Fake Like Me

By: Barbara Bourland

Narrated by: Xe Sands

At once a twisted psychological portrait of a woman crumbling under unimaginable pressure and a razor-sharp satire of the contemporary art scene, FAKE LIKE ME is a dark, glamorous, and addictive story of good intentions gone awry, from the critically acclaimed author of I'll Eat When I'm Dead.

Carey Logan was the art world's genius wild child.

FAKE

I was a no-name painter clawing my way up behind her.

LIKE

When Carey died, she left a space that couldn't be filled. Except, maybe, by

ME

After a fire rips through her loft, destroying the seven billboard-size paintings meant for her first major exhibition, a young painter is left with an impossible task: recreate the lost artworks in just three months without getting caught - or ruin her fledgling career. Homeless and desperate, she begs her way into Pine City, an exclusive retreat in upstate New York notorious for three things: outrageous revelries, glamorous artists, and the sparkling black lake where brilliant prodigy Carey Logan drowned herself.

Taking up residence in Carey's former studio, the painter works with obsessive, delirious focus. But when she begins to uncover strange secrets at Pine City and falls hard for Carey's mysterious boyfriend, a single thought shadows her every move: What really happened to Carey Logan?

"A smart, satirical take on fashion and media that will have readers snorting with laughter." (The New York Post on I'll Eat When I'm Dead)

©2019 Barbara Bourland (P)2019 Grand Central Publishing

Critic reviews

"In Bourland's decadent twist on the classic campus novel, a group of struggling artists succeed beyond their wildest dreams, but at what cost? Gloriously mordant, and just the right amount of rococo, you have to start your summer with this glittering new read." (Courtney Maum, author of I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You)

"With her trademark flair and razor-sharp attention to detail, Barbara Bourland offers the reader an incisive exploration of the tension between the desire to make art and the desire to make money. Fake Like Me is satirical, brilliantly realised, and has a twist you simply won't see coming...."(Louise O'Neill, author of Only Ever Yours, Asking for It, and Almost Love)

"A satirical take on the contemporary art scene - smart, witty, and eye opening. This gripping tale throws back the curtain on a world of secrets and intrigue." (Liv Constantine, international best-selling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish)

visual and tactile, a sumptuous listen

the story and narration are marvelous. as a painter I was swept up in the description of colors and textures throughout the novel, the plot was engaging

Love this book

I’ve never read a book that explained a female artists life in such an entertaining way, a great ending also!

Kept me wanting more... ❤️

Loved this book!!! Entertaining and kept me wanting more! It’s a must read especially for art lovers.

Outstanding

I love Xe Sands' narration, chose this book for that reason. The story was compelling and original. The themes of art as a commodity, is art still of value if no one will buy it, along with the author' s extensive knowledge of the painting process, made for a great read

Really Great Read!

I love books that center around art. This book goes into more depth about the artistic process and even paint recipes than any fiction book of which I've had the pleasure. One thing this book has over a lot of other books-the best narrator in the world. XE Sands (narrator) is always a favorite and the words of this novel are sensational when rolling off her tongue. She makes the written page come alive. This novel was delicious through and through. Hats off to the author.

compelling, lyrical and self-aware

Ms. Bourland wrote a papercut of a novel. It stings still and I've been done with it for about a day. As an artist, this hit a lot of soft spots I would rather not acknowledge: the need to defend my work and the inherent sense of imposter syndrome the clouds everything - yet these feelings are not strictly for creatives. All people are like this. The main character is equal parts self-worth and self-doubt, which is very relatable. The other characters offer surprises and are not just hastily drawn sketches of art world caricature. Xe Sands is always a pleasure, competent and believable. Her voice is smooth but with enough scratch to convey emotion and tension. I love a first person female narrative with thrill, culture and sensuality and FAKE LIKE ME delivers all. 5 stars.

Not what I expected, but still good!

I expected this book to quickly turn into a typical suspense novel where the main character is in a remote location and haunted by a murderer. That is not really the case - and I don’t want to spoil, but this book was very different from what I expected - in a good way! Really interesting to hear the descriptive narration and peek into the art world. It is a slow build but I really enjoyed it.

The Art of Making Art

A previous reviewer mentioned Xe Sands the narrator of this unique novel. I want to give a special mention for her also. I know several artist and always admired the ‘process’ of making art. Barbara Bourland weaves this into a masterful novel.

Review - Great reading; bland story

This is a drama, and maybe a thriller for 3 chapters at the end. The reading is done well and the audiobook is great....however, the story lacks imo. Unless you’re a struggling artist, someone who lives in New York, and/or a young woman, it’s tough to relate too. None of the characters come across as likeable in any way, they’re just selfish people trying to get there’s in the end....no irony in that from our unnamed lead. She fights against that while being the same thing, I like to think it’s done intentionally but doesn’t feel like it is.

2.8/5

Basically a good story but too long-winded.

I got very tired of Xe Sands' narration. It's like she puts a little laugh after everything.