Narcissus

Julia steps out of her meticulously arranged home, her hat and fur coat making a quiet statement against the spring city’s subdued light. She walks toward Dudley Allen’s apartment, feeling both a sudden thrill and a looming sense of surrender. Their encounter is charged with an uneasy mixture of admiration, longing, and a hint of dread, setting the tone for a delicate psychological dance.

The novel lingers on Julia’s self‑conscious reflections, from the shimmering mirrors of her vanity to the trembling hand that haunts her perception of Dudley. Through lyrical prose and a keen eye for 1920s ambience, it explores how desire can mirror narcissism, making love feel both a refuge and a trap. Listeners are invited into an intimate portrait of two fragile souls navigating affection and self‑knowledge.