Repetitions, a novella told in four voices, is the story of two young couples, caught in a moment of stasis, sharing their third Christmas together. Each couple has to face the choice of continuing in their present paths, repeating the patterns of their lives, or upending their lives and confronting the chaos of change. The introduction of an alluring older woman to this close-knit group is the catalyst that sparks reaction.
Bernard Pollara has created an intriguing examination of relationships under stress. His writing is taut and fluid. He writes with unsparing sympathy, but relentless honesty.