It seems heartless to discuss Blake Butler’s memoir Molly as a work of art. The story it tells involves deep trauma and grief, not to mention personal revelations that sometimes make for uncomfortable reading. Even so, Butler asks the reader to treat all this as literature, rather than a confession, or a release of pent-up emotion. Essentially this book is a tribute to Butler’s late wife, the poet Molly Brodak, even though she is not always depicted in a flattering light. Nor is the author himself. He tries to tell the truth, and isn’t always sure of what to leave out.
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