#Review: Marigold and Rose by Louise Glück 

Marigold and Rose 
Author: Louise Glück 
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Rating: 3.5/ 5

Some books tell you a story. Marigold and Rose gives you an idea and then quietly asks you to sit with it.

Louise Glück’s only work of fiction follows twin sisters through their first year of life, but this is hardly a conventional story about babies. Marigold is the inward-looking, observant twin—the thinker who is already “writing” a book in her head—while Rose is more sociable, expressive and instinctive. Their differences become Glück’s way of exploring individuality, language, identity and the strange process of becoming a person. 

What I particularly enjoyed was the absurdity of giving babies such sophisticated thoughts. It should feel ridiculous, yet somehow it works. Glück turns ordinary things—learning to crawl, drinking from a cup, hearing adults talk—into philosophical questions about time, death, family and growing up. There is also a wonderfully dry humour running underneath it all.

That said, this is not a plot-driven book. In fact, almost nothing “happens”. If you go into it expecting a traditional narrative, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. The book is closer to prose poetry or a philosophical fable, and its appeal lies almost entirely in Glück’s voice and observations. I couldn’t help but notice its deliberately unusual position among poetry, prose and fiction.

At barely 60-odd pages, it is a tiny book with surprisingly large questions. Not a book I would recommend to everyone—but if you enjoy literary fiction that makes you pause and think, this strange little experiment is worth your time.

Find this book here.