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Contrapposto
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50 copies available
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Cricket is just a shy kid who likes drawing when he first meets Olympia. She's older, more confident; she bullies him into some light vandalism and instantly he's in love. When they're together, they talk about their futures, how they're going to travel the world, the beauty and rapture of art.
Then those futures start to arrive in unexpected ways, the years and decades pile up between them, the art world seduces and disappoints and frustrates them. And they have to figure out, again and again, what it is to be an artist, and who and what to love.
This is a wild and beautiful novel about two friends who believe they can change the world, if only they can start their own movement, dodge charlatans, remain open-eyed and open-hearted, avoid going mad, avoid dying young of rare cancers, stay true to their ideals and never tire of beauty. Not easy, but not impossible, either.
Then those futures start to arrive in unexpected ways, the years and decades pile up between them, the art world seduces and disappoints and frustrates them. And they have to figure out, again and again, what it is to be an artist, and who and what to love.
This is a wild and beautiful novel about two friends who believe they can change the world, if only they can start their own movement, dodge charlatans, remain open-eyed and open-hearted, avoid going mad, avoid dying young of rare cancers, stay true to their ideals and never tire of beauty. Not easy, but not impossible, either.
432 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 9, 2026
About the author
Dave Eggers
343 books9,583 followersDave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which became a bestseller and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Eggers is also the founder of several notable literary and philanthropic ventures, including the literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, the literacy project 826 Valencia, and the human rights nonprofit Voice of Witness. Additionally, he founded ScholarMatch, a program that connects donors with students needing funds for college tuition. His writing has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine.
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Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
My review for this book was published by Library Journal in March 2026:
Versatile author and Newbery medalist Eggers (The Eyes & the Impossible) returns with his first adult novel in five years, a personal story born out of his own background as an art-school graduate and illustrated throughout by his own artwork. When nine-year-old Rob “Cricket” Dib meets Olympia Argyros, a year older and wiser and more brazen, she persuades him to help vandalize the town playground with ornate graffiti, an impulsive collaboration with long-lasting consequences. Cricket has the gift of drawing but no vision to harness it; Olympia has her ideals and the decisiveness to spur Cricket into action, together confronting the important question of art versus commerce. For the next six decades, the two orbit each other like satellites, Cricket completely in thrall to Olympia’s free spirit and brash opinions, she finding safe harbor with Cricket’s guilelessness and artistic purity. From art school in the Midwest to a gallery in Chicago, from the coast of Turkey to a remote beach in Cambodia, amid all the successes and tragedies and drudgery of life, Cricket and Olympia find their way back to each other, with their friendship and love as a North Star. VERDICT A tender, searching novel for readers still devastated by Sally Rooney’s Normal People.
Copyright ©2026 Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Versatile author and Newbery medalist Eggers (The Eyes & the Impossible) returns with his first adult novel in five years, a personal story born out of his own background as an art-school graduate and illustrated throughout by his own artwork. When nine-year-old Rob “Cricket” Dib meets Olympia Argyros, a year older and wiser and more brazen, she persuades him to help vandalize the town playground with ornate graffiti, an impulsive collaboration with long-lasting consequences. Cricket has the gift of drawing but no vision to harness it; Olympia has her ideals and the decisiveness to spur Cricket into action, together confronting the important question of art versus commerce. For the next six decades, the two orbit each other like satellites, Cricket completely in thrall to Olympia’s free spirit and brash opinions, she finding safe harbor with Cricket’s guilelessness and artistic purity. From art school in the Midwest to a gallery in Chicago, from the coast of Turkey to a remote beach in Cambodia, amid all the successes and tragedies and drudgery of life, Cricket and Olympia find their way back to each other, with their friendship and love as a North Star. VERDICT A tender, searching novel for readers still devastated by Sally Rooney’s Normal People.
Copyright ©2026 Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Want to Read
March 30, 2026I really liked The Circle - same author! so I'm excited to get to this one!
Pub date: 06/2026
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Pub date: 06/2026
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
April 13, 2026
In the third section of this seven-part book, a promising artist is getting absolutely eviscerated in a critique. "Rosenberg said that the artist has to begin with nothingness. You clearly began with a picture in your mind. Which is a problem," her classmate tells her.
This artist, Sharon, is exceptionally talented, so we are expected to take the criticisms she receives as a takedown of the art world at large, where ideas are now valued above technical mastery. Kyle, a fellow student with little actual talent himself, becomes a millionaire by coming up with grandiose ideas he pays other artists with skill to execute. Instead of what's on the canvas, artists are praised for the ideas the art represents, leaving those with superior talents to survive on menial jobs.
What's funny to me about the aforementioned critique is that Eggers absolutely started writing the book with a picture in his mind of what he wanted to say re: art in the modern world and who we elevate and why. And how those less-skilled, like yours truly, can hop on a soapbox and criticize those with far superior talent to their own. The narrative seems secondary, with characters created to support Eggers' views.
