Creation Lake
| Author | Rachel Kushner |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Scribner |
Publication date | 2024 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 416 |
| ISBN | 9781982116521 |
Creation Lake is a 2024 novel by Rachel Kushner. It was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize.[1]
Synopsis
[edit]"Sadie Smith," a pseudonymous freelance spy, works to undermine environmental activists. After being hired to disrupt a farming cooperative in France, she begins to suspect that her mission risks undermining her own humanity.
Development history
[edit]Creation Lake is Kushner's fourth novel.[2] She has cited Jean-Patrick Manchette and John le Carré as inspirations for the book, along with time spent with performance artists in the 1980s.[3] The main character Sadie is based on the real-life events surrounding Eric McDavid's arrest and the UK undercover police officer Mark Kennedy. [4]
Publication history
[edit]The novel was published in the United States by Scribner on September 3, 2024.[2] It was published in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape.[5]
Reception
[edit]According to Book Marks, the book received a "positive" consensus, based on thirty-three critic reviews: twenty-six "rave", three "positive", one "mixed", and three "pan".[6]
It appeared on 16 lists of the best books of the year.[7] Kirkus Reviews positively described the book as being a "deft, brainy take on the espionage novel."[2] Publishers Weekly praised the novel's themes and Kushner's integration of philosophical discussion into the narrative.[8] NPR noted that Kushner's writing used clear language and did not lean into realism, with Kushner instead crafting a disturbing, threatening world, while The Guardian's Anthony Cummings described the book as being "hugely enjoyable," praising the characters and worldview of the novel.[9][5] M. John Harrison, also writing in The Guardian, praised Kushner's characterization of Sadie, describing the character as "complex and fascinating."[10]
Dwight Garner, writing in The New York Times, described the novel as an improvement over Kushner's previous works and noted the integration of philosophy and historical flashbacks into the story.[11] The Atlantic noted that the book built on themes from Kushner's previous novels, singling out "failures of self-liberation" as a key theme in her work.[12] Slate and The New Republic were similarly positive, with the former noting that the novel explored "universal" ideas and the latter praising the novel's plot.[13][14]
The Wall Street Journal was more negative, criticizing the book's pacing and what the reviewer described as a lack of suspense.[15] Brandon Taylor, writing in The London Review of Books, described the novel as being "sloppy" and Sadie's characterization as being unbelievable.[16] The Financial Times criticized the book's reliance on email monologues for exposition.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Booker Prize 2024". The Booker Prizes. September 16, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Creation Lake". Kirkus Reviews. May 31, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Dwyer, Kate (August 31, 2024). "Is a Writer a Kind of Spy?". The New York Times. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Allardice, Alice (August 31, 2024). "Rachel Kushner on her Booker-listed novel". The Guardian. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
- ^ a b Cummings, Anthony (August 25, 2024). "Rachel Kushner's new espionage thriller may be her coolest book yet". The Guardian. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ "Creation Lake". Book Marks. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Temple, Emily (December 17, 2024). "The Ultimate Best Books of 2024 List". Literary Hub. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
- ^ "Creation Lake". Publishers Weekly. June 3, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Corrigan, Maureen (September 10, 2024). "Rachel Kushner's new espionage thriller may be her coolest book yet". NPR. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Harrison, M. John (September 4, 2024). "Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner review – a thrilling novel of ideas". The Guardian. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Garner, Dwight (October 7, 2024). "A Smart, Sinuous Espionage Thriller Brimming With Heat". The New York Times. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Meyer, Lily (September 3, 2024). "Rachel Kushner's Surprising Swerve". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Miller, Laura (September 10, 2024). "The Secret Agent". Slate. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Marsh, Laura (August 28, 2024). "Rachel Kushner's Spy Games". The New Republic. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Sacks, Sam (August 28, 2024). "Fiction: Rachel Kushner's 'Creation Lake'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Taylor, Brandon (September 12, 2024). "Use your human mind!". London Review of Books. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Levitin, Mia (September 22, 2024). "Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner — eco-philosophy and dirty tricks". Financial Times. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
