Crudo

In Olivia Laing's audacious debut novel, "Crudo," we meet Kathy, a writer on the cusp of marriage and her forties, navigating a world teetering on the brink of collapse. Set against the scorching summer of 2017, Kathy grapples with the immense weight of personal commitment while the external landscape burns: fascism rises, truth erodes, and the planet faces unprecedented peril. From a lavish Tuscan hotel to a politically paralyzed UK, Kathy's internal turmoil mirrors the global chaos. She questions the validity of love and lifelong promises when the end seems nigh, and struggles to find meaning in art and existence amidst such uncertainty. Inspired by the radical life and work of Kathy Acker, Laing masterfully blends personal introspection with sharp socio-political commentary, creating a blistering and often darkly humorous exploration of identity, love, and artistic creation in an age of anxiety and apocalypse. It's a raw, urgent, and formally inventive narrative that captures the fragmented spirit of contemporary life.