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jess_mango's review
3.0
I saw this on the NEW BOOKS shelf at the library so did a quick look up on GoodReads and decided to check it out. This Graphic Novel/Comic centers on the character Nash Huang, who works on a popular variety/news program and is fully involved with social media. Her world starts to downward spiral when a hack of her employer's computers results in a video of her being leaked/released. there were some truths in here about life in the digital age...cyber stalking, being recorded without your knowledge/permission, being trashed on social media ("never read the comments"). I found the book to be okay, but some of the transitions were a bit jarring/confused, in my opinion.
gonesavage's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kvltprincess's review
4.0
Great, if terrifying, story. Gorgeous colors. The art isn't really my cup of tea but it is effective. Love the information in the back about how to get help if you're being harassed or stalked, and the real stories about women in tech fields. An important read.
haleyhamfan's review
5.0
Packs a fucking wallop. To be truthful, it isn’t anything new, especially in the age of shitty internet people. But it shines an insanely important light on cancel culture, and how the internet expects everyone to be perfect, except the people they hate.
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
1.0
I think this book does the leaked nudies story in a way that's maybe a little too simple. Everyone except our main character is kind of a cartoon. The way it's handled is very straw man, and I don't love it.
I think there's a more interesting version of the story in this comic, which is the version where the main character has a leaked sex tape, and it causes her to be MORE famous than she was before. Where it causes her to be in the public eye in a way she didn't plan, and...perhaps she likes where her career is at 5 years later, but can she really escape the beginnings? Is the result worth it? What happens when she's 35, and she's had a couple kids, and her kids are hearing about their mother from other kids at school, hearing what THEIR parents are saying, and things are coming back up again.
I think there's a more interesting version of this story where almost everyone is on this woman's side, when she speaks to them in person, but everyone is also pulling a CYA and can't really help her out in a more public way, which she needs.
I think there's a more complex, better story here about how a sex tape ruins your life in a way that's different from the pure fact of doing something like banging your boss. Even if EVERYONE knows you did it, how is it different from everyone being able to watch the whole thing?
I think the story is more interesting if it's the woman who recorded the sex act. The way this book works, she's 100% a victim throughout the entire thing. She's tossed around by the events of the book rather than having any agency or modicum of blame (even blaming herself, unfairly, the way we would blame ourselves if a friend was hurt in a car crash on the way to pick us up). I know and you know that it's not her fault, but human emotions don't work that way, and that's complexity.
I think there's a more interesting story about how, in the future, there may be ways to put that genie back in the bottle. Maybe technology will develop where you could really scrub the internet and any connected computers of this video, but it's costly. How does she raise the money? And how do you balance trying to scrub it while also not making it even more public? Or, does scrubbing it become meaningless because people still KNOW it existed? Or, does the attempt to scrub it become the bigger story, so while people can't watch the actual video anymore, they still know it existed?
I think part of my frustration with the book is that it seems like a warning about technology, a Black Mirror thing, but it just sort of makes the point, "People who take nudes shouldn't be hacked, that's messed up." Which is 100% true as a statement, but I don't necessarily think it's a story. And then the reveal at the end is pretty silly, IMO.
I'm just going to put it out there: SPOILERS
it turns out that the main character is being dosed with LSD...for some reason, and here's what I hate about this: This is not how LSD works. You cannot control or determine or even really guess how LSD is going to affect someone, so you can't really control what the person experiences while hallucinating.
In fiction, hallucination is often used like this. The character's hallucinations are dark and scary, and they conform to the story's aesthetics. Where in reality, microdosing LSD might actually make the character cope with the situation better? Might help her with her PTSD? Or, her hallucinations may have nothing whatsoever to do with her real-life situation?
I don't know, I just felt like this is one of those books I read very differently from everyone else.
I think there's a more interesting version of the story in this comic, which is the version where the main character has a leaked sex tape, and it causes her to be MORE famous than she was before. Where it causes her to be in the public eye in a way she didn't plan, and...perhaps she likes where her career is at 5 years later, but can she really escape the beginnings? Is the result worth it? What happens when she's 35, and she's had a couple kids, and her kids are hearing about their mother from other kids at school, hearing what THEIR parents are saying, and things are coming back up again.
I think there's a more interesting version of this story where almost everyone is on this woman's side, when she speaks to them in person, but everyone is also pulling a CYA and can't really help her out in a more public way, which she needs.
I think there's a more complex, better story here about how a sex tape ruins your life in a way that's different from the pure fact of doing something like banging your boss. Even if EVERYONE knows you did it, how is it different from everyone being able to watch the whole thing?
I think the story is more interesting if it's the woman who recorded the sex act. The way this book works, she's 100% a victim throughout the entire thing. She's tossed around by the events of the book rather than having any agency or modicum of blame (even blaming herself, unfairly, the way we would blame ourselves if a friend was hurt in a car crash on the way to pick us up). I know and you know that it's not her fault, but human emotions don't work that way, and that's complexity.
I think there's a more interesting story about how, in the future, there may be ways to put that genie back in the bottle. Maybe technology will develop where you could really scrub the internet and any connected computers of this video, but it's costly. How does she raise the money? And how do you balance trying to scrub it while also not making it even more public? Or, does scrubbing it become meaningless because people still KNOW it existed? Or, does the attempt to scrub it become the bigger story, so while people can't watch the actual video anymore, they still know it existed?
I think part of my frustration with the book is that it seems like a warning about technology, a Black Mirror thing, but it just sort of makes the point, "People who take nudes shouldn't be hacked, that's messed up." Which is 100% true as a statement, but I don't necessarily think it's a story. And then the reveal at the end is pretty silly, IMO.
I'm just going to put it out there: SPOILERS
it turns out that the main character is being dosed with LSD...for some reason, and here's what I hate about this: This is not how LSD works. You cannot control or determine or even really guess how LSD is going to affect someone, so you can't really control what the person experiences while hallucinating.
In fiction, hallucination is often used like this. The character's hallucinations are dark and scary, and they conform to the story's aesthetics. Where in reality, microdosing LSD might actually make the character cope with the situation better? Might help her with her PTSD? Or, her hallucinations may have nothing whatsoever to do with her real-life situation?
I don't know, I just felt like this is one of those books I read very differently from everyone else.
snchard's review against another edition
3.0
I had high expectations, but it was just okay. Loved the art. The story felt like it had too many elements to keep together and still be a cohesive narrative.
bluenicorn's review
3.0
I guess I am the only person who is not 100% sure of how this book ended...? Or is doubt- always having that doubt, after surviving something terrible, the point?
adsowhitney's review against another edition
2.0
I read most of this a while back. Then I sat it down and never picked it back up until today because I will be getting rid of it, but I did sort of what to know how it ends.
The story felt really hard to follow. There were moments in the past and present, but it was harder than it usually is for me to follow. I dont mind a little work, but I didnt care for this one.
The story tied up pretty nicely in the end though. If you like suspense you might like this better than I did
The story felt really hard to follow. There were moments in the past and present, but it was harder than it usually is for me to follow. I dont mind a little work, but I didnt care for this one.
The story tied up pretty nicely in the end though. If you like suspense you might like this better than I did
parisreads_pc's review against another edition
3.0
This is Definitely something modern to think about regarding revenge porn and the digital age.
catwhisperer's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting comic that explores cyberbullying, stalking, and feminist issues. Seems to fit the genre of mystery/thriller with a cyberpunk/reality-warping edge.