This "blistering anti-romance" (Catherine Lacey) paints a riveting, cathartic story about love addiction and what it does to us. Wouldn’t I do anything to reverse my loss, the absence of him? In the first scene of this provocative gut-punch of a novel, our unnamed narrator meets a magnetic writer named Ciaran and falls, against her better judgment, completely in his power. After a brief, all-consuming romance he abruptly rejects her, sending her into a tailspin of jealous obsession and longing. If he ever comes back to her, she resolves to hang onto him and his love at all costs, even if it destroys her… Part breathless confession, part lucid critique, Acts of Desperation renders a consciousness split between rebellion and submission, between escaping degradation and eroticizing it, between loving and being lovable. With unsettling, electric precision, Nolan dissects one of life’s most elusive mysteries: Why do we want what we want, and how do we want it? Heralding the arrival of a stunning new literary talent, Acts of Desperation interrogates the nature of fantasy, desire, and power, challenging us to reckon honestly with our own insatiability. "Hot as viscera." —The New Republic
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About the author
Megan Nolan
Author
Megan Nolan is an Irish author and journalist known for introspective fiction and polemic essays. She gained critical prominence after releasing her debut novel, Acts of Desperation, concerning complexities of desire and self-doubt through the lens of a young woman navigating a tumultuous relationship. It was well-received and longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, receiving a Betty Trask Award in 2022. Her following novel, Ordinary Human Failings, which follows the investigation into the death of a young British girl, the daughter of an immigrant family serving as a scapegoat, was shortlisted for a number of awards. These works explore psychological and structural forces that shape families, communities, and romances. Described as a “huge literary talent” by Karl Ove Knausgaard, Nolan also writes essays, fiction and reviews which have been published in The New York Times, The White Review, The Village Voice, The Guardian and the literary anthology, Winter Papers.
Acts of Desperation
by Megan Nolan
Books Like Acts of Desperation
If you're looking for books similar to Acts of Desperation, here are some recommendations based on themes, tone, and narrative style.
Normal People
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A raw exploration of an intense, complicated relationship between two young people in Ireland. The novel delves deep into power dynamics, emotional vulnerability, and the complexities of love and connection. Like Nolan's work, it examines how desire can be both destructive and transformative. The characters navigate intimate psychological terrain with unflinching honesty.
The Bell Jar
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A seminal novel about female psychological experience and societal constraints. The protagonist struggles with mental health, identity, and external expectations. Like Acts of Desperation, it offers a raw, uncompromising look at female inner life. Plath's writing is intense, lyrical, and psychologically acute.
Trick Mirror
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A sharp collection of essays examining contemporary female experience, self-perception, and cultural narratives. Tolentino deconstructs personal and societal illusions with razor-sharp insight. Like Nolan's novel, it interrogates how women negotiate power, desire, and self-understanding. The writing is incisive, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths.
The Vegetarian
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A haunting novel about bodily autonomy, psychological transformation, and societal constraints. The protagonist's radical act of self-transformation challenges external expectations. Similar to Nolan's work, it explores the complex interior life of a woman pushing against prescribed narratives. The novel is intense, visceral, and psychologically profound.
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A lyrical exploration of desire, heartbreak, and emotional complexity through the lens of the color blue. Nelson's experimental prose examines love, pain, and obsession with extraordinary intimacy. Like Acts of Desperation, it dissects emotional experience with unflinching vulnerability. The work blends personal narrative with philosophical reflection.
Eileen
Ottessa Moshfegh
A dark, psychological novel about female alienation and transformation. The protagonist navigates complex emotional terrain with remarkable intensity. Similar to Nolan's work, it explores the psychological depths of female experience. Moshfegh's writing is sharp, unsettling, and profoundly observant.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
Ottessa Moshfegh
A darkly comic novel about a young woman's radical attempt to disengage from life through pharmaceutical hibernation. The protagonist's extreme psychological state mirrors the intense emotional landscape of Acts of Desperation. Moshfegh explores female alienation, self-destruction, and the complex inner worlds of women with brutal honesty.
Dept. of Speculation
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A fragmented narrative about marriage, motherhood, and personal disintegration. Offill captures emotional complexity with sparse, powerful prose. Similar to Nolan's novel, it explores the psychological landscape of intimate relationships. The book deconstructs traditional narratives of love and connection.
Pure
Linda Kay Klein
An intimate examination of female desire, shame, and sexual identity. The book explores how societal expectations and internalized narratives shape women's understanding of themselves. Similar to Acts of Desperation, it confronts the psychological landscape of female experience with raw, uncompromising prose. Klein dissects complex emotional territories of self-worth and sexual agency.
Asylum
Edna O'Brien
A powerful exploration of female desire, social judgment, and psychological complexity. O'Brien examines the intense emotional landscapes of women with remarkable depth. Similar to Nolan's work, it confronts societal expectations and personal desire. The novel is unflinching in its portrayal of emotional vulnerability.
Convenience Store Woman
Sayaka Murata
A provocative exploration of social expectations and individual identity. The protagonist navigates societal pressures with a unique perspective on conformity and personal agency. Like Acts of Desperation, it examines how external narratives shape individual experience. The novel offers a sharp critique of social expectations.
Tampa
Alissa Nutting
A provocative novel that explores taboo desire and psychological manipulation. The protagonist challenges conventional narratives of sexuality and power. Like Acts of Desperation, it offers a raw, uncomfortable examination of desire. Nutting's writing is unflinching and psychologically complex.
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