I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness Summary
Claire Vaye Watkins

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness Overview

In Claire Vaye Watkins' novel I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, first person narrator Claire struggles to adapt to motherhood. Instead of filling her with joy and purpose, her daughter's birth sends her plunging into an era of despair and anger. Instead of confronting these internal issues, Claire runs off to Reno for a reading, a trip she prolongs for months. Over the course of the novel, Claire's western adventures, away from her husband and child, complicate her understanding of herself. Ultimately, she must choose between her life as a mother and wife, or her life as a free-spirited nomad. The novel explores themes including, identity, motherhood, and freedom.