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okragarden 's review for:
I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom
by Jason Pargin
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
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
Fun and funny off-beat road trip novel starring a Manic Pixie Dream Girl and a Lonely Loser. It is written in that style where the focus switches between characters every few pages.
My only criticism is that the social commentary coming from one of the characters can get a bit lengthy and on-the-nose. It's thoughy provoking but nothing everyone hasn't already heard before, and maybe just a too few many pages were spent having her preach at the others in the car. But it's not bothersome enough to make a dent in the enjoyment of reading the story.
One thing to note - the topic of online radicalization comes up, and a character spends some time expressing a lot anger against women. If you're a woman who uses literature as a mental escape from the men in your life who fell down that rabbit hole if negativity and aggression towards women, it may not be enjoyable part to read. It gives a feeling that what you're frantically running from has followed you through your only escape hatch and there's no place left in your life to hide from anger against you. Yeah, it's just a book and the character's opinions were meant to show how perceptions of reality are shaped by the internet, but just be aware it's in there.
My only criticism is that the social commentary coming from one of the characters can get a bit lengthy and on-the-nose. It's thoughy provoking but nothing everyone hasn't already heard before, and maybe just a too few many pages were spent having her preach at the others in the car. But it's not bothersome enough to make a dent in the enjoyment of reading the story.
One thing to note - the topic of online radicalization comes up, and a character spends some time expressing a lot anger against women. If you're a woman who uses literature as a mental escape from the men in your life who fell down that rabbit hole if negativity and aggression towards women, it may not be enjoyable part to read. It gives a feeling that what you're frantically running from has followed you through your only escape hatch and there's no place left in your life to hide from anger against you. Yeah, it's just a book and the character's opinions were meant to show how perceptions of reality are shaped by the internet, but just be aware it's in there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Murder
Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Religious bigotry