I AM YOU

Victoria Redel has written four books of poetry and six books of fiction. Her short stories, poetry, and essays have appeared in Granta, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and BOMB, and she’s received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Fine Arts Work Center. Victoria is a professor at Sarah Lawrence College and splits her time between New York City and Utah. [Author Photo credit: George Rings]

A Book Riot Exciting New LGBTQ Historical Fiction Pick

“Spellbinding, wonderfully atmospheric, and impossible to forget.” —Sarah Jessica Parker, SJP Lit

“A lush, sexy, absorbing novel that brings to life two artists who are inextricably linked in passion and competition. Redel is a master storyteller whose exquisite prose held me rapt.” —Melissa Febos, author of The Dry Season and Girlhood, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award

“I Am You is that rarest of novels, a story of ferocious insights into the human psyche and the drive to create art, coupled with twists and turns that grab you from the beginning and don’t let go until the end. It’s a stunning accomplishment.” —Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Day and The Hours

“Sensuous . . . Readers will relish this memorable portrait of two fiercely independent women.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“With clean lines and bright colors, Victoria Redel has put the life into still life, giving us a portrait of Holland at the height of its glory—and an unforgettable picture of the erotic, entangled, tragic nature of art itself.” —Benjamin Moser, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Upside-Down World: Meetings with the Dutch Masters

“A beautiful tale of extraordinary women making their own way in ordinary times.” —Book Riot

1. At the top of the novel, Gerta remarks “I was happy to be Pieter.” How does this initial statement manifest throughout the novel as Gerta begins to develop into an adult, lover, and painter?
2. How does the impact of memory present itself throughout the novel? How do Gerta’s memories of the past shape her relationship to the characters around her as well as her perspective at large?
3. Maria often refers to Gerta as “Pieter” even after she realizes “Pieter” is actually a girl in disguise. How does this inform Gerta’s actions or behaviors once they establish themselves in Amsterdam? How does this influence Gerta’s idea of herself?
4. What are Gerta and Maria’s first impressions of young Jacobus and why do you think they differ so widely?
5. What sort of influence do the men in the painter’s Guild have over Maria and Gerta socially, politically, and professionally? How does this influence impact the trajectory of the novel?
6. Midway through the novel, Gerta transitions in her duties as maid from grunt work to a more elevated status, where she’s able to hire another maid to attend to household duties. What does this transition signify? How does this influence Gerta’s self perception and decision making?
7. Maria often orchestrates public acts of humiliation towards Gerta. Why do you think she does this? What do these acts tell us about Maria and how do they influence Gerta’s ultimate act of betrayal?
8. How does Jacobus’ initial act of violence reverberate throughout the novel? How does manifest through Gerta’s actions towards others and herself?
9. With the onset of Maria’s disability, the power dynamic between Maria and Gerta shifts in a fundamental way. How does the nature of this dynamic shift and evolve over the course of the novel?
10. What do you make of The Ultimate Act? What does it say about the nature of Maria and Gerta’s relationship? Does the aftermath seem a fitting end for our cast of characters?