Identity: a novel

by Kitty Fitzgerald

What is it about the woman who lives opposite her that obsesses Beth? And why does she seek revenge for her own wrecked life? A maze of psychiatric institutions and social workers finally place her back in the community, in isolation. In a series of flashbacks, Beth reviews some of the events in her life and tries to find a solution to her loneliness. But things take a fatal turn. Fitzgerald cleverly blends elements of a traditional thriller with the lives of women under pressure. 'A controlled explosion of a novel' - Sally Vincent, New Society. 'Mind-blowing' - Women's World Magazine 'a psychic thriller fit for our times...all too believable' - Fay Weldon

216 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2014

About the author

Kitty Fitzgerald is the author of four novels and four plays for the BBC and eight theatre plays. She was a finalist (second place) in the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award in 2005; received a Hawthornden Fellowship in 2005, a Time to Write Award in 2003, and a C.P. Taylor Playwriting Bursary; and won most original screenplay for the film Dream On at Le Baule Film Festival. Born in Ireland, she lives on Tyndeside.

Reviews

[Judith · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book gets really good reviews on Amazon, so I was intrigued. It starts off OK (as well as it can be for a novel where the main character is a victim of incest), but then spirals into mythological territory when 3 female entities 'develop' inside Beth's head. There's a lot of feminist issues that are discussed by the other main character, Lizzie, but the conversations she has sound dated, hollow and far too preachy.

I can't understand the praise the novel gets - maybe I'm missing something, but it was just disappointing and badly written (in my opinion.) It's a shame as the novel raises important issues about abuse and violence within families, but the mythological stuff really ruined it for me.