meeting culminates in an exchange that perfectly captures the lingering emotional warfare: “I have the sense that something is being drawn between us. Not drawn as in line but as an arrow pulled back. Yet I don’t know which of us holds the bow, and which of us faces the arrow.”

The book centers on the theme of artistic life. Christine feels she has been robbed of her creative capacity, no longer the artist she once was. To initiate her healing, she has shifted her focus from visual art to writing. This new medium enables her to fictionalize her experiences, thereby allowing her to regain mastery over her own story.

Pham's fiercely intelligent debut refuses to offer easy answers, instead focusing on a nuanced character study of a woman grappling with her past and seeking purpose. The author achieves this by examining the wreckage of trauma through the lens of creative output, all while maintaining a compelling sense of suspense.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #Discipline #NetGalley