Matricide

by Carla Tomaso

Every woman has considered murdering her mother at least once. The quirky, verse-scribbling, passion-seeking narrator of Carla Tomaso's Matricide, however, has actually tried it. Now she's got five cats (each left behind by a different ex-lover), no good reason to get out of bed, and a bad attitude. In this clever, compulsive tale of modern lesbian life, Tomaso turns her sharp eye on the most charged relationship of all - with compelling results. Matricide is a darkly delicious concoction of secrets, lies, and unconditional love - and loathing.

Genres: Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1994

About the author

Carla Tomaso writes deliciously disturbing fiction that explores complicated relationships between women. Her insightful stories of mothers, daughters, and lesbian lovers are told with dark and quirky humor. Tomaso holds a master’s degree in creative writing from Boston University and has written plays, screenplays, novels, and short stories. She teaches English in Pasadena, California where she lives with her long-time partner, Mary Hayden, a psychologist in private practice. They have a beloved dog and a ferocious new cat.

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The middle section of this novel (about a lesbian who finally faces her personal demons) gets very good, but leading up to the middle I found myself skipping forward and then again near the end, the density of feeling and authenticity it had there for awhile, got lost. It's as though the author couldn't decide if she wanted to be light and charming (not) or introspective and true, even if true isn't fun. That kind of indecisiveness is acceptable in a character, but not an author: makes for a flawed book. *sigh*

[Anika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some biphobia in it and there was less action than I expected it to be

[Nat Nesvaderani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holden Caulfield, but as a 40 year self-reflective dyke.

Thank you, Carla, for this bizarre gift.

[SweetCorn03 · Rating 1 out of 5]

paging dr. freud

no part of this is good. not worth your time.

actually heinous.