Paul Dalgarno

I chose to read Poly by Paul Delgarno primarily because I like to support debut Australian authors, but also because my curiously was piqued by the premise.

Chris Flood is a married father of two young children who hasn’t had sex with his wife more than a handful of times in nearly three years. Hoping to reignite her libido he’s reluctantly agreed to an ‘open’ marriage, and grits his teeth every time the love of his life trips off to make love with someone(s) who isn’t him.

I know little about the polyamorous lifestyle, but it seems exhausting. While Sarah flits from lover to lover, Chris surprises himself when he finds a younger partner willing to accept their unconventional set-up, but it’s all a little messy as they attempt to juggle dates, overnights, partying, work, and parenting. Help comes from new friend, Zac Batista, who quickly inserts himself into the household, but it eventually becomes clear that his motives aren’t as altruistic as they appear.

Chris and Sarah’s relationship is not one I’d aspire to, I am aware that such relationships generally don’t work in the long term without both partners being committed to each other, and Sarah makes several decisions that are blatantly disrespectful to their marriage. Chris is not exactly happy much of the time, secretly cyber- stalking Sarah’s lovers, worried that he isn’t meeting Biddy’s needs, and desperate for some ‘alone’ time. Actually very few of the adults in Poly seem happy, Chris’s brother is depressed, Biddy’s housemates are bitter drunks, and Zac, as it turns out, is a pathological liar.

The ending may suggest that they’ve found a way to make their new lifestyle work, complete with a ‘the kids are alright’ scene, but I’m left with the impression that it can’t be anything but temporary, particularly as the issues between Chris and Sarah remain largely unresolved.

While the domestic drama, general chaos, and black humour in Poly is entertaining, I just don’t see that the story has much of a point, and as such was left feeling underwhelmed.… (mehr)