Fake: A Novel

Erica Katz wowed me. I'm fascinated that such thriller can be written without any blood being spilled.I'm a playwright and an art critic and I give "blazingly" captivating story two thumbs and right fingers up. It's a 10.

Loved it start to finish!

Absorbing

Fake isn’t bad but it isn’t great either. Two things about this book really appealed to me: the fact that it takes places in the art world and the protagonist going from barely making ends meet to living a life of luxury. I personally love reading stories where the character is invited into a new world filled with wealth and power. I probably like those stories because I don’t live in that world lol. As an art studio minor in undergrad I was also excited to read a book set in the contemporary art world. I enjoyed the setting of this book and the commentary around contemporary art, NFT’s and the role of social media in the art world.But there were a few things that didn’t work for me. I didn’t care for the narrator’s shoe-horned traumatic backstory which didn’tadd much to the overall story. I also found the narrator naive and annoying. The story was predictable and I knew from the start what was going to happen and how it would end. Because there was no suspense I lost a little interest at times. Overall, I liked but didn’t love Fake.

This <b>4 Star</b> thriller was a fun escape into the art world. Such a treat for me to get an inside look at that glamorous life.<b>SUMMARY</b>Emma is an artist who, after being turned down buy multiple agents, works for a company that copies original works of art so their owners can keep the valuable originals safely in climate, light controlled storage while displaying a quality copy. It's all perfectly legal and above board. Each copy is documented and discretely signed on the back as a duplicate by the copying artist. Although Emma's work is technically perfect, her original art has been said to be lacking emotion. She dreams of leaving her job, which she views as dead end and creating her own work. Her life is definitely in a rut. All she does is work and on very rare occasions, she hangs out with her BFF/ coworker.Did I mention she has daddy issues? Her parents are fairly well off, and her father recently passed away. Her mother seems pretty unhappy lately, she feels like shr should look into that, but there never seems to be time. She was never close to her father and refuses to take any money from him. More on that in the book, and it's quite a story...One day, when she's at work, one of the collectors who she has done several copies asks to meet her. He's exceptionally wealthy and a huge art collector. He likes the work she does for him and asks her to attend a party at his house. He offers her a much better paycheck to copy his pieces independently and introduces her to a very well known gallery owner who offers her a job as her gallery director. From there she is thrust into the uber glam art world; two weeks later finding herself on a private jet to Hong Kong for a huge art show. It just keeps getting better and better, but is it too good to be true???<b>WHAT I LOVED</b>Such a fun escape!!! I loved every second of her move from an "all work and no play" life to a super luxe life. So fun to watch.I loved her family back story. It makes great reading.I loved her BFF. They had such a great friendship. Every girl should get to have a friend like that.I liked how her relationship with her mother evolved through the story. And the story ended exactly how it should have. I appreciate that in a story.<b>WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE</b>Emma seemed so naive and even dumb sometimes! I kept wanting to remind her that there's no such thing as a free lunch!!!!<b>OVERALL</b>I really enjoyed this story. It was a fun escape. I recommend it for my GR friends who love a good, fast paced thriller with a little glam and a life lesson.

Fake, intrigued me with the premise, an artist who forges fake art legitimately? Who knew that such a business existed! One of my issues with this book was Emma, she had to be the most naive person to actually think that working for an oligarch art collector was going to end well but since the first chapter begins with Emma being interviewed by the FBI we figure that out pretty fast. I enjoyed the glitzy, glamorous settings, the art gallery drama, and the characters. This was an entertaining glimpse into the world of influencers, fashion, and all things well fake and while Emma comes across as somewhat clueless, she is a likable character and I was rooting for her. Fake was a fast-paced but predictable book that was quite entertaining.

Definitely worth the read. The author smoothly navigates the murky waters of the art world, while simultaneously weaving in the challenges of a world where public images shaped by social media pose new pressures on those in the spotlight. Highlighting the enticement of cultivating a life perceived as real and perfect; insta-worthy, and the consequences of failing to live up to the impossible standards of maintaining such a life of perfection. Mystery, intrigue, the power of money, and a unique look into the darker side of the art world, coalesce to create a unique and Entertaining read.

I wasred money on this one !