
Second Place
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Kate Fleetwood
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By:
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Rachel Cusk
A haunting fable of art, family, and fate from the author of the Outline trilogy.
A woman invites a famous artist to use her guesthouse in the remote coastal landscape where she lives with her family. Powerfully drawn to his paintings, she believes his vision might penetrate the mystery at the center of her life. But as a long, dry summer sets in, his provocative presence itself becomes an enigma - and disrupts the calm of her secluded household.
Second Place, Rachel Cusk’s electrifying new novel, is a study of female fate and male privilege, the geometries of human relationships, and the moral questions that animate our lives. It reminds us of art’s capacity to uplift - and to destroy.
A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
©2021 Rachel Cusk (P)2021 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
Chicago Tribune Best Books of the Year, 2021
The Guardian (UK) Best Books of the Year, 2021
National Book Critics Circle Award - Nominee, 2021
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2021
New York Magazine Best Books of the Year, 2021
Vogue Magazine Best Books of the Year, 2021
Man Booker Award - Nominee, 2021
Time Magazine Best Books of the Year, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year, 2021
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The philosophizing was annoying at times, insightful occasionally. I recommend it if only for the exquisite writing. Her picture of paras is Impressionism in English words,
It slows down a bit about 3/4 through but is worth preserving to the end. Don’t think it’ll win the Booker, but for a novel written in these troubled times of Brexit, climate crisis and Covid, it hits the mark though these tragedies are not directly alluded to..
Beautifully executed. Impressionism in words, philosophy in motion
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Her best book to date…
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Incredible!
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Horrible narrator, boring story
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The problem with Audible
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Before I downloaded I read a couple of reviews that crabbed about the narration. I don’t see what their problem was.
Interestingly the story takes place during the pandemic, but that formed only the most distant backdrop, alluded to by snippets like, "...now that travel had become less of a problem..."
Fans will not be disappointed: there is the obligatory cringy scene where a man, with the greatest awkwardness, tries to force himself on the POV character.
I never tire of Rachel Cusk's startlingly original turns of phrase coupled with her penetrating wisdom and disarming vulnerability. If you are anything like the fanboy I am don't pass this up.
Rachel Cusk is so brilliant!
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Great book, acting fail.
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Kind of liked it?
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Amazing book
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The Narrator is distractingly bad
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