As a young boy in Indiana, our protagonist Cricket has outsized dreams that he assumes will take him to Europe before adulthood, as an apprentice to a renowned artist somewhere. One day he meets Pia (later Olympia), who manic pixie dream waltzes into his life with an encyclopedic knowledge of art. Their friendship did grow on me, but in no way is her character even the least bit believable.
While I was mostly on board by the end of the book, I found the novel to be a vehicle for Eggers' thoughts on art, to the point where characters lecture the reader for pages at a time.
As Sharon is being torn down by her peers, as mentioned above, a tenured professor jumps in to defend her:
"You have been fed the lie that intent is achievement. It is not. You have been fed the lie that people enjoy looking at theories and gags and pranks. They do not. You have been fed the lie that your peers' success means your failure. It is not[...B]efore an artist attacks another artist they must vanquish all evil on Earth. After that, go for it."
This professor becomes Cricket's mentor and guidepost, and we the audience are led to believe that commercial success leaves death and destruction in its wake. Not that I'd argue against that, but Eggers opinions are so heavy-handed at times that they overwhelm the novel.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I do think Eggers sticks the landing in regards to Cricket and Olympia, but I'm not sure if their happy ending feels entirely earned.
This artist, Sharon, is exceptionally talented, so we are expected to take the criticisms she receives as a takedown of the art world at large, where ideas are now valued above technical mastery. Kyle, a fellow student with little actual talent himself, becomes a millionaire by coming up with grandiose ideas he pays other artists with skill to execute. Instead of what's on the canvas, artists are praised for the ideas the art represents, leaving those with superior talents to survive on menial jobs.
What's funny to me about the aforementioned critique is that Eggers absolutely started writing the book with a picture in his mind of what he wanted to say re: art in the modern world and who we elevate and why. And how those less-skilled, like yours truly, can hop on a soapbox and criticize those with far superior talent to their own. The narrative seems secondary, with characters created to support Eggers' views.
As a young boy in Indiana, our protagonist Cricket has outsized dreams that he assumes will take him to Europe before adulthood, as an apprentice to a renowned artist somewhere. One day he meets Pia (later Olympia), who manic pixie dream waltzes into his life with an encyclopedic knowledge of art. Their friendship did grow on me, but in no way is her character even the least bit believable.
While I was mostly on board by the end of the book, I found the novel to be a vehicle for Eggers' thoughts on art, to the point where characters lecture the reader for pages at a time.
As Sharon is being torn down by her peers, as mentioned above, a tenured professor jumps in to defend her:
"You have been fed the lie that intent is achievement. It is not. You have been fed the lie that people enjoy looking at theories and gags and pranks. They do not. You have been fed the lie that your peers' success means your failure. It is not[...B]efore an artist attacks another artist they must vanquish all evil on Earth. After that, go for it."
This professor becomes Cricket's mentor and guidepost, and we the audience are led to believe that commercial success leaves death and destruction in its wake. Not that I'd argue against that, but Eggers opinions are so heavy-handed at times that they overwhelm the novel.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I do think Eggers sticks the landing in regards to Cricket and Olympia, but I'm not sure if their happy ending feels entirely earned.
April 5, 2026
I made it to nearly 40% before deciding to stop. I really liked the mom, and some of the other characters had their moments, but overall I found myself pretty bored. The author does have a lovely writing style, and I imagine the plot may become more engaging toward the end—I just didn’t stick around long enough to find out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Eggers is a brilliant writer and I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The two main characters are well drawn but I just couldn't connect with them or their world. I didn't see the magnetic pull of Olympia over Cricket. She's hardly likeable, let alone loveable. I did find the art world from their perspectives intriguing but I constantly felt too ignorant to relate. Eggers has a way of doing that, making me feel like I'm not up to his intellectual level and leaving me frustrated.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. The publisher's summary pushes the relationship between Cricket and Olympia; while this is the core of the novel's tension and plot, I don't think it was what made this book compelling. It's Cricket's development as an artist and person that kept the book moving forward.
Cricket begins the story as a shy child. He has a mother with an abusive boyfriend and challenges of her own, which contributes to Cricket's demeanor. But even early in the novel, you catch glimpses of what will define him: his reverence for all things beautiful. He primarily wants to become an artist because it allows him to render the world around him, capturing what makes it special. Learning to be an artist is just an extension of that, and it's the thing that he finds most compelling about becoming an artist. While that aesthetic urge is first and foremost in Cricket's characterization, his desire for control over his life is a close second. It's at the intersection of these two things that he seems happiest, with jobs ranging from painting signs to laying decorative tile as the places he seems most comfortable. We follow Cricket as he works to reconcile those two urges.
Olympia is Cricket's opposite. She has taste. A knowledge of art history, and a desire to start a "movement." Bur she frankly doesn't have the artistic talent Cricket has, though she recognizes it the moment she meets him. In a lot of ways, she completes him; Olympia understands what the art world wants and what an artist needs to do to succeed in a way that Cricket doesn't (largely because a Midwestern kid from a poor family would have no way of gaining that knowledge). This makes Olympia intoxicating to Cricket. She represents everything he wants to be, and she is willing to show him what he needs to do to get there.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this: there is some pretty heavy-handed art world criticism. I usually hate that sort of thing because a political monologue rarely feels organic coming from a character in a novel. If a character feels a certain way, I generally think it's more seamless to show that through action (with notable exceptions; in some cases, it would be totally in character for a person to spout off a series of opinions/views). But it works here because Eggers uses both Cricket and Olympia (along with other characters) to represent the art world while also inhabiting it.
