Can’t believe this was long listed for the National Book Award… I should get an award for finishing it.

I devoured this book in a couple days, primarily due to the first three stories, which blew my mind. They were like Black Mirror without the Sci Fi. This book was so powerful that I had trouble separating between my emotions and the characters’ emotions (i.e., this book made me feel like a lonely loser after reading it, lol). That said, the last few chapters, were a little too… meta? and jargon-y for me. You definitely need to be well informed on Millennial and Gen Z slang and customs, as well as social justice and therapy language, for many of the book’s moments to resonate. I powered through the end in order to see what the whole point was. Fortunately, it was all pulled together very nicely at the end. Very intelligent and self-aware author, for sure. Thanks, TT!

Walk to wall bangers, sometimes a bit wearing, but too well written to put down.

If you love Todd Solondz’ 1998 film Happiness, you’ll love Rejection. The stories in this novel are transgressive and extreme and funny and frightening. I haven’t enjoyed a collection of short stories this much in a long time.

I’ve read funny moments in novels, but I never had a novel make me laugh out loud so often. These characters are the most pathetic people I ever read. And I’m sure every reader is glad that they’re nowhere near close to being them.