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lpdx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Drug use, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Excrement, Body shaming, and Panic attacks/disorders
caroisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Cassie is a marketing writer at Voyager, a user data startup promising ROI for its customers. She is far from home, not happy in San Francisco, barely affording rent and needing to buy outlet groceries despite being "senior" in a big tech job. Every day is a new nightmare, as she works endless hours and performs, to be told she's not performing. She relies on drugs, and a half-relationship with a chef, who admits he and his girlfriend are trying an open relationship. Throughout her life, she is followed by a black hole that grows and shrinks. She becomes infatuated with black hole research.
Sarah Rose Etter is a talented writer, and doesn't hold back in her relentless descriptions of late-stage capitalism, have and have-nots, sexism, depression, the helplessness and bitterness of an entire generation trying to survive pandemics and a housing crisis.
I had a hard time sorting through the many metaphors being thrown at us -- fruit and seeds, black holes and space, fire and filth, bloody meat, singularity. On top of this, dictionary definitions marked each chapter, which felt oddly campy and a bit of a disservice to the quality of the writing. All of this made for a distracting read, when I really just wanted to sit in the heart of the rage and recollections of our disintegrating narrator.
This is also a cast of horrible people that you'll need to be fine with hating. Even with Cassie, who endures verbal abuse at home and at work, you'll likely become frustrated, and belabored with the self pity displayed on each page.
You should still give this a try if you're okay mentally with a lot of depressing and triggering content, have survived the woman-in-tech experience (weak laugh), and like trippy, unstable narrator reads.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Blood, Bullying, Infertility, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Abortion, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Excrement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cursing, Drug use, Misogyny, and Addiction
tajosima's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The way I feel about this book is the way I felt about The Bell Jar when I read it when I was younger. Now I’m older and I have Ripe to describe how i feel
Graphic: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Excrement, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Blood, Abortion, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Racism
sophia_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Abortion, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Alcoholism, Addiction, Excrement, Classism, and Bullying
emiliaphrodite's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lots of things were relatable, so i really enjoyed having some of my thoughts put into words.
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use
Minor: Police brutality and Excrement
kayleighr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Abortion, Infidelity, and Mental illness
Moderate: Addiction, Gore, Excrement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug abuse, Classism, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
tessalexandra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abortion, Drug use, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Fire/Fire injury, and Mental illness
Minor: Eating disorder and Body shaming
avocadotoastbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Just as in The Book of X, we follow the protagonist, Cassie. Perhaps it is a different version of Cassie from The Book of X. The novel is set in Silicon Valley, where Cassie works at a tech start-up and struggles with life in the late capitalist world - housing crisis, a deadly virus, working 90 hours a week and appearing to cope with it all.
"A single choice made with the best intentions can become a terrible life. Imagine biting into a seemingly ripe fruit, only to have your mouth filled with rot."
What makes the story so bizarre is that Cassie was born with a black hole always hovering next to her.
If you've read The Book of X and liked Etter's writing style, you'll love Ripe, too.
Throughout the book, Sarah Rose Etter inserts facts about black holes, physics, and word definitions.
"it was just me and the black hole, which spiraled wider. I stared into the abyss and wondered, not for the first or the last time, what would become of me if I let myself fall inside."
All in all, I was stunned by Ripe. I related to it on a deep level and at times I felt like Etter was in my head, taking my life and thoughts as inspiration. The way she describes certain themes is unmatched. I can't wait to read more from her.
She has easily become one of my favorite authors this year.
Graphic: Drug use, Abortion, Addiction, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Medical content, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
rainyreadss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, and Abortion