I felt that this lent a more personal element to the criticisms. When Cricket argues or disagrees with Olympia, you can read into it allegorically. But because both characters feel so fully formed, the criticism bites deeper because it hits on an emotional level as well. Lots of novels try to work both as a story and as a commentary on society like this. But comparatively fewer actually work as both simultaneously. I think it's much more common for the story to feel tacked on top of the commentary, at which point I would have preferred the author just write an essay. I don't feel that way about this book.
Granted, I am not an artist. It's possible that if I were well-versed in the art world, the commentary would have felt much too heavy-handed. I find this to be the case sometimes when I read science fiction in an area I know a lot about; some commentary "works" oh if you don't know a subject deeply, but comes across as cringe or simplistic if you do. So take the above analysis with a grain of salt. When this book is released, I will be searching for an actual artist's opinion (and will update this review with a link if I find one).
I would recommend this book to anyone that appreciates art. I'd also recommend it to anyone that enjoys a classic bildungsroman; we get to follow Cricket's journey from childhood to old age, and I think that the romantic elements are complementary to that arc. Just be aware that this isn't a traditional romance and I don't think it was intended to be.
Grades:
Enjoyment: B/B+
This book charmed me. I wouldn't say it's exactly in my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed Cricket as a character. Didn't much care for Olympia though I recognize she was necessary for Cricket's growth.
Execution: B. I liked the commentary it made on the art world, though I think there was an opportunity for more subtlety. I understand that there had to be time jumps in order to cover Cricket's entire life; I think that they were a little too big in the later parts. Solidly recommendable for readers of literary fiction.
Cricket begins the story as a shy child. He has a mother with an abusive boyfriend and challenges of her own, which contributes to Cricket's demeanor. But even early in the novel, you catch glimpses of what will define him: his reverence for all things beautiful. He primarily wants to become an artist because it allows him to render the world around him, capturing what makes it special. Learning to be an artist is just an extension of that, and it's the thing that he finds most compelling about becoming an artist. While that aesthetic urge is first and foremost in Cricket's characterization, his desire for control over his life is a close second. It's at the intersection of these two things that he seems happiest, with jobs ranging from painting signs to laying decorative tile as the places he seems most comfortable. We follow Cricket as he works to reconcile those two urges.
Olympia is Cricket's opposite. She has taste. A knowledge of art history, and a desire to start a "movement." Bur she frankly doesn't have the artistic talent Cricket has, though she recognizes it the moment she meets him. In a lot of ways, she completes him; Olympia understands what the art world wants and what an artist needs to do to succeed in a way that Cricket doesn't (largely because a Midwestern kid from a poor family would have no way of gaining that knowledge). This makes Olympia intoxicating to Cricket. She represents everything he wants to be, and she is willing to show him what he needs to do to get there.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this: there is some pretty heavy-handed art world criticism. I usually hate that sort of thing because a political monologue rarely feels organic coming from a character in a novel. If a character feels a certain way, I generally think it's more seamless to show that through action (with notable exceptions; in some cases, it would be totally in character for a person to spout off a series of opinions/views). But it works here because Eggers uses both Cricket and Olympia (along with other characters) to represent the art world while also inhabiting it.
I felt that this lent a more personal element to the criticisms. When Cricket argues or disagrees with Olympia, you can read into it allegorically. But because both characters feel so fully formed, the criticism bites deeper because it hits on an emotional level as well. Lots of novels try to work both as a story and as a commentary on society like this. But comparatively fewer actually work as both simultaneously. I think it's much more common for the story to feel tacked on top of the commentary, at which point I would have preferred the author just write an essay. I don't feel that way about this book.
Granted, I am not an artist. It's possible that if I were well-versed in the art world, the commentary would have felt much too heavy-handed. I find this to be the case sometimes when I read science fiction in an area I know a lot about; some commentary "works" oh if you don't know a subject deeply, but comes across as cringe or simplistic if you do. So take the above analysis with a grain of salt. When this book is released, I will be searching for an actual artist's opinion (and will update this review with a link if I find one).
I would recommend this book to anyone that appreciates art. I'd also recommend it to anyone that enjoys a classic bildungsroman; we get to follow Cricket's journey from childhood to old age, and I think that the romantic elements are complementary to that arc. Just be aware that this isn't a traditional romance and I don't think it was intended to be.
Grades:
Enjoyment: B/B+
This book charmed me. I wouldn't say it's exactly in my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed Cricket as a character. Didn't much care for Olympia though I recognize she was necessary for Cricket's growth.
