THE HOUSE OF MADELAINE by Elaine Kraf
Whoooooah. Let me catch my breath. What the *#$@ did I just read? Ok, rewind one second. Remember how last year I read The Princess of 72nd Street and, not to put too fine a point on it, bloody well loved it? It felt like I’d stumbled on a lost classic. I couldn’t wait to read more Elaine Kraf. So… I was just in a bookstore in Bangkok and saw this and was so excited I peed my pants a bit. I ran back to the hotel, changed my pants, jumped straight in and… What. The. Actual.
Well, here goes nothing. Imagine you put Eyes Wide Shut, Clue (that awesomely camp Tim Curry film), SAW, Kafka’s The Trial (with a hint of Perry Mason) and a sackful of the strongest hallucinogens you can find into a blender, and mixed the shit out of it. That’s The House of Madeleine. Alt text: A woman goes to a dinner party to support her friend only to find herself locked in the house, subjected to wildly humiliating sex games and on trial for murdering her ex-husband (who might be one of the guests). Yeah, I don’t get it either. Masterpiece? Garbage? You decide.
The House of Madelaine by Elaine Kraf
The Modern Library, 2025
137 pages
Finally, got my hands on The Princess of 72nd. Can't wait to read it. And I have to say, based on your description of this one, I'll pick it up, as well.