| 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]
"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.
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]
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]
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] In the November–December 2024 issue of Bookmarks , the book was rated four out of five. The magazine's critical summary reads: "This fun, highbrow thriller should have broad appeal and “consolidates Kushner’s status as one of finest novelists working in the English language” (New York Times)". [7]
It appeared on 16 lists of the best books of the year. [8] 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. [9] 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. [10] [5] M. John Harrison, also writing in The Guardian, praised Kushner's characterization of Sadie, describing the character as "complex and fascinating." [11]
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. [12] 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. [13] 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. [14] [15]
The Wall Street Journal was more negative, criticizing the book's pacing and what the reviewer described as a lack of suspense. [16] Brandon Taylor, writing in The London Review of Books , described the novel as being "sloppy" and Sadie's characterization as being unbelievable. [17] The Financial Times criticized the book's reliance on email monologues for exposition. [18]
