What do you think?
Rate this book
CoinciDATE
"Happiness is a finite resource."
In a small seaside town everyone is looking for their piece of happiness. Decent people are punished and the horrible are rewarded for their actions. Miranda is an investigator who stalks people for a living and sells their information to the lonely and the desperate. Doug and Barry are perverts, but they were not created equal. Doug is handsome, well educated, intelligent. He has a great job. Barry is involuntarily celibate.
Girls working behind counters are vulnerable to the prying eyes of determined perverts.
Online forums give lonely and angry men the opportunity to share their philosophy and advice with one another and conclude that women are to blame for their frustrations.
Mass shootings are the norm.
Business has never been better for unorthodox dating agencies.
In a small seaside town everyone is looking for their piece of happiness. Decent people are punished and the horrible are rewarded for their actions. Miranda is an investigator who stalks people for a living and sells their information to the lonely and the desperate. Doug and Barry are perverts, but they were not created equal. Doug is handsome, well educated, intelligent. He has a great job. Barry is involuntarily celibate.
Girls working behind counters are vulnerable to the prying eyes of determined perverts.
Online forums give lonely and angry men the opportunity to share their philosophy and advice with one another and conclude that women are to blame for their frustrations.
Mass shootings are the norm.
Business has never been better for unorthodox dating agencies.
412 pages, Paperback
Published May 4, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 26, 2021
I don’t think I will ever stop being amazed by how many stunning books released by Indie publishers and also those self published authors end up going under everybody’s radar. CoinciDATE is bloody good, I have enjoyed this book and can find no fault with it, the characters are great and the writing is of high quality and yet only 14 reviews (to date) on Goodreads, this book truly deserves it’s chance to be read by many.
I don’t know if it is intentional but it almost feels like a modern day retelling of Last Exit to Brooklyn, that book’s theme revolved around drugs, CoinciDATE’s focus is sex. You have a group of characters who are pretty horrible and yet you fall for them, they do bad thing after bad thing and yet you still hope they come out on top. Barry is such a good character, his story is heart breaking, there are so many people in the world yet he is so alone and hardly noticed by anybody…you almost wanna shout ” I see ya Barry!”.
The subject matter might put a lot of people off, but people like Barry and Kenneth exist in the world, they are spreading their opinions of the opposite sex on the Internet, what Low does in this book is look past their aggressive outlook to see what makes them tick and what they really want.
As for the company CoinciDATE, is that a good idea? Pay somebody to stalk somebody you like to find out about them to make that first contact go smoothly, it might be good idea if it was run by somebody with morals but business is business and it will always end up being about the money and people will inevitably end up getting hurt.
This is a very good book, it may be classed as transgressive fiction but I think it goes much deeper than the traditional transgressive novel, Low recognises that behind an act of violence there is a person with a story to tell and because of that I would 100% recommend this book.
One final thought….What the hell is Rocket Jizz? Read this book and explain it to me. 🙂
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
I don’t know if it is intentional but it almost feels like a modern day retelling of Last Exit to Brooklyn, that book’s theme revolved around drugs, CoinciDATE’s focus is sex. You have a group of characters who are pretty horrible and yet you fall for them, they do bad thing after bad thing and yet you still hope they come out on top. Barry is such a good character, his story is heart breaking, there are so many people in the world yet he is so alone and hardly noticed by anybody…you almost wanna shout ” I see ya Barry!”.
The subject matter might put a lot of people off, but people like Barry and Kenneth exist in the world, they are spreading their opinions of the opposite sex on the Internet, what Low does in this book is look past their aggressive outlook to see what makes them tick and what they really want.
As for the company CoinciDATE, is that a good idea? Pay somebody to stalk somebody you like to find out about them to make that first contact go smoothly, it might be good idea if it was run by somebody with morals but business is business and it will always end up being about the money and people will inevitably end up getting hurt.
This is a very good book, it may be classed as transgressive fiction but I think it goes much deeper than the traditional transgressive novel, Low recognises that behind an act of violence there is a person with a story to tell and because of that I would 100% recommend this book.
