Under the Skin

By: Michel Faber

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham

Hailed as “original and unsettling, an Animal Farm for the new century” (Wall Street Journal), this debut novel lingers long after the last moments have been played.

A “fascinating psychological thriller” (Baltimore Sun), this entrancing novel introduces Isserley, a female driver who scouts the Scottish Highlands for male hitchhikers with big muscles. She herself is tiny - like a kid peering up over the steering wheel. Scarred and awkward, yet strangely erotic and threatening, Isserley listens to her passengers as they open up to her, revealing clues about who might miss them should they disappear - and then she strikes. What happens to her victims next is only part of a terrifying reality.

At once humane and horrifying, Under the Skin takes us on a heart-thumping ride through dangerous territory: our own moral instincts and the boundaries of compassion. A grotesque and comical allegory and a surreal representation of contemporary society run amok, Under the Skin was internationally received as the arrival of an exciting talent, rich and assured.

©2000 Michel Faber (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A fascinating book…The fantastic is so nicely played against the day-to-day that one feels the strangeness of both…Remarkable.” (New York Times Book Review)

“Faber constructs a compelling, unusual tale about species difference and the limits of compassion. Under the Skin blends elements of science fiction, grotesque comedy, horror, and thriller into a genre-jumping meditation.” (Washington Post Book World)

“Original and unsettling, an Animal Farm for the new century…Michel Faber is a strong, moral voice, and this first novel promises great things for the future.” (Wall Street Journal)

Good, but doesn't live up to its own potential.

I picked this up after watching the movie. I was aware that the book was VERY different ahead of time, but I was still a little disappointed. What starts out as an interesting sifi story, quickly devolves into a standard dystopia story.

A bit confusing and rushed but enjoyable.

Some things were a bit off and I felt the end was a little rushed but overall I really enjoyed the story and wished I could learn more about her home world rather than anything else! That was the most interesting aspect.

Good story that keeps me thinking deeper

The reader was great and captivating. The story shook me with its twist of what a "human" was. The farm methods further drove the dehumanizing topic home. I almost want to go vegan after this.

Interesting but not what I was hoping for

Any additional comments?

I am not excited about this novel. It is an interesting story, but the writing is not especially interesting - although I did like this: ““The indiscriminate eternal devotion of nature to its numberless particles” quite a lot. But I did finish it and did get involved with the story and the only character that was focused on through out. It is a story with a moral message: don’t destroy your planet and don’t be cruel or assume your species is the only one needing respect and compassion. I am moved by the message and examining my choices.

Fiona did a wonderful job on the narration!

I enjoyed the story, but more importantly the author's use of words and descriptive writing ability made for an enlightening experience. Well done overall.