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slefebvre95's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Car accident, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Grief, and Dementia
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Sexism
alisonvh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I might have to sit with it for a while to decide how I feel about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Death
emzjams's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Have you ever been used by capitalism under the guise of opportunity?
Jonathan Abernathy is a down-on-his-luck, 25-year-old "failure". He's never held a real job and is barely getting by, living with the constant, crushing reminder of student loan debt and (illegally - unbeknownst to him) inherited debt from his parent's deaths that he cannot pay.
He gets an offer from a government loan forgiveness program to work as he sleeps, auditing the dreams of the working class and marking any "unsavory bits" that may interfere with their ability to work.
He has certain affirmations that he tells himself, while not really believing it, that get him through the day-
Jonathan Abernathy,
You are kind.
You are loved.
You are a valued member of this community.
While things seem to be looking up for him -his relationship with his neighbor, the enigmatic Rhoda, is blossoming- the dream auditor position is proving to be something far more sinister than he could've imagined.
As his reality begins to shift around him he finds that he's losing more than he's gaining, and the further he moves up the corporate ladder, the more there is at stake.
This was truly a gem. Surreal, lovely, and a bit gruesome at times, it felt very <i>Sorry To Bother You</i>-esque. Abernathy is likable, yet realistic. He makes bad decisions, feels sorry for himself more often than not, doesn't say what he knows he should, yet constantly imagines the outcome of the unsaid words. I found myself consistently interested in his story throughout, it felt fresh; something I haven't been getting lately. It never felt predictable, and while it gets a bit sporadic, I think it added to the overall sense of dread and loss of reality. I could see myself rereading this, I really enjoyed it!
The narrator for the audiobook was amazing, really made it come alive.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this audiobook! Now available as of Oct. 31, 2023.
Jonathan Abernathy is a down-on-his-luck, 25-year-old "failure". He's never held a real job and is barely getting by, living with the constant, crushing reminder of student loan debt and (illegally - unbeknownst to him) inherited debt from his parent's deaths that he cannot pay.
He gets an offer from a government loan forgiveness program to work as he sleeps, auditing the dreams of the working class and marking any "unsavory bits" that may interfere with their ability to work.
He has certain affirmations that he tells himself, while not really believing it, that get him through the day-
Jonathan Abernathy,
You are kind.
You are loved.
You are a valued member of this community.
While things seem to be looking up for him -his relationship with his neighbor, the enigmatic Rhoda, is blossoming- the dream auditor position is proving to be something far more sinister than he could've imagined.
As his reality begins to shift around him he finds that he's losing more than he's gaining, and the further he moves up the corporate ladder, the more there is at stake.
This was truly a gem. Surreal, lovely, and a bit gruesome at times, it felt very <i>Sorry To Bother You</i>-esque. Abernathy is likable, yet realistic. He makes bad decisions, feels sorry for himself more often than not, doesn't say what he knows he should, yet constantly imagines the outcome of the unsaid words. I found myself consistently interested in his story throughout, it felt fresh; something I haven't been getting lately. It never felt predictable, and while it gets a bit sporadic, I think it added to the overall sense of dread and loss of reality. I could see myself rereading this, I really enjoyed it!
The narrator for the audiobook was amazing, really made it come alive.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this audiobook! Now available as of Oct. 31, 2023.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Kidnapping
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