Priority

by Iselin C. Hermann

Book Overview

Acclaimed as "a sensuous literary treat" by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Priority is a lovely and nuanced exploration of intellectual admiration that develops into consuming passion. It begins as a young woman, Delphine, writes a letter to Jean-Luc, a painter whose work has touched her. She is sure he will not read it--but he does, and he answers. Over the next eighteen months, Delphine's letters bare her soul layer by layer, making her ever more vulnerable...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802138039
• ISBN13: 9780802138033
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Grove Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

Uncomfortable but tremendous exposition

I felt like I had a lot in common with Delphine in the beginning, in that I have been captivated by an artist's work (in may case, a musician) to the point of worship, and finally told him so. And, like the character in this book, my favorite artist became my artist friend. That's how I got carried away by this story, told entirely through the letters between the two characters. And the completely unpredictable and shocking conclusion left me feeling as betrayed as the main character. I actually did proclaim "Oh my God!!!" a bit too loudly in the room I sat reading, when it concluded. Initially, I immediately re-read the brilliant work, my eyes scanning microscopic details for the embedded clues that could have saved the main character the agony in the tragic ending. Since then, I have found myself changed... not quite taking foregranted. I now stay entirely sensitive to clues in my real world, to avoid being deceived. A word to the wise... it is a masterful work, so please do not miss out on the opportunity to engage yourself in a work like this one.

A Passionate Correspondance

Priority is one of those rare gems that you can only hope to stumble upon every now and then. It is the sensuous, poetic journey of two lovers who have never met, but are on an inevitable collision course with destiny. It reminded me of the exotic and delightful correspondnce in the Griffin and Sabine trilogy by Nick Bantock, but left me with a sense of fulfillment at the end, even with it's surprising and extraordinary twist.

What is the scent of blue?

Priority is written in the form of letters between a young woman and an artist. The exchange begins as a fan letter, turns into a game, the game becomes erotic and finally obsessive. While that slender thread may seem trite for a plot and the letter ruse overused, in Priority they are both original and right. The personalities behind the letters and their "O too human" nature are absolutely believable as creative "play mates". The letter in which the artist writes of his grandfather who ran a store and could only paint on Sundays is poignant. The artist explaining how scent and color are intertwined in his mind is incredibly sensual. The young woman's letters consistently show a creative, poetic, playful soul who can write eroticism at its imaginary best. And the afterward following the final letter confirms the believability of the whole exchange.The novel is beautifully written, emotionally true and very perceptive with regards to human nature - and this is the author's first novel. This should be added to your must read lisst.

Wow!

This is as good as erotic literature gets! Erotic and intelligent. Finished the whole book in one sitting. Couldn't help smiling through most of it. Delphine's letters to Jean-Luc are pure joy to read and guaranteed to set your imagination (and much more) on fire! I have become Iselin Hermann's fan for life!