The Pisces: Guess It’s More Than a Zodiac Sign

When I was younger, I used to love reading a horoscope magazine with predictions (if that’s what it’s called) dated 1995. Despite the fact that I was reading it prolly more than five years after the mentioned year. Though now, I couldn’t care less about my zodiac, those big tree, those signs. I have no idea what they are. But yes, I still like reading those predictions whenever I bumped into one. Just for fun.

So when our Bibliolater book pick had a Zodiac sign on its title, knowing Pisces has an illustration of water and two fish, I already had a feeling this would be about underwater. (Well, the synopsis says “swimmer.”)

I liked how the book was written and how the chapters were divided. With lots of pages, this had “easy flips”, and short chapters. Aside from that, the whole mystery behind Theo made me want to finish each chapter immediately. And yes, my hunch about Theo was correct, though, I am still thinking, is Theo real, or was he just conjured by Lucy’s desperation? Desperation for love, which I think is better described as “catching the thrill”. And just like the Zodiac sign with two fish almost entangled, but no, they seem to be chasing each other’s tail, her quest to find the fish who she will be chasing forever.

The Pisces was Danii's pic for our Bibiliolater Book Club.

This is my first Melissa Broder, though I learned about her Milk Fed (because Danii asked for it). Her writing style is so natural and very conversational, which made the flips even easier. As if she was talking to me and as a fellow woman, she got the tone I was looking for. But why is her protagonist like that? I swear, if I could talk some sense to Lucy, we would be having some hard-hitting notes — but is that what she needed? Do women like Lucy need to be told that way?

Allegorically (wow, big word, I feel smart), I think Lucy’s story is a representation of deep melancholia and how women like Lucy, cope with that kind of sadness looming around them.

But dang, I (we) really thought this was a sapphic book, given the synopsis. I wish Lucy just didn’t deconstruct Sappho’s writing. Because, as I always say, why find loopholes when there are none?