Reviews

Hard Copy by Fien Veldman

jen_prouvaire's review

funny reflective slow-paced

3.25

As a fan of "weird" books I was very excited for Hard Copy, girl meets printer, what's not to like? There was a lot of things to like in this book, but it wasn't entirely what I was expecting. I would say this is more in the realm of My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh than say, A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G Summers or Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder. There was a lot of stream of consciousness from our very anxious narrator and her observations were quite funny. However, I often found the italicized sections confusing, at first thinking they were flashbacks, then that they were unconnected to the main story at all. I now think they were meant to be the narrator directing her thoughts to the printer (?) but I couldn't say that with certainty. 
I think my main disappointment is that the marketing of the book uses the phrase "Girl meets printer" which drew me in, but that wasn't the focus of the book really, it was more about her anxiety, the workplace environment and her allergy to stress. Although there was a lot of printer talk, we don't get to see the "relationship" develop, we aren't privy to the change in behaviour of the narrator, who presumably did not always think of the printer in the way she does now. That is what I was expecting from the blurb, and unfortunately I do think it would have made the book more interesting for me. I did not dislike the book, but I think it may struggle to find an audience, as it's magical realism and odd concept may turn away those who prefer their reading to be grounded in reality, yet not bring in the crowd who enjoy strange books, by not embracing the weirdness enough.
If you would enjoy a reflective look at office culture and how work can define people's lives, often to their detriment, then this might be the book for you! 
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

racoonfairy's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

somekindofmiriam's review against another edition

4.0

Had van mij nog een stapje verder mogen gaan, maar alsnog erg goed. 

literarylaw's review

challenging funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

nyne's review

reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

bookbabecoffeetalks's review

adventurous emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

flahri's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

paperlove's review against another edition

1.5 stars.

I didn't understand what the point of this book was at all. I mean, I live a pretty average day-to-day life, I don't need to read a book about a person who lives the same boring, average life as I do. There were several scenes about printing documents on a printer. What was the point of that? Boring me to death? When I read a book, I need a plot. And there was none in this book. 

nana_sillylilbooks's review

funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

fiendfull's review

3.0

Hard Copy is a novel about a young woman who makes friends with a printer, only to be separated from it. A customer service assistant at a startup spends her days printing in a little room, and talking to the printer. Unfortunately, her colleagues can hear these conversations, and she is placed on leave for burnout, where she is separated from her printer, and tries to look for purpose to her life. 

 

This is the kind of book where the concept—"girl meets printer"—draws you in, and it does deliver on this, with a story of a protagonist who is obsessed with her work printer to give meaning to her tedious job, and a section that is from the perspective of the printer. The non-printer-narrated parts also explore her childhood in a working class area and how she might have come to be the anxious, stress-allergic person that she now is. There's a commentary on the modern world of work and the impact of class and status upon this that runs through the novel, with the absurd printer elements taking this in a slightly different direction to other books about an anxious narrator doing a tedious job. 

 

Though I enjoyed reading Hard Copy, I found the ending was a bit disappointing, and generally I feel like the book, and especially the fourth section which comes after the part narrated by the printer, could've been much weirder, as the blurb felt like it was going to be. I'm sure some people will find the printer element weird enough, but for me, I felt like it could've delved deeper, and also maybe deconstructed the anxious narrator a bit more. Nonetheless, this sits nicely amongst absurd workplace novels that shine a light to modern life and books about millennials falling apart, so fans of those will probably enjoy it.