Other Women

by Nicola Maye Goldberg

After dropping out of college, a young woman wanders through New York both invisible and vulnerable, studying the city’s strong magic and longing for a man she knows will never love her back. She thinks she finds salvation when Charlotte Herzfeld, the young wife of a successful businessman, hires her as a live-in nanny to accompany the family on their trip to Berlin. As the Herzfelds begin to crack under the weight of their secrets, she finds herself in a more precarious position than ever before. Both thoughtful and restrained, Goldberg’s prose examines the painful obsession that so often accompanies the confusing lust of youth.

Genres: Fiction, Literature, Contemporary

168 pages, Paperback

Published November 28, 2016

About the author

Nicola Maye Goldberg is the author of NOTHING CAN HURT YOU (Bloomsbury, 2020). She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't really know where to begin with this review other than saying that it is amazing. Goldberg's writing style is refreshing and enticing. Her characters feel so genuine and real to me. She did an incredible job taking the reader on a journey through the chaos that is a broken heart while life carries on.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the shit out of this sad, haunting, beautiful book.

[Brooks Sterritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It wasn't an unreasonable request—what's the point of studying literature if you can't even come up with a decent elegy?"

[Sophie Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An instant favourite. One of the most intimate books I've ever read, though maybe only to my own life experience. Still, though, this book felt like being opened up, searched through, and kissed closed again.

[Romy · Rating 5 out of 5]

i liked this so much i dmed the author on instagram. i kinda want to sit on my bedroom floor and cry now.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this book sitting in my shelf for a while, a friend gave it to me after studying abroad in 2017 in Berlin saying the main girl reminded her of me. I think the main character of this book is bravely written as relatable and pathetic in the way we all are when we are in our early twenties trying to figure things out. I appreciated the vignette style of storytelling, it was more interesting to me than the plot itself. But I think I understand what the author was going for, this a just a book about some girl!

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book solely off the title without even reading any synopsis or reviews. I definitely didn’t expect to feel so heartbroken being in the position of a woman who was the third person involved in a relationship and had such intimate moments she shared with her lover but couldn’t express it as it was a secret.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A melancholic, brief read that I often return to whenever I want to feel heartbroken, disappointed, wistful, yet also content. As I've reread it over the years, my response toward the characters have become a measure of my own growth through my early twenties. I enjoyed the short-form narrative and imagery from the author. 4.35/5

[Tai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this more of a 3.5/5. The writer is talented, and I'd be very interested in reading her future works.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

God I loved this. If I had a highlighter-The whole novel would have been in neon. Just so simply solidly real.

[Tyler Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

You just have to read it for yourself. The author's writing style is gorgeous. The story is relatable and rooted in imagery. A solid read.

[Kerrie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Naava Ellenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had such beautiful language. It was rather haunting. A very quick and powerful read!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[njs]

Sadness is and sadness was,
And sadness will always be because