Jonathan Abernathy is in financial peril. To work off his debt, he takes a job entering the minds and sanitizing the dreams of American workers. What could go wrong Disturbing and darkly funny, McGhee’s surrealist debut is sure to keep readers up at night. — Serena Puang

I can honestly say this is a perfect book to read in an office cubicle far away from any windows. Really adds to the feeling of despair. My own personal setting aside, this is an amazing book, and one that will resonate with a lot of people, especially millennials like me who got told to take out mountains of loans for college because college was the only way to make good money (hahahaha...good one). Abernathy is a perfect guide through his work and the dreamworld, earnest enough to get into situations he has no business being in and depressed enough for the reader to identify with. The book is stunning and heartfelt, even with the constant sense of foreboding throughout.

(Full disclosure: The author taught a fiction class I took a couple of months ago, but I still would've loved the book without knowing her.)

I am… not sure how to feel about this book! Overall: Despite the three-star review I think I would recommend it. It's an engaging read and thought-provoking for sure. But I also feel it has some issues that I'm struggling to overlook.

The premise: Jonathan Abernathy, a depressed hot guy in his mid-twenties, has a boatload of debt from student loans and his dead parents' credit cards. He gets a job for a third-party contractor that sucks the bad parts out of people's dreams – the depression, the anxiety – in order to make them more efficient workers. This is an excellent and interesting premise! The book's message, which is that you cannot be a good person under capitalism, was smartly and finely drawn. And the book was compelling, for a reason that I can't quite put my finger on; the prose felt a little stilted to me, the plot not exactly breakneck, the characters not maximally lovable, but even so I read the whole book in two days. If it were only for this I would give it four stars.

But. I feel like it falls into the trap that a lot of "literary" fiction with a "speculative" element does, which is that it's only interested in the speculative element insofar as it serves the point that the author wants to make. It ends up feeling kind of tacked-on, empty. The idea of a third-party contractor that sucks up elements of dreams, and with them memories, and then repackages that dream-stuff into nightmares to be sold to the highest bidder as mercenaries is really original and neat, but the book doesn't actually deal with what that might look like on anything more than the most abstract level. It's not interested in it. But as a reader, I am! It kind of gets away with this by making Abernathy an incurious dope who doesn't want to know how the company works, but after a while that wasn't enough for me; it really felt not like a fully fleshed-out system that Abernathy just didn't know about, but like a giant black hole with occasional details thrust in for Abernathy to bonk against. There's also a whole thing where Abernathy has to die, like everyone who engages with this system dies eventually, and I didn't really get that either. Maybe I just missed something. But it felt like this element was just there to underline the book's thesis that Capitalism Kills, which, sure, but I would have liked a lot more concreteness than that, on a narrative level. And I hated the very end of the book, like the last half-page of the book.

So that kicks it down to three stars, for me, despite the fact that I really did enjoy reading it.

Otherwise: Great title, weird cover.

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mixed feelings about this one. Some great lines though but they were few and far between. The story itself felt original and fresh though. The first 40-50% of the story is just so slow I think some readers will bail before the story actually takes off. The beginning reminds me a bit of Beau is Afraid.

Thank you to the author, Astra Publishing House and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb on this got me interested, and when I started reading I was hooked by the premise - I was reminded of the Charlie Kaufman film "Being John Malkovich", both portraying an utterly original and startling world that we are allowed to have a look into. Unfortunately, overall I found this book too repetitive and dreary (which of course is partly the point, I know) and it seemed to kind of run out of steam at about the halfway mark. Or maybe I'm just not hip enough for this book, which could also well be the case.

Difficult read. The story is long and drawn out. The characters had no redemption arcs. The writing was Difficult to get into. Just couldn't wait until the book was over. I've been trying to try different books outside my comfort zone. Unfortunately, this wasn't the book to start with.

Sometimes you’ll get to the end of a book and realise you never came round to getting it, to working out what it was about. I always label these kinds of books fever dreams, but there really should be a name for the genre.

Nevertheless. This is a novel about Jonathan Abernathy, enslaved through capitalism and student debt. He’s young, and lonely, and insecure, and all of the things that make him an isolated figure in a kind of aimless, untethered life. He’s surrounded by potential connections, though—through his neighbour and her daughter, and other characters that appear. All of that, unfortunately, is ruined by his taking of his one chance at freedom, when he’s promised the end of his debt in exchange for some really shady, nightmare-related business. And that’s my best attempt at summarising the plot.

