Mr. Robot: Red Wheelbarrow:

by Sam Esmail, Courtney Looney, Eve Lindley (Narrator)

Step inside the frontlines of the hit TV show MR. ROBOT with this new in-world fiction book by series creator and showrunner Sam Esmail and series writer Courtney Looney—the first and only book to tie in to USA’s Golden Globe® Award-winning series. The book will tell a brand-new story, reveal secrets from the show’s second season, and tease developments to come. With removable items from the world of the show, the book will give readers a chance to hold a piece of the series in their own hands.
 

MR. ROBOT is a psychological thriller that follows Elliot (Rami Malek, The Pacific), a young programmer, who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and as a vigilante hacker by night. Elliot finds himself at a crossroads when the mysterious leader (Christian Slater, Adderall Diaries) of an underground hacker group recruits him to destroy the firm he is paid to protect. The New York Times called it “relentless, sensational, and unabashedly suspenseful,” the New Yorker called it “terrific” and listed it among the year’s best TV, and Rolling Stone said it’s “easily the year’s most audacious drama” and the “best TV show of 2015.” Stars Rami Malek and Christian Slater took home a Critics’ Choice® Award and a Golden Globe Award, respectively, and the show itself received a Golden Globe Award and a Critics’ Choice Award for best television drama, along with the prestigious Peabody award.

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Cyberpunk, Mystery, Hackers, Technology

6 pages, Audiobook

Published November 1, 2016

About the author

Sam Esmail serves as creator, executive producer, writer and director on USA Network’s Golden Globe® Award winning series MR ROBOT.

After graduating from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Esmail attended AFI's directing program where he received his M.F.A. In 2008, he wrote his first feature screenplay, “Sequels, Remakes & Adaptations,” which landed on the Black List, a survey taken by more than 600 production companies and film financier executives naming their most-liked screenplays. He followed that up a year later with his second Black List script, “Norm the Movie.” His feature directorial debut, “Comet,” was released through IFC in 2014.

Since its premiere, MR ROBOT has received three Golden Globe® Award nominations and two wins including Best Drama, a Peabody Award, a SAG® Award nomination, four Critics’ Choice® Award nominations and three wins, two Writers Guild® Award nominations and one win for Best New Series, and three IPA Satellite® Award nominations and one win for Best Supporting Actor. The series was selected for an AFI Award for Television Program of the Year, won a Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Long Form Series, had its world premiere at last year’s SXSW Festival where it took home the coveted Audience Award in the Episodics category and was an official selection at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival.

Reviews

[Mindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much fun. It is so authentic looking, that I actually felt as if I were really holding Elliot's journal in my hands. I also read a review that said the typeface is modeled directly from Rami Malek and Christian Slater's handwriting, and that just adds another layer of awesome on top of everything.

I love books that are published to look exactly like journals. This book looks so real I had to keep reminding myself that it's not. The inserts add a lot to making it feel like a real journal too. There are also some added insights that were not included in the television show, so I consider this one a must read for anyone who loves Mr. Robot.

I just finished it, but I'm sure I will revisit it a bunch because there are codes and hidden clues throughout. Pure fun, and such a great keepsake for anyone who loves this amazing show.

[Fenriz Angelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

2022 re-read: I re-watched the complete series thus of course i had to revisit this book. I loved it just as much as i did when i had it in my hands for the first time, Elliot simply feels like a close, relatable friend to me who left behind part of him. Sadly some easter eggs are no longer available. Now that i read it already knowing the ending of the TV show, some of Mr.Robot reasonings make more sense. Wish there was any interaction between Elliot and Carla in the show tho.

First read - 2017: I think there's no review, either here nor in amazon, that describes how amazing this book is.

If you're fan of Mr.Robot tv show this book is a must read because it fills the timeline of Elliot in prison, also this book is a door to a more intimate perspective of Elliot's thinking. I honestly was immersed in his narrative and I loved to get a glimpse of Hot Carla, a character we didn't get to know much in the tv show but actually was an important person for Elliot while in imprisonment. His never ending battle with Mr.Robot is heart wrenching, raw, and brutal. There were times I felt sorry for Elliot, I can't imagine being through the shit he had to deal with everyday of his life.

The details in this "journal" made this read unique, I loved to understand some clues, have others to think about later, and overall feel trusted to have a piece of Elliot's thoughts to get to understand him more. Sam Esmail did a good job by giving us another piece of the big puzzle Mr. Robot is.

