What if instead of being a hapless victim, a woman destined to die were to take control of her own fate? Early in this novella it's revealed that heroine Lise will be murdered. Therefore the story becomes an inventive 'whydunnit' as the narrative follows events leading to Lise's death alongside police interviews with people she encounters prior to her inevitable demise. The novel begins as she embarks on a holiday from her tedious job at an accountancy firm to travel to an unspecified South European city. She revels in dressing garishly, acting spontaneously and confronting anyone who impedes her mysterious journey to meet an illusory boyfriend. It's a startlingly unique psychological thriller as she encounters lascivious men, labyrinthine shopping malls and violent student protests. With her customary dark wit and lively prose, Spark's story creatively confronts issues of illness, self-destruction and mortality.
The motivations of this enticingly peculiar and emotionally volatile character are not immediately clear. It's compelling how Spark shows how Lise seems to make moment to moment choices. Yet, at the same time, she's driven by a strange mission which comes with its own parameters. Many of her encounters with others clash with her plans leading to conflict. It raises the question of whether she is acting eccentrically or if the world around her merely interprets her this way because she is inscrutable. Spark had a particular talent for writing about discontent and irascible characters in an enthralling way as with her novel “Momento Mori”. The dramatic plots serve as a frames through which such lively personalities can burst through insisting that their desires are met. It makes these figures feels truly alive.
