At first this book was too predictable. I ended up getting hooked. You would like this if you enjoyed yellowface by r f kuang

I liked this book generally but had some issues specifically with arguments that were made and who in fact this satire was calling in/out. It is an easy and quick read but there are some sticky questions in it for sure. A solid debut.

Javi is preparing an essay for a college entrance application, when his a g00d-intentioned professor encourages him to lean into his hardships and make sure it is known that he has made it through many trials and tribulations. Raised by a single mother, dead dad, growing up in a lower income neighborhood, being a minority. All things Javi didn't interpret as hardships...just the life that had been handed to him. But he does as he is told and many avenues open up to him in turn. So, he embellishes a bit and twists the truth to play to his narrative. It's no big deal. Until he does it again. And again. And yet again. When will this domino effect of lies and opportunities finally come to an end?

This was such a fascinating read. I thought it was interesting how my feelings about the main character evolve throughout the story. First feeling sorry for them for all the crappy things that had happened, then proud that he learns how to use his life events for his own benefit, and then to annoyance when he is basically spiraling out of control. This book is defined as being satirical in nature (similar to Yellowface) but it really does leave you contemplating things well after you finish the last page. Fantastic debut novel!!

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the copies of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Innovative, fun, and a promising voice new on the lit fic scene. Satire is not my cup of tea but I appreciate the author really going for it here. This is a memoir told by one of the main characters. Funny and compelling—I just couldn’t get into it though.

WHEW. This was so immensely powerful. The duality of Javier's experiences and what the world thrust upon him / demanded of him, DAMN. Equal parts satire and also gently-removed reality, Boryga captures the reality of the lack of depth surrounding conversations on oppression today. “I wasn’t trying to be a victim until the world taught me how powerful victims are” will stick with me forever. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

Victim is a book about a young Puerto Rican male who decides to capitalize on his disadvantages by embellishing them to get ahead.

Victim is written as a memoir where the main character is reflecting on his choices and where they ultimately landed him.

This is the second satirical novel I have read recently where other people thought they were brilliant, creative, and funny and I disagreed. It may be that satire is no longer a genre I can enjoy but for me this book was very flat. I read it quickly enough, but I definitely didn't find much humor, though I did roll my eyes a time or two.

The main character is very unlikeable. As a matter of fact, none of the characters are likeable. There are a few parts, especially earlier in the book where the characters speak Spanish with no translation. Sometimes I was able to use context clues to translate but other times not. I'm curious why the author chose to use that strategy.

I completely understand what the author was trying to do. To get us to examine the way as a society we capitalize on victimhood and sob stories, as well as to delve into issues like tokenism and surface diversity. Also, the author wants us to introspect on the current societal needs for validation and social media recognition. The premise is interesting and the author's goals noble. However, for me, this satirical novel did not fully deliver.

IF you are someone who usually likes satire I would encourage you to check this one out despite my luke-warm reaction because I can understand why others might love this story.

Thanks for Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Victim will push some buttons. Yes. He's a liar. Yes. He uses what he doesn't want to own as his own trauma to get ahead in his life. But what is very apparent is not that "victims" are using the system or banking on their victimhood. No. It is that there are a lot of ways to deal with truama. If some fall into the life around them and others blunt the pain by pretending it is all a game to them, it's still trauma. That's what this is about.

Victim the debut novel by Andrew Boryga is astonishing. From the very first page you know that you are going to be pushed to look your view of the world in a differnt way. It is about two friends Javier and Gio. Thet both grow up in The Bronx. Javier is a witness to his father's death and Gio has a tough life too and ends up in prison. The book revolves around what it's like to be a victim and do certain people expect you to be a victim for their own worth. It's very timely for the world we live in today. What I loved about this book was that the way the author tuened the table on things. He made the "victim" do things that he criticized others of doing. The cover of dominoes falling is perfect because it is literally what happens. Just when yout think you can get away with things it all starts to fall and your a left with the destruction of your deeds. But at the end of the day you ar left with yourself and your missteps and have to reevaluate what is important and what isn't. This would be a fantastic book club pick because there is so much to discuss about race, politcal correction, our own prejudices as well as others. Truly a book for our times. Thank you to #doubleday and #netgalley for the read.

The book cover art of this new release so accurately depicts what happens when one little white lie or bent truth kick the domino effect of one man's rise and subsequent fall into motion. In this book, Javier, a promising young writer, learns early enough to play the "diversity" card to achieve success, losing his true self in the process.

