Reviews
"In her effort to expose the illusions of both fiction and life, [Rachel Cusk] may have discovered the most genuine way to write a novel today." --Ruth Franklin, The Atlantic "Outstanding . . . As always, Cusk's ear for language and dialogue is sharp; her characters speak about universal ideas, such as anxiety and lust. This marvelous novel continues the author's vivid exploration of the human condition." -- Publishers Weekly , boxed, starred review "Brave and uncompromising in its literary ambition, Transit is a work of cut-glass brilliance that quietly insists on the reader's thoughtful attention. One beautifully crafted sentence follows another." --Rebecca Abrams, The Financial Times "Cusk is now working on a level that makes it very surprising that she has not yet won a major literary prize. Her technical originality is equaled by the compelling nature of her subject matter, and Transit is a very fine novel indeed." --Helen Dunmore, The Observer "[ Transit ] is tremendous from its opening sentence . . . Cusk is always an exciting writer: striking and challenging, with a distinctive cool prose voice, and behind that coolness something untamed and full of raw force, even rash . . . she has developed a radically new novel form that works triumphantly . . . Transit steers with stylishness and grace between the low-lying truths and the significant dramas we compose for ourselves out of the accidents which befall us. Offering no hostages to convention, it's somehow page-turningly enthralling and charged with the power to move. Cusk has tuned in to our curiosity about the lives of others, and composed out of that curiosity something capacious and generous." --Tessa Hadley, The Guardian " Transit is an extraordinary piece of writing--stunningly bold, original, and humane." --Joanna Kavenna, The Daily Telegraph " Cusk's perspective on the human condition provokes and bewitches." --Sarah Begley, Time "Cusk is one of the most lucid, powerful novelists working today, and Transit reflects her ability to make a profound impact with deceptively simple and always elegant prose." -- Nylon "[ Transit ] is a delightfully fun read. Cusk knows how to write a great novel, and this one satisfies on many levels . . . she is producing work that is beautifully refined." --Melissa Katsoulis, The Times (UK) "Beneath [ Transit 's] placid surface, themes of displacement and the desire for transformation and authenticity rumble like small, violent earthquakes. It's also gruesomely funny: the final part, which describes a particularly poncey dinner party, is like something from a horror story. Strange, frightening and brilliant." --Clare Allfree, The Daily Mail " Brilliantly written and structured, which is nothing new from this superlatively gifted writer." -- Kirkus Reviews "With the sparest prose, Cusk has again created an expertly crafted portrait in this distinctive novel about the fear and hope that accompany change, and one woman's quest to conquer them. A masterful second installment to a promising trilogy." --Cortney Ophoff, Booklist (starred review), "Brave and uncompromising in its literary ambition, Transit is a work of cut-glass brilliance that quietly insists on the reader's thoughtful attention. One beautifully crafted sentence follows another." --Rebecca Abrams, The Financial Times "Cusk is now working on a level that makes it very surprising that she has not yet won a major literary prize. Her technical originality is equaled by the compelling nature of her subject matter, and Transit is a very fine novel indeed." --Helen Dunmore, The Observer "[ Transit ] is tremendous from its opening sentence . . . Cusk is always an exciting writer: striking and challenging, with a distinctive cool prose voice, and behind that coolness something untamed and full of raw force, even rash . . . she has developed a radically new novel form that works triumphantly . . . Transit steers with stylishness and grace between the low-lying truths and the significant dramas we compose for ourselves out of the accidents which befall us. Offering no hostages to convention, it's somehow page-turningly enthralling and charged with the power to move. Cusk has tuned in to our curiosity about the lives of others, and composed out of that curiosity something capacious and generous." --Tessa Hadley, The Guardian " Transit is an extraordinary piece of writing--stunningly bold, original, and humane." --Joanna Kavenna, The Daily Telegraph "[ Transit ] is a delightfully fun read. Cusk knows how to write a great novel, and this one satisfies on many levels . . . she is producing work that is beautifully refined." --Melissa Katsoulis, The Times (UK) "Beneath [ Transit 's] placid surface, themes of displacement and the desire for transformation and authenticity rumble like small, violent earthquakes. It's also gruesomely funny: the final part, which describes a particularly poncey dinner party, is like something from a horror story. Strange, frightening and brilliant." --Clare Allfree, The Daily Mail " Brilliantly written and structured, which is nothing new from this superlatively gifted writer." -- Kirkus Reviews "With the sparest prose, Cusk has again created an expertly crafted portrait in this distinctive novel about the