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When You Finish Saving the World
When You Finish Saving the World tells the moving and evocative story of three individuals working to understand each other and themselves: Nathan, a father learning to connect with his newborn son; Rachel, a young college student seeking to find her place in a relationship and in life, before marriage to Nathan; and Ziggy, their son, a teenager hoping to figure out where he came from, and where he’s headed. The shifts between time frames in these characters’ lives span more than a decade and eloquently capture the complexities of growing up, having children, and fitting in.
6 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 4, 2020
52 people are currently reading
1075 people want to read
About the author
Jesse Eisenberg
16 books297 followersJesse Adam Eisenberg is an American actor, playwright, author, and humorist. He has played featured or starring roles in films such as The Squid and the Whale (2005), Adventureland (2009), Zombieland (2009), and The Social Network (2010).
Eisenberg was born in New York City and was raised in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey. After graduating from high school, he studied anthropology at The New School in Greenwich Village, New York City. He majored in liberal arts, with a concentration in Democracy and Cultural Pluralism.
Eisenberg was born in New York City and was raised in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey. After graduating from high school, he studied anthropology at The New School in Greenwich Village, New York City. He majored in liberal arts, with a concentration in Democracy and Cultural Pluralism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 401 reviews
April 19, 2021
Audible Original--free for members in August 2020 and for Audible Plus members.
What is delivered here is best viewed as an auditory drama performance. The book does not exist in paper. You must listen to it as an audiobook. There are three narrators. The author, Jesse Eisenberg, narrates / performs the part of Nathan, the father of the family about which the story is written. Kaitlyn Denver takes the part of Rachel, the mother. Finn Wolfhard performs Ziggy's part. He is Nathan and Rachel's son. The story is split into three sections, the first told by the father / Nathan / Jesse, the second by the son / Ziggy / Finn and the third by the mother / Rachel / Kaitlyn. Each narrator has their own respective part; the characters do not talk to each other, although they do speak about each other.
The father’s section is set in 2017, when the child Ziggy is six months old. Rachel has requested that they talk with a family therapist; she complains that Nathan does not properly relate to their son. He has agreed to send voice messages to their counselor. This is what we hear in the first section.
In the second section it is the son who is talking. The year is 2032, and Ziggy is fifteen. Psychologically troubled, we find him too sending vocal messages to an authority for counseling.
In the third section, Rachel is sending off tapes to her boyfriend. She misses him terribly. He is in Uzbekistan. The year is 2002, soon after 9/11. Yep, you guessed right—we listen to her tapes.
So what is the story really about? Figuring this out was for me the book’s central attraction, in addition to its humor. I’ll give only a few hints. 9/11 is an important element. Pay attention to Rachel--she is the central character, all hinges upon her. After completing the story, you recognize that the title says a lot. What is delivered is a character study of the three in the family. Members of a family affect each other in good and bad ways. Who we are and what we do are inextricably tied up with the social and political environment of our time.
The book starts off very funny, but in an intelligent way. The humor is ironical, satirical, offering a critique of our modern day world and where the future is taking us. The humor never disappears but become less prominent as other issues take center stage. The extent to which you relate to the three characters affects how you see the humor in each section.
The writing and the audio performance blend. You cannot separate the one from the other. Jesse’s performance and the writing in the first section is the part I like best. I came close to Rachel, so her section I like second best. I had a much harder time relating to Ziggy’s section. I think because it is set in the future and the performance by Finn Wolfhard was least to my liking. The parts are interconnected--this is one family and they speak of each other. It is not what the characters say of themselves, which is most revealing. What is more revealing is what each one says about the other two!
I don’t usually like audiobooks performed with a high level of theatrical dramatization, and that is what is delivered here. That I like this so much, that I think it worth four stars, says a lot about the author’s talent! Both the writing and the performance are very good—four stars for the whole.
What is delivered here is best viewed as an auditory drama performance. The book does not exist in paper. You must listen to it as an audiobook. There are three narrators. The author, Jesse Eisenberg, narrates / performs the part of Nathan, the father of the family about which the story is written. Kaitlyn Denver takes the part of Rachel, the mother. Finn Wolfhard performs Ziggy's part. He is Nathan and Rachel's son. The story is split into three sections, the first told by the father / Nathan / Jesse, the second by the son / Ziggy / Finn and the third by the mother / Rachel / Kaitlyn. Each narrator has their own respective part; the characters do not talk to each other, although they do speak about each other.
The father’s section is set in 2017, when the child Ziggy is six months old. Rachel has requested that they talk with a family therapist; she complains that Nathan does not properly relate to their son. He has agreed to send voice messages to their counselor. This is what we hear in the first section.
In the second section it is the son who is talking. The year is 2032, and Ziggy is fifteen. Psychologically troubled, we find him too sending vocal messages to an authority for counseling.
In the third section, Rachel is sending off tapes to her boyfriend. She misses him terribly. He is in Uzbekistan. The year is 2002, soon after 9/11. Yep, you guessed right—we listen to her tapes.
So what is the story really about? Figuring this out was for me the book’s central attraction, in addition to its humor. I’ll give only a few hints. 9/11 is an important element. Pay attention to Rachel--she is the central character, all hinges upon her. After completing the story, you recognize that the title says a lot. What is delivered is a character study of the three in the family. Members of a family affect each other in good and bad ways. Who we are and what we do are inextricably tied up with the social and political environment of our time.
The book starts off very funny, but in an intelligent way. The humor is ironical, satirical, offering a critique of our modern day world and where the future is taking us. The humor never disappears but become less prominent as other issues take center stage. The extent to which you relate to the three characters affects how you see the humor in each section.
The writing and the audio performance blend. You cannot separate the one from the other. Jesse’s performance and the writing in the first section is the part I like best. I came close to Rachel, so her section I like second best. I had a much harder time relating to Ziggy’s section. I think because it is set in the future and the performance by Finn Wolfhard was least to my liking. The parts are interconnected--this is one family and they speak of each other. It is not what the characters say of themselves, which is most revealing. What is more revealing is what each one says about the other two!
I don’t usually like audiobooks performed with a high level of theatrical dramatization, and that is what is delivered here. That I like this so much, that I think it worth four stars, says a lot about the author’s talent! Both the writing and the performance are very good—four stars for the whole.
August 12, 2020
Loved the stream of consciousness point of view. Ziggy could have been great but the repetitiveness of “trendy” words made it hard to take the second portion of the book serious. The fact that the ending didn’t tie up all three sections of the book was very disappointing. Had I known that, I would not have finished the book.
August 11, 2020
This was a really charming Audiobook to listen to and I was really into it and ended up listening to all five hours of it in one sitting. I generally enjoyed it, though Nathan's sections were really the ones I loved the most. He was funny and lovable and easy to empathise with. I didn't like his wife (at times for some reason, even though she was made out to be a saint, there were some flaws that I couldn't love her for) or his son so much, but in the end I liked to listen to their growth.
This audiobook is basically a collection of diary recordings that serve as a kind of therapy for these characters. One by one, we get to see them grow and realise things about themselves and the world.
I was mostly disappointed with the ending. I thought it would end bigger or tie each story together, but it didn't. Each of their stories stayed completely separate from one another's.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys hearing about a character's self-realiztion and growth. As a person who enjoy psychology, it was fun to disect each character, especially since they were all well written to the point that I could guess what each person was going to do before they did it.
This audiobook is basically a collection of diary recordings that serve as a kind of therapy for these characters. One by one, we get to see them grow and realise things about themselves and the world.
I was mostly disappointed with the ending. I thought it would end bigger or tie each story together, but it didn't. Each of their stories stayed completely separate from one another's.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys hearing about a character's self-realiztion and growth. As a person who enjoy psychology, it was fun to disect each character, especially since they were all well written to the point that I could guess what each person was going to do before they did it.
September 24, 2020
Jesse Eisenberg has created three very different voices in this book, which is a difficult thing to do. The things each member of the family says about the other -in different time periods- reveal their characters brilliantly. I understood each one of them and their feelings, and the first part done by Jesse himself was my favorite (I relate to his character more, surprise surprise). The part set in the future had its charm too with the made up slang terms and speculations.
The book made me laugh a lot as well- the humor works amazingly and it never seems too much.
The book made me laugh a lot as well- the humor works amazingly and it never seems too much.
August 11, 2020
A little bit annoying. I would never read this again
August 6, 2020
This performance is brilliant. It shines brightest when Eisenberg narrates, but the 2nd and 3rd sections do not suffer too much. This quirky, insightful, stream-of-consciousness brilliance reminds me of reading Foster Wallace--but a much more approachable version. I will return to this for the story, for the narration, and for the way it impacts me emotionally and intellectually. Best free Audible selection I have ever gotten--better than many that I have spent a credit on.
August 26, 2020
I liked Nathan’s part & the rest was just annoying
August 19, 2020
This is a story that is simultaneously about: the struggles of being a new parent, the challenge of marriage, learning to love through neuroses, ideological purity vs pragmatism, the incandescent flame of adolescent romance, the unconditional love of parenthood, the naivety of young adulthood, the tension between theory and action, the necessity of becoming more than (or different to) your idols, and the interaction between the military and the vulnerable.
All of this condensed expertly in a series of monologues, spanning decades, connecting 3 members of a small family.
Sometimes you encounter something that seems to have been written precisely for you. Something that pushes all your intellectual buttons, but tugs at your particular heartstrings too. This is that for me.
Fuckin kudos, Jesse. And fuckin kudos to the performances all around.
All of this condensed expertly in a series of monologues, spanning decades, connecting 3 members of a small family.
Sometimes you encounter something that seems to have been written precisely for you. Something that pushes all your intellectual buttons, but tugs at your particular heartstrings too. This is that for me.
Fuckin kudos, Jesse. And fuckin kudos to the performances all around.
August 16, 2020
There are people who are 80 years old and have not yet discovered themselves, they do not know who they are, they do not realize their virtues or mistakes.
In the book "When you finish saving the world", Jesse Eisenberg shows us three characters finding himself.
Nathan who decides to surrender to life and live to do what his wife wants, given the impossibility of developing himself.
Rachel, who in the face of the death of her beloved boyfriend, cannot find her way in life and said to help others without knowing why she really does it. She marries Nathan, not really knowing why or what for. And she has a son, Ziggy, without really wanting him.
Ziggy, his son; that in the face of so much doubt and lack of meeting between his parents, he does not know what he really wants, he only knows that he is against both and the ideals they represent.
Do you know what you want in life?
In the book "When you finish saving the world", Jesse Eisenberg shows us three characters finding himself.
Nathan who decides to surrender to life and live to do what his wife wants, given the impossibility of developing himself.
Rachel, who in the face of the death of her beloved boyfriend, cannot find her way in life and said to help others without knowing why she really does it. She marries Nathan, not really knowing why or what for. And she has a son, Ziggy, without really wanting him.
Ziggy, his son; that in the face of so much doubt and lack of meeting between his parents, he does not know what he really wants, he only knows that he is against both and the ideals they represent.
Do you know what you want in life?
September 7, 2020
I'm giving this a solid 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed hearing each person's connected yet different experiences so I could form an opinion about them at the end. Still, I do kind of wish there was a more rounded ending that wrapped everything up. Now, I'm kind of left wondering what comes next for these three individuals. The writing was well-done, and I especially enjoyed Nathan's part of the story. Ziggy's part was a little less likable due to the constant use of future clang. I think that could have been toned down just a bit. Rachel's part made her much more relatable than the way she was presented in Nathan's POV. Overall a great listen.
January 21, 2021
Three slightly related stories about one family with no conclusion to tie them up. The book just ends after the third story (which I thought was the weakest one as it featured the least likeable character), but the performances were great as expected. I'd recommend you listen to just the first story (Nathan's) and skip the others.
January 18, 2024
Well, at least it was free on Audible.
September 17, 2020
1-Sentence: Snapshots of a young family spanning 2002-2032, as told through various recordings.
Gay?: Ziggy seems bi, judging from a passing comment.
Keywords: therapy, parenthood, honesty, self-reflection, trauma
Like?: The story of a (potentially autistic?) new father who can’t connect with his child, his teenage son in 2032, and his wife before either of them entered her life, when her boyfriend is killed overseas—it works way better than I would have guessed on paper. A lot of that has to do with the performances all being quite good; Wolfhard’s is the hardest to swallow, which is not his fault, but because there are some truly insane “future slang” choices involved. Eisenberg’s new father struggling to fit into his family, putting his wife on a pedestal and never quite able to feel like the right kind of person to be a parent sets the stage; Wolfhard’s shit-eating musician arrogance that slowly morphs into a kid who doesn’t feel his parents accept his art is painful, but works; Dever’s young version of the heretofore referenced Rachel is the most heartbreaking, because both husband and son revere her as a saintly hardass on a mission to save the world, and as a college student who hasn’t yet lost the love of her life to war, she’s....happy. Goofy. Funny. It looks at the scope of what a tragedy can turn a person into. It serves as an interesting introspection of people letting themselves feel hard emotions, and of how different people perceive one another, even in the same family. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the overall piece.
Rating: 4/5
Gay?: Ziggy seems bi, judging from a passing comment.
Keywords: therapy, parenthood, honesty, self-reflection, trauma
Like?: The story of a (potentially autistic?) new father who can’t connect with his child, his teenage son in 2032, and his wife before either of them entered her life, when her boyfriend is killed overseas—it works way better than I would have guessed on paper. A lot of that has to do with the performances all being quite good; Wolfhard’s is the hardest to swallow, which is not his fault, but because there are some truly insane “future slang” choices involved. Eisenberg’s new father struggling to fit into his family, putting his wife on a pedestal and never quite able to feel like the right kind of person to be a parent sets the stage; Wolfhard’s shit-eating musician arrogance that slowly morphs into a kid who doesn’t feel his parents accept his art is painful, but works; Dever’s young version of the heretofore referenced Rachel is the most heartbreaking, because both husband and son revere her as a saintly hardass on a mission to save the world, and as a college student who hasn’t yet lost the love of her life to war, she’s....happy. Goofy. Funny. It looks at the scope of what a tragedy can turn a person into. It serves as an interesting introspection of people letting themselves feel hard emotions, and of how different people perceive one another, even in the same family. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the overall piece.
Rating: 4/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2020
The worst thing about Audible Originals is that they’re Free. At least, if we had paid for them, there would be the satisfaction of getting our money back. In this case, as in so many others, we can’t be reimbursed for the time wasted listening to this drivel!
I hope this was Satire. Otherwise, this humorless attempt to imitate an Early Woody Allen Standup routine would be a tale of a pathetic generation so tied up in its twisted Selfie it imagines that it cannot navigate the routine events of Twenty-First Century American Life.
I truly hope these characters never leave the pages of Eisenberg’s limited imagination. As to the folks who chose to make this available to Audible Members, where is The Cancel Culture when we need them.
BTW, my usual fee for my time was about $350/hr. For the 5 hrs 17 min I wasted I’ll take the $1849.11 in Audible Credits, please.
Audible Member since 2012
Owner of 737 Audible Books
I hope this was Satire. Otherwise, this humorless attempt to imitate an Early Woody Allen Standup routine would be a tale of a pathetic generation so tied up in its twisted Selfie it imagines that it cannot navigate the routine events of Twenty-First Century American Life.
I truly hope these characters never leave the pages of Eisenberg’s limited imagination. As to the folks who chose to make this available to Audible Members, where is The Cancel Culture when we need them.
BTW, my usual fee for my time was about $350/hr. For the 5 hrs 17 min I wasted I’ll take the $1849.11 in Audible Credits, please.
Audible Member since 2012
Owner of 737 Audible Books
September 24, 2020
My fave part of the audiobook was when Finn (sorry I forgot his character's name) was in the cafeteria and he sits besides Jackie, and I remember his dad's dream when he was younger of him doing that very same thing. I was a bit heartbroken at first that Finn didn't exactly turn out the way Jesse thought he would be, especially right after that heartwarming spiel of Jesse's of "everything's gonna be okay." But Finn's realization near the end of his chapters of him and the struggles his mom had to go through really got to me. The mom's chapters weren't as good as Jesse's or Finn's, but her wanting to ACTUALLY do things unlike Whitney or Michelle really made me understand why she does the things she does, why she loves helping people so much, which makes it all the more gut-wrenching when you remember she'll never see her beloved soldier again.
August 9, 2020
I really thought it would be more entertaining. Especially coming from Jesse Eisenberg. I guess my issue is the title is misleading to me. I especially had an issue understanding iggy's Point of view. I highly doubt I would read it again.
August 9, 2020
What a beautiful, passionate, well-written and amazingly acted piece. Get ready to break your own heart.... Now press play and begin.
August 21, 2020
I kind of like this book, the story and the performance as well
October 18, 2020
This was very interesting and not what I expected. It follows the lives of three different people who are related- Mother, Father and Son, but told in different ways in narrative form at different parts of their lives. Not something I would usually read but I was very intrigued by the title.
A few things- it would have been nice if the stories crossed paths a little but that wasn’t the case. Also, it was interesting that when each of them started talking I didn’t like them. But as they told their stories I liked them more and was empathetic towards their predicaments and could relate to them. And finally, their insights and discussions, with themselves basically, were very introspective and their insight was incredibly interesting and could be helpful to everyone listening or reading their stories.
The concept of saving the world is also interesting to me and something I reflect on and the title is what really attracted me to the book. But only two of the characters, Rachel and her high school boyfriend, were the only characters interested in that. Maybe Ziggy’s “girlfriend” as well. I think what was so interesting about the stories was that the concept of saving the world was not the key component of their lives.
I think that this showed that there are a lot of ways to live a life and that most people can contribute to society in their own way to make the work better. No one can actually save the world.
But it is worth a read because you feel like you’re a fly on the wall and you want to know how it all turns out. You have to get used to that feeling!!
A few things- it would have been nice if the stories crossed paths a little but that wasn’t the case. Also, it was interesting that when each of them started talking I didn’t like them. But as they told their stories I liked them more and was empathetic towards their predicaments and could relate to them. And finally, their insights and discussions, with themselves basically, were very introspective and their insight was incredibly interesting and could be helpful to everyone listening or reading their stories.
The concept of saving the world is also interesting to me and something I reflect on and the title is what really attracted me to the book. But only two of the characters, Rachel and her high school boyfriend, were the only characters interested in that. Maybe Ziggy’s “girlfriend” as well. I think what was so interesting about the stories was that the concept of saving the world was not the key component of their lives.
I think that this showed that there are a lot of ways to live a life and that most people can contribute to society in their own way to make the work better. No one can actually save the world.
But it is worth a read because you feel like you’re a fly on the wall and you want to know how it all turns out. You have to get used to that feeling!!
August 10, 2020
*Note: this is the review that I posted to Audible just a few moments ago after finishing this title*
This came up in my free selections for the month of August. I was familiar with two of the actors and the title intrigued me. This rapidly became something that I couldn't put down, so to speak.
When You Finish Saving the World was an emotional joyride. I found myself relating to each of the characters for different reasons. It takes you to the present, the future, and the past through the lenses of the characters. Admittedly, Ziggy's slang grated on my last good nerve (more because I spent so much time looking for context clues to figure out what the hell he was saying as well as the fact that it felt like listening to my son talk and trying not to stare blankly).
I found myself annoyed with Rachel's vulnerability because it mirrored my own. I found myself mentally screaming at Nathan for not doing more, for not *saying* more. I found myself wanting to hug Ziggy, ask him if he'd eaten a vegetable today, and listen to him prattle on about his highs and sighs.
More than anything, I found myself wanting to hear more. I could easily have listened to this selection if it were fifteen hours rather than five. Even at five hours, I found myself mentally staging it in my head. Free selection or not, I can't recommend this enough.
This came up in my free selections for the month of August. I was familiar with two of the actors and the title intrigued me. This rapidly became something that I couldn't put down, so to speak.
When You Finish Saving the World was an emotional joyride. I found myself relating to each of the characters for different reasons. It takes you to the present, the future, and the past through the lenses of the characters. Admittedly, Ziggy's slang grated on my last good nerve (more because I spent so much time looking for context clues to figure out what the hell he was saying as well as the fact that it felt like listening to my son talk and trying not to stare blankly).
I found myself annoyed with Rachel's vulnerability because it mirrored my own. I found myself mentally screaming at Nathan for not doing more, for not *saying* more. I found myself wanting to hug Ziggy, ask him if he'd eaten a vegetable today, and listen to him prattle on about his highs and sighs.
More than anything, I found myself wanting to hear more. I could easily have listened to this selection if it were fifteen hours rather than five. Even at five hours, I found myself mentally staging it in my head. Free selection or not, I can't recommend this enough.
August 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this book mainly because of Nathan.
I totally related to the Dads point of view. He is a complete introvert. His wife was expecting him to do more than he was capable of doing. Also, I believe she was still living in the shadow of her dead boyfriend. She was looking for her husband to be more like him. Like there were 4 people in that family instead of 3.
Rachael needed to get a grip on reality. Her husband is not your dead boyfriend from college. You are married now its time to let that man go. The box and all.
Ziggy well he is just a mix up of his parents. He cant help it.
Over all I liked the story. There were a few things missing - almost like a disconnect with the 3 stories. But I can learn a little something from all 3.
This story left me wondering about some of the back story of the other characters. What was really going on with Nathans so called best friend and why was Carlos (i think that was his name) so down on Nathan's life style.
What was up with Rachael's obsession with Whitney. Good grief.
Again this book was good just wish it had more guts to it. and I wish the brought the three stories together. Like what was the connection between the three. Not just that they were family members
I totally related to the Dads point of view. He is a complete introvert. His wife was expecting him to do more than he was capable of doing. Also, I believe she was still living in the shadow of her dead boyfriend. She was looking for her husband to be more like him. Like there were 4 people in that family instead of 3.
Rachael needed to get a grip on reality. Her husband is not your dead boyfriend from college. You are married now its time to let that man go. The box and all.
Ziggy well he is just a mix up of his parents. He cant help it.
Over all I liked the story. There were a few things missing - almost like a disconnect with the 3 stories. But I can learn a little something from all 3.
This story left me wondering about some of the back story of the other characters. What was really going on with Nathans so called best friend and why was Carlos (i think that was his name) so down on Nathan's life style.
What was up with Rachael's obsession with Whitney. Good grief.
Again this book was good just wish it had more guts to it. and I wish the brought the three stories together. Like what was the connection between the three. Not just that they were family members
August 20, 2020
Extremely well thought out. Particularly in regards to the recordings that take place in the future. I was really impressed what a believable vision of the future Jesse painted, even in the smallest details.
I really enjoyed the first two recordings, they touched me emotionally, but I have to admit that the 3rd part wasn't near as interesting and the character didn't compel me. Kaitlyn did a superb job acting the part, but personally I just would have rather seen the character wrap things up in a future after Finn's part took place, rather than going back to the past.
I really enjoyed the first two recordings, they touched me emotionally, but I have to admit that the 3rd part wasn't near as interesting and the character didn't compel me. Kaitlyn did a superb job acting the part, but personally I just would have rather seen the character wrap things up in a future after Finn's part took place, rather than going back to the past.
September 10, 2020
I loved this Audible Original. There were 3 narrators, all immediately related to one another: Dad, Mom, son. They make recordings of their thoughts to 1) a real marriage counsellor; 2) a "bot" therapist in the 2023 and to a fiancé. It was written and performed by Jesse Eisenberg [the Dad]. Many reviewers say they liked the Dad and Mom roles and not so much the teen son part. I beg to differ. Although the teen speaks in near futuristic jargon and he is...well a male teen, his experience is wholly human and inspiring. The Dad and Mom narratives knocked this baby out of the park for me.
March 5, 2022
Really creative approach and great use of the audio story format. Some of the future teen-slang from the Ziggy section was goofy and cringeworthy, but otherwise a fun way for Eisenberg to stretch his legs creatively.
January 31, 2023
While a lot of people didn't seem to really enjoy this, I'm a fan of the drawn out stream of consciousness style the work presents itself as. This Audble original presents three different members of a family (two partners and their son) across three different periods of time. During their respective times, they reckon with their emotions, how they feel about the people around them, and their place in the world at large. It's not paced the best across all three sections, but I still enjoyed the dialogue (a bit of overuse of the fictional slang in Ziggy's part though). I found this after looking into the film adaptation that A24 put out recently, and this made me look forward to seeing the film even more. It's also free with an Audible subscription, so check it out if you have the means!
August 15, 2024
3.6 stars. Different book. Glad I’d read other reviews to know what to expect. Thought provoking - short.
September 7, 2020
This was an Audible Original I downloaded without being entirely certain of its content other than it was about a man, his wife, and their son. This was written as a three-part 'play' (radio theatre?) with the three characters speaking individually.
The first part is narrated by Nathan who is recording his feelings as requested by his therapist. In these recordings, we learn that he's struggling to feel what his wife feels he's "supposed to feel" for their new son, Ziggy.
I loved Nathan's character. He comes across as (but may not have been meant to be) on the autism spectrum and, while it's true he has no feelings yet for the new, squalling member of the family, he very obviously loves his frustrated and exacting wife. He admires that she's a social justice warrior, but he's also annoyed that she so often loses her patience with him.
The second part takes place in a near-future where slang and buzz words are slightly different and the world is a bit more automated than the present. We are allowed to listen in as Nathan's son, Ziggy, begins counseling sessions with a bot (therabot?). Ziggy hit another boy at school to defend the honor of his current crush and the school has mandated he attend these sessions. Ziggy thinks the situation "chalks so much" and is definitely not feeling "pos" about the whole experience. We know Ziggy has an issue with is father's awkwardness and tendency to be emotionally withdrawn, but values his ability to forgive/forget transgressions and remain steadfast and loyal. We also know Ziggy admires the same traits in his crush that are, at the same time, sticking points in his relationship with his mother. While a typically self-absorbed and oftentimes thoughtless teen, as the sessions progress Ziggy reveals glimpses of insight and maturity in his character.
In the third part, we are introduced to Rachel, Nathan's wife and Ziggy's mother. From Nathan and Ziggy, we've learned Rachel is a perfectionist, an idealist, and a hard-working activist. The pressure to live up to her expectations can be difficult. The Rachel we 'meet' in part three, however, is a teenager about to start college. As we listen to her recordings, we begin to understand who she was and how she became the woman we've heard Nathan and Ziggy outline.
This is the story of a small family and how the people we think we know have so many more layers under the one we see on the surface. This tale is as old as time: family is comprised of messy, maddening, and complicated people for whom we harbor messy, maddening, and complicated feelings.
The first part is narrated by Nathan who is recording his feelings as requested by his therapist. In these recordings, we learn that he's struggling to feel what his wife feels he's "supposed to feel" for their new son, Ziggy.
I loved Nathan's character. He comes across as (but may not have been meant to be) on the autism spectrum and, while it's true he has no feelings yet for the new, squalling member of the family, he very obviously loves his frustrated and exacting wife. He admires that she's a social justice warrior, but he's also annoyed that she so often loses her patience with him.
The second part takes place in a near-future where slang and buzz words are slightly different and the world is a bit more automated than the present. We are allowed to listen in as Nathan's son, Ziggy, begins counseling sessions with a bot (therabot?). Ziggy hit another boy at school to defend the honor of his current crush and the school has mandated he attend these sessions. Ziggy thinks the situation "chalks so much" and is definitely not feeling "pos" about the whole experience. We know Ziggy has an issue with is father's awkwardness and tendency to be emotionally withdrawn, but values his ability to forgive/forget transgressions and remain steadfast and loyal. We also know Ziggy admires the same traits in his crush that are, at the same time, sticking points in his relationship with his mother. While a typically self-absorbed and oftentimes thoughtless teen, as the sessions progress Ziggy reveals glimpses of insight and maturity in his character.
In the third part, we are introduced to Rachel, Nathan's wife and Ziggy's mother. From Nathan and Ziggy, we've learned Rachel is a perfectionist, an idealist, and a hard-working activist. The pressure to live up to her expectations can be difficult. The Rachel we 'meet' in part three, however, is a teenager about to start college. As we listen to her recordings, we begin to understand who she was and how she became the woman we've heard Nathan and Ziggy outline.
This is the story of a small family and how the people we think we know have so many more layers under the one we see on the surface. This tale is as old as time: family is comprised of messy, maddening, and complicated people for whom we harbor messy, maddening, and complicated feelings.
December 31, 2021
When we first meet Nathan, narrated by Jesse Eisenberg, he is struggling to make sense of his newborn son. Nathan doesn't emote very well and his ability to make connections have been limited to his wife, Rachel. He is crushed by her insistence that he bond with Ziggy because he doesn't know how. These are the exercises he does for his therapist. At first he is mostly angry and very literal but as he starts to unwind a little he starts to understand that he has hopes and dreams for his marriage and for his son and he starts to see Ziggy as independent from Rachel. When we meet Rachel (voiced by Kaitlyn Dever) it is long before she has met Nathan. In fact, she is deeply in love with another man, one who is just like her and believes in social justice. (Nathan works at a copy shop. Social Justice isn't his primary mission in life.) We see how happy she is and wonder how she ended up with Nathan (although we know) and then her boyfriend dies. When we meet Ziggy (voiced by Finn Wolfhard) he is a teenager who has been assigned to AI therapy as a result of a fight. At first Ziggy, like his father before him, thinks it's dumb. But as time goes on, he starts to understand and begins to relate to the emotions of others. Of course, as soon as he accomplishes that, he is released from therapy. It was entertaining if for no other reason than to show us how messed up we all are!
March 4, 2023
this book leaves me feeling empty and conflicted. i didn't like the lack of a resolution at the end of rachel's story to weave the three narratives together. i was intrigued by the title, but the story's connection to it is very murky (in an unsatisfying way).
nonetheless, i still enjoyed the natural, easily-relatable writing and mostly stellar performances (finn's part was a little excessive at first but i had enough patience to stick through it). jesse eisenberg is obviously a skilled writer and amazing performer (i enjoyed nathan's recordings the most).
my interpretation of the story's message is this: rachel, never really recovering from her loss and trauma, flings herself into her grand Operation Save The World. as a result, neither nathan nor ziggy feel adequate for her. what first appears to be rachel's admirable passion to care and act is revealed to be an uncontrolled and unhealthy coping mechanism -- for bearing the death of her boyfriend and dealing with the unsettling flurry of social issues and global instabilities -- which, frankly, is quite sad. the title, for me, is a wish slash plea from nathan and ziggy: "rachel, when you finish saving the world, take a look at the ordinary people around you. we all care about you very much."
nonetheless, i still enjoyed the natural, easily-relatable writing and mostly stellar performances (finn's part was a little excessive at first but i had enough patience to stick through it). jesse eisenberg is obviously a skilled writer and amazing performer (i enjoyed nathan's recordings the most).
my interpretation of the story's message is this: rachel, never really recovering from her loss and trauma, flings herself into her grand Operation Save The World. as a result, neither nathan nor ziggy feel adequate for her. what first appears to be rachel's admirable passion to care and act is revealed to be an uncontrolled and unhealthy coping mechanism -- for bearing the death of her boyfriend and dealing with the unsettling flurry of social issues and global instabilities -- which, frankly, is quite sad. the title, for me, is a wish slash plea from nathan and ziggy: "rachel, when you finish saving the world, take a look at the ordinary people around you. we all care about you very much."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2021
i finished this in a plane. i took advantage of the moment where the girl sitting beside me FINALLY decided to stop talking and go to sleep (moment of peace because she spoke waay too high… it was awful hahaha).
going back to the audio. it is one that you can only hear in audible but honestly, it’s worth it.
you follow three stories, each with three different timelines. most of the time, i have trouble with audiobooks (when i listen to them without reading them at the same time). i feel like I'm getting lost and I can't find the meaning of the story. the thing about this, the story was made to be heard, so it gets a lot better. u get to enjoy it, and relate to the characters in a different way than in paper, so its kinda cool.
for me, the part i enjoyed the most was Nathan's (Jesse Eisenberg is the narrator of this one). oh right. forgot to mention JESSE FUCKING EISENBERG wrote this one. i’m sorry but the dude CAN write. finn wolfhard and kaitlyn dever also narrate.
i highly recommend this audio, for anyone who needs to be heard.
going back to the audio. it is one that you can only hear in audible but honestly, it’s worth it.
you follow three stories, each with three different timelines. most of the time, i have trouble with audiobooks (when i listen to them without reading them at the same time). i feel like I'm getting lost and I can't find the meaning of the story. the thing about this, the story was made to be heard, so it gets a lot better. u get to enjoy it, and relate to the characters in a different way than in paper, so its kinda cool.
for me, the part i enjoyed the most was Nathan's (Jesse Eisenberg is the narrator of this one). oh right. forgot to mention JESSE FUCKING EISENBERG wrote this one. i’m sorry but the dude CAN write. finn wolfhard and kaitlyn dever also narrate.
i highly recommend this audio, for anyone who needs to be heard.
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