This was both a quick read and a very thought-provoking novel. It brings up many questions. Is Javier a victim of his underprivileged upbringing or is he a victim of his own making? The MC's coming of age story, when "diversity" suddenly becomes a buzz word, and the temptation is there to hop on that train, it was interesting to observe how Javi sets himself on a path of inevitable self peril. He choses to ignore the red flags and being called out on stretching the truth or "taking artistic liberties" with his reporting of social injustices. I really felt sorry for the guy, because this was a tough life lesson he received.

Great conclusion... Be real, don't pretend. But also: victims are powerful. Real friends and family are the ones to be there when you fall. What a great debut novel! The audiobook was very well narrated and gave the book a great cultural feel. Highly recommend.

(Thanks to @doubledaybooks #gifted.) 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗠 by debut author Andrew Boryga joins Percival Everett’s 𝘌𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 and R.F. Kuong’s 𝘠𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 in taking on the publishing industry head on. Specifically, all three books have their main character authors using racial stereotypes to gain (or maintain) access to a world they might otherwise be denied.⁣
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In 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮, Javier Perez is first encouraged to stretch the truth about his “life challenges” in order to gain access to an elite college. It works and Javi has learned this lesson well. A little on the lazy side when it comes to research and supporting evidence, Javi moves through college (and beyond) manipulating the system in any way that moves him further along in the world of journalism, not to mention life in general. ⁣
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I loved the way Boryga used wit and sarcasm to create an unforgettable, unlikeable character who was eager to give readers what they wanted, whether or not it was true. I also really liked that the story was told by Javi in first person, almost like a memoir. He was speaking directly to the readers, including some wonderful snarky asides. Though 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮 shares commonalities with the books mentioned above, it felt very fresh and original. This really was a smart, fun read, so a book I highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

loved this romance and how the characters changed through the story. also loved the friends and all of the interesting things that happened during the story. loved the growth of the main character and all of her trials .

Thank you to NetGalley, author Andrew Boryga, and Doubleday Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This was SUCH a fun read!! I absolutely flew through and devoured this satirical read-- think Yellowface but if the perpetrator himself was a person of color. This book has a lot to say about a lot of things, so I'm going to keep this short and say pick this up if you're looking for a juicy, flawed character read. Boryga has a writing style that feels so realistic yet his characters are extremely vivid and leap off the page. It was so thought-provoking to see how Javi ended up becoming the "victim" and how different experiences/people can shape our thinking. I will definitely be on the lookout for Boryga's future works because I know that this is just the start, and I cannot wait to see what he has to say in other novels.

Random unconnected thoughts that cascaded through my mind while reading this book: "can you have a white savior complex if you are a POC?" and "hey, this sounds like something Rachel Dolezal might pull." But, in this case, our main character didn't come up with the idea, it was offered to him rather forcefully by someone with a solid influence on him. Where Javier goes from there, however, is all on himself. I think the reader is supposed to follow Javier and see how he is blindly somewhat innocently falling farther and farther into a hole. I didn't feel that way. I got the feeling that he felt he was doing his people a service by sharing these "true stories," thus my savior comment. That self-defense gives him the justification to continue victimizing himself while the reader has a head shaking, shoulder cringing time reading Javier's journey.

Victim by Andrew Boryga

Overview: Javier always wanted to be a writer without having much direction with it. He liked the easy praise in school but shied away from leaning into the critical comments that would help him level up on college assignments. More than writing, he seemed to just want to be famous. From a first encounter with a college councilor to a group he meets at college to an early success at the college newspaper, Javier starts to realize that there's a niche for him to leverage his background growing up in the Bronx into writing opportunities. To keep earning praise, Javier stretches the truth like taffy until it inevitably snaps. This book is the slow chug up the rollercoaster before the bottom drops out from under him and a reflection on his rise and fall. Overall: 4

Characters: 4 Javier is so interesting because I feel like so many of the antiheroes or "unlikeable" lead characters in the trend right now are white women, and this flips the script featuring a Puerto Rican man in this complex role. Javier does a lot wrong. He manipulates, twists the truth, intimidates, and mows people down in the name of getting more likes, clicks, and recognition for his work. And, even as he sort of repents for it throughout the book, he also doesn't seem super apologetic about it all as he narrates the book with the privilege of hindsight. At the same time, Javier is far from irredeemable. While what he did was wrong, the way he guides you through his twisted logic makes it easy to see how he just took the next opportunity in front of him. At the end of the day, it is our culture and society at large that created the bubble for him to capitalize on. While Javier does a lot of people wrong, he's still a compelling main character.

Unsurprisingly, the characters that fill out Javier's world mostly exist in the story to serve its narrative and progression. His mother has a lot of pride and works hard to continue giving him a good life through adulthood. His friend Gio takes a very different path that's ripe for Javier to capitalize on but always has a grounded head on his shoulders. His college girlfriend offers a fascinating foil, and the memory of his deceased father guides his approach to managing his freewheeling writing career.

