What are the best novels about infidelity? With Sophie Mackintosh

Sophie Mackintosh’s new novel *Permanence* reimagines infidelity not as a betrayal, but as a portal to a magical city where lovers can finally be together openly—only to discover that paradise is not without its own hidden costs. In this episode of *Ask Penguin*, Mackintosh reveals how her speculative fiction debut draws on real emotional truths: the tension between romantic idealism and the messy reality of intimacy, the power of mundane moments, and the way love can feel both like freedom and a prison. She describes the city as a 'Disneyland for adulterers'—a lush, dreamlike space built from Mediterranean pastels, Prague’s grand architecture, and the quiet rituals of daily life, all designed to explore what happens when two people finally see each other in full. The novel’s central metaphor, a fictional still life of cherries and a mouse, becomes a haunting symbol of memory, desire, and the unknown stories behind every relationship. Mackintosh also reflects on her own writing process—how she lets stories surprise her, how she’s drawn to speculative fiction for its freedom, and why she finds sex scenes emotionally exhausting to write. The conversation then pivots to a curated list of essential books about love, betrayal, and the complexities of human connection, with recommendations ranging from *Madame Bovary* and *Giovanni’s Room* to contemporary gems like Miranda July’s *All Fours* and Javier Marias’s *The Infatuations*.