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got an advanced copy of this after a panel from BookCon @ NY Comic Con 2016. It was great! I could actually hear Rami Malek and Christian Slater's voices in my head as I read the book, and Sam Esmail revealed at the panel that the typeface is modeled after Rami and Christian's handwriting. There are also a couple of pull out items stuck in between certain pages that make it even more authentic. The end of the journal picks up at the start of Season 2 and fills in some gaps about what Elliott was thinking. This is a must-have for true Mr. Robot fans!

[Emma McPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew it was possible for the weirdness and confusion of Mr Robot to be contained in a novel?

I spent most of Red Wheelbarrow trying to guess what was happening, what was about to happen, what various characters were doing, and how this fit into the larger narrative of Mr Robot's season two. In other words, it was just like watching the show, while adding an extra layer to the story I already knew.

It's hard to discuss this without spoiling the book or the show. I enjoyed seeing more of characters I loved, like Leon. The clues and puzzles hidden throughout Red Wheelbarrow deepened the fun and mystery of the story, and sent me to reddit for confirmations and solutions. Again, just like the show. Sometimes I found Carla's marginalia more distracting and irritating than value-adding. Overall, though, it's a fascinating, and occasionally, terrifying glimpse into the mind of Elliot that manages to capture the feelings I have whenever I watch Mr. Robot.

[Jack Beltane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. I'm a huge fan of "Mr Robot" and was hoping for a lot more insight into season 2, but there really isn't any. It was fun to read, but I did start to get bored about three-quarters of the way through.

So if you're a superfan of the show, then yes, it's a must-read... just because. If you haven't seen season 2 yet, then it's a huge spoiler. If you have seen season 2, then you already know everything (in fact, you know more than what's revealed in the book). Maybe some of the characters will show up in season 3... we'll see.

[Marlowe Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch Season 2 before reading this! The book is a spoiler for Season 2. Fun read for a real fan of the show however. Gives some I tweeting background and fills in some details.

[Kate Curtis-Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

In universe novels are probably one of my biggest literary guilty pleasures. There is something about holding something that seems to, literally, be from another world that is just irresistible for me. Even better is when those books have inserts, it's like getting a small treat from the world your reading about.

Mr. Robot is probably the smartest, and overall best, TV show on right now. It's blend of actual technology, social commentary, psychological elements, and twists that all blend together for an hour of storytelling that is completely engrossing. If it hadn't been for USA releasing the pilot episode for free on YouTube I probably wouldn't be writing this review right now, and I certainly owe them a lot for that decision. It's a show that makes you think, and this world needs more and more of that type of content.

For much of the second season of the TV show the main character, Elliot, is in jail. There is a lot of lost time, however, as the viewers dont pick up until the tail end of Elliot's time there. To fill in those gaps Sam Esmail, the show's creator, decided to release the journal that Elliot kept while he was in jail.

The biggest issue this book has is that it doesn't necessarily provide any new information that is consequential to the overall narrative. It does, however, provide an interesting read to fans of the show. It really gives you a chance to see into Elliot's mental state far more than the show allows. Elliot is a character who is naturally reserved, and while his internal monologues in the show are speaking directly to the audience, this book would have you believe that he's holding a lot back.

Here in the journal, however, Elliot is free to say whatever he wants and there is a logical reason for him to do so. In attempt to keep his mortal enemy at bay, who happens to be a mental projection of his dead father who can take over his body ala Tyler Durden, Elliot establishes a routine to try and fill every moment of his time to keep his mind from wandering to the places that it shouldn't. Seeing the troubled mental state of one of my favorite TV characters was a really cool experience, and I can only imagine that it gives the second season of the show a fresh feeling and better context as the story moves into season three.

Additionally, the story itself isn't doesn't have much going on, its a lot of descriptions of eating, conversations about sitcoms, attempts to make friends, and attempts to stay away from enemies. I could very easily see someone setting the book down out of boredom, and it certainly doesn't provide the closure that a person who doesn't watch the show would need. I also had a hard time seeing Elliot speaking the way he does in his journal entries. When compared to the show he swears a lot more and speaks in a way that really seemed like it was coming from a different person, and that is probably the biggest issue I had with the book.

I think that Mr. Esmail fell into a little bit of a trap here, he had an opportunity to really dive deep into a character he had created, it was a creative space that wasn't restricted by air time or censorship, and he wandered a bit too far from the trail. With the ability to write anything he wanted and explore areas of Elliot that he couldn't in the show I think he ended up writing a version of Elliot that is little too different, and it isn't necessarily a bad version. I just had a hard time linking the Elliot of the show to the Elliot of the journal, and some of it is justified by the situation Elliot is in but I certainly can't explain other aspects of his decisions, they just seem too alien to his character.

