The Pisces is more than a book about a woman who romances a fish
Lucy, our main protagonist, is caught in a rut. She's a 38-year-old PHD student. Her thesis, which she is writing dispassionately, is about the ancient Greek poet Sappho. When her long-term relationship with the commitment-phobic Jamie falls apart, she feels she has no reason to hold herself together anymore.
Her sister, who lives in Venice Beach, offers to let her dog sit and get a change of scenery. Once there, Lucy spends her time judging the other women in her group therapy, going on disastrous Tinder dates, and neglecting the dog, Dominic, in her care. She also makes a habit of sitting on the rocks by the ocean. It's here that she meets Theo, who we eventually learn has a tail and lives in the sea.
The Pisces draw card is that it leans into the absurdity of the premise. The cover is a woman embracing a fish. The romance is treated with weight and authenticity. Broder describes the sight and smell of Theo's body with visceral detail. Lucy is the perfect match for Theo, as she spends a lot of her time in a romantic fantasy world.
Lucy is a protagonist who is painful to read. She makes impulsive decisions for a dopamine hit, which often makes her feel worse. For example, she meets her Tinder date at an expensive hotel, expecting a 5-star experience, but instead ends up having sex on the floor of the bar's bathroom.
Lucy has used sex and romance as unhealthy coping mechanisms her whole adult life. We learn that she had grown tired of Jamie long before their relationship ended, only for her to long for him once he initiated a break-up. Lucy is terrified of being alone and not in love. She is addicted to the feelings of new relationship energy and being desired by men. Her narrative journey is overcoming these drives towards destructive behaviour.
I could lump this book in with other well-read books from recent years, generally by women authors. In particular, My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh comes to mind. I describe this genre as "Messy and/or gross women who make bad decisions while you read and cringe." It's also known as the "weird girl" genre online.
There's a lot of merit in writing about women like these, women who aren't always likeable, who crave excitement and danger and the expense of their better judgment. Broder captures the specifics of love and relationship addiction with attention to detail. As we follow Lucy from date to date, it's easy to recognise the signs of someone going through the motions in search of self-validation from others rather than themself.
Her interactions with Theo are similarly driven by a reckless abandonment of her own safety as she emerges deeper into this impossible relationship with an otherworldly creature. Many metaphors relating to the pull of love lend themselves well to the ocean. Riptides pull you in much like a dysfunctional relationship has a strong draw on a certain kind of person. Theo is a character who serves as the perfect foil to Lucy's efforts to move in a healthier direction.
As Lucy's affair with Theo unfolds, we are expertly treated to descriptions of the irresistible desire for a new lover. The sex scenes between Lucy and Theo are fantastical, as if Lucy is moved to another realm with Theo. I started to think that it was worth the effort for Lucy to drag Theo in a wagon at night, desperately trying avoid being caught. What they share is the ultimate forbidden love.
The Pisces isn't a cut-and-dry romance. As Lucy falls deeper in love with Theo, she becomes increasingly suggestible, and we eventually learn that Theo's intentions for her are sinister. Lucy must acknowledge her own failings and lack of personal safety. As her therapist explains to her, finding sex is easy to do, but a real connection is rare.
This isn't The Shape of the Water, and rather than mindlessly follow Theo into the ocean, Lucy must consciously consider the consequences of her attraction to less-than-desirable men. Lucy's journey from low self-esteem to self-awareness is sadly relatable, and I found I saw a lot more of myself in Lucy than I would like to admit.
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