Cassie's journey, fraught with disillusionment and a sense of stagnation, strikes a chord with many of us who have experienced similar feelings. I must admit that the book hit a little too close to home for comfort. At times, I found myself confronting my own unease about the direction of my life. While this may be a testament to the author's ability to create relatable content, it also left me feeling a tad disconcerted. Overall, "Ripe" is a commendable and relevant exploration of millennial malaise.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒖𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒆𝒚𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒖𝒔𝒌𝒔.

Glittering wealth while stewing in the reality of poverty and suffering, how does a young woman find joy working her dream job at a Silicon Valley start-up with the ugly truth begging to be acknowledged? Worse, there is a black hole that hovers above Cassie, only she can see it, “𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑒. 𝐼𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛.” She is choking on loneliness and terror, numbing herself to the scenes outside her apartment, men on fire, people living in dirty tents, defecation in the streets, human beings eating out of dumpsters, boarded up failed businesses, while she rubs shoulders with the believers (Ivy League techies) trying to pass herself off as successful, grab the dream and ‘strike gold’, rising above her class.

Getting there isn’t even half the battle, it’s like being put through the grinder, pushing and pushing to keep up, feeling bloodless until it takes substances to maintain oneself on fifteen-hour days. If the black hole is strongest when she is alone, might it swallow her? Where does this joy sucker come from? Cassie’s depression lends an ominous fog to the challenges of her career. The detachment surrounding her is a shocking reality, feeding the black hole. Her mother’s sting has left a sadness in her, and the line, “𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝: 𝑎 𝑚𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔,” no one to reach out to and confide in about this black hole, and it’s no wonder it threatens. Her father wants her to rocket to success, escape the ‘nothing’ of their town, but how good is it for her soul? Is her future truly bright, is this what she wants? What she thought she wanted, this ripe fruit of success, is rotting before her eyes. Her choices are molding her into someone she doesn’t want to be. Conflicting realities haunt her. Some choices are more serious than others. What do we betray when we betray ourselves?

This story is a clash between how we think things should be, in the light (or dark) of what truly is. It is a heavy read, watching Cassie sink into her fake self, wrestling with what the godly CEO (being acknowledged by him like a holy experience) demands and what is morally right. He is someone who doesn’t need to weigh morality or legalities, what does any of it matter? Why is she ‘𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯'? Add an unexpected pregnancy, no one to turn to as she falls apart, this beautiful dream leaving her washed ashore upon a wasteland while only the black hole seems to be the only thing staring back.

Sarah Rose Etter is a hell of a writer, 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑋 was just as original and made me a fan so maybe I am biased. This is a story that pulls the reader into the horrors of the tuned-out world, where it’s often about selling yourself out or coming to nothing. I felt dread for her, when her dad was pushing and reminding her this is what she should want, there is nothing else, this is success! He means well, he doesn’t want her to be stocking shelves in a dead town but is this really the way up? Whose dream is this?

Yes, read it.

Published July 11, 2023

Scribner

"Ripe" by Sarah Rose Etter is a raw and unapologetic exploration of the corporate dystopia that is Silicon Valley. Through the eyes of Cassie, a young woman trapped in a cutthroat start-up, the novel delves deep into the toxic underbelly of a world defined by obscene wealth and social inequality.

Etter's vivid prose captures the paradoxical existence of Silicon Valley, where high-rise offices overlook the suffering of unhoused individuals, and material success contrasts sharply with personal despair. Cassie's journey feels all too relatable as she grapples with the demands of a soul-crushing job and the emotional turmoil brought on by her miniature black hole, a manifestation of her depression and anxiety.

The author's ability to blend sharp wit with vulnerability creates a compelling narrative that pulls readers into the heart of Cassie's struggles. As she unexpectedly becomes pregnant amidst her CEO's unethical demands, the novel confronts the choices women face in a world that often seems designed to chew them up and spit them out.

"Ripe" is a haunting portrayal of modern life, masterfully painting a picture of late-capitalist hellscape. Etter's darkly comic approach exposes the absurdities of our society, leaving readers simultaneously unsettled and contemplative. The book serves as a poignant critique of the consequences of unchecked ambition and the cost of success in a world dominated by corporate greed.

Interesting and well written I just personally couldn’t get into the story. Difficult to follow at times and a little slow. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ripe is a thrilling and unsettling examination of what it is to live in a world that centers work above all else. I found myself relating so much to the narrator that it felt as though I was being consumed by the book. Do you ever read a novel and think, “this is real, this is happening right now?” That’s this book, brilliantly and nauseatingly.

