This is a brainy book that deals with complex & difficult issues and asks many provocative questions, but all the while being great fun to read without reductively flattening any of the complexities. The writing is very self-aware but in a way that doesn't feel pretentious or self-absorbed (which is very rare). It's not an easy read but it won't feel like effort because of how much fun it is

I was intrigued by the description of Oval. According to both the product description and the back of the actual book it's about erratic weather and spiralling inequalilty in Berlin, where a couple live in a haywire eco-house while one of them develops a secret pill to rewire the brain and solve the income gap.

These things are not necessarily false, but they're not the central parts of the novel either.

A more accurate description would be: A girl's boyfriend returns home from his mother's funeral seeming distant. The two traipse about Berlin, while the girl grossly overanlyses their relationship and tries to get her boyfriend to talk about his mother's death. They live in an eco house that's not working as planned (but not exactly going haywire either) but that's not very important and they soon leave anyway. They have a bunch of friends who they talk to, mostly about relationships and their work situations, and they go out clubbing. Eventually, about two-thirds of the way in, something a bit interesting actually happens in their jobs.

Now, that may appeal to fewer people, it may appeal to more, I don't know, but importantly it's what the book is actually about. And that's not the sort of book I wanted to read. I wanted to read the sort of book this is described as being.

That said, what is here is quite well-written (although I personally found most of the characters kind of annoying), but I just think this sort of false description is very unfair. And if it's necessary to get people to pick the book up, why not actually write / publish a book like that instead?

I liked this book. I read it eagerly in a few days. It is both a fun, accurate portrayal of privileged, urban late-twenty somethings in the Anthropocene, a plodding look at a failing relationship, AND a deeply dark, conspiratorial eoc-dystopian novel. Subtle critiques of gender dynamics, neoliberalism and late, late capitalism. If you aren't into these things...this book will probably confuse or bore you.

This book intrigues and mystifies -- as Elvia Wilk's writing on the art / consulting world is both candid and sublime.

I consumed the story intently, with immense enjoyment and a touch of alarm. I'm still contemplating all of its many intricacies. HPH

so good so ambitious

Loved the environmental, apocalyptic angle, loved the contemporary art world critique, loved the concept of this “philanthropy club drug.” Didn’t care for the relationship between protagonist and her boyfriend, they were both too unlikable (in the boring sense). Didn’t care for the parts on grief, was frustrating to read as a person who had experienced the death of a parent in a similar circumstance. Overall very much recommended for the eco-conscious, cyber punk leaning reader who likes dark visions of the near future, but also readers who just enjoy contemporary literature, this is the best kind of contemporary literature.

Needs a new editor. My book club, for a change, was in agreement on this book. Not one of us gave it more than 2 stars. It is not "exhilarating" or any of the other words on the blurb. It plods, has a weak story line, erratically edited,

None of us would recommend it.