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Lena knows from personal experience that Victor is prone to violence.
Novey is acutely sensitive to political movements and refreshingly open about being a political writer.
At the heart ofThose Who Knewis the puzzle of Maria, whom we dont get to know.
Your first novel also dealt with a missing woman.
What speaks to you about this trope?
Historically, it is the erased lives of women that we havent heard [about].
Im so addicted toHouse of Cards.
I made it tothe end.
Youre the onlyviewer.I could not get enough of that insane show.
She ends up kind of haunting that show.
Unless youre in a cave.
Its a pretty timely moment for a book explicitly dealing with powerful, abusive men.
But you started this novel years ago.My earliest notes go back to 2014.
I think those are the insidious forces of patriarchy.
This novel became a place to do that.
And some of them won this week.
Lena is a victim of domestic and sexual abuse.
Shes in this trap where shes screwed if she speaks up and screwed if she doesnt.
I think a lot of people feel that way about speaking up about assault.
Its not always clear what is the best choice of action.
Look at Christine Blasey Ford.
She stepped forward after so many years as an act of civic duty.
Id say thatmybest way to respond is within the world of a novel.
So you see writing as a political act?I do.
I think that sometimes we think women writers owe their personal experience to the audience.
Do I draw on my individual experience?
Of course I do.
But I also draw on other things.
We never find out exactly whereThose Who Knewis set.
Youve spent a lot of time in South America writing about it, translating authors.
I would say right nowourcountry is functioning like an island nation looking at the insular, inward-facing political climate.
Personally, its been really painful to see whats happening in Brazil with Bolsonaro.
Hes completely borrowed Trumps playlist.
Its particularly scary because Brazil had a dictatorship [between 1964 and 1985].
Like the island in the novel, it had a transition into democracy.
That makes me want to talk about Victor, the villain.
Look at our own [disgraced New York Attorney General] Eric Schneiderman.
I just found that so devastating,
Youve published poetry and short stories and translated books.
It has a vaudeville quality to it.
There are stomping villains, and they seem aware of their villainous qualities.
Theyre almost relishing their villainy.
Not to spoil anything, but hes on the island nation on September 11.
Oscars blind spots were really interesting to me because, of course, theyre my own blind spots.
There is a lot of pot in this novel.
People are just smoking pot, selling pot, reeking of pot.
I was just curious …Was this a marijuana-induced book?
Well, pot is almost a form of self-care in the novel.
Its a community thing, right?
Its a happy-maker.Maybe I was reading too many articles about medical marijuana dispensaries.
I was fascinated by the role theyve taken on in our country.
People are really friendly!
So, I guess I do have an interest in the role marijuana plays in the 21st century.
Its true, I admit.
Youre an intellectual witness.I am an intellectual witness.
