'Monster in the Middle' muses on the complex nature of romantic love
Tiphanie Yanique's sophomore novel follows two lovers — the American Fly and Stela, who's from the Caribbean, as they make their way towards a lasting relationship despite their differences.
Tiphanie Yanique's Monster in the Middle is an ambitious novel. It's a story about love that sets out to capture both minds and hearts. Like an earnest suitor, it declares its intentions from the start: in the epigraph that laments the challenge of being taken seriously when writing about love and in a prologue that explores the complex nature of romantic love. To varying degrees, it succeeds on both counts.
Anyone who's ever contemplated writing, studying or reading about romantic love knows this is a valid complaint — even
