Maddy Drummond: i really enjoyed this book! some of the stories were really good, but some got a little repetitive. but i still think it’s worth the read!
Germany on May 27, 2022
TalentedReads: *3.5 rounded to 4*
There was a lot of good conversation in this collection of stories but I still feel deep down that there was still something missing. Conversations included Internet and the influencer age, reality TV, feminism and how that translates in society to being a bitch, scammer profitability, societal pressure to undermine sexual assault on college campuses, and romanticizing weddings and society still believes in the role women play in relationships. But a lot of this was just talk. I was hoping for some resources on change that we're seeing or how us as readers can join the cause, but I guess it just wasn't meant to go to that level. It was a crude reminder how a lot of this stuff has been happening for generations but we still have not "solved" any of the issues. I did really like that Jia mentions other books that relate to whatever topic she's discussing. I certainly made a list of more books to check out!
United States on Feb 01, 2022
CloselyObservedEnglish: A fascinating collection of essays, looking at modern forms of self-delusion. The writing is often personal, and while that might alienate some (I've read reviews elsewhere saying that the reader couldn't relate to the writer as much as they wished) I think it adds an extra dimension to the point being relayed. The essay on the various scams that are central to modern America is one of the strongest, and if you aren't angry when you come to the end of that piece you haven't been paying attention.
United Kingdom on Aug 04, 2021
The scribe of San Marcos: The writer has interesting, original and clever insights into pop culture and society at large.
The writing itself is adequate to the task but it won't stand the test of time beyond a year or so. A quick read.
Not great literature but worth the 4-5 hours it takes to read.
United States on Mar 03, 2021
Tom: Really amazing writer, I was a bit lost as a male reading it but I tried really hard to understand it all. It’s definitely written for a female audience as a lot of the reference points went so far over my head and I’m a staunch feminist but I got a bit lost and I’m ashamed to say that.
Truly good writing however. It’s not a complete narrative and there’s not a lot that holds it all together, it’s a series of extended essays loosely held on a biography premise and the shared experiences of a millennial generations dismay at the world
United Kingdom on May 26, 2020
Upside: I first heard of Jia Tolentino on Instagram; an immensely talented illustrator that I admire, Jillian Tamaki created a beautiful portrait of the writer for NYT. I got curious who she was and then checked out a few interviews she gave about her writings and her book. I was captivated by her intelligence and the way she approached the issues of our internet defined era. I’m still reading the book and really enjoying it. It’s been a long time since I’ve read such a well written book that makes you think with every sentence. Her observations of society and self are very honest and very easy to relate too. It’s a must read!
Canada on Dec 25, 2019
Pinky S.: I've followed and loved Jia's work for a while now - her writing for Jezebel and The New Yorker.
In this collection, she captures the true essence of this time we live in with grace and formidable skill and intellect. She approaches difficult and complex subjects with humility and genuine interest - armed with in-depth research and love for honest writing. The result is cultural criticism that packs a punch. It is a multi-faceted exploration of the current time, and the title couldn't have been more appropriate.
You can't help but nod in agreement with her thoughts and critique. It's a book I wish I could have written, only this is an infinitely smarter, nuanced and funnier version.
Easily one of my top favourite authors. It's a privilege to witness such a brilliant mind at work.
India on Nov 01, 2019
Peter Knox: It's rare to be reading words that you absolutely feel were written for you, but that's always been my experience reading Jia whether it was in the Hairpin/Jezebel/or New Yorker. She writes like I want to think - reflecting a similar smarter perspective more fully examined through research and introspective thought.
The nine essays in this collection are wide ranging and a mix of the personal and universal experience. Some are familiar beats if you've read her work elsewhere (the internet, sexism, political control, etc.), but all feel new (even the excerpt from the NYer, which you can tell immediately was cut down considerably) and worthwhile.
Her essay, “The Story of a Generation in Seven Scams,” is so perfectly representative of our current generation as it dives into how success and participation in late capitalism isn't under individual control, how we got to this point through these famous and infamous grifts from the Frye Festival to the Housing Crisis.
It's brilliant. It names the thing right in front of you that you don't know how to tackle, much less unpack enough to make sense. It doesn't give us answers or and out - because that doesn't exist....
United States on Sep 09, 2019
Wyatt Buckingham: Jia is officially a sensation, which comes with risks for both the author (who can become a ghostwriter of their popular avatar) and the readers (who can read into the hype more than the text itself). As her essays show however, Jia inoculated herself from such a problem ever since high school playing as a reality television "valedictorian" character.
Reading Trick Mirror gives me the "where have you been my whole life?" feeling -- a tall draught of sympathetic intelligence in a parched world of digital instrumentalization. The final essay -I Thee Dread- was precisely the honest exegesis that I needed. Jia sparks with a cognitive wattage that only a media-cyborg could possess, and while I found that some of the essays were less insightful than others, the book is a uniquely crunchy hors d'oeuvre of experiential non-fiction.
I read Trick Mirror in tandem with Irrationality: A History of the Dark Side of Reason -- I'd recommend this duo of recent publications, as these two books compliment each other very...
United States on Aug 07, 2019
| Trick Mirror: Examining Our Self-Deception | Uncovering Our Stories, Empowering Ourselves: A Guide for Well-Read Black Girls | Patti Smith's Just Kids: An Anthology of Stories for Young Readers | |
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| B2B Rating |
76
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96
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93
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| Sale off | $2 OFF | $6 OFF | |
| Total Reviews | 8 reviews | 61 reviews | 91 reviews |
| Best Sellers Rank | #76 in Women Writers in Women Studies#561 in Literary Criticism & Theory#735 in Essays | #709 in Literary Criticism & Theory#816 in Essays #13,515 in Literary Fiction | #4 in Artist & Architect Biographies#51 in Women's Biographies#249 in Memoirs |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4/5 stars of 3,168 ratings | 4.7/5 stars of 2,533 ratings | 4.5/5 stars of 9,531 ratings |
| Essays (Books) | Essays | Essays | |
| Item Weight | 1.19 pounds | 12.8 ounces | 12.8 ounces |
| Language | English | English | English |
| Dimensions | 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.6 inches | 5.7 x 0.9 x 7.53 inches | 0.9 x 5.4 x 8.2 inches |
| Women Writers in Women Studies | Women Writers in Women Studies | ||
| Hardcover | 320 pages | 272 pages | |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0525510543 | 978-0525619772 | 978-0060936228 |
| Publisher | Random House; Later Printing edition | Ballantine Books; Illustrated edition | Ecco; Reprint edition |
| Literary Criticism & Theory | Literary Criticism & Theory | Literary Criticism & Theory | |
| ISBN-10 | 0525510540 | 0525619771 | 0060936223 |
United States on Sep 17, 2023