The Very Nice Box
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Book Overview
"Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman are linguistic magicians, and their sparkling debut manages to expose the hollowness of well-being jargon while exploring, with tender care and precision, how we dare to move on after unspeakable loss . . . [They have] constructed a mirrored fun house, one that leads us down different paths, each masterfully tied up at the end, yet reflecting and refracting our own quirky selves."
--New York Times Book Review, An Editors' Choice "A very funny debut -- and perhaps the most original office satire of the year."
--Washington Post For fans of Elinor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Severance: an offbeat, wryly funny debut novel that follows an eccentric product engineer who works for a hip furniture company where sweeping corporate change lands her under the purview of a startlingly charismatic boss who seems determined to get close to her at all costs . . . Ava Simon designs storage boxes for ST?DA, a slick Brooklyn-based furniture company. She's hard-working, obsessive, and heartbroken from a tragedy that killed her girlfriend and upended her life. It's been years since she's let anyone in. But when Ava's new boss--the young and magnetic Mat Putnam--offers Ava a ride home one afternoon, an unlikely relationship blossoms. Ava remembers how rewarding it can be to open up--and, despite her instincts, she becomes enamored. But Mat isn't who he claims to be, and the romance takes a sharp turn. The Very Nice Box is a funny, suspenseful debut--with a shocking twist. It's at once a send-up of male entitlement and a big-hearted account of grief, friendship, and trust.
--New York Times Book Review, An Editors' Choice "A very funny debut -- and perhaps the most original office satire of the year."
--Washington Post For fans of Elinor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Severance: an offbeat, wryly funny debut novel that follows an eccentric product engineer who works for a hip furniture company where sweeping corporate change lands her under the purview of a startlingly charismatic boss who seems determined to get close to her at all costs . . . Ava Simon designs storage boxes for ST?DA, a slick Brooklyn-based furniture company. She's hard-working, obsessive, and heartbroken from a tragedy that killed her girlfriend and upended her life. It's been years since she's let anyone in. But when Ava's new boss--the young and magnetic Mat Putnam--offers Ava a ride home one afternoon, an unlikely relationship blossoms. Ava remembers how rewarding it can be to open up--and, despite her instincts, she becomes enamored. But Mat isn't who he claims to be, and the romance takes a sharp turn. The Very Nice Box is a funny, suspenseful debut--with a shocking twist. It's at once a send-up of male entitlement and a big-hearted account of grief, friendship, and trust.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0358540119
ISBN13:9780358540113
Release Date:July 2021
Publisher:Harper
Length:368 Pages
Weight:1.10 lbs.
Dimensions:1.6" x 5.8" x 8.3"
Related Subjects
Ambition Betrayal Corporate Culture Friendship Power Struggles Fiction Literature & FictionCustomer Reviews
1 rating
Life does not fit in a Very Nice Box
Published by MizzyRed , 3 years ago
This book definitely is a satire of office life that critiques male entitlement and corporate culture. It is entertaining the way it makes fun of an Ikea type business with the names and what they build (Like SHRNK app, color tests, the name of the company even, S.T.A.D.A). It took a bit to get used to all the lingo but after the first couple chapters it was pretty easy and then I sped through this story.
Ava is an engineer who designed and built the Very Nice Box and I think it represents very well what she is trying to make her life like, minimalist down to managing time by half hour "units" (which she learned during PT after the accident that upended her life). Life does not fit into a neat little box though (it is actually quite sprawling and messy and grand!) and so this is about Ava learning and growing and meeting Mat (her new boss and maybe something more?) who may or may not be suspicious. I really liked Ava and this book was a joy to read and I was very happy with the ending and everybody got what they deserved.
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