Scan barcode
A review by lauralhart
New Waves by Kevin Nguyen
3.0
This is my first ebook read! I have to admit, the process was quite difficult on a phone. For the first time in years, I actually missed my Kindle.
But, finally, I conquered PocketBook Reader and completed NEW WAVES. This is an intriguing, often funny exploration of so many things! Music, privacy, piracy! Workplace racism, harassment, technology, relationships, and grief! Each topic is investigated by Lucas, our protagonist, who is mourning the loss of his friend Margo, and later his girlfriend Jill, a mutual friend of Margo’s from an online community.
Nyugen is a crisp writer, but occasionally there was a bit too much fluff for me. I couldn’t help but think about Snapchat’s disappearing chat feature when reading about Phantom. There was also a good bit of space dedicated to explaining fairly well-known terms and processes, which I felt could be deleted or skipped over (e.g., two-factor authentication, bodegas, Candy Crush-like puzzle games).
On another note, I didn’t think the sudden switch to Jill’s perspective for a chapter was warranted. After getting accustomed to Lucas, I didn’t want to try and adjust to another perspective. From that point on, the rest of the book felt disjointed to me and kept me from feeling anything for the characters’ respective resolutions.
Overall, I think this is a decent book and a quick enough read, but not one of my favorites. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.
But, finally, I conquered PocketBook Reader and completed NEW WAVES. This is an intriguing, often funny exploration of so many things! Music, privacy, piracy! Workplace racism, harassment, technology, relationships, and grief! Each topic is investigated by Lucas, our protagonist, who is mourning the loss of his friend Margo, and later his girlfriend Jill, a mutual friend of Margo’s from an online community.
Nyugen is a crisp writer, but occasionally there was a bit too much fluff for me. I couldn’t help but think about Snapchat’s disappearing chat feature when reading about Phantom. There was also a good bit of space dedicated to explaining fairly well-known terms and processes, which I felt could be deleted or skipped over (e.g., two-factor authentication, bodegas, Candy Crush-like puzzle games).
On another note, I didn’t think the sudden switch to Jill’s perspective for a chapter was warranted. After getting accustomed to Lucas, I didn’t want to try and adjust to another perspective. From that point on, the rest of the book felt disjointed to me and kept me from feeling anything for the characters’ respective resolutions.
Overall, I think this is a decent book and a quick enough read, but not one of my favorites. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.