A review by annescorner
We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets

3.5

I have to say, this book was different to what I expected it to be, so I needed some time to grasp the narration and storyline. I thought it goes into the horrors of content moderation more explicitly, describing what these moderators saw and such. However, this novella takes a different approach. Not only are we introduced in a backwards way in the form of a letter or e-mail to what has happened, it’s also quite personal to the protagonist. I do think though, that the effects these kinds of jobs can have on the people working them, especially if they have bad working conditions and no mental support from the company, are definitely shown. It’s quite harrowing to see how people can change, be it mentally but also in terms of attitudes or views, through having to see such images all day long. The protagonist Kayleigh surely was not totally likeable either and had her faults (such as always being an onlooker with not much self-esteem and hence being used by others), but what she went through because of this job did make me feel for her. (One thing though, I cannot fully like a person who does not take therapy seriously.) The way her work friend and also new girlfriend changes due to the job and how things ended between them, really makes me think about how the things we see online can impact us, our ideologies, views, attitudes and behaviours. I think, in that regard this story is quite impactful. Did I need all that about her relationship necessarily? No, not really. However, it was needed for the impact of the ending, and hence I cannot complain. I also liked the narrative and how the story was structured. Minus points for the ending though, because honestly, I felt that to be a bit far-fetched and unrealistic. Like, why would she do that?? Especially, why would she still want to do that for someone who hurt her like that? More than that, I felt the story needed more of a conclusion and this open ending, that pretty much made way for a whole different story, felt out of place. Still, I would recommend this novella. Because of it’s length and narrative style, you might not be able to connect to the protagonist/narrator, but the impact delivers. BUT: Don't go in it expecting a horror novella (which is how it was marketed - wrongly) but rather a more contemporary critique.