Crudo: A Novel

Almost a work of meta-fiction, this is Laing's first foray into fiction, but it is really more of a screed, a cry of frustration. The summer of 2017 is a scorcher in more ways than one for her. She is getting married for the first time at the age of 40, and is preparing shortly thereafter to return to New York to teach, so she is addressing both Brexit and the anticipation of living in the U.S. under the Trump administration. Her feelings about the man echo many of ours (constant questioning of how did this happen), and she does it so eloquently: "This is how it is, then. Walking backward into disaster, braying all the way.") It is also an examination of mature love, in her marriage to a poet 29 years her senior. Theirs is a true companionship. Through him she examines the place of art in the modern world, but her character's vocation as a novelist apparently does not completely reflect her own history, but that of someone else. She apparently wrote this quickly, it being published nine months following the fictionalized events of her own life. In many ways the style and content reminded me of this year's output by Rachel Cusk and Ali Smith. But she is angrier. This truly is the Zeitgeist novel of the year.

It’s not often I abandon a book halfway through reading, but let’s face it: Life’s too short. I enjoyed the writing style and premise of the book at first, but the scrappiness of the writing, absence of almost any recognizable grammar, and lack of a distinguishable plot made this read like the first draft of someone’s hastily written book, not their final manuscript.

This is one of the most compelling books I've read. I know I've missed some of the allusions, but it reflected a lot of what I've experienced in the past two years. I'd recommend it to people with a college education who are inveterate readers

This book was definitely crudo! it was absolutely delicious, and I devoured it. Laing’s writing style in this book was so unique.“Kathy, by which I mean I, was getting married.”Sometimes, experimental writing makes its mark.The narrator, by which I mean, Kathy makes things up on the fly and when doing so, the veracity of the current province of society is unveiled. Crudo, somewhat made me think of, John Boyne’s new book, A Ladder To The Sky. Although, I’ve not read it, I did read the premise, and both books are about writers who pull in stories by watching people. Stealing stories, so to speak.Laing, by which I mean, Kathy, if Kathy was still alive, or was it Kathy Acker... touched on some very important themes. She talks about loneliness, gender, addiction, marriage, travel, obsessions with social media, the President, and a great deal more.I can’t say too much without spoiling it for others, being that it is such a slim read. Nonetheless, I will say that it was very much an interesting and important read, and I’m glad I picked it up.

I did not know who Kathy Acker was until I did some research. I think the Kathy in this book is really a nice person. She seemed to really love her husband. Her appreciation for nature and life came through so beautifully. She had fears about the world based on some of the negative characteristics of humans currently expressed. Her point about "numbness" on both sides is so true.

This book was so scattered and incoherent. I have no idea what the plot is or what the point is.

This short, experimental novel is a snapshot of a very specific time period—so much so that it already feels dated, even though that time period took place only last summer.Kathy Acker is 40 years old and about to get married, and she is utterly consumed with anxiety about the world around her. It’s 2017, in the midst of Brexit and Trump’s presidency and the rise of fascism worldwide. And Laing certainly succeeds in conveying the numbness and bemused surrealism of how bad things are, just a constant barrage of crap. (We all know these feelings intimately, as we’ve been living through it, too.)There’s some good writing here, but for the most part this novel just didn’t work for me, with its stream-of-consciousness prose that seemed to spill all over the place. Apparently the character of Kathy is loosely based on a real-life novelist named Kathy Acker. Laing is trying to convey something with this, but the purpose and meaning is admittedly lost on me.I often like experimental fiction, but I don’t think I’m hip or avant-garde enough for this one.

One of the best books I've read this year.I can't say anything about this book that hasn't already been said better in reviews in the Guardian and New Yorker- but reading it is an experience in the hyper-present! A post-post-modern Woolf in it's stream of consciousness turned social media influenced roller-coaster of emotion and clinging, desperation and despondence in the age of decadence. Whether or not you have the context of having read Kathy Acker or not- there are so many unfolding layers to this book it demands further reading- and then re-reading. A wondrous, whirlwind of a novel by one of our great 'queer' thinkers and writers (I don't know that she accepts that as an identity- but I'm referring to her style, writing and what I've read of her opinions; not projecting a personal identity on her.) I will read this again and again- it's tough for it's short length. We need more writing by Olivia Laing!

Interesting, smart, moving and cozy. I loved this novel!!!