Say It with Me Now: Open Marriages Never Work Lindy West’s new memoir, Adult Braces, positions her as a figure who revels in being perceived as a child by the man she once intended to grow old with—and the woman who now occupies his place in bed. The book blends elements of travelogue, polyamory memoir, and self-deprecating humor, offering a critique of monogamy that frames her desire for exclusivity as a form of “false consciousness.” West’s tone is one of defiant irony, as she acknowledges the absurdity of her situation while refusing to apologize for it. In the final chapter of the memoir, West delivers a line that encapsulates her approach: “If you think I have been brainwashed and I am secretly miserable, I simply do not know what to tell you.” This statement, delivered with a mix of self-awareness and sarcasm, underscores her refusal to conform to expectations about personal happiness or moral clarity. The memoir’s structure—part travelogue, part exploration of polyamory—serves as a vehicle for West to dissect the contradictions of modern relationships, particularly the tension between societal norms and individual desires. West’s critique of monogamy is framed as a rejection of what she perceives as a restrictive and performative ideal. She positions her own experiences as emblematic of a broader cultural phenomenon, where the pursuit of exclusivity is both a personal choice and a social construct. Her self-deprecating humor often masks a deeper skepticism toward the narratives that define relationships, whether they are rooted in tradition, personal ambition, or societal pressure.#indie_author #lindy_west #adult_braces #polyamory #girls
