Paradise Logic: Novel Explores Love’s Delusions
Gowanus, Brooklyn — April 3, 2024 — sophie Kemp’s debut novel, *Paradise Logic*, questions the nature of love. The narrative introduces Reality Kahn, a young woman navigating relationships and societal expectations. The story unfolds in Gowanus, New York, as Reality pursues a boyfriend and attempts to attain “hyper-feminine perfection,” all while exploring the idea of being “delulu.” This novel presents a compelling narrative that challenges readers to question their own perceptions, showcasing kemp’s expertise and insight, inviting deeper thought into the complexities of love.
Paradise Logic: A Novel That Questions Love’s Delusions
Love: Blind, or Just Plain Stupid?
The age-old adage claims love is blind.
But what if it’s something else entirely? What if, as Sophie Kemp’s debut novel, Paradise Logic, suggests, love is simply…stupid? The novel introduces us to Reality Kahn, a 23-year-old with a self-described low quantitative IQ
and one of the most pure and open hearts in the world.
Through Reality’s experiences,Kemp explores the often-absurd lengths people go to in the name of romance.
The Quest for the “Greatest Girlfriend of All Time”
Reality’s journey begins when her friend and part-time lover, Emil, suggests she needs a hobby.This sparks a quest to find a boyfriend and transform herself into the greatest girlfriend of all time.
The narrative unfolds in gowanus, New York, as Reality valiantly pursues Ariel, a 27-year-old doctoral student with the hazel eyes of an introspective family pet,
who resides at Paradise (#221), a DIY venue with a jazz twist.
Love, Drugs, and Hyper-Feminine Perfection
As Reality and Ariel begin dating, Ariel becomes the apple of [her] eyeball.
Despite his seemingly vague feelings, he agrees to be her boyfriend. Reality, in turn, starts taking an experimental drug called ZZZZvx Ultra (XR) in an attempt to transform herself into hyper-feminine perfection. This decision highlights the extreme measures some individuals take to conform to societal expectations in relationships.
Beyond the Gags: Language and Unreliable Narration
The novel’s humor is undeniable, but it’s more than just a series of gags. Kemp’s language is genuinely entertaining, filled with outré imagery and syntactical constructions,
that capture the ebullience and abjection of 21st-century girldom.
The first-person narration, while seemingly crass, serves as a hyperbolic riff on the unreliability of the “I”.
The “Delulu” State: Avoiding Hard Truths
Ultimately, Paradise Logic isn’t just about skewering misogyny in heterosexual romance. It delves into the lengths a girl will go to in her quest to remain delulu
and avoid facing hard truths about love. While the novel may not be perfect, it represents a valiant attempt to try something new,
especially in an era saturated with self-consciously clever narrators.
