Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-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
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers (Head of Zeus - Apollo) for allowing me access to an ARC of this book.
I was super excited about this as I'd seen it marketed as weird fiction, and that aspect of it didn't disappoint! I mean, a girl in love with her work printer - does it get weirder than that? However, in general, I feel really quite conflicted about this book. I read it in only a few days, but towards the middle onwards, I was just a bit confused at what I was reading. A lot of this felt disjointed and I see what messages the author was trying to convey, but it fell a little flat to me. That being said, I did enjoy Veldman's casual critiques of capitalism (everyone in the main character's office sucked, big time, though got to give it to Marketing - he was trying his best), and I also enjoyed the fact that all characters were unnamed, including our protagonist. It was all very Fleabag...
There were several sections of this book that I did find myself just glossing over and skimming, mainly the 'flashback' scenes (those that were italicised). I was also unsure on the quotes in the beginnings of chapters - I didn't see their relevance, but that's likely just personal preference.
All in all, I would definitely read another piece of Veldman's work as their writing is certainly intriguing, even if it seems that I was unsure on this book!
I was super excited about this as I'd seen it marketed as weird fiction, and that aspect of it didn't disappoint! I mean, a girl in love with her work printer - does it get weirder than that? However, in general, I feel really quite conflicted about this book. I read it in only a few days, but towards the middle onwards, I was just a bit confused at what I was reading. A lot of this felt disjointed and I see what messages the author was trying to convey, but it fell a little flat to me. That being said, I did enjoy Veldman's casual critiques of capitalism (everyone in the main character's office sucked, big time, though got to give it to Marketing - he was trying his best), and I also enjoyed the fact that all characters were unnamed, including our protagonist. It was all very Fleabag...
There were several sections of this book that I did find myself just glossing over and skimming, mainly the 'flashback' scenes (those that were italicised). I was also unsure on the quotes in the beginnings of chapters - I didn't see their relevance, but that's likely just personal preference.
All in all, I would definitely read another piece of Veldman's work as their writing is certainly intriguing, even if it seems that I was unsure on this book!
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The trials and tribulations of an anxious office girlie. Overall, I really enjoyed Hard Copy. The narrator had such a unique yet relatable perspective, with some brilliantly funny observations about modern life as an office girlie. I picked this up for the wild premise a woman in a relationship with her printer but was surprised to find there were plenty of other plot threads woven throughout. While this kept things engaging, at times it felt like there were maybe too many, and some resolutions landed a bit anticlimactically. I also found the chapter from the printer's perspective a little frustrating; at that point, I just wanted to stay with the main character, and it didn't add much to the story for me. That said, it was a gripping and refreshingly original read that kept me hooked.
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Are you a bit weird? Are you anxiously attached? Are you socially awkward? Do you often find yourself rehearsing conversations and scenarios? Are you partial to maladaptive daydreaming? Do you find yourself talking to inanimate objects? Then this is the book for you. An interesting exploration of capitalism, social mobility, wealth inequality, and anthropomorphism tied up into less than 250 pages. You’ll either love this book or hate it.