Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

Harriet Rose, 26, is an American photographer just winning recognition for her work. A travel fellowship brings her to visit her best friend and former roommate, Anne Gordon, in Switzerland. In an ongoing letter to her boyfriend, Harriet reports on strange developments in Anne's life, most notably her affair with a much older married man, which seems to be leading to a disastrous conclusion. Before she can rescue Anne, events take a series of unexpected turns, and Harriet must reexamine her own life and past, and come to terms with the difficulties and possibilities of human relationships.

Already excerpted in The New Yorker, Katharine Weber's witty first novel of attraction and deception, a tale with the sensibility of a Margaret Atwood, pulses with cultural references and word games that echo Nabokov. 

From Publishers WeeklyWeber's first novel shifts between past and present as a young photographer tries to rescue her best friend from a destructive affair. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library JournalHarriet is a photographer who has won a travel grant to Geneva. There, she stays with her former Eighth Street roommate, Anne, who is working for an international business whose function is unclear. Harriet writes to her lover, Benedict, about her concern for her friend: Anne has changed. She is having an affair with a married man who survived Auschwitz with her father and seems confused and sad. Harriet's picture-taking allows her to see through the lens what is not visible to the eye as she looks at her life and that of her friend. She reminds us that what is seen in mirrors may offer a distorted view of reality. This well-written first novel combines both tragedy and a happily-ever-after conclusion. Recommended.?Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Coll. of Continuing Education Lib., ProvidenceCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.