I liked this novel, even if I found Abernathy exasperating, and I wished he would finish his sentences. I also had no sympathy for the messes he got himself into during the course of the story. But I do understand capitalism, and debt, and the fear that drove him. The nightmare world he worked in was a really nice vehicle for exploring those things.

Thank you to Astra Publishing House and to NetGalley for early access to this unusual and intriguing book.

Uncertain if it was branching out into a different genre or if it was the subject matter of this novel but Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind was sadly not for me. As someone who struggles with a lot of the stressors that plague Jonathan himself, this book was not an escape into the surreality of fiction for me. I was very enticed originally by the cover and Paul Tremblay’s praise and I do love books that are easily projectable on, however this was too easy for me to align with I think making it something I didn’t enjoy opening each time I went to it. I am certain this book will have its audiences but sadly it’s not me.

Thanks to Astra House and NetGalley for the ARC of this.

I've been excited about this one since I saw the one-line description and RIYL on an early-in-the-year 2023 books to get excited about list, and my expectations were exceeded.

This is speculative fiction but grounded in reality, horror adjacent without any major scares other than the Constant Looming Spectre of What Capitalism Does To People, and you should definitely check this out if you're a fan of either Severance (the Ling Ma novel) or Severance (the Apple TV+ show that has nothing to do with the Ling Ma novel).

Jonathan Abernathy is the embodiment of a self-proclaimed loser, grappling with debts, joblessness, and the crushing weight of late-stage capitalism. Molly McGhee's newest book offers a unique and surreal take on contemporary life.

The government's loan forgiveness program gives Abernathy a seemingly miraculous escape—an unconventional job that lets him delve into the minds of middle-class workers while they sleep, purging their unconscious of life's undesirable baggage. As he delves deeper into this unusual role, the lines between reality and morality blur. Work, life, love, and morals meld into a surreal journey.

McGhee masterfully delves into the harsh realities of late-stage capitalism, portraying a tender yet startling workplace. Her storytelling is a balance of dark comedy and deep emotions, leaving you questioning the boundaries between dreams and reality, work and life, and love and despair.

What sets this book apart is its deep understanding of the human condition, tackling the relentless grind of life and the search for love amid hopelessness. It's a thought-provoking critique of contemporary society that sticks with you long after the last page.

Thanks so much to the publisher as well as NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I really wanted to love this one but I just had so much trouble getting into it. I ended up dropping it because I couldn't get into it so giving 3 stars since I did not finish and cant comment on the entire book.

Jonathan Abernathy is down on his luck -- he can't make enough to both pay down his debt and his expenses, he has no real prospects for a job, and he does not have any friends. So he is receptive when he gets a surprising offer -- if he works as a dream inspector removing unpalatable memories from office workers, he will not only earn more money than he has ever before, he will eventually be able to pay down his loans. He does not think much about what the job entails, even as it increasingly raises questions about whether it is as benign as has been presented. At first, the job seems like a dream come true. It gives Jonathan the time and resources to finally get on his feet and even build real human connection for the first time in a while. But gradually the pressures of the job, and realities of what it involves, makes Jonathan wonder if this dream is actually a nightmare.

This is a well-written and perceptive story, exploring interesting and timely themes. This is one you will continue thinking about long after you have put the book down. I'm excited to see what comes next from this author.

Highly recommended.

Molly McGhee's publisher gave me a review copy prior to the release date. I had already been conscious of the Twitter kerfuffle that she kicked off when showing her library in a separate room in NYC while claiming to be impoverished. She has a tremendous amount of privilege with a Columbia MFA. She still teaches there. She also is deeply disillusioned as to what it means to have one NYT book that she edited under her belt in her late twenties. When I read her article for The Guardian mourning the generational poverty that she refuses to break through active decisions, I contrasted her with eminent American writer Neal Gabler, who wrote an article about how he and his wife ran out of money for heating or groceries at various points. Both of writers seem intent on making innumerate decisions whenever possible; those decisions tend to compound. Owing $120k to the federal government even after receiving substantial scholarships and fellowships that have gotten her where she is today is the outcome of compounded decisions. She is still in her twenties. I’m fascinated by the way that she has anthropomorphized debt in the book, as if Americans have to carry it until they die. She doesn’t seem to want to make any financial changes whatsoever to set herself up for success in the future. Considering that she works for a university, there is nothing stopping her from doing the paperwork (the PSLF waiver was extremely generous) and 120 income-based monthly payments to qualify for public service loan forgiveness. She has no interest in making her debt go away through her own efforts. As a nonprofit employee myself, I am aware that Fidelity has a product currently called Summer that checks on your PSLF paperwork and progress. The options available for her range beyond what she included in her nonfiction pieces as well as her debut novel.