One final thought….What the hell is Rocket Jizz? Read this book and explain it to me. 🙂
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
April 20, 2021
God moves in a mysterious way. So did this novel and somehow appeared in my hands.
"CoinciDATE" is an unusual book. We can either hate the characters or feel pity for them, but they'll leave no one cold. It is a brilliantly written story, which guides us to the darkest corners of the human soul and shows us another world — the world of miserable and dangerous people. The world which lots of us are used to ignoring.
The novel's got all the things we like about good books: suspense, action, amazing sense of humor and an original idea. It wouldn't let me put it down till I reached the end. And I'm going to read the novel again once I need goosebumps on the back of my head.
"CoinciDATE" is an unusual book. We can either hate the characters or feel pity for them, but they'll leave no one cold. It is a brilliantly written story, which guides us to the darkest corners of the human soul and shows us another world — the world of miserable and dangerous people. The world which lots of us are used to ignoring.
The novel's got all the things we like about good books: suspense, action, amazing sense of humor and an original idea. It wouldn't let me put it down till I reached the end. And I'm going to read the novel again once I need goosebumps on the back of my head.
June 9, 2021
I feel like with this book I finally got some back story on some of the people I meet online. Which I never really asked for! But I welcome nonetheless. Modern love is nearly impossible to navigate with grace and ease. People seem more twisted and disturbed than ever, but how could that not be the case? CoinciDATE narrates the agony of existing for those born online with every perverse backdrop in tow: school shootings, strip clubs, cheap motels, and beyond. There’s no one to like in this book, but that doesn’t stop it from being great. I’d recommend this book to anyone.
April 25, 2021
To paraphrase Robert Christgau’s review of Brian Wilson’s long-awaited 2004 production of SMiLE, Low’s CoinciDATE is a tonic for American millennials who have watched their employment prospects wrecked and social environments carved out between a small band of techie robber barons. Whether we’re selling our endless sorrow or successes for the benefit of commercial advertisement space is mostly up to circumstances beyond our control; this is the underlying conflict the characters push against to propel forward the plot of CoinciDATE as they struggle with their origins and the contexts of their lives – the commercial and social systems of working people in 2020 – with mixed success and often questionable thinking. Some of them will earn your sympathy even if none of them particularly deserve it (enough of them especially do not). While the plot moves through an absurdist set of contexts, in 2020 they are never terribly unbelievable – especially the darkest moments – as they are only a permutation of the troubles of that annus horribilis and the subject matter at hand is prosaic and relevant to most readers who have ever experienced any quantity or quality of setback in their lives.
Generally, if you enjoy character studies (Randy Newman’s character pieces come to mind especially), social criticism, and ambiguity you will enjoy this work that is ultimately sympathetic to the human condition in our inhuman moment. Low is able to craft this contemporary portrait without didacticism brutalizing the reader towards any implicit social messaging while also not, by any measure, stooping to the lowest common denominators of our time.
Generally, if you enjoy character studies (Randy Newman’s character pieces come to mind especially), social criticism, and ambiguity you will enjoy this work that is ultimately sympathetic to the human condition in our inhuman moment. Low is able to craft this contemporary portrait without didacticism brutalizing the reader towards any implicit social messaging while also not, by any measure, stooping to the lowest common denominators of our time.
June 27, 2021
This transgressive piece explores the process of human interaction we have nowadays, especially in the dating world, therefore, how we are condemned to decay and ridiculousness as a society, driving us into the gutter each time in a much faster pace.
It deals with incels, perverts, people who think that by achieving their desires their whole life will change and who then blame others when this doesn’t go as planned.
I think it’s a perfect reflection of the modern age, where image is the most important thing and it doesn’t really matter if the base of the relationships are lies and falsehood as long as you keep pretending.
This book is written in a brilliant way, simple and easy to read, which is a hard thing to achieve.
The exploration of each character gives the piece a really particular style, as well as how all their stories intertwine with one another and allows you to see them interact in different environments, that way exploring each side and different perspectives even more closer.
It was a pleasure to read this book and I really look forward to read the author’s future works. Books like this make you feel that maybe literature is not so lost nowadays.