Ripe is a captivating and thought-provoking read that depicts Cassie's deep sense of emptiness. The author's engaging and bold prose truly brings the story to life, showcasing the book's unique format that skillfully alternates between Cassie's present and past experiences. However, what truly adds to the poignancy of the narrative is how the ever-present black hole consistently mirrors Cassie's emotions in every passing moment. It's a hauntingly beautiful yet undeniably sad and somewhat discomforting journey.

OK, this review might seem a little dark but bear with me.

Have you ever heard a medical practitioner describe one symptom of anxiety and/or depression as an "impending sense of doom"? Well, this is book is pretty much that notion personified. Cassie is barely scraping by living in San Francisco, even though she is constantly working at her tech job (often aided by drugs to do so), her rent is astronomical thereby forcing her to shop at discount grocery stores with questionable products, and her boss is constantly telling her she isn't doing enough. Also, she's seeing a man in an open relationship, she might be pregnant, and her rent was just increased AGAIN. Oh, and to top it all off a "black hole" (aka the impending sense of doom) follows her like storm cloud. One more thing -- did I mention that COVID is coming?

Now that we have THAT out of the way, I still really enjoyed this book. The writing is fantastic and the author put so much work into showing the juxtaposition of San Francisco and the people living and working in the city. I had a hard time with the definitions at every chapter and the "e.g." format at first -- probably because I was mostly listening to the book, but I came to enjoy it once I understood the cadence of the book.

Thank you Net Galley Scribner for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

4 stars.

“You have to betray yourself first in order for anyone else to betray you.” This book was so gut-wrenching, so powerful and made me feel so many things that I’m still processing at the moment.

One of my favorite reads so far this year!

This book has a lot in common with The Book of X, starting with symbolic representations of a woman's body/mental state - the former deals in knots while Ripe dives into black holes. Both cover the messiness of love between a mother and daughter, between the protagonist and a lover. Both weave definitions and lists of facts into the narrative.

While the foundations are familiar, the landscape here is new and that makes all the difference. Aside from a change of scenery, Ripe has a larger cast of characters and is more grounded in reality than The Book of X with one big exception.

I recommend reading when you're feeling fed up with your job.

I loved this book! I really enjoyed the writing and the overall topic. I felt like this was comparable to My Rest and Relaxation (and other Moshfegh books) but in a modern tech feeling. I thought it was clever and felt very real. the formatting of this was so creative with the beginning of the chapters with definitions, the different areas of her life, and her own reflection. Such an awesome book.

I was looking for something different to cleanse my pallet between my usual genre of thrillers and boy did this deliver.

We follow our female MC Cassie. She works at a tech startup company. Her boss is snarky, condescending, and just plain rude. She’s stuck working long hours in a toxic work environment, that is also having her do things that go against her morals. We can all relate to that in some way or another…LOL. She is struggling to keep her head above water. Between her toxic job, her boyfriend, who isn’t really her boyfriend because he’s in an open relationship with someone else, rising rent/cost of living, and recently finding out she may be pregnant. She is basically living a fake it til you make it type of life. She isn’t really her true self with anyone. She has a fake self that deals with her boss, coworkers, few close friends, family, and boyfriend.

Despite being pretty much alone, there is a miniature black hole that follows her everywhere ever since she can remember. It shrinks and grows depending upon what’s going on in her life. Threatening to shallow her into the dark abyss at a moment’s notice it seems. The black hole seemed to just pull everything together. We have all felt like there was this looming darkness around us, threatening to swallow us whole, at one point or another.

This book really does capture what it’s like to be part of corporate America. It was so dark, unsettling, realistic and strangely comedic to me. As someone who struggles with depression, anxiety, and workplace woes, it really hit close to home for me. I very much enjoyed the journey it took me on.

Thank you Sarah Rose Etter, NetGalley, and Scribner for the ARC of this book!

Loved this book and the style of writing. A quick, propulsive read which deals with the dark side of the tech industry, specifically in Silicon Valley, plus the biting reality of depression/anxiety. This is definitely a gloomy read, but I feel the author brilliantly captured a mental health spiral. I also appreciated the way she portrayed abortion.

My only complaint would be the heavy-handed use of the black hole imagery, which was important, but perhaps not necessary as often as it appeared on the page.

This is a very raw and dark literary piece of fiction. I would not recommend to those currently struggling with depression, as it may be triggering.

I was extremely impressed with this novel, and will be looking forward to more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, this sucked me in. I loved the structure of this book, as well as, its message. In a world glittering with instant gratification, is it only our disconnect that fully frees us? This book sheds light on toxic Silicon Valley, its perverted ethos on work, and how it exploits people of color and women. The ending felt rush but I appreciated this book.