Jonathan Abernathy is such a strange, strange book. On one hand, it is quirky, but on the other, it is depressing, and if you had a third hand, it would be quite heartfelt. Jonathon Abernathy does not have a third hand, however. What he does have is beaucoup debt. Like tons. And like most of us in this late-stage capitalist dystopia, he feels like he's drowning. And he actually is, because he is in an even later stage capitalist dystopia, olé!

I don't really know how to describe this book, or what I want to tell you about it. That sounds weird, right? Well, it's a weird book! In a good way, mind. And Jonathan Abernathy is... he's different than your usual main character, but again, it works. Nothing about this book should work, frankly, yet it does. It absolutely does. And I daresay if it didn't feel a wee bit sloggy in the middle, I'd be giving it a full five.

Jonathan Abernathy is everyone. He's also no one. That is to say, he is the most mundane random guy in the history of mundane random guys. He's inoffensive, but if you passed him on the street, ten bucks says he wouldn't even register on your radar, let alone leave any impression. He's certainly pleasant enough that you care about him on a human level, but you'll scratch your head at his sheer incompetence at life. But he also makes you think: how many people are really out there killing it at life, especially in Capitalism Hell™?

This world he lives it, which is not very far removed from our own, is bleak as sin, and I think that may be why the middle felt a little rough. Even though the book is witty and quirky, sometimes the bummer of humanity got a little... much, especially when you knew things were not exactly coming up roses for our pal Abernathy. The bleakness is quiet, and I don't know if that makes it easier or harder, frankly. However, the book has a very heartfelt quality to it that somehow makes up for all that. The minutiae of Abernathy's life and the relationships he tries (and sometimes fails, but alas) to make, his earnestness, they make it all feel very worthwhile. And perhaps that's the point: it is worthwhile, no matter if you are an Abernathy or the next Nobel Prize winner.

Bottom Line: Quirky and earnest and sure, a bit depressing, Jonathan Abernathy is unique, and unlike its titular character, wholly unforgettable.

WOW! This unique book has a perfectly fitting singular and memorable title and its pages are ones I wont' forget. I truly haven't read an indictment on capitalism and the 1% like McGhee pulls off here. I devoured this book and will be demanding everyone I know reads it.

A very interesting premise, and a thrilling and captivating story. I loved Jonathan and seeing this world through his eyes was refreshing and entertaining. I appreciated the limited number of characters but ultimately hoped for more complexity in the relationships. Everything felt very simple and shallow, and I needed more exploration of what this dream organization means for the wider world.

Jonathan Abernathy is not doing well, and in this surrealist journey through the pitfalls of late-stage capitalism, Molly McGhee never lets us forget it. The claustrophobic first-person perspective is effective to a degree that verges on uncomfortable, never allowing Jonathan (or the reader) to feel truly at ease. The mechanics of the dream storytelling may not have totally clicked for me, but overall, it's a visceral ride.

It’s a very easy book to read. However, I felt constantly confused by the events of this novel. I understand wanting to create suspense and intrigue by keeping the main character in the dark but he was in the dark the entire book. I mean he doesn't find out the essence of what he is a part of till the very end of the novel. And as he is our narrator that means the readers are left in the dark about that as well. Overall I found the story to be lacking. Lacking what I could say with any great specificity but I always felt like the novel was trying to lead you somewhere that it never ended up taking you to. Perhaps I simply didn't get it but it felt like the whole novel was teasing some great ending with poignant social commentary and in the end it doesn't. Ultimately the book shares much of the same qualities as Jonathan Abernathy himself: it does nothing and says nothing, and as such made me feel nothing. A whole lot of of words spent to ultimately end up saying nothing.

Gorgeous and unsettling. I inhaled this book in one sitting, unable to break away from the language and incisive worldbuilding. This is a beautiful, surreal, and unsettling book that I am happy to recommend.

A novel highly reminiscent of the television show, Severance. The writing and pacing are a bit clunky. Interesting, but not mind blowing, for me.