fear and hope that accompany change, and one woman's quest to conquer them. A masterful second installment to a promising trilogy." --Cortney Ophoff, Booklist (starred review), "Brave and uncompromising in its literary ambition, Transit is a work of cut-glass brilliance that quietly insists on the reader's thoughtful attention. One beautifully crafted sentence follows another." --Rebecca Abrams, The Financial Times "Cusk is now working on a level that makes it very surprising that she has not yet won a major literary prize. Her technical originality is equaled by the compelling nature of her subject matter, and Transit is a very fine novel indeed." --Helen Dunmore, The Observer "[ Transit ] is tremendous from its opening sentence . . . Cusk is always an exciting writer: striking and challenging, with a distinctive cool prose voice, and behind that coolness something untamed and full of raw force, even rash . . . she has developed a radically new novel form that works triumphantly . . . Transit steers with stylishness and grace between the low-lying truths and the significant dramas we compose for ourselves out of the accidents which befall us. Offering no hostages to convention, it's somehow page-turningly enthralling and charged with the power to move. Cusk has tuned in to our curiosity about the lives of others, and composed out of that curiosity something capacious and generous." --Tessa Hadley, The Guardian " Transit is an extraordinary piece of writing--stunningly bold, original, and humane." --Joanna Kavenna, The Daily Telegraph "[ Transit ] is a delightfully fun read. Cusk knows how to write a great novel, and this one satisfies on many levels . . . she is producing work that is beautifully refined." --Melissa Katsoulis, The Times (UK) "Beneath [ Transit 's] placid surface, themes of displacement and the desire for transformation and authenticity rumble like small, violent earthquakes. It's also gruesomely funny: the final part, which describes a particularly poncey dinner party, is like something from a horror story. Strange, frightening and brilliant." --Clare Allfree, The Daily Mail " Brilliantly written and structured, which is nothing new from this superlatively gifted writer." -- Kirkus Reviews, "In her effort to expose the illusions of both fiction and life, [Rachel Cusk] may have discovered the most genuine way to write a novel today." --Ruth Franklin, The Atlantic "Outstanding . . . As always, Cusk's ear for language and dialogue is sharp; her characters speak about universal ideas, such as anxiety and lust. This marvelous novel continues the author's vivid exploration of the human condition." -- Publishers Weekly , boxed, starred review "Brave and uncompromising in its literary ambition, Transit is a work of cut-glass brilliance that quietly insists on the reader's thoughtful attention. One beautifully crafted sentence follows another." --Rebecca Abrams, The Financial Times "Cusk is now working on a level that makes it very surprising that she has not yet won a major literary prize. Her technical originality is equaled by the compelling nature of her subject matter, and Transit is a very fine novel indeed." --Helen Dunmore, The Observer "[ Transit ] is tremendous from its opening sentence . . . Cusk is always an exciting writer: striking and challenging, with a distinctive cool prose voice, and behind that coolness something untamed and full of raw force, even rash . . . she has developed a radically new novel form that works triumphantly . . . Transit steers with stylishness and grace between the low-lying truths and the significant dramas we compose for ourselves out of the accidents which befall us. Offering no hostages to convention, it's somehow page-turningly enthralling and charged with the power to move. Cusk has tuned in to our curiosity about the lives of others, and composed out of that curiosity something capacious and generous." --Tessa Hadley, The Guardian " Transit is an extraordinary piece of writing--stunningly bold, original, and humane." --Joanna Kavenna, The Daily Telegraph "[ Transit ] is a delightfully fun read. Cusk knows how to write a great novel, and this one satisfies on many levels . . . she is producing work that is beautifully refined." --Melissa Katsoulis, The Times (UK) "Beneath [ Transit 's] placid surface, themes of displacement and the desire for transformation and authenticity rumble like small, violent earthquakes. It's also gruesomely funny: the final part, which describes a particularly poncey dinner party, is like something from a horror story. Strange, frightening and brilliant." --Clare Allfree, The Daily Mail " Brilliantly written and structured, which is nothing new from this superlatively gifted writer." -- Kirkus Reviews "With the sparest prose, Cusk has again created an expertly crafted portrait in this distinctive novel about the fear and hope that accompany change, and one woman's quest to conquer them. A masterful second installment to a promising trilogy." --Cortney Ophoff, Booklist (starred review), "Cusk is now working on a level that makes it very surprising that she has not yet won a major literary prize. Her technical originality is equaled by the compelling nature of her subject matter, and Transit is a