Allison Amend

Set in 1920s Barcelona, Dark Muse is loosely based on Lucia Joyce, James Joyce’s daughter. Fictionalized Lucy struggles with her relationship with her father, his acolytes, and her own creativity, which ultimately destroy her sanity. Though it takes place in the previous century, Dark Muse addresses themes which resonate today: how language affects and expresses culture, society’s fear of women’s sexuality, the demonization of mental health issues, and the disastrous power of unrequited love.