Outline (novel) explained

Outline
Author:Rachel Cusk
Language:English
Genre:Fiction
Publisher:Faber and Faber (UK)
Publisher2:Farrar, Straus and Giroux (US)
Pub Date:2014 (United Kingdom), 2015 (United States)
Pages:256
Isbn:978-0-374-22834-7
Congress:PR6053.U825 O68 2015
Followed By:Transit

Outline is a novel by Rachel Cusk,[1] the first in a trilogy known as The Outline trilogy,[2] which also contains the novels Transit and Kudos. It was chosen by The New York Times critics as one of the 15 remarkable books by women that are "shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century."[3] The New Yorker has called the novel "autobiographical fiction."[4]

Plot

An English woman writer flies to Athens to teach a summer writing workshop. On the plane, she meets an older Greek bachelor[5] who tells her about his two failed marriages. The next day she meets with an Irish colleague from the writing school who also tells her his life story. In every chapter, the writer meets people and engages in long conversations on topics such as love, fiction, marriage, and intimacy.[6]

Reception

Upon release, Outline was generally well-received. According to Book Marks, the book received "rave" reviews based on fifteen critic reviews with eleven being "rave" and two being "positive" and two being "mixed".[7] On The Omnivore, the book received a score of 4.5 out of 5 based on critic reviews.[8] On Bookmarks March/April 2015 issue, a magazine that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a (4.0 out of 5) based on critic reviews with a critical summary saying, "In sum: a new, daring way of crafting a novel".[9]

Outline was named one of The New York Times Top Ten books of 2015.[10] It made the 2014 shortlist of the Goldsmiths Prize,[11] the 2015 shortlist of the Folio Prize,[12] and the 2015 shortlist of the Bailey Women's Prize for Fiction.[13]

Outline was voted the 34th best book since 2000 by The Guardian.[14] In 2024, the New York Times named it the 14th best book of the 21st century.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Outline Rachel Cusk Macmillan. US Macmillan. en-US. 2018-12-26.
  2. Web site: Macmillan: Series: Outline Trilogy. US Macmillan. en-US. 2018-12-26.
  3. News: The New Vanguard. Garner. Dwight. 2018-03-05. The New York Times. 2018-12-26. Sehgal. Parul. en-US. 0362-4331. Szalai. Jennifer.
  4. All Told. Blair. Elaine. 2015-01-05. The New Yorker. 2018-12-26.
  5. News: An Appeal to Listen and Learn. Garner. Dwight. 2015-01-06. The New York Times. 2018-12-26. en-US. 0362-4331.
  6. News: Outline by Rachel Cusk review – vignettes from a writing workshop. Lasdun. James. 2014-09-03. The Guardian. 2018-12-26. en-GB. 0261-3077.
  7. Web site: Outline. 12 July 2024 . Book Marks.
  8. Web site: Outline by Rachel Cusk. 12 July 2024 . The Omnivore.
  9. Web site: Outline. 14 January 2023 . Bookmarks.
  10. News: The 10 Best Books of 2015. 2015-12-03. The New York Times. 2018-12-26. en-US. 0362-4331.
  11. Web site: The Goldsmiths Prize 2014. Goldsmiths, University of London. en. 2018-12-26.
  12. Web site: The 2015 Folio Prize Shortlist. Michel. Lincoln. 2015-02-09. Electric Literature. 2018-12-26.
  13. Web site: Baileys Women's prize for Fiction announce 2015 shortlist. 2015-04-13. Women's Prize for Fiction. 2018-12-26.
  14. News: Guardian Staff. 2019-09-21. The 100 best books of the 21st century. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-05-29. 0261-3077.
  15. Web site: The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century . The New York Times . 16 July 2024 . 8 July 2024.

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