Creation Lake

Author Rachel Kushner
Narrator Rachel Kushner
Publisher Random House
Publish Date 5 September 2024
Run Time 11 hours and 9 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Espionage and spy thriller, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Environmental issues, Thriller / suspense fiction.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book.

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024**

Seductive and cunning American spy-for-hire Sadie Smith has been sent by her mysterious but powerful employers to a remote corner of France.

Her mission: to infiltrate a commune of radical eco-activists influenced by the beliefs of an enigmatic elder, Bruno Lacombe, who has rejected civilisation, lives in a Neanderthal cave, and believes the path to enlightenment is a return to primitivism.

Sadie casts her cynical eye over this region of ancient farms and sleepy villages, and finds Bruno’s idealism laughable, but just as she is certain she’s the seductress and puppet master of those she surveils, Bruno Lacombe is seducing her with his ingenious counter-histories, his artful laments, his own tragic story.

Beneath this a taut, dazzling story of espionage and intrigue lies one of a woman caught in the crossfire between the past and the future, and a profound treatise on human history.

'The most exciting writer of her generation' BRET EASTON ELLIS

'Reinvents the spy novel in one cool, erudite gesture' HERNAN DIAZ

'Compulsively readable... Kill Bill written by John le Carré' OBSERVER

©2024 Rachel Kushner (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

One of the best books of the year... ambitious, intelligent and gripping... an expertly slick thriller... Kushner pulls off a remarkable feat

Spectator

Kushneru2026[is] one of the centuryu2019s great American novelistsu2026 Her hugely enjoyable new novelu2026already longlisted for this yearu2019s Booker, ought to put her firmly on the mapu2026 amazingly tense: wall-to-wall entertainment, and a real treat

Observer *Book of the Week*

Rachel Kushner may have written the novel of the year... A remarkably original book

The Telegraph

Kushner is one of America's greatest living authors

Daily Telegraph

Wild and brilliantly plottedu2026 Think Kill Bill written by John le Carru00e9: smart, funny and compulsively readable

Observer

A novel of ideas about nothing less than civilisation itself, delivered in the guise of a thriller u2013 the result is profound and wickedly entertaining.

Guardian

At last I get to say how deeply, madly, irrecoverably I loved Creation Lake...it was all stylish and cool, and then somehow the book struck a blow to my heart, which surprised me a lot, because I did not suspect what Rachel Kushner was really up to all along.

Kirkus

Questions of control and coercion, reality and idealism, are layered on top of Kushneru2019s enveloping noir. u2018Sadieu2019 has a brash confidence and a manner of moving through the world that is aloof in the extremeu2014disbanding any allegiances or affections before they can create the faintest of tethers. But Kushneru2019s plotu2014at once arid and affectingu2014asks just how much any human can insulate themselves

Vogue

Kushneru2019s writing is clean, tight and often very funny as she jumps between past and present but never loosens her iron grip on the readeru2019s attention

Bloomberg

Kushner has proved to be one of Americau2019s most intellectually curious novelists....Creation Lake bears all the hallmarks of her inquisitive mind and creative daring... a spy thriller laced with a killer dose of deadpan wit...Kushner inhabits the spyu2019s perspective with such eerie finesse that you feel how much fun sheu2019s having...the real covert operative here is Kushner, whou2019s never felt more cunning than in this novel...vital and profound

The Washington Post

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required. Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech. Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service and a leader in audiobook innovation.

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems. Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.