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A review by whimsofmin
Moderation by Elaine Castillo
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
I really rated the whole feel of the book. It felt very me. I’d be interested to know what others thought because I’m definitely struggling to pigeon whole the book. But I guess maybe that’s why I liked it so much. I’m a cross-genre gyrlie. If I had to, I would call it a slow burn literary romance with speculative themes. If I had to compare it to something, the closest thing would Death Made a Fool of Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi, mainly due to the cross genre slow literary romance vibes.
Moderation explored culture, capitalism, VR and strong female energy. It featured and celebrated queer relationships in a normative fashion and the strong familial bonds forced by age and proximity.
It’s less mainstream and more intellectual than I thought it would be, which I love.
The MC, Girlie, is a kinda badass bitch vibe character with no shits and a hard exterior, that I would usually hate as an mc. But her inner monologue is so authentic, and there’s clear reasoning, self protection and motivation behind her character flaws, so I’m onboard. Usually this type of character is done badly, so I’m here for a really well written version of this archetype.
The blurb features love heavily as a topic, At halfway through, only the slightest hints of romance. This worked for me, I can see the breadcrumbs, I can feel the tension of the slow burn, I’m rooting for the possibility. However if someone were here for the love straight up, this is not a book for them.
What this book does offer is a deep critique and submersion into Filipino culture in America, a look at horrific scenes of content moderation, a bisexual mc, and immersive world building into a new sense of virtual reality.
There are some scenes talking about the politics of some of the history of the company or merger that are a bit confusing/ I’m unsure what it adds. But I also trust that the author knows what they are talking about.
Moderation explored culture, capitalism, VR and strong female energy. It featured and celebrated queer relationships in a normative fashion and the strong familial bonds forced by age and proximity.
It’s less mainstream and more intellectual than I thought it would be, which I love.
The MC, Girlie, is a kinda badass bitch vibe character with no shits and a hard exterior, that I would usually hate as an mc. But her inner monologue is so authentic, and there’s clear reasoning, self protection and motivation behind her character flaws, so I’m onboard. Usually this type of character is done badly, so I’m here for a really well written version of this archetype.
The blurb features love heavily as a topic, At halfway through, only the slightest hints of romance. This worked for me, I can see the breadcrumbs, I can feel the tension of the slow burn, I’m rooting for the possibility. However if someone were here for the love straight up, this is not a book for them.
What this book does offer is a deep critique and submersion into Filipino culture in America, a look at horrific scenes of content moderation, a bisexual mc, and immersive world building into a new sense of virtual reality.
There are some scenes talking about the politics of some of the history of the company or merger that are a bit confusing/ I’m unsure what it adds. But I also trust that the author knows what they are talking about.