Book No. 63 of 2020
I really, really loved reading this book; there was so much to dig into. Drily hilarious observations of the tech industry, nuanced insights into racism (deftly illustrating the shades of the Asian-American and Black experiences, as well as how they overlap with gender roles and the traditional hierarchy of power in tech), ribbons of sci-fi woven through the narrative, and a love letter to the old forum culture of the 00s Internet. It also felt spookily relevant, as overwhelmed young tech bros grapple in the story with their social responsibility as their platforms are used for ill, ever ignorant of the life experiences of the main characters and of women and POC.
I’m also ever appreciative of stories with Asian American protagonists who don’t fit the model minority mold, and who chafe against those stereotypes. The conversations between the protagonist and his best friend, a brilliant Black woman in tech, are hilarious (I internally screamed multiple times) for their accurate skewing of everyday racism.
Similar Reads
This would pair excellently with Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener.
The sci-fi interludes reminded me of Ken Liu’s short stories, most notably his recent release, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories.
For another dry depiction of the tech world from an Asian-American perspective, I recommend Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chang.