Acts of Service: "A sex masterpiece" (Guardian)

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Description

'Acts of Service doesn't kiss you first; it gets right to it - depicting the liquid frequencies of need and power with a thoughtful, savage eye.' - Raven Leilani, author of Luster

If sex is a truth-teller, Eve - a young, queer woman in Brooklyn - is looking for answers. On an evening when she is feeling particularly impulsive, she posts some nude photos of herself online. This is how Eve meets Olivia, and through Olivia, the charismatic Nathan-and soon the three begin a relationship that disturbs Eve as much as it delights her. As each act of the affair unfolds, Eve is left to ask: to whom is she responsible And to what extent do our desires determine who we are

In the way that only great fiction can, Acts of Service takes between its teeth the contradictions written all over our ideas of sex and sexuality. As incisive as it is exhilarating, this novel asks us to face our ideas about desire and power: what sex means to us, the forces that shape it, and how we find-or lose-ourselves in intimacy. At once juicy and intellectually challenging, sacred and profane, it might be the most thought-provoking book you read all year.

Reviews

'Acts of Service is a stylish, elegant piece of provocation that is also as sincere and searching as its heroine. Even if it pisses you off, it's hard not to keep turning the pages. It's a bold, promising debut.' - Mary Gaitskill

'Disturbing, erotic, completely compulsive; quickeningly captivating, provocative in ways that I am still turning over.' - Lucy Caldwell

'Fishman's debut novel is a work of ferocious moral and sensual intelligence and a masterful defence of sex for its own sake... A rare and much-needed sex masterpiece.' - Guardian

'Fascinating . . a book of exquisite moral refinement and almost intimidating elegance.' - Edmund White, author of A Boy's Own Story and States of Desire

'Acts of Service doesn't shy away from asking big questions about the nature of attraction. All this, but with a great deal of page-turning pleasure.'- Gary Shteyngart, author of Our Country Friends and Super Sad Love Love Story

'Stunning. . . I didn't want it to end.' - Saskia Vogel, author of Permission

'Reminiscent of Sally Rooney's work . . . An evocative exploration of desire and sexuality, this dark debut will cause readers to question the very nature of consent.' - Kirkus Reviews

'Fishman's alluring debut poses questions about sex, sexuality, and power via the story of a young woman's exploration of desire. Smooth and smart.' - Publishers Weekly

'Ottessa Moshfegh's urban malaise meets Raven Leilani's loquacious eroticism in this provocative novel.' - Electric Literature, Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books for Summer 2022

'A fun debut novel that feels like the life story of half of Brooklyn' - Nylon, May 2022's Must-Read Book Releases

'Fishman's seductive debut novel centers questions of sexuality and sex, sexual freedom and power.' - Autostraddle, 80 Queer and Feminist Books Coming Out Spring 2022

'Fishman's coming-of-age story isn't only about sex. Using sex as a road map, Eve is searching to understand her own inner workings as a young woman. While writing Acts of Service, Fishman kept returning to a simple idea: We tend to love what disturbs us, if we are willing to follow our desires and take the risk.' - Interview magazine

'This one had me hooked from the first sentence...it's heady, exhilarating, and will change the way you look at the world. The perfect read for fans of Raven Leilani and Ottessa Moshfegh, this is a book that will have people talking.' - BuzzFeed

'The trio navigate questions of consent, power, and individual sexuality, in this slim, sexy debut.' - Bustle

'[A] daring novel that is destined to prompt discussion.' - Harper's Bazaar

'A deeply accomplished and engaging debut novel.' - Business Post

'[A] bold examination of desire and power.' - LRB, "Gayle's Summer Picks 2022"

'[A] formidable debut novel.' - The Independent, "Books of the Month"

'I loved the writing, the directness of the sex and the unapologetic but nuanced intellectualism.' - Literary Sofa "Summer Reads Extras 2022"

'One of the most searching and enthralling novels about human attraction and connection that I've read in many years. Part erotic Bildungsroman, part melancholy comedy of manners, it arrives with quiet confidence and a fully formed bank of ideas about intimacy, sexual ethics and contemporary mores that Fishman could go on exploring for years to come...Acts of Service is ultimately a book filled with love, pain and celebration. There are no comforting conclusions. But as Eve says: "We love what disturbs us if it chooses us and tells us how we matter".' - New Statesman

'Both insanely erotic and intellectually challenging, one of those books we never wanted to end.' - Cosmo

'An intelligent, fearless exploration into the blurred lines between consent and coercion.' - Buzz magazine

'Nuanced philosophical and political interrogations of desire.' - Electric Literature

Author Bio

Lillian Fishman received her MFA from NYU, where she was a Jill Davis Fellow (2020). She lives in New York. Acts of Service is her first novel.