Plot: 4 The book has a bit of a slow start, but it does pick up to be a fast read. I finished it in two days, and once I got past the first quarter, I didn't want to put it down. I think it suffers from being so linear instead of using strategic flashbacks to fill in background while letting us start in the meat of the story. The first few chapters going through his childhood offers important information, but it's a totally different read as it progresses. So give the book a little time to open up, because when it hits its stride, the slowly unfurling disaster from college onwards is well worth it.

Writing: 4 The book teetered on a real edge for me with the voice. I feel like it did all ultimately come together, but it does play with some tropes that are tricky to fully pull off. One is that it seems to be modeled off of a very direct address memoire style. It's heavily acknowledged we're reading a book within a book, and most chapters and chapter breaks include second person address of the reader. I think that it does work and gives the book the slick vibe it's after, but there were moments where that wavered for me. The fast paced and outlandish series of cascading events, as well as the big picture societal questions it mines, makes up for any weaknesses in the writing itself though.

As I was wrapping up the book, I thought that it would be an interesting paired read with Yellowface as they approach questions of racism, culture, class and privilege, and social media (particularly in the context of publishing) from different angles. They both excel in being very meta while also being quite thoughtful. This is a book that is brutally honest from all angles and will definitely stick with me.

Review release on Reading, Writing, and Me blog and instagram: 3/9/2024

Written as a memoir, ,this satiric novel follows the path taken by Javi after he is told by an advisor that he should package his trauma into college essays. He ends up at a prestigious college and continues to use his life as a springboard to success. A free lance article goes viral but that's where things come to a halt because his friend Gio, who has been in prison, calls him out. Javi is not meant to be a likable character but you will find yourself rooting for him in some indefinable way. The satire is lighter than it could have been (a good thing) but it's pointed enough. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This won't be for everyone- and your personal experience will factor in as you read it- but it's a worthy and insightful look at victimhood.

Victim is a satire about an aspiring Puerto Rican hustler from the Bronx who learns at an early age, that his diversity and identity can provide him with advantages that would otherwise pass him up. This is Yellowface meets The Other Black Girl. Javi capitalizes on it, using it to gain access to a top-notch education and a coveted writing job.
While Javi focuses on high school, his best friend Gio joins a gang and is sent to prison on a drug trafficking conviction. Javi follows a different path and learns he can leverage the role of victim to stand out from his peers and do more with his life. Thinking of himself as a hustler like his drug dealer father, he writes essays for the school paper in which he capitalizes on outrage over social justice issues by embellishing his experiences. After graduation, Javi pursues a freelance writing career, and a similarly artfully written but dishonest piece ends up going viral. It’s only when he reunites with a recently released Gio, who suggests his work doesn’t ring true, that Javi begins to look in the mirror.
Victim shows how easily manipulating experiences of race and identity can affect not only one man but the masses who consume his written word. I enjoyed this story and rated it 4 stars. I liked it more than Yellowface in how it expressed its point and it gave me a great deal to think about. I highly recommend this book.

Compelling characters aiming to find their identity in contemporary New York and America at large. This title accurately speaks to the experience of minorities and first generation immigrants in private higher education institutions. This reminded me of Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour and also, My Time Among the Whites by Jennine Capo Crucet.

Victim is an interesting book, it takes some of the conversations around privilege and turns them on their head. Javi is a working class kid from the Bronx who does well in school and gets some advice that to apply for a good college scholarship, he should turn himself more into a victim of the neighborhood and his race, which then turns into a regular activity as he moves through college and a career.

I have a little theory about the ending of the book, but don't want to post spoilers, so hope I can discuss this with others once it's published!

It's a pretty sad story, although most of it is fun and entertaining.

Wow! Boryga's debut VICTIM covered some interesting concepts. Like YELLOWFACE, it is satirical in its take on publishing and media, diversity, and how stories are portrayed. In this novel, the main character Javier realizes that being a victim, whether a victim of societal oppression or of other people's hypocrisy, elevates how his writing is received.

I thought it was really unique in how it showed the evolution of Javier's real life juxtaposed against the life he portrayed in his writing. I thought it went in-depth into the hypocrisy of, well, everyone because each of us has a complicated mixture of motivations.

I really liked the exploration of Javier's relationship with his girlfriend, from college through early adulthood, in particular. I thought it was extremely nuanced.

This is a very character-driven novel, and it gives the reader a lot to think about. I cannot wait to read Boryga's next novel, but once I realized that it took him 10 years to write this one, I think I might need to remain very patient.

Victim is both an incisive satire and an entry in the increasingly popular genre of building tension by having the protagonist make increasingly misguided choices. It’s propulsive and entertaining with an ending that gives you a lot to chew on.