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fluffy1st's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Grief
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
mmccombs's review
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
I really enjoyed this one! It was a quiet kind of character study that turned into a small thriller! I loved the commentary on toxic masculinity and how it’s been kind of “rebranded” in an age of self-help and start-up culture. I guessed multiple twists from the very beginning, so it wasn’t necessarily * shocking * but I still felt like I was at the edge of my seat near the end of it. I’d recommend to folks navigating grief or a very weird corporate culture that gives you perks instead of a salary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Grief, Medical content, and Death
deezy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Stalking
hollyd19's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I generally dislike the term “genre-bending” but trying to describe this books requires me to suspend that particular aversion. Clocking in somewhere between satire, romance, and suspense, The Very Nice Box follows Ava, a quiet furniture designer at STÄDA (read: IKEA), who is dealing with personal loss when she gets a new boss whose buoyant energy and magnetic personality shakes up her workplace and her life.
Going in, I knew very little about this book aside from the fact that I liked the cover art. The endorsements were strong and mentioned processing grief, a topic I’ve been drawn to over the last year or so. What I didn’t expect was to be charmed and engrossed by this creative novel. I laughed often at the witty ways authors Blackett and Gleichman skewer corporate culture, and was impressed by the tender nuance they gave to Ava’s grieving process. The added bonus is that the whole book takes place in Brooklyn (Prospect Park and Red Hook, mostly) which was a fun atmospheric treat.
Ultimately, I really enjoy this one, and found myself eager for the next chance I’d have to pick it up.
I really want to talk to someone who has read this and seen Dead to Me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Sexism
Minor: Biphobia and Animal cruelty
belathora's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The main character Ava resonated with me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Death
sydneybedell's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Biphobia, Bullying, and Homophobia
victoriamarina's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Toxic relationship, and Car accident
mapetiteliseuse's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This ARC was kindly sent to me by the team at Verve books and will be released in the UK in July 2022.
This is a smart book, and crafted beautifully by the authors. On reading some other advance feedback I was a little hesitant at the mention of 'rom-com' - that's really not my style. But intrigue overcame me at descriptions of Ava and her world - how does a regimented and disciplined engineer navigate the fluffiness of corporate nonsense?
For me this was a read in three parts, the first half (ish) of the book was utterly page turning, we meet Ava and her quirks; and we get to know a little about how those quirks have manifested in her life in response to grief. The way that quirky language and her thought processes trickle into the narrative is joyful.
In that first half, alongside Ava, we're introduced to the (often cringe-worthy) corporate-ness of STADA; where Ava is well and truly absorbed in her career as a gifted product engineer. The way her personality aligns with the STADA brand but diverts from the corporate bullish*t and hierarchy is very often hilarious.
The breezy and witty introduction of Mat into that culture causes Ava to question her romantic perspectives - and I thoroughly enjoyed watching that unfold. I was completely bought into the characters, each one we meet being portrayed with intricate and subtle details.
There was a mid way 'hump' for me, once the focus shifted from Ava's day to day and more into her history; replayed through memories, I felt taken out of the world I'd been propelled into and definitely hit a few points where I was frustrated with that.
Fortunately though, that didn't last, and the latter half of the story met with the triumph of the first - I was not anticipating the elements of thrill that were to come, and that change of pace worked so well.
The authors did a great job handling subjects like gender, identity and sexuality - the use of language around those topics was so natural and subtle that for me, it helped to normalise them as part of the world we live in.
Ava was hands down one of the best characters I have read in a long time, and were in not for the mid point drag, I'd have very little to offer in the way of criticism.
This is a smart book, and crafted beautifully by the authors. On reading some other advance feedback I was a little hesitant at the mention of 'rom-com' - that's really not my style. But intrigue overcame me at descriptions of Ava and her world - how does a regimented and disciplined engineer navigate the fluffiness of corporate nonsense?
For me this was a read in three parts, the first half (ish) of the book was utterly page turning, we meet Ava and her quirks; and we get to know a little about how those quirks have manifested in her life in response to grief. The way that quirky language and her thought processes trickle into the narrative is joyful.
In that first half, alongside Ava, we're introduced to the (often cringe-worthy) corporate-ness of STADA; where Ava is well and truly absorbed in her career as a gifted product engineer. The way her personality aligns with the STADA brand but diverts from the corporate bullish*t and hierarchy is very often hilarious.
The breezy and witty introduction of Mat into that culture causes Ava to question her romantic perspectives - and I thoroughly enjoyed watching that unfold. I was completely bought into the characters, each one we meet being portrayed with intricate and subtle details.
There was a mid way 'hump' for me, once the focus shifted from Ava's day to day and more into her history; replayed through memories, I felt taken out of the world I'd been propelled into and definitely hit a few points where I was frustrated with that.
Fortunately though, that didn't last, and the latter half of the story met with the triumph of the first - I was not anticipating the elements of thrill that were to come, and that change of pace worked so well.
The authors did a great job handling subjects like gender, identity and sexuality - the use of language around those topics was so natural and subtle that for me, it helped to normalise them as part of the world we live in.
Ava was hands down one of the best characters I have read in a long time, and were in not for the mid point drag, I'd have very little to offer in the way of criticism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Car accident
abloom's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
konstantine's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Biphobia