Marital disconnect

Swiss novelist Peter Stamm writes with a spare, solemn truthfulness that is hard to argue with. This tale of a love triangle between two overachieving architects and the impoverished Polish-immigrant housecleaner who divides them is as solidly crafted as the school buildings Stamm’s protagonists design. Unfortunately, his admirable prose doesn’t always generate a compelling story. The novel’s span is far longer than the marital “seven-year itch” referenced in the title, but throughout this time, the characters exhibit little responsibility for or interest in the choices that ultimately tear them apart. The “other woman,” Polish immigrant Ivona, is so passive and silent in every scene that she feels more like a metaphor for blind love than a relatable love interest. The characters remain disconnected from each other—and from the reader—throughout. The result is a high-skill, low-stakes drama that is hard to invest in, even when tragedy strikes.