slothberry's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very unique book that kept me very entertained. It was funny but it also involve many deep human emotions. I loved the characters and the little office stories that were told.
ginbott's review against another edition
3.0
This novel is set within the walls of an add agency in the late 90s. And with that Ferris instantly conjures up a vivid scene. The bravado, the bad taste, the corporate, the money-grabbing is all lurking in the background. But, as we all remember, those late 20th– early 21st century years saw a turn for the worse. As the .com bubble burst, the money dried up and so did the jobs.
We join the staff of this particular office at the point where the good times have ended, and the bad times have definitely set in. Firings have become a regular feature and the anxiety, paranoia and misplaced confidence this instils in the colleagues is well portrayed. As the projects dry up, an odd pro bono add campaign with an impossible brief is given to the team by their boss Lynn Mason – propelling the story forward.
The story in narrated in the first-person plural, a technique not often used to great success, but here fits perfectly. The reader is pulled into the novel, the ‘we’ makes them complicit in the gossip, the pranks, makes them part of the group. But as the novel progresses this ‘we’ starts to take on a darker tone. As a reader you begin to question if you actually want to be included in this ‘we’, if you agree with what this ‘we’ is doing and saying. But by then it’s too late and, much like Joe Pope, just as you’re starting to suspect the peer-pressure and herd mentality is taking on nasty forms, you realise you’re in too deep to step away, and Ferris offers you no way out.
Most of the characters – with one or two exceptions - are fairly one-note, perhaps not fully fledged individuals, but slightly more than stock characters. In fact, as a reader you know about as much about them as you would your average co-worker, so for the purposes of this story it works rather well.
There are hints of genuine points Ferris is trying to get across, issues like losing your individuality and even your life to corporate America. For this he particularly makes use of Tom Mota, the office clown, who sees his comfortable life slip away which leads to some far reaching consequences that Ferris manages to keep away from the cliché. While he makes a brave attempt, Ferris never fully succeeds at creating a deeper level of discomfort and meaning. This is an enjoyable novel, the ending is convincing and satisfying, but much like a former co-worker, it fades quickly from the mind.
We join the staff of this particular office at the point where the good times have ended, and the bad times have definitely set in. Firings have become a regular feature and the anxiety, paranoia and misplaced confidence this instils in the colleagues is well portrayed. As the projects dry up, an odd pro bono add campaign with an impossible brief is given to the team by their boss Lynn Mason – propelling the story forward.
The story in narrated in the first-person plural, a technique not often used to great success, but here fits perfectly. The reader is pulled into the novel, the ‘we’ makes them complicit in the gossip, the pranks, makes them part of the group. But as the novel progresses this ‘we’ starts to take on a darker tone. As a reader you begin to question if you actually want to be included in this ‘we’, if you agree with what this ‘we’ is doing and saying. But by then it’s too late and, much like Joe Pope, just as you’re starting to suspect the peer-pressure and herd mentality is taking on nasty forms, you realise you’re in too deep to step away, and Ferris offers you no way out.
Most of the characters – with one or two exceptions - are fairly one-note, perhaps not fully fledged individuals, but slightly more than stock characters. In fact, as a reader you know about as much about them as you would your average co-worker, so for the purposes of this story it works rather well.
There are hints of genuine points Ferris is trying to get across, issues like losing your individuality and even your life to corporate America. For this he particularly makes use of Tom Mota, the office clown, who sees his comfortable life slip away which leads to some far reaching consequences that Ferris manages to keep away from the cliché. While he makes a brave attempt, Ferris never fully succeeds at creating a deeper level of discomfort and meaning. This is an enjoyable novel, the ending is convincing and satisfying, but much like a former co-worker, it fades quickly from the mind.
sjmaxa's review against another edition
2.0
Couldn't get through this book although I really wanted to. The constant chatter of "the office" went too long without any significant plot twists. I think this is one of only 2 or 3 books I haven't finished.
laissezfarrell's review against another edition
4.0
Funny, though not as ridiculously so as I was expecting. The narrative perspective (first person plural) is the aspect I really got into. And the ending is pitch-perfect.
rcthomas's review against another edition
5.0
Great book that sorta pokes fun at every day office culture in the midst of economic downturn, exploring human relationships at work as they suddenly get whittled away by circumstances. If you're familiar with working in an office or the types of relationships that type of setting forms, I would definitely recommend reading this book. Even if you're not, you would probably enjoy reading the book.
kandicez's review against another edition
2.0
I hate reviewing books so low because it takes so much to write a novel and it feels like I am negating all that effort. This was a first novel, so I can only hope he'll get better.
I had hoped that this would have the same flavor and feel as "The Office", but it was a little too depressing and not enough funny. There is one portion in the middle where Ferris talks about something very serious and how work only friends deal with it. That small portion was genius and actually made me feel, but the rest I could do without.
I had hoped that this would have the same flavor and feel as "The Office", but it was a little too depressing and not enough funny. There is one portion in the middle where Ferris talks about something very serious and how work only friends deal with it. That small portion was genius and actually made me feel, but the rest I could do without.
kirstenwis's review against another edition
5.0
This book was not what I expected. I loved the narrative structure and the way Ferris developed the characters. It was so funny and smart and moving, and I'm so glad that I stumbled into it.
kelseywaters's review against another edition
2.0
I thought this book was going to have more of a steady plot line but instead it reminded me of a person rambling on about stories from work that happened in the past. It's a big book to do that all the way through it. So, in conclusion, I read about one hundred pages and gave up on it. It was okay, but not something I really wanted to invest my time in.
suburban_ennui's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Weird book. Very funny in places but it’s long and the lack of a linear plot made bits of it feel like a drag at times. Would make an AMAZING TV show.