The Experiment

The married couple, Jack and Esther, is going through a crisis when the impulsive Johnny bursts into their lives—complete opposite of Esther’s husband. A coincidence that turns into a tragedy forces Esther to choose between a calm life with her husband and a bright, but unpredictable life with Johnny. She thinks she’s making a decision—but is that really so?

Rowena Bergman’s debut novel is worth attention. Through a psychological experiment, it examines romantic and marital relationships without slipping into melodrama or cheap manipulation. A dynamic narrative and subtle psychological insight bring to mind Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and the traditions of parable-like novels. Can the heroes get out of this story as they were before?

— Maria Golovey, literary editor.