The Magician's Assistant

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes descriptions of anti-gay bias, domestic violence, and physical abuse, as well as discussion of AIDS and the social stigma of its diagnosis during the time the novel takes place.

Parsifal, a magician in Los Angeles, has died of an aneurysm. His wife and long-time assistant, Sabine, is devastated to be alone. She already lost Parsifal’s lover, Phan, 14 months ago due to complications from AIDS. Parsifal and Sabine have an unconventional marriage in which Sabine has “stayed in love with him for twenty-two years—even when she found out that he was in love with men” (10). Because Parsifal had AIDS, she was prepared for the likelihood that he would experience a difficult and slow death but always thought that she would have more time with him.

Sabine arranges Parsifal’s funeral. She inherits Parsifal and Phan’s belongings and assets, but she feels estranged from Phan’s belongings, which include many notes in Vietnamese and some photographs of his French Vietnamese family. Parsifal’s lawyer, Roger, calls Sabine and tells her that he urgently needs to meet with her. Later, Sabine has a vivid dream in which Phan’s ghost speaks with her.