I did ultimately enjoy reading an artifact from the world of my favorite TV show, but I also acknowledge that this book fails when it comes to providing a similar experience to someone that either has never seen the show, or has only passively watched it. If your a fan of the show then this is probably something that you would really enjoy reading. If you haven't seen the show then watch the pilot, you'll probably get sucked in.

[Костя Жученко · Rating 5 out of 5]

Неймовірне видання з не дуже неймовірним текстом.

Це сюжетне доповнення серіалу більше розкриває світогляд Еліота та поступово занурює читача у його хворобливу свідомість.
Історія не стає откровенням, та не зносить дах, як сюжетка серіалу, але для фанатів 100% варта уваги.

//більше про дитинство Еліота та Дарлін.
//більше про героїв другого сезону, які в серіалі отримали мало часу для розкриття.
//більше про самого Еліота, як спостерігача.

=E. Sees stuff too much in black and white-good vs. bad. He didn't factor in the brutality that lies in the gray.=

Купа відсилок від (еС) Бекета до (еС) Кінга; від Алекса (J)онса до Стіва (J)обса.
А також спалення книг та книг які не згорають — одночасно відсилає до Бредбері та Булгакова.
Зокрема, саме ця книга і є врятоваю з вогню.

{Подейкують, що нове видання навіть мало запах гару}

Єдина врятована книга Карли, як надія на врятоване життя героя в ній.
Зламана людина піклується про іншу зламану людину.

Це гарна спроба додати реальності вигаданій історії.
Є такий прийом, як злам четвертої стіни.
Так от в серіалі її взагалі не існує.
Глядач/читач -> це повноцінний герой історії -> це уявний друг/альтер-его/підсвідомість/ще одна особистість Еліота (обирай що хочеш) з якою працює сюжет.

Так от переповнення відсилками, ARG та взаємодія нашої реальності з вигаданою Містера Робота разом створюють міцний взаємозв'язок, в якому спрацьовує віддлуння в обидві сторони.
От і книга/щоденник/зошит для рецептів (хай що воно є) працює на тому ж рівні.

Гадаю, що одному її не осягнути, тому що
А) вона переповнена таємничих знаків та зашифрованості тексту (й)
Б) сама історія Робота про колективність, як симбіоз

Сам же текст слабкий і не варто його оцінювати в літературному плані - треба розуміти, що це лише (+/-) додаток до телеісторії. А от в плані реалізації - ну прям можна радити наступною після S Абрамса та Дьорста.

А ще й хтось же написав її від руки))

[Cory Ibáñez Blanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

El libro tiene un diseño de edición ESPECTACULAR. Parece que está quemado realmente, sucias las páginas y viene con items como una caja de cigarros, un panfleto de la iglesia donde iba Elliot o un recorte del periódico de E-corp. Es un trozo de serie hecha realidad, sinceramente merece la pena conseguirlo aunque ya sea tan difícil en España. Solamente por el diseño y maquetación del libro le doy un 10.

[Ken Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome. A wonderful book that complements the Mr. Robot story. Everything felt authentic to the world of Mr. Robot, and I love the clues and Easter eggs. What a great treasure for Mr. Robot fans.

[Chandrachur · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have searched for this, then you're probably a fan of the show.
If you are a fan of the show, it's an absolute must-read.
But wait till you finish season 2 before you start it.

[Laurie Ather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. I was at New York Comic Con and was lucky enough to purchase a copy there and have Sam Esmail and Courtney Looney sign it.

Of course while reading this, I heard the words in Rami Malek's voice...

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything about this is awesome: the connection to the TV show, the composition notebook bridging the gap of time we missed while he was in prison, the musings of Eliot, his papa, and his sister, the way in which the notebook was done..it felt so real down to the burnt edges, drawings, and handwriting. I listened to it on audio but also looked through the journal at different times and the combination of both is the way to do it! I loved the little surprises shoved between the pages for that extra interactive oomph. The narrator did a great job changing voices and attitude for Eliot, Darlene and his dad. Very effective, thoroughly depressing as only Eliot can be, and at the same time just alot of fun!

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this in 2018. Re-reading it again now. (2022!) This is hands down just SO FUN to read!!!

