A review by eeviee
NSFW by Isabel Kaplan

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An assistant to a Hollywood exec narrates her experiences in the industry and how she navigates her relationships with her mom, colleagues, and partners. There is something cutting about how acutely self-aware this book is, almost as though it's dancing to the same tune as most of its ilk. Let's be honest, there have been a lot of hyper-feminist books being released, and I'm not complaining, although it has become oversaturated. This book tries to beat itself up with that. It's equal parts funny in a way that's dangerous because you're not quite sure if you should be laughing at all. It talks about privilege, rape, the MeToo Movement, or the works of it, and it's obvious which exec it describes. I can almost hear the hate for this book simmering from the edges of a select crowd, gnashing its teeth at this unsuspecting plot. 

I'm glad it was left open-ended. The reader is left to marinate with their thoughts and presumptions on how our main character will decide between two opportunities that will make or break the entire narrative. A small detail that I also like is how their name is never mentioned; the reader floats through the story never realizing that until the very end because how are you supposed to distinguish yourself from such a mediocre character who somehow mirrors the very same hypocritical internal monologue most of us have? 
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