The Pregnant Widow by Martin Amis

By Eithne Farry  on Monday 25 January 2010

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A provocative tale of sexual dysfunction and risqué morals, set in Italy in the 1970s

Harking back to the days of The Rachel Papers, and Dead Babies, Amis employs his trademark derisive wit to explore the legacy of the 70s sexual revolution. The ‘hero' of the novel is self-loathing Keith, an aspiring literary critic and poet, who is in a relationship with the lovely Lily, but is sexually obsessed with another woman. Set over a long, hot summer in an Italian castle, the privileged youth of The Pregnant Widow indulge in topless sunbathing, reading classic novels and undergoing humiliating sexual encounters. Through the narrative, Amis suggests that - far from resulting in sexual freedom - the period instead spurred narcissistic navel-gazing and degeneration.

Review by Eithne Farry

Release date: Monday 25 January 2010

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