The Answers Audiobook By Catherine Lacey cover art

The Answers

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The Answers

By: Catherine Lacey
Narrated by: Megan Tusing
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In Catherine Lacey's ambitious second novel, we are introduced to Mary, a young woman living in New York City struggling with a body that has betrayed her. All but paralyzed with pain, Mary seeks relief from a New Age-y treatment called Pneuma Adaptive Kinesthesia, PAKing for short. And, remarkably, it works. But PAKing is expensive and Mary is broke. So she scours Craigslist for fast-cash jobs and finds the "Girlfriend Experiment," the brainchild of an eccentric and narcissistic actor determined to find the perfect relationship - even if it means paying women to fill different roles. Mary is hired as the "emotional girlfriend"- certainly better than the "anger girlfriend" or the "maternal girlfriend" - and is pulled into an ego-driven and messy attempt at human connection.

Told in Lacey's signature spiraling prose, The Answers is full of singular yet universal insights. It is a gorgeous hybrid of the plot - and idea - driven novel that will leave you reeling.

©2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2017 Catherine Lacey Literary Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Contemporary Romance Contemporary Romance Psychological Thriller & Suspense Suspense
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Most relevant
(my original review appears in similar form on Audible's website)


well crafted : ironic, witty and yet sad. A modern day story about a woman with an unknown illness (IMO social isolation.) The author covers important topics in sparse language. Themes are not heavy handed. Not sure if it's for everyone because of subject matter. This is a moody, fast paced and reflective book.

What other book might you compare The Answers to and why?
2016's "The Nix" by Nathan Hill because of contemporary subject matter.

On Nylon Magazine's Best Books for June 2017

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The concept is interesting, but the characters are both petulant and pretentious. For a book all about relationships, each person is so self-adsorbed... which would be fine if that were the point of the story. But it feels unresolved and that the characters were coming to profound conclusions about the mysteries of life, that weren’t mysteries. Just mundane facts they never bothered to research.

High Concept, Unlikeable Characters

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Truly a waste. Nothing interesting at all happened. The characters are one
Dimensional and banal. Don't bother.

Idiotic

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Love this writing, this impossibly seamless life. Will listen to her other book in Audible.

Quirky-Strange, Like Life

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This had me from the beginning. The summary made me go: Ok. Thank goodness this was found in a weekend." As soon as it started I was in the book. From start to finish it drew me deeper and deeper in. If you are used to new age teaching it's going to be a book about how to avoid being hocked. So grateful for this .

A must for spiritual listeners

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