Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Ripe

A few years ago, I fell in love with Sarah Rose Etter’s writing through her first novel, “The Book of X.” Her second book absolutely did not fail to disappoint. I might have to rebrand myself as the “Chelsea Bieker AND Sarah Rose Etter Fan Club” now.

"Ripe" by Sarah Rose Etter is a haunting exploration of a woman's struggle against the overwhelming void of modern life, marked by dissociation, capitalist exploitation, and the decay of personal identity. Etter's lyrical prose and vivid metaphors illuminate the protagonist's internal battles and the broader socio-economic critiques embedded in this all-too-real narrative.

Cassie, our protagonist, navigates the treacherous waters of Silicon Valley's corporate culture while grappling with her fragmented identity and existential despair. Through her journey, we delve into themes of labor exploitation, the oppressive nature of capitalist demands, and the deep-seated emotional scars inflicted by both society and personal history.

Etter's writing is nothing short of mesmerizing. Her use of vivid, sometimes grotesque imagery to depict bodily disintegration and emotional turmoil is powerful and evocative. Etter’s razor sharp depiction of Cassie's inner world reflects our broader societal malaise, particularly the way technology has become a dissociative coping mechanism, stripping us of presence and connection to our bodies.

The book’s descent through the layers of the pomegranate metaphorically echoes Dante's circles of hell, illustrating Cassie’s journey through the myriad horrors of capitalist, technological, and societal pressures. This journey is beautifully mirrored in the narrative structure, making the reader feel as though they are peeling back layers of capitalism to reveal the rot at the core of whatever’s plaguing Cassie.

The novel is rich with symbolism. Pomegranates, often associated with fertility, life, and death in various mythologies, mirror Cassie’s journey through the dark realities of her life in Silicon Valley. The fruit's seeds, like drops of blood, evoke the visceral struggles and ethical compromises Cassie faces at work. The pomegranate motif juxtaposed with the decay and despair in Cassie’s world poignantly encapsulates the novel’s central themes. Additionally, the black holes and outer space references tie into the overarching theme of the void, both literally and metaphorically, representing the existential crises that pervade the story.

"Ripe" by Sarah Rose Etter is a profound and thought-provoking novel that tackles significant socio-economic issues through a deeply personal and poetic lens. It is a must-read for those interested in exploring the intersection of personal identity and societal pressures, especially within the context of late-stage capitalism. With its lyrical prose, rich symbolism, and incisive social critique, "Ripe" stands out as a powerful narrative of unhinged feminine rage and the struggle for authenticity in a dissociative world. Etter's work is a testament to the power of fiction to illuminate the most pressing issues of our time, making "Ripe" a valuable addition to contemporary literature. I can’t wait to see what Etter does next.

📖 Recommended For: Fans of Lyrical and Symbolic Prose, Readers Interested in Socio-Economic Critiques, Admirers of Vivid and Grotesque Imagery, Enthusiasts of Ottessa Moshfegh’s "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" and Ling Ma’s "Severance."

🔑 Key Themes: Dissociation and Fragmented Identity, Capitalist Exploitation and Labor Struggles, The Decay of Personal Identity, The Intersection of Technology and Alienation, The Search for Authenticity Amid Societal Pressures.

Content Warnings

dumbcumpster's review

Go to review page

dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this book reminded me a lot of my year of rest and relaxation by ottessa moshfegh. it was a quick read, but a tough one; I genuinely sobbed throughout a lot of this book, but it also made me laugh. the narrator's internal monologue reminds me a lot of my own, and it was both eerie and comforting to see it reflected elsewhere. I tore through this book in just over a day.

it was almost ergodic in how the author uses black holes and black pages and "e.g.:" and definitions throughout to mirror the content of the book. the black hole metaphor was a little heavy-handed for my taste, but the pomegranate metaphor really struck me. it's very heavy on internal monologue, childhood memories, and the narrator's internal thoughts feelings etc.

I've seen multiple reviews mention how Cassie, the main character, sucks or is a bad person or whatever, which I think is strange. I think the whole point is to draw attention to how capitalism ruins people's lives and turns them into something they never wanted to be, out of sheer economic necessity. Cassie is vain, competitive, cowardly, irresponsible, pathetic, an addict, lacks self control, the whole shebang, but so are we all. Cassie being directly impacted by being mistreated at her job, abused by her mother, half-heartedly committed to by her kind-of boyfriend, extorted by her landlord, put at risk by the virus, etc, all makes her want to shrivel up and hide and die. I think that's all of us. Cassie is all of us. that's what makes her so uncomfortable to understand and to see her inner machinations laid bare.

I think you'll either get this book or you won't, and you'll know pretty quickly which camp you fall into. if you have any experience with depression or poverty, you'll probably get it.

Content Warnings

wild_rose_reads's review

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Content Warnings

tytrack99's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I loved the way this book was set up with definitions and parts of her lives used to explain the words defined. I loved the separation of parts with black hole facts. I loved the small science sprinkled in here and there. I did not love the plot. I enjoyed the story, but it too until the last 50-100 pages for anything to truly happen. It took me way too long to finish this book bc of that. Overall, I did enjoy it tho.

Content Warnings

hadsbaker's review

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

errie's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

kaicedcoffee's review

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow. This book shook me up, man. Maybe it was just because so much of the story was close to home for me, but I was an emotional wreck reading this. Sobbed two different times, and I'm not one who cries over books....ever! Grabbed me by the throat and didn't get go until it was over.

Content Warnings

More...

Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

missjulia92's review

disguisedposer's review

lpdx's review against another edition

bisexualbookshelf's review

dumbcumpster's review

wild_rose_reads's review

tytrack99's review

hadsbaker's review

errie's review against another edition

kaicedcoffee's review