A review by phantomparagrapher7
Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything by Colette Shade

informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

Reading Y2K by Colette Shade felt like stepping into a time machine and revisiting the chaotic, colorful, and sometimes cringeworthy era of my youth. This essay collection is a brilliantly provocative and entertaining deep dive into the turn-of-the-millennium years, capturing both the cultural highs and the unsettling lows of a generation-defining period. From the gaudy excesses of the bling era to the shadow of global political turmoil, Shade paints a vivid picture of the early 2000s—one that resonated deeply with my own memories. 

For anyone who grew up in this time, Y2K is like flipping through a personal scrapbook. I could practically see my childhood and teen years reflected in its pages, from the Leonardo DiCaprio and Heath Ledger posters adorning my bedroom walls to the iconic pink lips-shaped phone that sat on my nightstand. My gold blow-up plastic backpack was the height of fashion, just as my sister's blue plastic chair was a staple in our home. The nostalgia was almost overwhelming, and it was impossible to read this book without smiling at the sheer absurdity and brilliance of it all. 

Shade explores not only the glittering surface of Y2K culture—metallic clothing, pierced belly buttons, and boy bands like Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Aqua, and Vengaboys—but also the deeper societal shifts that shaped the era. She deftly unpacks the rise of AOL Instant Messenger, the dominance of McMansions, the Hummer H2 craze, and the financial recklessness that ultimately led to the subprime mortgage crisis. The book doesn’t shy away from the darker side of the early 2000s, tackling issues such as post-9/11 fearmongering, the anti-Bush political movement, and the horrors of Abu Ghraib. 

Her writing is both witty and insightful, making complex topics accessible and engaging. The book is not just a nostalgic trip but a reminder of how the pop culture we embraced reflected the economic and political landscape we were living through. 

For fans of cultural history, memoirs, and social commentary, Y2K is a must-read. It perfectly captures the essence of an era that shaped a generation, making it a fascinating and deeply personal experience for anyone who lived through it. Colette Shade has delivered an unforgettable, thought-provoking book that will have readers reminiscing, laughing, and maybe even cringing in equal measure.