Execution: B. I liked the commentary it made on the art world, though I think there was an opportunity for more subtlety. I understand that there had to be time jumps in order to cover Cricket's entire life; I think that they were a little too big in the later parts. Solidly recommendable for readers of literary fiction.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dave Eggers’ Contrapposto is an epic story of sorts, following the life of the introspective artist Cricket as his life repeatedly crosses paths with Olympia, a manic and charismatic woman he first meets when the pair are teenagers.
Early comparisons have been made to Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow except with an artistic angle instead of one with video games and I can definitely see some of that here, especially with a storyline with a third friend Jed.
I think perhaps I felt like I got to know the characters better in Zevin’s book; here the story is told exclusively by Cricket, who beyond his attachment to Olympia, is a man easy to please, who happily lives a simple life without a need to get wrapped up in money or discord. This provides a unique and almost calming perspective (and makes me think how much easier life would seem if I didn’t have many belongings, was disconnected from world strife, and could have all the money I would need making paintings on a tropical island), but doesn’t necessarily make the reader feel deeply, because he really doesn’t.
Olympia on the other hand is an intense whirlwind of passion and emotion who feels things and lives life at level eleven. The book may have been more emotional if written from her perspective, though I think for me it probably would have gotten overwhelming pretty quickly. Even from Cricket’s perspective she is exhausting to me. This contrast between the two of them is precisely why they need each other but can’t be a permanent fixture in each other’s lives. Cricket provides solid ground for Olympia when she’s worn herself ragged, and Olympia helps keep Cricket from too much complacency.
It’s interesting how Eggers sets up their interactions over the course of their lives, often with major or traumatic events bringing them together or pushing them away.
I also appreciate the exploration of the artistic world, and love Cricket and his early mentor Carpenter’s perspective of it. I’m not an artistic person, and so many things get described as exceptional and groundbreaking artwork that looks like a kindergartner made it. Things I think are beautiful get described as dated and uninventive. It seems like the art world is caught up in this need to glorify the peculiar and then repeat it to make as profit as possible, a position filled by Olympia in this book.
I love how Cricket grasps the simplicity in things, is more concerned with if his artwork is “right” to him, and sees no need to draw or paint something again if he’s achieved what he wants. It’s a beautiful approach to creating art and makes it so much easier to appreciate. If you’re like me, you will fully enjoy the rant Carpenter goes on relatively early in the book.
I can’t say that I fell in love with this book. Olympia drove me crazy and I felt like she often took advantage of Cricket because she knew he would never say no to her. But the exploration of their relationship was interesting and the peek into the art world was enlightening.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Early comparisons have been made to Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow except with an artistic angle instead of one with video games and I can definitely see some of that here, especially with a storyline with a third friend Jed.
I think perhaps I felt like I got to know the characters better in Zevin’s book; here the story is told exclusively by Cricket, who beyond his attachment to Olympia, is a man easy to please, who happily lives a simple life without a need to get wrapped up in money or discord. This provides a unique and almost calming perspective (and makes me think how much easier life would seem if I didn’t have many belongings, was disconnected from world strife, and could have all the money I would need making paintings on a tropical island), but doesn’t necessarily make the reader feel deeply, because he really doesn’t.
Olympia on the other hand is an intense whirlwind of passion and emotion who feels things and lives life at level eleven. The book may have been more emotional if written from her perspective, though I think for me it probably would have gotten overwhelming pretty quickly. Even from Cricket’s perspective she is exhausting to me. This contrast between the two of them is precisely why they need each other but can’t be a permanent fixture in each other’s lives. Cricket provides solid ground for Olympia when she’s worn herself ragged, and Olympia helps keep Cricket from too much complacency.
It’s interesting how Eggers sets up their interactions over the course of their lives, often with major or traumatic events bringing them together or pushing them away.
I also appreciate the exploration of the artistic world, and love Cricket and his early mentor Carpenter’s perspective of it. I’m not an artistic person, and so many things get described as exceptional and groundbreaking artwork that looks like a kindergartner made it. Things I think are beautiful get described as dated and uninventive. It seems like the art world is caught up in this need to glorify the peculiar and then repeat it to make as profit as possible, a position filled by Olympia in this book.
I love how Cricket grasps the simplicity in things, is more concerned with if his artwork is “right” to him, and sees no need to draw or paint something again if he’s achieved what he wants. It’s a beautiful approach to creating art and makes it so much easier to appreciate. If you’re like me, you will fully enjoy the rant Carpenter goes on relatively early in the book.
I can’t say that I fell in love with this book. Olympia drove me crazy and I felt like she often took advantage of Cricket because she knew he would never say no to her. But the exploration of their relationship was interesting and the peek into the art world was enlightening.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Contrapposto is a novel that sneaks up on you. It moves like a wave—building so slowly that at first, you can’t even see it, until it finally bowls you over with feeling: love, grief, yearning, frustration, and heartbreak.
Admittedly, the first third of the book, which focuses on Cricket and Olympia’s early years, wasn’t the strongest section for me. It's slow and very focused on the technicalities of drawing and painting, and the characters are all kids, which isn't really my thing. However, right before the halfway mark, the narrative hits a spectacular stride with the introduction of Professor Carpenter. His scathing takedown of art criticism and the institutions that thrive on teaching art by tearing down the truly talented is so incredibly spot-on that anyone involved in an artistic pursuit will feel deeply seen; I would recommend the book for that chapter alone.
