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audreyesp's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
suvata's review against another edition
5.0
What an odd, dark little book. I loved every minute of it. Note to self: Read more Helen Phillips.
sofiesbooked's review against another edition
2.0
I think I’m stupid because I didn’t understand a dang thing.
mcqconor's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Super super super super weird
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
goblinhearted's review against another edition
3.0
In The Beautiful Bureaucrat, Josephine works for a mysterious corporation doing a mysterious data-entry job. The premise of sounded interesting to me, perhaps Severance-esque (the TV show). Over the course of the story, Josephine learns more and more about the nature of her job and why things are so secretive.
The main character had an interesting and whimsical narration style which juxtaposed nicely with the soul-draining nature of her job at a mysterious company that she knew very little about. These absurd and whimsical depictions gave me Night Vale vibes.
The "big reveal" was off-the-mark for me. Overall the book was short and entertaining but didn't quite live up to my expectations.
The main character had an interesting and whimsical narration style which juxtaposed nicely with the soul-draining nature of her job at a mysterious company that she knew very little about. These absurd and whimsical depictions gave me Night Vale vibes.
The "big reveal" was off-the-mark for me. Overall the book was short and entertaining but didn't quite live up to my expectations.
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
3.0
I don't think I was smart enough to understand this one. It was very odd. Maybe it was the writing itself? I enjoyed the plot!
3.25/5
3.25/5
gwang's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Dreary, hopeless atmosphere. Some compelling buildup unfortunately culminating in a lackluster ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
calmcelebration9888's review against another edition
OMG this book is beyond boring. It tries to be too much to be like an Atwood book. The first 58 pages the only thing that happens is that she gets a job, she meets a coworker and she lives in a dingy sublet with a boyfriend or husband with practically the same name as her. Josephine has no personality and her life sucks. There is nothing remarkable about this book. I wanted to find out what the drama was but honestly it’s so boring that I stopped caring.
I really dislike books like this with very little character development or plot. You have to give readers something that makes them want to read further. Huge disappointment.
I really dislike books like this with very little character development or plot. You have to give readers something that makes them want to read further. Huge disappointment.
sarahel1zab3th's review against another edition
4.0
This was a strange one and on the creepy side.
Josephine Newbury and her husband, Joseph, leave their hometown and travel to the city in the hopes of finding jobs to support themselves while they live in terrible apartments subletting.
Joseph gets a job in an office within the city and as time goes on Josephine becomes more and more desperate to become gainfully employed. When she is offered a job in a concrete building that may be called "AZ" or perhaps it's "ZA," despite the bland and tedious work of imputing information into what is only described to her as "the Database." Her boss seemingly has no face and is only referred to as "the Person with Bad Breath" and the only person who has offered her any reassurance within her new place of employment is a woman named Trishiffany who bakes cookies for her and seems to know everything about Josephine before Josephine says 5 words to her.
As time goes on, Josephine becomes more and more paranoid and filled with dread as she begins to ponder the information on the forms and the Database she works with every day. Joseph is becoming harder to reach and some days doesn't come home at all. She attempts to quit her job, but as expected by the Person with Bad Breath, she does return to work the following week. But then... Josephine has a revelation.
When Josephine realizes what the files mean, she needs to do what is seemingly impossible to save those she loves most.
I couldn't put this book down. The back of the book has a review that states that this book reads like a thriller, and it does. The creepiness factor just climbs with every turn of the page and I just had to know what was happening in AZ/ZA and the meaning of the files that Josephine works with every day. I found the end a little abrupt and not entirely satisfying, but it answered most of my pressing questions.
Josephine Newbury and her husband, Joseph, leave their hometown and travel to the city in the hopes of finding jobs to support themselves while they live in terrible apartments subletting.
Joseph gets a job in an office within the city and as time goes on Josephine becomes more and more desperate to become gainfully employed. When she is offered a job in a concrete building that may be called "AZ" or perhaps it's "ZA," despite the bland and tedious work of imputing information into what is only described to her as "the Database." Her boss seemingly has no face and is only referred to as "the Person with Bad Breath" and the only person who has offered her any reassurance within her new place of employment is a woman named Trishiffany who bakes cookies for her and seems to know everything about Josephine before Josephine says 5 words to her.
As time goes on, Josephine becomes more and more paranoid and filled with dread as she begins to ponder the information on the forms and the Database she works with every day. Joseph is becoming harder to reach and some days doesn't come home at all. She attempts to quit her job, but as expected by the Person with Bad Breath, she does return to work the following week. But then... Josephine has a revelation.
When Josephine realizes what the files mean, she needs to do what is seemingly impossible to save those she loves most.
I couldn't put this book down. The back of the book has a review that states that this book reads like a thriller, and it does. The creepiness factor just climbs with every turn of the page and I just had to know what was happening in AZ/ZA and the meaning of the files that Josephine works with every day. I found the end a little abrupt and not entirely satisfying, but it answered most of my pressing questions.
alisonjfields's review against another edition
4.0
7.2/10. I don’t usually like idea books but this is a good one. Bonus points for clever Classical allusion.