Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - None of This Is Serious

This was a mix up of a Sally Rooney book and the film Don't Look Up. It's a Saltaire about what humans are doing to the planet, even when a massive big crack appears in the sky it soon becomes the new normal with Twitter leading the way to adapt to it. Not so dissimilar to the record breaking heatwaves we have experienced in Europe people still won't open their eyes to commit to real change. Yet it is the twentie somethings (my generation) who are the ones who will see if first hand and expected to do something about it, as if living in the first generation glued to our phones 24/7 and everyone's opinions being a click away isn't pressure enough. The book highlights the dangerous predator culture men have, thinking sex is something they have the power for and scarily don't respect womens consent to choose. Everyone in this book annoyed me, even Sophie which is perhaps why I haven't ranked it higher. I'm a twin and understand how it is difficult to be constantly compared and pitted against each other but she seemed self sabotaging and did desert her friends even if they weren't the best and were controlling.

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becca_thegrimreader's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Sophie has just finished college and is unsure of what she wants to do next. She views her friends with jealousy as they confidently navigate life and feels that she is being left behind. She's been in love with her friend Finn for years, and faces a dilemma when she meets Rory online. As a crack appears in the sky, Sophie is left questioning everything about life and her future.

“I refresh the feed every minute and continue to consume, growing fat. I’m like a vampire, leeching off the content of other people’s lives. I’m not even really interested in anything I’m reading.”

This was a very intriguing book that delved into peoples' relationship with social media. I honestly felt that I needed to delete all apps off my phone after reading this. Sophie is completely dependent on her phone and having access to the internet. Scouring and refreshing apps to learn the most up to date opinions or to see what her friends are doing. Her appetite for information stems for her own lack of self esteem and insecurity and hopes that it will make her seem interesting or intelligent in social situations.

The book also discusses the difficulties that this generation will face. The crack in the sky could be caused by environmental change, and shows the reaction towards our dying planet with either hyperawareness or indifference. The book also portrays the financial struggles of this generation with Sophie struggling to find a job and dealing with anxiety of whether she will ever manage to afford a house. The misogyny, violence, and abuse that Sophie suffers not only online but in real life is harrowing. Prasifka highlights how victims of abuse can be gaslighted and undermined, and in the end doubt themselves. Sophie's experience is one that unfortunately too many people have gone through and yet it still perpetuates our society.

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of this book. My review is honest and unbiased.

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