The Animators

A Novel

By: Kayla Rae Whitaker

Narrated by: Alex McKenna

Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

“A wildly original novel that pulses with heart and truth.... That this powerful exploration of friendship, desire, ambition, and secrets manages to be ebullient, gripping, heartbreaking, and deeply deeply funny is a testament to Kayla Rae Whitaker’s formidable gifts. I was so sorry to reach the final page. Sharon and Mel will stay with me for a very long time.” (Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, author of The Nest)

Named one of the best books of the year by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and BookPage.

She was the first person to see me as I had always wanted to be seen. It was enough to indebt me to her forever.

In the male-dominated field of animation, Mel Vaught and Sharon Kisses are a dynamic duo, the friction of their differences driving them: Sharon, quietly ambitious but self-doubting; Mel, brash and unapologetic, always the life of the party. Best friends and artistic partners since the first week of college, where they bonded over their working-class roots and obvious talent, they spent their 20s ensconced in a gritty Brooklyn studio. Working, drinking, laughing. Drawing: Mel, to understand her tumultuous past, and Sharon, to lose herself altogether.

Now, after a decade of striving, the two are finally celebrating the release of their first full-length feature, which transforms Mel's difficult childhood into a provocative and visually daring work of art. The toast of the indie film scene, they stand at the cusp of making it big. But with their success come doubt and destruction, cracks in their relationship threatening the delicate balance of their partnership. Sharon begins to feel expendable, suspecting that the ever-more raucous Mel is the real artist. During a trip to Sharon's home state of Kentucky, the only other partner she has ever truly known - her troubled, charismatic childhood best friend, Teddy - reenters her life, and long-buried resentments rise to the surface, hastening a reckoning no one sees coming.

A funny, heartbreaking novel of friendship, art, and trauma, The Animators is about the secrets we keep and the burdens we shed on the road to adulthood.

“Suffused with humor, tragedy and deep insights about art and friendship.” (People)

“[A] stunning debut.” (Variety)

“A compulsively readable portrait of women as incandescent artists and intimate collaborators.” (Elle)

©2017 Kayla Rae Whitaker (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A mix of Beaches, Girls, and Thelma & Louise...a 'complicated', 'sensual, sexy', raw nerve of a 'roller coaster' through a 'tumultuous' friendship...If you let this story happen to you, you're gonna love it." (Glamour)

"Whitaker captures the human frailties that beset everyone - jealousy, anger, insecurity, trauma, the search for love - and weaves them into a compelling story of friendship, self-destruction, and salvation." (Library Journal)

Excellent!

Any additional comments?

I loved "The Animators". It is so raw. I actually felt like I was listening to a memoir rather than a novel. Excellent narration by Alex McKenna. This was so out of my normal listening range, BUT I Loved it!

This is a story about much more than cartoons

I'm not a big fan of animation, animé, manga, comics, or even graphic novels, but I decided to take a friend's recent advice and choose a book by its cover. Luckily for me, The Animators contained an interesting and well-told story within its covers. Two women, Melody Vaught and Sharon Kisses, meet in college and become friends and partners in animating short films that tell the stories of their lives. Both women grew up in almost unbelievably awful families, and Mel and Sharon are both grateful to find another person that understands them so well.

"I don’t know if it was the cartoons themselves, or watching them with Mel, but that night was the closest I had felt to knowing what I wanted from my life. She was the first person to see me as I had always wanted to be seen. It was enough to indebt me to her forever."

Sharon and Mel's long-lived collaboration and deep friendship results in some career success, but they also face personal dangers inherent in accepting the things your soulmate does, especially if those things are destructive behaviors. This is an original story, with humor, unexpected drama, interesting musings about art, some incredible dysfunction, and lots of great writing about trust, friendship, and healing.

A beautiful friendship

This is a book about friendship, deep adoration and love. I was left with hope and a small sadness when it ended. Great work Kayla Rae!

Wow! What a wonderful surprise!

I LOVE this book. Here's why:

1. The writing is original and authentic. The dialogue is real. The characters are real.
2. If creativity is a part of your being, this book describes the highs and lows, exhilaration and desperation of creating something/anything. I've just never read anything where the author got it so right.
3. The narration is perfect. Spot on.

This is a stunning debut. There's something really special about it. I was reminded me of another terrific debut from a dozen years ago -- Marisha Pessl's "Special Topics in Calamity Physics."

I absolutely loved this book!

I finished The Animators a few days ago and I can't stop thinking about it. Book hangovers are rare for me. The narrator was awesome! Highly recommended!

Fiona k

I loved this book! The narration was excellent & the story never went where I expected it to. A complex and beautiful portrayal of female friendship and partnership. A rewarding read

Fantastic! Beautiful, funny, and emotional

I have only given a handful of books 5 star ratings. I love this book. It's just the right mix of hope and tragedy, Hicksville and urban, trashy and class. Perfect!

Irrefutable Love

A book about sweet, messy love. Friend love, family love, the love of art...
So good.

Not chick-lit.

I assumed that a female writer, writing about friendship, would have a sappy handle on the story. I was so incredibly wrong. This story is gritty and painful at times. It is not a quick read, which is why I downloaded the audio to assist. It is an immersive story that takes time to absorb. The reader has no idea how to pronounce "Caudill" as it would be pronounced in east Ky. Beyond that, stellar job!

Great Story

The characters were richly and realistically developed. The story had enough complexity to hold my interest.