I Am My Own Betrayal

The front cover of this book shows a twenty-something-year-old girl alone in a room, clutching a pillow. This, along with the collection’s title, sets the tone for what’s inside — loneliness, self-deprecation, mistakes, and the occasional cameo from a house cat. Although this may not sound like the premise for an incredibly unique bounty of writing, I Am My Own Betrayal’s take on misery is shockingly accurate, and its well-evolved definitions of personal relationships feel horribly true.

The storylines in this collection of short stories and poems revolve around young people in Montreal, often following break-ups, and often accompanied by beer. “Vaster Emptiness Achieves” kicks off the book following a relationship that builds over an email chain with the subject line: “The mistake thread of probably intense self- loathing.” The sentences are sometimes fragments, and punctuation may be left out here or there. Full-fledged depression has de-motivated proper grammar. Morissette’s poems have less structure, but they’re full of catchy epigrams, and mentions of Facebook that miraculously don’t feel like cheap pop references.

And although not on a radical scale, there is variety and experimentation in this book. For instance, “Karpa Drama Triangle” shows four people in bed together after a night getting drunk. The narration runs through each character separately, describing how they each ended up in the sack with three other people. It’s an appealing and revealing method of exploration.

Morissette’s collection doesn’t veer far from the topic of sadness, but it’s a niche that he handles with empathy and skill. As readers, it will make us dwell on our shortcomings till we’re all desperate for a pillow to hold on to. (Colin Brush)

Guillaume Morissette, 102 pgs, Maison Kasini, maisonkasini.com, $14.95

10 thoughts on “I Am My Own Betrayal

  1. I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was curious
    what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
    I’m not very web smart so I’m not 100% certain. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Many thanks

  2. Hi there I am so excited I found your webpage, I really found you by accident, while I was browsing on Digg for something
    else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say
    thank you for a incredible post and a all round interesting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t
    have time to read through it all at the moment but
    I have bookmarked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the
    superb work.

  3. Hi I am so glad I found your weblog, I really found you by mistake,
    while I was searching on Aol for something else, Anyhow I am here now
    and would just like to say thanks for a marvelous
    post and a all round enjoyable blog (I also love the
    theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at
    the minute but I have saved it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I
    have time I will be back to read more, Please do keep up
    the awesome work.

Leave a Reply to projector ceiling np3250w extension Cancel reply