NPR

An Epic Conversation Draws To A Close In 'Kudos'

Rachel Cusk's trilogy about a peripatetic writer and her many conversational partners winds up with Kudos. The books are essentially plotless — but there's plenty of joy to be found just in talk.
"Kudos" by Rachel Cusk Source: Samantha Clark

Here's one advantage to discussing Rachel Cusk's trilogy of conversational novels: Because they're essentially plotless, there's little need to worry about spoiler alerts. The surprises and rewards of reading these books comes not from finding out what happens, but from getting pulled deep into their labyrinthine tête-à-têtes. The third volume, begins the same way that the first, , did three years ago: With a surprisingly revealing conversation between the narrator, a British writer named Faye headed to a literary festival in

You're reading a preview, sign up to read more.

More from NPR

NPR5 min read
Want Your Child To Eat (Almost) Everything? There Is A Way
Giving kids a diet varied in flavors and textures from the get-go can help them be more open to trying new foods. The problem is America's food landscape makes that ideal hard to live up to.
NPR3 min read
Lorraine Gordon, Guardian Of Legendary Jazz Club, Dies At 95
The owner of the revered Village Vanguard in New York City — and a champion of generations of jazz musicians, including Thelonious Monk — died Saturday at age 95.
NPR2 min read
High School Valedictorian's Mic Cut When She Talks About Campus Sexual Assault
Lulabel Seitz was giving the commencement address at her high school graduation when school officials cut off her microphone after she began talking about sexual assault allegations.