Aftermath

Acclaimed author Rachel Cusk offers a raw account of life after the collapse of her ten-year marriage. Set in the aftermath of personal upheaval, the memoir follows Cusk as she navigates the complex process of rebuilding her identity—not just as a writer or woman, but as a mother now tasked with creating stability for her daughters in a world that suddenly feels uncertain and exposed.

With brutal honesty and sharp insight, Cusk examines the emotional and social fallout of separation: the disorienting absence of structure, the intrusion of others' judgments, and the pressure to restore a sense of normalcy when nothing feels remotely normal. She explores the tension between newfound freedoms and the vulnerability that comes with losing the roles and rules that once defined her.

Both intensely personal and fiercely intellectual, Aftermath is a courageous exploration of the female experience in the wake of divorce. Cusk turns the chaos of family breakdown into a meditation on autonomy, loss, and the quiet work of putting a life back together.