From the first sentence you are immediately engaged and (again) invited inside of Elliot's head. I felt like Elliot Alderson/Rami Malek truly wrote this journal for our own private perusal. It's as if he chose us (and only us!) to be his friend and be privy to his most personal inner dialogues.

There is so much depth packed into this journal you could probably read it 5 times over and still find new things every time. Plus, did I mention, there are puzzles and fun keepsake clues tucked within the book as well. ;)

ABSOLUTELY 5 STARS!

[Meghan Bowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*

[David Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the shows friends have tried to get me to watch, so I figured I'd give the audio book (a tie in to the show) a try. After finishing it and talking to those friends, it seems pretty clear I should've watched the first season of the show before reading this, but it still works on its own to a pretty powerful effect. It's a pretty captivating story. Working in the mental health field definitely helped peak my interest.

[Emelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually don't spend money or time on things like this because, well... garbage! But this one actually has heart in it, and I really enjoyed reading it. It's kind of creepy in a good way that it feels like an actual person's notebook, pencil writing and doodles and all.

[Ross Bonaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

Earlier this year, I read The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer, which takes an integral character in the world of Twin Peaks, puts her at the forefront of the story and makes it incredibly clear why that character was in the background in the first place. Mr. Robot’s Red Wheelbarrow is inspired by that book, but instead takes that show’s main character, puts us completely in his mind, and makes the show’s protagonist borderline insufferable. Mr. Robot’s main character Elliot Alderson often goes on diatribes about the government and big business, but it works because this is shown through Rami Malek, who does an excellent job as Alderson. But simply reading these exhausting monologues shows how laughable some of the writing on Mr. Robot can be. Far too often, Alderson sounds like a college student who has taken a Sociology 101 class, gets high and won’t shut up about what he learned. As a performance, Alderson works, but on paper, it’s almost unbearable.

But Red Wheelbarrow is also building towards events that viewers of the show already know the outcome of. The first half of this book is the general monotony of Alderson being incarcerated, but without any of the nuance of the show. The second half is simply reciting events viewers have seen in Season Two. It’s an insanely useless journal with information that fans of the show already know. Red Wheelbarrow attempts to flesh out an incredibly minor character in the show, but what we’ve seen on the show just doesn’t jive with the character the journal shows. One of Red Wheelbarrow’s coolest ideas is little addition extras thrown into the pages of the journal, like old crossword puzzles and Bible tracts, that apparently feature Easter eggs waiting to be solved. But these are impossible to crack without just doing an online search to figure out what they’re supposed to mean.

In theory, Red Wheelbarrow is an intriguing idea, but by putting the reader in the head of the main character in the most boring position in his life only points out the flaws of Mr. Robot, rather than deepening the world that was already quite enthralling.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

a short novel that excels more for it design and format than its contents, although the contents are good.

Presented as Elliot's journal of his time behind bars, what makes Red Wheelbarrow unique and fun to read is its design. It is made to look exactly like a burned, somewhat stained composition notebook, down to the amazingly clean mock pencil entries. Add to that some loose "inserts" the illusion of holding Elliot's actual journal. Several Kids have asked in the last two days about why I'm carrying a burnt notebook around.

Fans of the series will enjoy this look into Elliot's fragile psyche and to events that take place between Seasons 1 and 2. I would not recommend it to anyone who has not seen at least the first season, as the intent to not break the fourth wall, that this is actually a novel about a TV series and not a saved notebook, is so strong I think newbies would be lost without some sort of context for the goings on herein.
Still a fun very different read for fans of the show.

[Valleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The torrid mind of a drug user computer hacker, his many thoughts scribbled down in a believable (personal and tangible) format. The very clever way the publisher made the notebook look like an actual notebook, burned, vomited on, made this book feel very alive. I have yet to decide if I like this show or not but this notebook is something to be examined closely. It contains tiny scraps of this person's "life" which gives the character more dimension than what is seen on screen.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent. Focuses more on Hot Carla than the struggle Elliot and Mr. Robot face in between the seasons. Which is fine. For someone we only see in the show for about 10 mins or so, she really turned out to be an interesting character.

Sadly the "Obama is really hot" line seen in the journal in the show and "You know me, serve them (potatoes) up any way" line isn't here. :(

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to see what was happening to Elliot before the start of season 2. It also helps puts things together that happen during season 2. I feel like I have to rewatch season 1 and 2 to pick up on everything I may have missed the first time

[Mrshawn10100 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up without realizing it was associated with Mr. Robot, which I watch and like. The craftsmanship and things that are attached really captured my imagination. I did not finish reading it, but did enjoy it and appreciate its originality.

