FAKE cover art

FAKE

A Startling True Story of Love in A World of Liars, Cheats, Narcissists, Fantasists and Phonies

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FAKE

By: Stephanie Wood
Narrated by: Claudia Karvan
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About this listen

Women the world over are brought up to hope, even expect, to find the man of their dreams, marry and live happily ever after.

When Stephanie Wood meets a sweet, sophisticated man who owns land and businesses, she embarks on an exhilarating romance with him. He seems compassionate, truthful and loving. He talks about the future with her. She falls in love. She also becomes increasingly beset by anxiety at the lavish three-act plays he offers her in the form of excuses for frequent cancellations and no-shows. She begins to wonder, who is this man?

When she ends the relationship Stephanie switches back on her journalistic nous and uncovers a story of mind-boggling duplicity and manipulation. She also finds she is not alone; that the world is full of smart, sassy women who have suffered the attentions of liars, cheats, narcissists, fantasists and phonies, men with dangerously adept abilities to deceive.

In this brilliantly acute and broad-ranging book, Wood, an award-winning writer and journalist, has written a riveting, important account of contemporary love and the resilience of those who have witnessed its darkest sides.

2020, Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award, Longlisted

©2019 Stephanie Wood (P)2019 Penguin Random House Australia
Biographies & Memoirs Compulsive Disorders Gender Studies Psychology Mental Health Thought-Provoking Narcissism

What listeners say about FAKE

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting story but scattered and lacking sound engagement

I liked the book. But for a lot of the time I felt I was meandering down a lane going nowhere.

I listened to this as an audiobook but I’m finding that podcasts on similar situations more compelling and more engaging because of the different sound edits that podcasts use.

I reckon if this audiobook used sound edits like podcasts it would be a winner. Thank you

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a con!

I really liked this book, well narrated by Claudia Karvan (by the way, where are you Claudia? Haven't seen you on the screen for ages, miss you :-) ) . Just goes to show what some males will do to fill their ego buckets up, at the expense of lovely women who are just looking for a mate. So glad 'Joe' comes undone, though, probably changed his name and is still swindling and conning the lives of more women! Must have been such hard work keeping on track with all his lies, exhausting even. What a prick....

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating.

Found this book very helpful as I too have experienced a narcissist. The calm narration by Claudia Karvan makes this important story very easy to listen to.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A matriarch of books

So real, I could hear you swallow your sorrow. Let’s make this world very difficult for such charmers to breathe freely. Thank you, Stephanie, for your truths. Your courage and fine writing makes accepting my own an empowered-bizarre, I know-joy. Makes me proud to also swim beyond the breakers.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Compelling read

This was the book I needed to read to understand the past. Well written with good information. The story of the author tells of anxious heartbeat leading to full gaslighting and compulsive lies told to her by her lover.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting

The story was interesting & well researched, but lacked continuity & flow.
In addition, although Claudia has a lovely speaking voice, her repeated mid sentence pauses (was she turning the page?) & the lip smacking, swallowing sounds made me cringe & distracted from the story.
Could those things not have been edited out?

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Highly recommend this to anyone

This book was eye opening! I could not stop listening to it. Such an interesting tale and look into human behaviour.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Claudia's constant lip smacking, very annoying

I wouldn't bother with this book and good straight to the mini-series. I haven't watched it, but to escape Claudia's narration, slow and too much lip-smacking and swallowing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My FAVOURITE Audible Book Thus Far!

This should be compulsory reading/listening for all 20 year old women! If only I had this knowledge two decades ago! Thank you!

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Summarises so many experiences! Nothing this intense yet similar in so many ways! Thank you for sharing your story! And well read by Claudia!

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