In an alternate near future Berlin, Anja and Louis, a young couple, live in a malfunctioning eco house while being part of a world controlled by corporations. Anja works as a scientist until being promoted into a consultant role, while Louis works on developing a new drug that has some repercussions. The novel delves into a dystopic vision of leftism taken too far, where efforts to promote equality become mutated into selfish patronization and mindless philanthropy, all set in a near future Berlin rife with issues and a crumbling relationship between the main characters.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of drug use, mental health issues, and social disillusionment.
Has Romance?
There is a moderate presence of romance, primarily focusing on Anja and Louis's relationship.
From The Publisher:
Bizarre weather. Unprecedented economic disparity. Artists employed by corporations. And the ultimate work of art: Oval, a pill that increases generosity. This unforgettable debut novel asks questions of empathy and power on every scale-from bodies to bureaucracies-to create an unsettling portrait of the future.
In the near future, Berlin's real estate is being flipped in the name of "sustainability," only to make the city even more unaffordable; artists are employed by corporations as consultants, and the weather is acting strange. When Anja and Louis are offered a rent-free home on an artificial mountain-yet another eco-friendly initiative run by a corporation-they seize the opportunity, but it isn't long before the experimental house begins malfunctioning.
After Louis's mother dies, Anja is convinced he has changed. At work, Louis has become obsessed with a secret project: a pill called Oval that temporarily rewires the user's brain to be more generous. While Anja is horrified, Louis believes he has found the solution to Berlin's income inequality. Oval is a fascinating portrait of the unbalanced relationships that shape our world, as well as a prescient warning of what the future may hold.
"A fascinating near-future exploration of relationships, sustainability, and power. An extraordinarily accomplished debut novel." -Jeff VanderMeer, author of Borne and Annihilation
"Elvia Wilk's Oval is a marvel. At the core of this seductive, acute, superbly-contemporary update of mid-period J.G. Ballard lies a deep-beating, deep-dreaming heart." -Jonathan Lethem
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1 comment(s)
2.5 stars. In the year of DNFs this survived the DNF fate as I was intrigued about "Oval", the drug that gives you a high. In your high state you become extremely in love in giving and helping everyone you see. Give away your stuff, money and every time you do, you get a bost of serotonin. Until it were of. Interesting concept and ideas but didn't fully work for me unfortunately.
What can you read after
Oval?
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