From there, Eggers builds the narrative into a brilliant philosophical exploration of art, institutions, commerce, identity, ambition, and soulmates. He poses massive questions: What is Art? Who gets to be an Artist? Must a masterpiece be enduring, like a painting, or can it be experiential and fleeting? Can the act of loving someone be a form of art?
But it's not just philosophy. The relationships between the characters are so deftly woven that there's a true emotional connection to them.
As Eggers guides us through an epic, star-crossed romance steeped in loss, he juxtaposes two very different approaches to identity. Olympia constantly morphs into whoever she needs to be to achieve success, while Cricket walks the opposite path, finding quiet contentment in a smaller life. By the end, I was dying for them to just get over themselves and be together—yet I felt profoundly torn. I think that’s exactly the point. The novel leaves you aching with the realization that we are all haunted by our own potential, and the millions of "what ifs" and "could have beens" that trail behind us.
Admittedly, the first third of the book, which focuses on Cricket and Olympia’s early years, wasn’t the strongest section for me. It's slow and very focused on the technicalities of drawing and painting, and the characters are all kids, which isn't really my thing. However, right before the halfway mark, the narrative hits a spectacular stride with the introduction of Professor Carpenter. His scathing takedown of art criticism and the institutions that thrive on teaching art by tearing down the truly talented is so incredibly spot-on that anyone involved in an artistic pursuit will feel deeply seen; I would recommend the book for that chapter alone.
From there, Eggers builds the narrative into a brilliant philosophical exploration of art, institutions, commerce, identity, ambition, and soulmates. He poses massive questions: What is Art? Who gets to be an Artist? Must a masterpiece be enduring, like a painting, or can it be experiential and fleeting? Can the act of loving someone be a form of art?
But it's not just philosophy. The relationships between the characters are so deftly woven that there's a true emotional connection to them.
As Eggers guides us through an epic, star-crossed romance steeped in loss, he juxtaposes two very different approaches to identity. Olympia constantly morphs into whoever she needs to be to achieve success, while Cricket walks the opposite path, finding quiet contentment in a smaller life. By the end, I was dying for them to just get over themselves and be together—yet I felt profoundly torn. I think that’s exactly the point. The novel leaves you aching with the realization that we are all haunted by our own potential, and the millions of "what ifs" and "could have beens" that trail behind us.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When I had the opportunity to read Contrapposto I jumped at the chance, because of course Dave Eggers! I had enjoyed The Circle, and was drawn into Contrapposto immediately. Unlike The Circle, Contrapposto is warmer and gentler. The novel follows Cricket and his friend Olympia over the course of their lives as they move in and out of each other's orbit. While some of their choices may be frustrating, it is a beautiful story of two lives intertwined. Each section of the book jumps forward in time, and part of what made it so engaging for me is discovering where life takes them.
Contrapposto reminded me of two books I've read recently: My Friends by Fredrik Backman and Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. Like My Friends, childhood friendship and the passion and business of art play a big role, but in Contrapposto the importance of art emerges naturally rather than feeling preachy and heavy-handed. Eggers does a wonderful job of making art concepts accessible and understandable. There is a section that explains what makes something considered great art, and as a non-artist, for the first time I felt I actually understood it - giving me a deeper appreciation of the art world. Like Emperor of Gladness, there's a wandering, meandering quality to Contrapposto — a boy trying to find himself, navigating complicated relationships — that gives the whole book a searching feel. Ultimately I enjoyed Contrapposto more than either of these books. The drawings throughout the book were a lovely addition as well.
I highly recommend Contrapposto. I was very invested in Cricket and Olympia's journey and didn't want it to end.
Thank you to Knopf for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Contrapposto reminded me of two books I've read recently: My Friends by Fredrik Backman and Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. Like My Friends, childhood friendship and the passion and business of art play a big role, but in Contrapposto the importance of art emerges naturally rather than feeling preachy and heavy-handed. Eggers does a wonderful job of making art concepts accessible and understandable. There is a section that explains what makes something considered great art, and as a non-artist, for the first time I felt I actually understood it - giving me a deeper appreciation of the art world. Like Emperor of Gladness, there's a wandering, meandering quality to Contrapposto — a boy trying to find himself, navigating complicated relationships — that gives the whole book a searching feel. Ultimately I enjoyed Contrapposto more than either of these books. The drawings throughout the book were a lovely addition as well.
I highly recommend Contrapposto. I was very invested in Cricket and Olympia's journey and didn't want it to end.
Thank you to Knopf for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC. I loved loved loved this book, the latest from Dave Eggers, who I've been a fan of since reading A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius in those early post-collegiate years. Since then, some of his work has been thought-provoking (The Circle and The Everything) and some has been startlingly eye-opening ( What Is the What and Zeitoun). He is extraordinarily gifted at deftly hitting us over the head with the stories of our day that we should be able to see for ourselves but perhaps can't. He's like an editorial writer who writes novels. I aspire to this kind of social commentary—the kind that is commanding and compelling but useful.
