Second place
Please sign in so that we can notify you about a reply
"Second Place" is the first novel by Canadian-British writer Rachel Cusk (born 1967) after her experimental trilogy "Outline," inspired by the memoirs of art patron and benefactor Mabel Dodge Luhan "Lorenzo in Taos" about D.H. Lawrence's visit to Mexico in the 1920s. It continues the trend of blurring the line between fiction and documentary. The main character invites a famous artist to stay in a remote place on the coast where she lives with her family. Passionately fascinated by his paintings, she believes the artist's vision can penetrate the mystery underlying her life. However, as the long, dry summer sets in, his provocative presence becomes a challenge and disrupts the tranquility of her secluded home. The psychodrama with elements of social comedy turns into an exploration of women's fate and male privileges, the geometry of human relationships, and moral questions that fill our lives. Nominated for several literary awards, Cusk's novel tells of the complexity of the human soul, the essence of artistic genius, and reminds us of the ability of art to transform and destroy.