A Book A Week

In the past three decades, the rise of the internet has connected people and information across the globe. Before that, there simply wasn't mass global interconnectivity. As the first employee at social media juggernaut Instagram, Josh Riedel had a front-row seat in the company's ascension from a humble start-up to a worldwide phenomenon. He witnessed the way that technology could impact people's lives in both positive and negative ways. Following his time in the tech industry, Riedel pursued his passion for creative writing, seeing many of his short stories featured in various publications. Now he's combined his insider knowledge of big tech with his love of inventive storytelling into his debut novel Please Report Your Bug Here. 

There's no denying that Silicon Valley is the place to be. Yes, living in San Fransico is expensive. Yes, Ethan Block has a crippling amount of student loans lingering over every financial decision he considers. But there's something intoxicating about starting an app from the ground up. At least, that's what Ethan told himself when he became the first employee to work for the buzzy dating app DateDate. His idealized enthusiasm for changing the world has given way to a sobering reality that sees him crammed into a cubicle as he manually reviews an ever-growing queue of flagged photos. To make matters worse, Ethan has just ended a serious romance. So much for revolutionizing love. 

Reeling from the depression that comes from realizing one's insignificance within the corporate machine, Ethan decides to break one of DateDate's rules. He decides to override the system and find his own soulmate. At least, the one the algorithm says he most perfectly matches with. When he clicks on the profile, Ethan is transported from his dingy startup office to an infinite field of grass. When he thrust back to the office, Ethan is unsure of what just happened. Was this a mental break of some kind, or worse, a  severe bug in the code of DateDate? 

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a book where the protagonist shares a name with me. Even before I read the full synopsis, I knew I had to read this book. Thankfully, my friends at Henry Holt and Macmillan Audio both shared copies of Please Report Your Bug Here with me. In the book, Riedel vividly illustrates the realities of working for a startup while painting a more romanticized portrait of Silicon Valley. As someone who is emotionally invested in the company but still just an employee, the main character Ethan helps to bridge the gap between the lofty aspirations and harsher truths of technology. Riedel balances this realism with fantastic trips through the multiverse, showcasing a vision of possibility to the most thrilling effect. As I read, I was reminded of the works of Blake Crouch. Like those sci-fi thrillers, Please Report Your Bug Here manages to be both an entertaining page-turner and a book that allows readers to think about the larger implications of our reliance upon technology. It is a tricky balance to strike, but Reidel does so with ease. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 4)