- RIPE is one of those books that's satire, but only just barely. I work in marketing, and though luckily I've never had this horrific a job, I see elements from the larger field taken to their logical endpoints all over this book.
- I loved the slight fantastical element of the black hole that follows Cassie around. I'm not sure the device got used to its full potential, but it kept the book from being simply a rote recitation of horrors.
- Although I think the black hole plot thread and the dictionary definition framing device didn't quite work as well as intended, we do a love a book where a character gets an ab0rtion simply because she just cannot have a child right now.

Ripe is a horrifically stunning comment on capitalism and the mental health of adults in the United States. The main character Cassie shows you the honest realities of living in California, where the difference between the haves and the have-nots is at an all-time high. This book contains many dense mental health topics I would caution people about before picking this one up. However, I thought this book was brilliant and a must-read for anyone!

Writing so crisp you almost forget how horrendously relatable this meditation on late-stage capitalism, depression, the inversion and ultimate loss of self, and isolation truly is.

While the writing style wasn't for me, I understand the hype for Ripe.

Ripe tells the story of a woman navigating the post-grad world of Silicon Valley.

I think that fans of Otessa Moshfegh and literary fiction will love this one. It's realistic, tense, and dreamy.

This book is stressful and weird. The MC, Cassie, is literally followed around by a black hole as if it’s her own personal little storm cloud. San Francisco appears to be a futuristic, sparkly Mecca of achievement but there are other disturbing, violent things going on beneath the surface. The biggest example of this being the man who sets himself on fire right in front of Cassie on the street one day. We don’t know the reason, but based on Cassie’s life the man likely worked an office job similar to hers. We follow along as her own daily grind becomes all the more tedious and demanding, taking a toll on her physically and emotionally. As the black hole above her pulses and expands, is she destined for her own blaze?

The writing shifts effortlessly between moments of beautiful, moving prose and dark, biting humor that feels like something out of a Yorgos Lanthimos movie. (Examples: the way Cassie’s coworkers and “friends” speak to each other, a flashback to her parents fighting at the dinner table that is strangely hilarious, etc.) At one point, Cassie says to someone: “I’m sorry, this city is fucking a nightmare.” And I’m PRETTY sure that’s a typo but to be honest, it might not be.

The more I experienced of Cassie’s bittersweet memories and her absolute Hellscape of a job, the more I felt for her. She absolutely does some things to make her less sympathetic, but I could relate so deeply to all the passages about Cassie feeling like she was losing her life and her identity to the soul-sucking obligation of work, and how lonely and sad that felt. Plus, this book has that whole depressed and annoyed narrator vibe that I LOVE.

"Ripe" does a fantastic job of dipping its toes into magical realism without going too far. (The black hole thing is a neat element throughout the story and feels organic to the plot.) The ending is a bit open to interpretation but I have my own theories. This was an easy 5-star read for me!

Trigger Warnings: Parental abuse, abortion, misogyny, substance abuse

Sarah Rose Etter is like the queen of the surreal, of manifesting our deepest darkest feelings into a physical reality that is impossible to ignore. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I fell in love with her debut novel, THE BOOK OF X, back in 2019. Thoughts of it still rear up in the back of my brain weekly. This follow up has been getting all the buzz and critical acclaim, for good reason, exposing her writing to a larger audience.

What all these reviews are talking about is late-stage capitalism and the pressures of corporate culture and the pitfalls of modern society. Which is right on target, all of it, as the book is about a young woman sucked into the machine of what she thought was her Silicon Valley dream job. And, oh yeah, she’s followed around by the physical manifestation of her depression as a black hole of varying size that always hovers nearby. There’s that.

But what I want to talk about here is the personal. Etter has an innate sense of how to capture complex emotions on the page. Perhaps her greatest strength is the ability to make her reader feel, to put into words the dark truths that come along with the human experience, to make a connection with readers who have shared experiences. Reading this gave me the same feeling I get when I think about how big the universe is, and how small I am in comparison, then allow the darkness to start creeping in.

She makes some cool stylistic choices here too, most notably framing the story with definitions at the beginning of each section and chapter. This sets the tone, provide insight and background, and parses out the story as the narrative moves forward. Repetition is also used to good effect throughout.

So, who would I recommend this one to? My fellow dark and twisty bookworms. Those who know what it feels like to sit in the darkness. Those who question how the world got here and where it is going but still keep putting one foot in front of the other despite the chaos.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the arc!

What a ride! The physical and metaphorical tension throughout this novel is delightful and grotesque. There were so many moments in this where I had to sit back and reflect on what I had just come face to face with. This book captured what it feels like to be a woman working in a horrifying late-stage capitalist society with such precision that it left me speechless. This is a new favorite for me!

I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Ling Ma or Otessa Moshfegh's writing style. I especially recommend this to anyone looking to find a way to describe the weight of a "black hole" looming over you.

Overall, 4.75/5 stars