When eighteen-year-old Michael visits the Hanbury's remote family home he is captivated by their bohemian lifestyle. Years later, when he marries the strong-willed, beautiful Rebecca, he is secretly hoping to create his own version of that free-thinking family, but after the birth of their first child, their marriage begins to flounder. The chance to escape once more to his friend's country house comes as a welcome relief, until he discovers a family changed, and his own romantic notions of country life begin to disintegrate . . .
I was struck over and again by what an amazing writer she is. ― Helen Dunmore
This deft, haunting work compels on every page. ― Daily Mail
What shines in Rachel Cusk's writing is the sheer precision of her observation, the way she can pinpoint something profound with the merest detail. ― Independent
Cements her position as one of the most perceptive authors around . . . In the Fold is a warning against idealism, brilliantly plotted and eloquently narrated. ― Scotsman
A delicate but insidious novel, that will leave you musing on your own choices long after the read is over. ― Sunday Telegraph
Cusk's prose perfectly captures the claustrophobia of a family crippled by the conflicting demands of property and propriety . . . the result is compelling. This is Cusk at her very best. ― Marie Claire
Elements of Rachel Cusk's prose have the beauty and resonance of a Cartier-Bresson photograph . . . she can snatch one fleeting moment and use it to illuminate a life. ― Time Out
Her observations are startling in their metaphorical exactness, the texture of the details crackingly crisp and new, and the insight into the hell of human relationships too close to the bone for comfort. ― Daily Telegraph
Beautifully written on many levels. The dialogue is breathtakingly sharp, yet moving, about how we live today and relate to each other. A joy to read. ― Irish Independent
A finely wrought novel: [Cusk] has a sharp eye for social nuance and the complexities of family relationships and the pitfalls of modern marriage are acutely observed. ― Lindy Burleigh
