A review by casskrug
Saving Agnes by Rachel Cusk

3.0

probably my least favorite rachel cusk novel so far 🥲 but i’m glad i finally read her debut, as it’s so interesting to see how much her writing has changed since this book was published. the writing here feels too effortful and too embellished - it’s in extremely stark contrast to the sparse prose of this year’s parade. saving agnes felt like a struggle for me to get through because of the flowery prose, and i don’t remember having that issue with her other early works. just a bit too overwritten for my personal taste as a reader.

as far as the story goes… this novel fits right in with the contemporary Depressed Woman Moving subgenre that is so prevalent today. agnes is living in a rundown home with two friends, she’s stuck on a past relationship while waiting for her current fling to call her, she’s working a job that she doesn’t feel much passion for. there’s a lot of reminiscing about her childhood with her family, and grappling with religion. overall you get the sense that agnes has spent her entire life wishing to be someone else. some of her situation was relatable but ultimately the story fell flat for me.

checked this one off the list, onto my last 3 cusks!!!