So of course I was excited for this latest. I've read that Eggers has come back to this story for years, and that love and care is visible. In fact, it's how the novel is structured as well—in several parts, each of which represents a moment in time for the main character, Cricket, and his soulmate Olympia. It's a story about love and friendship, and also a story about art. But most of all, I read it as a story about growing up. How our desires and needs change over time, how our expectations are marred by experience, how you never know what is happening in someone's life. This is truly a heartbreaking work of Dave Eggers's still blossoming genius. I enjoyed it greatly.
So of course I was excited for this latest. I've read that Eggers has come back to this story for years, and that love and care is visible. In fact, it's how the novel is structured as well—in several parts, each of which represents a moment in time for the main character, Cricket, and his soulmate Olympia. It's a story about love and friendship, and also a story about art. But most of all, I read it as a story about growing up. How our desires and needs change over time, how our expectations are marred by experience, how you never know what is happening in someone's life. This is truly a heartbreaking work of Dave Eggers's still blossoming genius. I enjoyed it greatly.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely devoured that book! This is basically the story of Cricket and Olympia who first met when they were children and, despite life happening, kept meeting again and again and again. One can call this friendship, other might call it true love. Both being artists: one making the art and the other selling it, they have always complemented one another. Cricket being the ying to Olympia's yang. Olympia needing Cricket to center her (which she often needed) and bring her back home every so often, and Olympia daring Cricket to go outside his box, to try things, to take big leaps.
Contrapposto gave me Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow vibes, which was also a 5-star read for me. I always enjoy following characters on their journey through life, observe how they manage what life throws at them, how they handle the many ups and downs through the years, how they mature (or not). Cricket was such an inspirational character, a true artist who did not have the career he was dreaming of as a child (like so many of us), and Olympia was a real firecracker, quite aggravating at times, dealing with her own demons despite that carefree attitude most saw when not knowing her. I also very much enjoyed all the art talk and the drawings throughout the book; it brought the story to life and make me care for the characters even more. A memorable read overall!
Contrapposto gave me Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow vibes, which was also a 5-star read for me. I always enjoy following characters on their journey through life, observe how they manage what life throws at them, how they handle the many ups and downs through the years, how they mature (or not). Cricket was such an inspirational character, a true artist who did not have the career he was dreaming of as a child (like so many of us), and Olympia was a real firecracker, quite aggravating at times, dealing with her own demons despite that carefree attitude most saw when not knowing her. I also very much enjoyed all the art talk and the drawings throughout the book; it brought the story to life and make me care for the characters even more. A memorable read overall!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Contrapposto is a novel about what it's like to be an artist and what it means to be an artist. It also looks at the question of whether soulmates should really not be together. That's a lot for a book to take on, but this one does with grace and humor, masking it my favorite of Dave Eggers' books.
Contrapposto is the way a model poses for a painter or sculptor that gives the form dynamism. The weight is on one leg while the other leg is relaxed, You'll see how this fits in as the novel progresses.
Cricket is growing up in Indiana, interested in art but with no idea what that can mean. An older girl takes an interest in him, points the way, and gets him into trouble. They will approach each other and veer apart for more than 60 years with Cricket representing someone who is driven to make art and Olympia diving into the commodification of art. She inspires him to new heights but will always pull away. It's a little frustrating for him (and the reader) but the magic Eggers brings to this story makes every page a pleasure.
4.5 stars rounded up to five. My thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for a digital review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Contrapposto is the way a model poses for a painter or sculptor that gives the form dynamism. The weight is on one leg while the other leg is relaxed, You'll see how this fits in as the novel progresses.
Cricket is growing up in Indiana, interested in art but with no idea what that can mean. An older girl takes an interest in him, points the way, and gets him into trouble. They will approach each other and veer apart for more than 60 years with Cricket representing someone who is driven to make art and Olympia diving into the commodification of art. She inspires him to new heights but will always pull away. It's a little frustrating for him (and the reader) but the magic Eggers brings to this story makes every page a pleasure.
4.5 stars rounded up to five. My thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for a digital review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It's gotten to the point where nothing Dave Eggers examines surprises me. Still, his deep dive into the world of art only added to my admiration of this writer. Lately, he has stepped away from his trademark nonfictional accounts, wherein he tells the bigger story through a personal lens, and has produced an amazing roster of fiction focusing on many different subjects, and herein, it is the art world through the love/friendship between Cricket and Olympia, two extraordinary protagonists, both highly original. Broken down into segments covering almost 70 years, beginning in Indiana and proceeding globally, the market forces that drive art production are examined closely and at least in one segment, hilariously. Must admit to being reminded of Sorrentiino's Lunar Follies when Cricket takes a job at an oh so pretentious gallery. Laughed out loud. But underlying the entire book is the respect and attraction between the two, and the art work included is magnificent and relevant. Particularly that at the end. My only regret is that my galley didn't include the credits for these drawings, but knowing that Eggers has a deft hand (I own some of his sketches), maybe they are his?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to ARC from Netgalley:
I've read all of Dave Eggers books and somehow missed that he was an art student at one point in his life, which certainly shows in this novel that is filled with critiques of art, performing art, reexamining art, and becoming art. I wasn't surprised by the ending, and I suspect that Eggers assumed his readers would follow along on the journey of our two main characters, Olympia and Cricket, for six decades, while of those decades they are apart, and we see them somewhat in different settings, Olympia usually with different men, but they stay in touch, and when they are reconnected, there's always a distance, a knowledge their encounters are more to remind each other of who they are, not so much of what they have become, but how they are connected. I did miss a few of the characters who faded as the decades passed leaving us with primarily Cricket and Olympia, but the novel is about those two people, and how they separate and come together.
