Pretend I'm Dead
{{Short description|2018 novel by Jen Beagin}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book
| italic title =
| name = Pretend I'm Dead
| image = Pretend Im Dead cover.jpg
| caption = Cover of 2018 hardcover.
| author = Jen Beagin
| audio_read_by = Candace Thaxton
| cover_artist = Alex Merto
| country =
| language = English
| series =
| release_number =
| subject =
| genre = Dark Humor
| publisher = Northwestern University Press
| publisher2 = Simon & Schuster
| pub_date = 2015
| english_pub_date =
| published = 2018
| media_type =
| pages = 240 (2nd ed)
| awards =
| isbn = 978-1501183935
| followed_by = Vacuum in the Dark
}}
Pretend I’m Dead is the first novel published by writer Jen Beagin.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmFEDwAAQBAJ|title=Pretend I'm Dead|last=Beagin|first=Jen|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2018|isbn=9781501194429|location=Google books|pages=240|language=en}} It was followed by a sequel novel titled Vacuum in the Dark.
The title was originally published as a paperback by NU Press, and has since been published in the UK with new book cover art.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nupress.northwestern.edu/content/pretend-im-dead|title=NU Press webpage for Pretend I'm Dead|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://oneworld-publications.com/pretend-i-m-dead.html|title=UK publisher website Pretend I'm Dead|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
With a new cover designed by Alex Merto, the novel was reissued as a hardcover in 2018 by Simon & Schuster.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmFEDwAAQBAJ|title=Pretend I'm Dead|last=Beagin|first=Jen|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2018|isbn=9781501194429|location=Google books|pages=240|language=en}}
{{Multiple image
| align = center
| direction = horizontal
| total_width = 220
| image1 = Pretend I'm Dead cover 2015 small.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = 2015 cover, NU Press
| image2 = Pretend Im Dead uk cover.jpg
| caption2 = UK Cover, Oneworld Publications
| width = 90
}}
Reception
On Book Marks, from seven critics: three "rave" and four "positive".{{cite web |title=Pretend I'm Dead|url=https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/pretend-im-dead/|website=Book Marks|accessdate=21 June 2019}}
In Kirkus Reviews, the novel received a starred review and was listed on Kirkus' Best Debut Fiction of 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/lists/best-debut-fiction-2018/pretend-im-dead/|title=Best Debut Fiction of 2018 (pg. 3)|website=Kirkus Reviews|language=en|access-date=2019-03-17}}
"What gives this novel its heart is Beagin’s capacity for seeing: As Mona cleans peoples’ homes, we learn that the wealthy, well-dressed, superior individuals who pay her to scrub their toilets are just as messed up as the addicts and prostitutes and gamblers she encounters outside of work. This is not a new theme, of course, but Beagin makes it fresh with her sly, funny, compassionate voice. This is a terrific debut. Singularly enjoyable." Kirkus Review{{Cite book|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jen-beagin/pretend-im-dead/|title=PRETEND I'M DEAD by Jen Beagin {{!}} Kirkus Reviews|language=en}}
Emily Books gave an early positive review of the first edition of [http://nupress.northwestern.edu/content/pretend-im-dead Pretend I’m Dead], published in 2015 as a paperback by Northwestern University Press.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmFEDwAAQBAJ|title=Pretend I'm Dead|last=Beagin|first=Jen|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2018|isbn=9781501194429|location=Google books|pages=240|language=en}}
[https://books.google.com/books?id=QmFEDwAAQBAJ Pretend I’m Dead] was shortlisted for The Center for Fiction’s 2018 First Novel Prize.{{Cite web|url=https://centerforfiction.org/book-recs/2018-first-novel-prize-winner-short-list-and-long-list/|title=2018 Short List for Fiction First Novel Prize|last=|first=|date=|website=centerforfiction.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-03-06}}
See also
= Excerpts =
- "Yoko and Yoko" excerpt from Pretend I'm Dead (2016){{Cite web|url=https://louisville.edu/miraclemonocle/issue_eight/yoko-yoko|title=Yoko & Yoko|last=|first=|date=|website=louisville.edu|publisher=University of Louisville Miracle Monocle, Issue #8|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-03-12}}
- Excerpt from "Hole" in Pretend I'm Dead (2015){{Cite web|url=https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/03/22/jen-beagin-fiction/|title=Jen Beagin, Fiction|last=Honorees|first=Whiting|date=2017-03-22|website=The Paris Review|language=en|access-date=2019-03-30}}
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== References ==