ilovewongkarwai 's review for:

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

4.0

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At first I thought using a black hole as a metaphor for depression was too on the nose, but this was actually very well done. Etter's writing is effective throughout most of the book and quite beautiful at very specific times, which enhances the contrast between the horrors the main character witnesses and the beauty she sometimes experiences. I found the author's commentary on Silicon Valley's culture to be spot-on, and really appreciated her insights on modern romantic relationships and abortion. My favorite parts were all the fruit descriptions and the main character's relationship with her dad.