I've read all of Dave Eggers books and somehow missed that he was an art student at one point in his life, which certainly shows in this novel that is filled with critiques of art, performing art, reexamining art, and becoming art. I wasn't surprised by the ending, and I suspect that Eggers assumed his readers would follow along on the journey of our two main characters, Olympia and Cricket, for six decades, while of those decades they are apart, and we see them somewhat in different settings, Olympia usually with different men, but they stay in touch, and when they are reconnected, there's always a distance, a knowledge their encounters are more to remind each other of who they are, not so much of what they have become, but how they are connected. I did miss a few of the characters who faded as the decades passed leaving us with primarily Cricket and Olympia, but the novel is about those two people, and how they separate and come together.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Eggers' drawings are wonderful and learning that the story takes something from his own experiences as a art student put it in a different light for me, but I still didn't love it. Was this supposed to be a tragic/doomed love story or a commentary on the art world? Mashing the two together just didn't do it for me. The main characters were hard to like. Olympia is just exhausting and Cricket too passive and too much of a pleaser. Their missed opportunities and unexpected reunions after years apart seemed more like a fevered adolescent crush on "the one that got away." I couldn't even root for them to finally get together in their older (and supposedly) wiser years. As for the arguments about what is art, commercialism, selling out, etc., it was all a lot of blather. I certainly didn't hear anything new or compelling there. Some of the lesser characters were more interesting (Jed, Carpenter), and the device of jumping forward in time between chapters shifted the pacing in a good way. I'm an Eggers fan but for me, this wasn't his best.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC for review. To be published June 9, 2026.
4 stars
I like fine art. I love art museums, visit them in nearly every city I go to. I own and peruse art books. But I’ll be the first to admit that people who know more about fine art than me are probably going to appreciate this book even more than I did, and I really liked it.
We follow the relationship between Cricket Dib, an artist (and many other things) and Olympus Argyros from their teens through their later years and their story is interesting, frustrating, harrowing and lovely at various points. The book is also about the art world, the making, buying and selling of art and those sections were outside my areas of expertise but fascinating.
The book may not be to everyone’s taste, but I’m a big fan of Eggers and heartily recommend this.
4 stars
I like fine art. I love art museums, visit them in nearly every city I go to. I own and peruse art books. But I’ll be the first to admit that people who know more about fine art than me are probably going to appreciate this book even more than I did, and I really liked it.
We follow the relationship between Cricket Dib, an artist (and many other things) and Olympus Argyros from their teens through their later years and their story is interesting, frustrating, harrowing and lovely at various points. The book is also about the art world, the making, buying and selling of art and those sections were outside my areas of expertise but fascinating.
The book may not be to everyone’s taste, but I’m a big fan of Eggers and heartily recommend this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a book about art, friendship and love. Starting when the main characters, Cricket and Olympia are just kids in school and spanning over six decades.
Cricket is a calm, steady, reflective artist trying to find his way. Olympia is a messy hurricane that always blows through just as Cricket needs (or doesn’t need?) her. She is a frustrating character that I didn’t like but she made the book what it is and I can’t imagine it any other way than with her in it.
This book is interesting, funny in parts, and pulled me in. An interesting glimpse into the world of art and the business behind it. Jumping from country to country and decade to decade. I now must check out more of Mr. Egger’s books!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and author for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased thoughts. Four stars!
Cricket is a calm, steady, reflective artist trying to find his way. Olympia is a messy hurricane that always blows through just as Cricket needs (or doesn’t need?) her. She is a frustrating character that I didn’t like but she made the book what it is and I can’t imagine it any other way than with her in it.