[Lisa Schriever · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. I don't know what I was expecting but this wasn't it.

[paovale · Rating 5 out of 5]

just hot carla and elliot 🥺 thats all, thats enough for the five stars

[Katherine Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello friend...

As a fan of the show Mr. Robot, I was very excited when I found out this journal existed in physical form. When watching season 2, I was very curious about what Elliot was writing in his journal and now I got to see it and more. I had assumed that everything mentioned would be things we already saw in season 2 but in reality it spans from before season 2 starts to mid season 2. What I really liked about this journal was how authentic it was. I really felt like I was holding Elliot's journal. It also came with 7 items spread out throughout the journal which really enhanced the feeling of authenticity.

As for the content in the journal, I loved it. Even though we are inside of Elliot's head throughout the show, it was very interesting to do so via writing. There is no denying that Elliot doesn't always tell us everything in the show and it definitely felt like he was more open with us here. I was a little nervous going in that Elliot's unique voice would not translate well to paper for me, but I could not have been more wrong.
This excerpt in the book reminded of Elliot's Fuck society speech from the pilot:

The fact that society has found a way to capitalize on what’s going to be the worst mass economic collapse in the history of the world by selling stupid pins and plastic masks just goes to show I was right all along.
FUCK SOCIETY

We also get to see a very vulnerable side of Elliot and how he feels about himself. We see him question whether or not, in a way, he is how he is by choice. Something that I personally deal with on a daily basis and in Elliot I found someone I could relate to. When you take away the hacking, Elliot and I are very similar. Elliot captures this sentiment when he writes:

I guess my gut instinct tells me I’d want to be normal. I suppose my lesson would have to be that my actions lead me to be the opposite of that. Everything I do... always results in setting me apart, keeping me distant and unrelatable and alone. So all my actions are continuously leading me further from my one desire. Especially the creation of HIM. So then, if I think about it even more, it brings me to the question: Do I really want to be normal?

Elliot is also just a fun character. There were times when I couldn't help but chuckle at some of the things he said throughout the journal. Sometimes when Elliot is trying to have a heart to heart moment, he can't help but be a little petty, in a good way.

Look, I’m working on trying to be a better person, but I’ll never be a totally different person. So as long as Facebook’s around, well, I’ll pretty much still bitch about it.

The introduction of Hot Carla was an interesting aspect to the journal that I was not expecting. In the journal, we learn that Hot Carla was a very important person and companion to Elliot besides Leon. Her commentary was also insightful as to how Elliot's actions and thoughts are interpreted by another person. Therefore, it is such a shame that she did not have a much bigger role in the show like she had here. It is also here where one of my few criticisms of the journal comes. Because in the show she doesn't have a big role, the journal seems to contradict with the show by enhancing the importance of Hot Carla. It just didn't correlate. Even though I really like Hot Carla she did seem to overreact to certain situations and blamed Elliot for a lot of things that I didn't feel were his fault.

The relationship between Elliot and Mr. Robot is also explored which I really liked. The constant struggle between the two to gain control becomes even more intense during the events that transpire in this journal. It was interesting to me how Mr. Robot even resorted to us, the invisible friend, to try to get Elliot on his side. The evolution of Mr. Robot's tactics to get Elliot to comply with him is also shown. We see how Mr. Robot's tactics escalated from verbal and mentally to the physical. I actually liked that they showed us this because I remember when in the first episode of season 2, Mr. Robot "shoots" Elliot in the head and Elliot comments that he did it again and I was like, when did he do that the first time? We also saw the lengths that Mr. Robot would go to try to break Elliot so that he would comply such as getting Elliot on Santos bad side.

Overall, I really loved this book and would definitely recommend this book to big fans of the show. It does contain a major spoiler to season 2, so I think it should be read after watching season 2. Also, unrelated to the book itself, I think its a missed opportunity not to have Rami Malek and Christian Slater narrate the audiobook. I was considering listening to the audio until I found out they didn't narrate it. I think they did get the actress who plays Hot Carla to narrate it, so I guess that's something. Really would have like Rami and Christian though.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Robot is one of my favorite shows for it's complexity and layers. I had to buy this book as a birthday present, as I don't want to miss any of the pieces in this "found footage" type of book with so many realistic pieces throughout. It's like that odd formatted book that I love to find. But this is an incredibly detailed book from a great show that fills in some gaps in a crazy show reveal. I'm also believing the book exists mainly for the purpose of stating one fact that could not be stated from Elliot's point of view. But then the book goes above and beyond with little details, like the awesome comics on the back of a newsprint page of Tyrell sightings or even just the incredibly detailed stains on a page. The writing in pencil is someone actually writing the book, not a font (though not someone handwriting each copy, I hope.) There are details that even the internet finds incredibly difficult to collectively solve. I think some things probably won't ever be puzzled out. I have no doubt that show runner Sam Esmail is a genius that puts so much HEART into his work, doesn't matter if it's the show or this book. This book has as much heart as the show. I've noticed that heart from episode one of Mr. Robot and will follow any work that he does! Courtney Looney deserves some credit as well.

Some favorite things from the book: Elliot imagining a show that combines 90s sitcoms characters. I have had that idea but with characters across all shows, books, movies. Mr. Esmail could make that show! Imagine Elliot hanging out with Community's Abed! They would be best friends... it would even be incredibly meta when they talk to each other about shows.

[Nakeeya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably long and heavy on spoilers, for the 25% I've already read + S2. A couple of my personal theories might be thrown in.*

Amazing detail, bonuses for super fans are definitely the well made and humorous (Tyrell Wellick conspiracies in a newspaper clipping) inserts.

It's written in part by Sam (the handwriting is based off of Rami Malek's own), so of course we get the same overall tone of the show. There's some tragic details about Elliot's childhood. Also, Mr. Robot almost had me convinced they could one day come to a peaceful coexistence until I bought this...which is unsettling.

The best part, aside from little plot details the show just can't fit in, is that it's the closest we'll ever feel to Elliot. It gives you a lot more of the darkly witty side of him. The secondary story about Hot Carla pops up just enough, and is already surprisingly interesting (I wasn't prepared to like her because we meet her burning library books!) and endearing.

One more, there's a LOT more of Leon. I'd be surprised if anyone didn't already adore him and wish for more screen time.

*For me I'm also excited for the Tyrell mentions. Elliot barely knows him, though my theory is that Mr. Robot could've made contact pre-canon. End tangent.*

I love it. I'm not even halfway through; I'm pacing myself as it's a good read though, like the source, emotional.

(Be prepared to lose your cool trying to figure out some possible coded notations from Mr. Robot that stump even Elliot...)

[Ross Cardillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really an amazing work of art for any fan of the show. The physical attention to detail with the wear to the cover, stained pages, varied handwriting, and inserts make for an immersive experience. Small clues connecting to events and information revealed after the journal was written (in-universe) do a good job of not outright spoiling anything and still being fun for those who have already finished the show. Definitely do not read this if you haven’t watched through most of season 2 (maybe just wait until you finish the show and are dying for more).

The writing itself is very committed to realism in feeling like an actual journal, with plenty of minutiae and believably less meaningful sections. These limitations on the writing’s pace and style make sense but also make it almost impossible for it to match the tension, thrills, and high emotion of the show it’s derived from. It feels true to character that Elliott would manage to get involved in interesting conflict even while avoiding the bigger players and events of the show, and it’s made more believable by keeping that conflict smaller.

Short version: an accompaniment to an incredible show that’s too compelling and artful to be just a novelty/merch, but not a literary equivalent to the experience of the show (and probably not trying to be).

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the very definition of "supplemental". It's not to be anyone's first or even second foray into the world of Mr. Robot, it's to be read after watching Season 2. And for the love of god, watch Season 2 before reading this! Being the journal of Elliot, it obviously contains spoilers, and it even spells out the second season's biggest twist within the first 20 pages or so.

The most notable achievement here is the aesthetic of the whole thing. The whole thing is "handwritten", with Elliot, Mr. Robot, and Hot Carla all affecting different styles, and the pages are complete with college-ruled lines. Throughout the 160 pages, the reader is treated to various sketches and doodles, including Mr. Robot's predisposition for drawing dicks to try to disrupt Elliot's thoughts.

The actual writing helps flesh out some of Elliot's experiences in the earlier parts of the second season and does contain some of the wax-philosophic nature that I do enjoy of the TV, but most of the "plot" revolves around Hot Carla. Hot Carla was a character I didn't find particularly engaging during the show, and I don't feel like this work really changed anything.

Red Wheelbarrow is fun, if not completely unnecessary. I highly recommend it to die-hards of the show. Everyone else should pass.