Beside Myself

Praise

“[Beside Myself] challenges the idea of fixed, immutable identities and whether they are even worth having…A melancholic matryoshka doll of stories within stories spanning four generations of family, the novel is an exploration of the in-between.” —Playboy

“Salzmann has an undeniable knack for crafting vivid scenes. So many of this novel’s images have impressed themselves into my mind…The author’s command of detail is especially impressive, and her vision is stunningly expansive.” —The Believer

“[A] fascinating first novel…Salzmann’s cool, disaffected narrative voice…is a wonder to behold.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A compelling journey of discovery and change.” —Booklist
 
“This imaginative, multithreaded work by playwright Salzmann reimagines Twelfth Night within a contemporary LGBTQ context.” —Library Journal, Best Debut Novels of Winter/Spring

“Salzmann thoughtfully and cleverly addresses the themes of memory, identity, and migration, asking if language, nationality, or gender are important for our self-definition…[an] at times quirky, at times graphic tale of lost and found.” —World Literature Today
 
“[A] fascinating journey.” —Star Magazine

“Fiction at its highest purpose…Beside Myself reads like a classic and is yet refreshingly modern…[It] beautifully interweaves four generations of characters of different ages, times, places, languages and genders.” —ArtsHub
 
“Salzmann’s brisk storytelling builds into a sort of brilliant literary labyrinth, one where the sanctuary of belonging remains an elusive, transient, and constantly evolving thing.” —The Age
 
“Beautifully written despite the darkness of its story and texture. There are hundreds of glimpses of worlds inside worlds…Beside Myself is both a cool thriller and a meditation on family.” —Saturday Paper
 
“Expertly translated from the original German, [Beside Myself] conjures up emotions, sights, sounds, and tastes in breathtaking detail.” —Adelaide Advertiser
 
“Exciting and enriching…Beside Myself is a book that requires work but it is work worth being lost in.” —Lifted Brow