This book is interesting, funny in parts, and pulled me in. An interesting glimpse into the world of art and the business behind it. Jumping from country to country and decade to decade. I now must check out more of Mr. Egger’s books!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and author for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased thoughts. Four stars!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a magical and beautiful novel, complex and complete after spamming over 60 years. I felt like I truly got to know Cricket and Olympia and I loved following their journey over the decades. The artwork throughout the book truly helped bring this story to life. The relatable and realistic on and off connection between the two main characters swept me away, as I was always longing for them to finally be together for good and I would gasp as they moved apart again and again. This book is so well written to describe life as an artist, a decades long friendship and deep love, and the everyday tragedies of life as a human.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for the ebook. For over 60 years, Cricket Dib has been in love with Olympia Argyros, although they sometimes go years and years not seeing one another, mostly because they end up living in different countries. When they are kids, Olympia tells Cricket that he’s a talented artist, that she fully believes in him and that together they are going to change the art world. And then that becomes the dream and the curse, because even though Cricket is talented, in an old fashion painterly way, and Olympia could charm the stars from the skies, is the modern art world really ready for another seismic change? This novel is a very fun exploration of that idea and a sweet and frustrating love story glimpsed through the many decades.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Cricket and Olympia meet as children and spend the rest of theirs lives losing and finding each other again and again. They can’t be happy together, but they also can’t stay apart. Their story unfolds within the world of fine art, and Dave Eggers writes really well about the complexity of art as passion and art as business. Cricket and Olympia have different opinions about what makes good art and what should be done with the good art that is made, and those opinions shape the decisions they make about life too. I think this book would be great for fans of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. It features similar themes of creativity, friendship, and longing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This novel pulled me in immediately, introducing the main character, Cricket, as a 10-year-old introvert drawing with his grandfather in their Indiana basement. The author does a wonderful job showing both the emotional intimacy and distance of their relationship. This sets the tone for important relationships in Cricket's life, which we follow into his teens and twenties.
His most important relationship is with Olympia, whom he meets when they are both teenagers in Indiana, and the plot revolves around their adventures in and around the art world. Their relationship is somewhat maddening in ways I won't go into here. As they age, they move around the globe pursuing various artistic goals, often separately, but always seem to find their way back to each other. Their togetherness did not happen often enough for me, which is why I took off a star in my rating.
The author made some essential observations about creativity, art, identity and commercialism that gave the story some more weight during the frustrating fluctuations in Cricket's and Olympia's lifelong relationship. I enjoyed the many sketches/drawings/paintings that accompanied the story, especially at the end.
Many thanks to Net Galley for the ARC!
His most important relationship is with Olympia, whom he meets when they are both teenagers in Indiana, and the plot revolves around their adventures in and around the art world. Their relationship is somewhat maddening in ways I won't go into here. As they age, they move around the globe pursuing various artistic goals, often separately, but always seem to find their way back to each other. Their togetherness did not happen often enough for me, which is why I took off a star in my rating.
The author made some essential observations about creativity, art, identity and commercialism that gave the story some more weight during the frustrating fluctuations in Cricket's and Olympia's lifelong relationship. I enjoyed the many sketches/drawings/paintings that accompanied the story, especially at the end.
Many thanks to Net Galley for the ARC!
April 16, 2026
This one is definitely more quiet and reflective, but I ended up really loving it. It follows Cricket and Olympia over years of friendship, art, and a kind of complicated love that never fully settles. It’s very character-driven and not much actually happens, but I didn’t mind because I felt so pulled into their lives.
Eggers just drops you right into their world and you understand them pretty quickly, which I always appreciate. Their relationship felt messy and real—sometimes frustrating, sometimes tender, and very human. It made me think a lot about time, choices, and how relationships shift without you even realizing it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC
Eggers just drops you right into their world and you understand them pretty quickly, which I always appreciate. Their relationship felt messy and real—sometimes frustrating, sometimes tender, and very human. It made me think a lot about time, choices, and how relationships shift without you even realizing it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Don’t do the audio, because the book is filled throughout with exquisite sketches by the author. Cricket was smitten with Olympia from the time they were 10 years, letting her exert total power over him. This is a mostly philosophical novel about art, how we value it as consumers and art appreciators, and how we judge another’s state of contentment. The writing and storytelling are quintessentially Eggers! Thanks to #Netgalley and #Knoph Doubleday for the eBook ARC in exchange for this objective review.
April 12, 2026
As a lifelong Dave Eggers fan, this book was disappointing. It read like a draft from a creative writing student who had just taken an Art 101 course and wanted to show off their newfound knowledge. The characters were mostly bland and Pia seemed more like a manic pixie girl than a real person. The writing, too, seemed stilted, with little grace and lots of effort. There were some glimpses of humor, but just not enough for me to finish reading the book.
ARC from NetGalley
ARC from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for an eARC of Contrapposto by Dave Eggers. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel that details the life of Cricket, the main character who is an artist, from youth to old age. The novel does move slowly as it details a huge span of time, but the great character writing was what kept it highly engaging. The novel did provoke themes of creating art and what it means to be an artist that stayed with me long after I finished it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Won't stretch your idea of what a novel can be, but a novel of art in modern times and a subtle romance; Eggers' precise prose reads quick and satisfying and flow content arc. And sometimes, that's needed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My first by the author and now I see what all the shouting is about! 😁 A stunning novel about two friends -- artists -- their intertwined lives through the years and across the globe. Will make you want to read all of Eggers' work!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An interesting glimpse into the art world, Contrapposto by Dave Eggers was a slow burn, coming of age all the way into adulthood story for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
February 3, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ I really enjoyed this one. Glad I got an ARC. Out in June.
March 21, 2026
Eggers delivers a beautiful work here. The characters are raw and deep and as engrossing as the art they create. I’m blown away.
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