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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
As much as I love the cover of this book, and it was what mainly drew me to it, the cover designer did this novel a great disservice.
This is an existential novel about overcoming trauma, ilness and hopelessness. Its main theme is the ultimate emptiness we all are surrounded by in the modern world, and how now it is preferable to not-exist, to hide, to talk to machines, which in this context are more human, wise, and understanding because they know their place. While us humans are entirely lost because we continue to try to find meaning in professional success, money, and societal conformity.
I read this book in three days but had to often stop to pull myself out of a trance it seemed to put me in. Sometimes due to its vivid emotions but most often because the stream of consciousness style made my own thoughts drift away. I would love to see reviews from people who read it in the original Dutch, because I felt that often there were references I missed or even certain observations that felt stunted by the translation.
So if you are looking for a zany weird novel about “girl meets printer” this is not the book, but if you are looking for a sad yet hopeful existential novel about modern life, I recommend it!
This is an existential novel about overcoming trauma, ilness and hopelessness. Its main theme is the ultimate emptiness we all are surrounded by in the modern world, and how now it is preferable to not-exist, to hide, to talk to machines, which in this context are more human, wise, and understanding because they know their place. While us humans are entirely lost because we continue to try to find meaning in professional success, money, and societal conformity.
I read this book in three days but had to often stop to pull myself out of a trance it seemed to put me in. Sometimes due to its vivid emotions but most often because the stream of consciousness style made my own thoughts drift away. I would love to see reviews from people who read it in the original Dutch, because I felt that often there were references I missed or even certain observations that felt stunted by the translation.
So if you are looking for a zany weird novel about “girl meets printer” this is not the book, but if you are looking for a sad yet hopeful existential novel about modern life, I recommend it!
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Devoured this one in 2/3 days, which is rare for me. Bingeable and layered, there's more to it than you may think at first. Really enjoyed my time with this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual assault, Pregnancy
I'm not the first to say this, but you're either going to think this is genius and hilarious or think this is the dumbest thing you've read in a while. I fking loved it. This is my new favorite book. (Not sure what that says about me. Also don't care. IT nerds, unite!)
Imagine an ep of My Strange Addiction where you'd find yourself nodding going,"hm, wholesome. I kind of wish this could work out for them".
Just like in The New Me by Halle Butler, I identified with so much of the inner thoughts I was supposed to be laughing at. Maybe that's another reason I loved this so much? Maybe only the clinically anxious will be able to find themselves so caught up in the "struggle" that they forget this entire setting imposes quite possibly THEE lowest stakes of any other book out there right now (excluding kids books).
{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Fien Veldman and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!}
Imagine an ep of My Strange Addiction where you'd find yourself nodding going,
Just like in The New Me by Halle Butler, I identified with so much of the inner thoughts I was supposed to be laughing at. Maybe that's another reason I loved this so much? Maybe only the clinically anxious will be able to find themselves so caught up in the "struggle" that they forget this entire setting imposes quite possibly THEE lowest stakes of any other book out there right now (excluding kids books).
{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Fien Veldman and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!}
reflective
slow-paced
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i personally hate my printer and almost have a breakdown every time i use it so this could never be me.
dark
emotional
reflective
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
“Narratives have to be given form, otherwise we’d never be able to understand each other.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Hard Copy by Fien Veldman is a hauntingly introspective novel that blends dark comedy with existential dread. The story follows a young woman, working a low-wage office job, who forms an unusual attachment to her office printer. Through her conversations with this inanimate companion, she unravels the trauma of her past while grappling with the grim realities of her present. Veldman’s prose is stark and unembellished, mirroring the narrator’s sense of detachment and alienation, yet it is also deeply evocative, capturing the profound vulnerability that underlies her cynical outlook on life.
The novel is steeped in class consciousness, exploring how the narrator’s precarious financial situation and monotonous job exacerbate her feelings of anxiety and disillusionment. Her observations of the city’s contrasts—between the beauty of wealth and the grunge of poverty—highlight the societal divides that shape her internal world. Diagnosed with an allergy to stress, the narrator must constantly self-soothe, a task made all the more difficult by her bleak surroundings and the dehumanizing nature of her work. Her only solace comes from the printer, a machine she understands better than her colleagues, who pity her but fail to truly see her.
The narrative is interspersed with glimpses into the narrator’s childhood, revealing the profound impact of growing up near a pedophilic neighbor. These memories are not always seamlessly integrated into the present-day storyline, and at times, the transitions between past and present feel abrupt. However, these fragments of the narrator’s past add depth to her character, offering insight into the origins of her anxiety and her mistrust of the world around her.
Veldman’s writing is rhythmic and repetitive, mirroring the cyclical nature of the narrator’s thoughts as she processes the violence and pain she has experienced. The novel critiques the exploitative dynamics of the modern workplace, where the narrator’s job is both a source of sustenance and a contributor to her unraveling. The introduction of the printer’s perspective midway through the novel further underscores the story’s anticapitalist ethos, as the machine sympathizes with the narrator’s plight, recognizing how deeply her job is affecting her.
While Hard Copy excels in its exploration of existential themes and the psychological toll of isolation, the novel’s ending may leave some readers wanting more. Despite some uneven pacing and an ending that may not fully satisfy, Hard Copy is a powerful and thought-provoking read. Veldman’s prose is both sharp and deeply resonant, offering a candid portrayal of a woman struggling to find meaning in a world that feels increasingly alien. For those drawn to introspective, character-driven narratives with a darkly comic edge, Hard Copy is a novel likely to live in your head rent-free for weeks after finishing it.
📖 Recommended For: Readers who enjoy introspective and existential narratives, those drawn to dark comedy with a philosophical edge, anyone interested in stories about the psychological toll of modern life.
🔑 Key Themes: Workplace Alienation, Trauma and Healing, Class Consciousness, Existential Dread, Human Connection vs. Isolation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes