Michelle Hart

Poetic and melancholic, “We Do What We Do In the Dark” is a character-driven novel that captures queer adulthood in very specific, soft light. At first glance, it’s a forbidden romance, but beneath that, it’s an exploration of the desire to be understood, to be seen, the aching rawness of longing, as well as the effects people can have on one another (whether they are aware of it or not).

Hart has a beautiful way with words; they have a really unique way of balancing of lyricism and show more starkness that fits this novel so well! I loved Mallory’s character, too- she won’t be everyone’s favorite but personally I found her deeply compelling and relatable.

I think anyone who has enjoyed books such as “Happy Hour” by Marlowe Granados or “The Idiot” by Elif Batuman would like this one a lot! show less

I did enjoy this book but although it is short, it took me a while to get through. I enjoyed reading about Mallory's complex feelings toward the woman as I found them to be very similar to my own when involved with older women. The wishy-washy and often cold nature of the woman felt very familiar and I feel like Michelle did an amazing job at encapsulating what it is like to be in a very imbalanced relationship with someone as well as what it is like to be in constant fear of being too much. show more The lack of affirmation, tenderness, attention, and even just interest from a partner and then confusion after seeing the other move on was so accurate! I really hoped I would get to see Mallory have a happier ending either with the woman (obviously after working on herself) or with someone who she is also mesmerized by, but mutually lol. The ending makes sense of course because many people don't find "the one" at 28, but I reallyyyyy wanted that for Mallory. The ending was not what I imagined or hoped it would be, but was very realistic anyway. show less

I’m really torn over this one: I liked Mallory, the queer protagonist of this story, and most other characters were also interesting. For me, the major let-down is the story itself: the first part tells us about Mallory’s affair with a professor, only ever referred to melodramatically as “the woman”, from her college and the affair’s circumstances. I found that mostly… boring.

As problematic as this affair is due to power differences, conflict of interest, fairness to others, in show more the end it’s a “normal” affair - one partner (Mallory) silently hoping “the woman” will leave her husband (which she tells Mallory she won’t), the other hoping for non-disclosure and enjoying the hero worship by a younger person.

We then shift to Mallory’s childhood and youth during which she discovers she’s queer. This part is relatable but, again, just not all that interesting.

Finally, the story moves a few years forward and Mallory and “the woman” briefly reconnect. It’s a disappointing but also liberating experience for Mallory which is marred by the very laconic kind of storytelling: We are relentlessly told about all that happens, but it’s being told in a literary “voice” that’s not engaging at all.

Imagine being exposed to a long, emotionless monologue. This is what reading this book felt like. It touched on important topics but never managed to really do any of them justice or to make me feel their importance.

The writing was similarly challenging: It was always adequate and readable, but it never shone. There was not a single passage that felt passionate or of any kind of artistic value. Imagine a mild grey day during which nothing happens - not annoying but not inspiring either.

I still liked this novel, but I cannot award more than three stars out of five.

P.S.: Sometimes it’s both fun and confusing not to be a native English speaker:

“She even taught herself how to throw pottery.”

Initially thinking, “uh, what? I can hurl ceramics just fine without learning how!”, I looked it up.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam show less

this one goes out to all the lonely gay girls everywhere!! a story of forbidden love. loneliness, intimacy and desperation. trust for a real connection. the way Michelle Hart writes is the best. the beauty attached to her words is mesmerizing. the beauty here comes under the sharpness and pain attached to the prose. the way mallory desires the woman who remains nameless throughout the book!!