FromtheacclaimedauthorofMissBurma,longlistedfortheNationalBookAwardandtheWomen’sPrizeforFiction,comesanimmersiveandsearingstoryoftwowomen,theirmarriages,andtherivalrybetweenthemTessaisasuccessfulwriterwhodevelopsafriendship,firstbycorrespondenceandtheninperson,withCharlie,aruggedlyhandsomephilosopherandscholarbasedinLosAngeles.SparksflyastheyexchangeideasaboutCamusandmasculinedesire,andtheirintellectualconnectionpromisesmore--butthereareobstaclestothisburgeoningrelationship.WhileTessa’shusbandMiltonenjoysCharlie’scompanyonhisvisitstotheEastCoast,Charlie’swifeWahisadifferentcase,andsheprovestobebothadversaryandconundrumtoTessa.Wah’straditionalfemininityandsubserviencetoherhusbandstrikeTessaasweaknesses,andshescoffsatthesacrificesWahmakesasadoptivemothertoaBurmesegirl,Htet,oncehomelessonthestreetsofKualaLumpur.ButWahhasakindofpowertoo,especiallyoverCharlie,andtheconflictbetweenthetwowomenleadstoamartini-fueleddeclarationbyTessathatWahis“aninsulttowomankind.“AsTessaisforcedtodealwiththeconsequencesofheroutburstandconsidershowmuchsheislimitedbyherownperceptions,shewondersifWahisreallyasweakasshehasseemed,orifshemighthaveadifferentkindofstrengthaltogether.Compassionateandthought-provoking,MyNemesisisabrilliantstoryofseduction,envy,andthewayswepubliclydefineandprivatelydeceiveourselvestoday.