very fine novel indeed." --Helen Dunmore, The Observer "[ Transit ] is tremendous from its opening sentence . . . Cusk is always an exciting writer: striking and challenging, with a distinctive cool prose voice, and behind that coolness something untamed and full of raw force, even rash . . . she has developed a radically new novel form that works triumphantly . . . Transit steers with stylishness and grace between the low-lying truths and the significant dramas we compose for ourselves out of the accidents which befall us. Offering no hostages to convention, it's somehow page-turningly enthralling and charged with the power to move. Cusk has tuned in to our curiosity about the lives of others, and composed out of that curiosity something capacious and generous." --Tessa Hadley, The Guardian " Transit is an extraordinary piece of writing--stunningly bold, original, and humane." --Joanna Kavenna, The Daily Telegraph "[ Transit ] is a delightfully fun read. Cusk knows how to write a great novel, and this one satisfies on many levels . . . she is producing work that is beautifully refined." --Melissa Katsoulis, The Times (UK) "Beneath [ Transit 's] placid surface, themes of displacement and the desire for transformation and authenticity rumble like small, violent earthquakes. It's also gruesomely funny: the final part, which describes a particularly poncey dinner party, is like something from a horror story. Strange, frightening and brilliant." --Clare Allfree, The Daily Mail, "Cusk is now working on a level that makes it very surprising that she has not yet won a major literary prize. Her technical originality is equaled by the compelling nature of her subject matter, and Transit is a very fine novel indeed." --Helen Dunmore, The Observer "[ Transit ] is tremendous from its opening sentence . . . Cusk is always an exciting writer: striking and challenging, with a distinctive cool prose voice, and behind that coolness something untamed and full of raw force, even rash . . . she has developed a radically new novel form that works triumphantly . . . Transit steers with stylishness and grace between the low-lying truths and the significant dramas we compose for ourselves out of the accidents which befall us. Offering no hostages to convention, it's somehow page-turningly enthralling and charged with the power to move. Cusk has tuned in to our curiosity about the lives of others, and composed out of that curiosity something capacious and generous." --Tessa Hadley, The Guardian " Transit is an extraordinary piece of writing--stunningly bold, original, and humane." --Joanna Kavenna, The Daily Telegraph, "Outstanding . . . As always, Cusk's ear for language and dialogue is sharp; her characters speak about universal ideas, such as anxiety and lust. This marvelous novel continues the author's vivid exploration of the human condition." -- Publishers Weekly , boxed, starred review "Brave and uncompromising in its literary ambition, Transit is a work of cut-glass brilliance that quietly insists on the reader's thoughtful attention. One beautifully crafted sentence follows another." --Rebecca Abrams, The Financial Times "Cusk is now working on a level that makes it very surprising that she has not yet won a major literary prize. Her technical originality is equaled by the compelling nature of her subject matter, and Transit is a very fine novel indeed." --Helen Dunmore, The Observer "[ Transit ] is tremendous from its opening sentence . . . Cusk is always an exciting writer: striking and challenging, with a distinctive cool prose voice, and behind that coolness something untamed and full of raw force, even rash . . . she has developed a radically new novel form that works triumphantly . . . Transit steers with stylishness and grace between the low-lying truths and the significant dramas we compose for ourselves out of the accidents which befall us. Offering no hostages to convention, it's somehow page-turningly enthralling and charged with the power to move. Cusk has tuned in to our curiosity about the lives of others, and composed out of that curiosity something capacious and generous." --Tessa Hadley, The Guardian " Transit is an extraordinary piece of writing--stunningly bold, original, and humane." --Joanna Kavenna, The Daily Telegraph "[ Transit ] is a delightfully fun read. Cusk knows how to write a great novel, and this one satisfies on many levels . . . she is producing work that is beautifully refined." --Melissa Katsoulis, The Times (UK) "Beneath [ Transit 's] placid surface, themes of displacement and the desire for transformation and authenticity rumble like small, violent earthquakes. It's also gruesomely funny: the final part, which describes a particularly poncey dinner party, is like something from a horror story. Strange, frightening and brilliant." --Clare Allfree, The Daily Mail " Brilliantly written and structured, which is nothing new from this superlatively gifted writer." -- Kirkus Reviews "With the sparest prose, Cusk has again created an expertly crafted portrait in this distinctive novel about the fear and hope that accompany change, and one woman's quest to conquer them. A masterful second installment to a promising trilogy." --Cortney Ophoff, Booklist (starred review)
