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I didn't believe it was all that great the first couple of hours after finishing it. Having slept on it, I believe this to be one of the greats, alongside 1984. It's probably better than Orwell's classic. But it's not as direct. Certainly comparing both of them is useless as they occupy different intentions.
The Memory Police shines through it's humanity and surrealism. I highly recommend the read.
Natasha Dow Schüll's incredible research into gambling maschines is one of the base text any sociologist and designer should read. It is a long damning account on the extreme exploitation of people for profit. It's dooming but necessarily so. Schüll decades of field research is timely even now, as we see more of the same tactics being used by tech and gig working companies.
Detransition Baby is a novel that equally feels made for me and not for me. It's a fantastic one, if you have any interest in exploration of gender or more specifically of femininity/womanhood; read it! It deserves to be thought about.
Please do not read the spoiler section until you have come to an understanding of what the book was talking about. In specific how it ended. This is not a “spoiler” of its content, its a mindset that could change how you experience the novel.
It was an enlightening journey that died for me with its concept. I was expecting the book to be more than it set out for, to go beyond what it was in text, however for me it was made impossible by its ending. Its not a “bad” ending, its just direct in telling you what it was about. That might work for you. For me it stopped my process of exploration of what it means to me. Because finding what I identified with was made so much harder by its purpous. I dont like when stories are literal. There is a genuine debate to be had of metaphorical effectiveness towards most people, but like I said before not for me. Maybe it is necessary and my experience is too novel.
This book is perfect. I truly mean that. It's pacing is great so are its characters, dialogue, jokes, ideas, prose. I loved every page. Torrey Peters wrote one of the most compelling debut novels I have ever had the priviledge to read. (I also highly reccomend her novellas)
Since getting this book a few years ago I read it every year. Because I read a lot I sometimes dont remember all the ones I did read. And year after year I find this one, think to myself this is exactly my thing.
A few pages in I remember that oh I know these words, I have read it before. Each time I finish it I cry. Each time I get lost in the words. Each time I marvel at the beauty of this story. Each time I ask myself how it will be for me. Each time I get different answers.
Thank you for this one. Sorry I forget about it sometimes but rediscovering it is a joy rarely found.
eine sammlung von essays die perfekt das unheimliche deutschland beschreiben in dem ich und viele der autor_innen aufgewachsen sind