It deals with incels, perverts, people who think that by achieving their desires their whole life will change and who then blame others when this doesn’t go as planned.
I think it’s a perfect reflection of the modern age, where image is the most important thing and it doesn’t really matter if the base of the relationships are lies and falsehood as long as you keep pretending.
This book is written in a brilliant way, simple and easy to read, which is a hard thing to achieve.
The exploration of each character gives the piece a really particular style, as well as how all their stories intertwine with one another and allows you to see them interact in different environments, that way exploring each side and different perspectives even more closer.
It was a pleasure to read this book and I really look forward to read the author’s future works. Books like this make you feel that maybe literature is not so lost nowadays.
April 27, 2021
Full disclosure: I'm friends with the author. But, as should be clear from my personality, I would rather stop being friends with someone than pretend I liked their novel if I didn't.
I found David's really moving. It's a novel about incels, but it's not an incel novel -- by which I mean that it's interested in the *sort* of sadness and ugliness that those communities are replete with, without being interested in adopting any sort of political or even necessarily thetic position on inceldom.
It's grotesque and horrifying without ever slipping into sensationalism. It's sometimes very funny, and always very sad. I recommend it to anyone who has ever been lonely.
I found David's really moving. It's a novel about incels, but it's not an incel novel -- by which I mean that it's interested in the *sort* of sadness and ugliness that those communities are replete with, without being interested in adopting any sort of political or even necessarily thetic position on inceldom.
It's grotesque and horrifying without ever slipping into sensationalism. It's sometimes very funny, and always very sad. I recommend it to anyone who has ever been lonely.
October 22, 2021
Even though I've watched the podcast interviews with Low first, I approached his book with no expectations. The initial idea had me hooked.
Low examines today's incel nation—an internet subculture of involuntary celibates who blame society for their failures in life, particularly on the love plane. I haven't seen any author touch upon this topic, except for a police investigator in the news, highlighting this as a huge concern. But no one is paying attention or has the mental capacity to understand the nature of outsiders and why mass shootings happen. We're never in the head of an incel, experiencing life from their perspective.
Incels use the digital world to unite and share life stories. We learn about their nature, desires, and aspirations, which seem out of reach despite their attempt to fit in.
CoinciDATE's satirical take on society expands into individual transgressive journeys. We learn about the story's central characters, where each one carries a uniqueness, representing the different roles in modern society:
-Barry is an unattractive student in his twenties who has never dated or slept with a girl. He falls for the stereotypical beauty that works on his campus. (These beauties are also called "Staceys").
-Doug is an unsatisfied married man who falls for a younger girl. He represents the so-called "Chad"—the privileged white male who is popular with the girls.
-Miranda is your average troubled middle-class girl that tries to figure out her life. She joins CoinciDATE and makes money by stalking her clients' desired partners and disclosing private information.
CoinciDATE represents everything unethical about being human. If you've always second-guessed private investigators, this will put a new spin on how dating agencies have evolved (observed in the realm of fiction).
While most characters are unlikeable, you can't help but empathize with them. Why? Because you have felt similarly in one way or another. Low opens your eyes to today's harsh realities, dictated by our dark desires to get what we want.
Every character's sense of morality is questionable, but it will ruin the book's whole point if they act any differently. Do losers stay losers? Do bad people always get away with what they did? Is sex or capitalism the root of all evil?
Ultimately, there are no heroes. Everyone thinks of themselves.
The suspenseful build-up leads to an almost unforeseen but phenomenal climax, which got me curious about how it would play out on screen. (That's if the author is willing to turn it into a script.) Some unexpected bloody turns caught me off guard—somewhat in the style of Imperial Bedrooms. More disturbing acts take place until someone believes they have saved the day. But whether they did it for the right reasons is another question. Again, this shows who we are in today's capitalist society.
Low is way ahead of the game than most transgressive fiction writers and has mastered the fundamentals of satire writing. You will know what I mean when you find yourself laughing at the most outrageous scenes.
CoinciDATE was one of the most refreshing books I have read this year, addressing relevant social issues triggered by social media and dating apps. It gave me a greater understanding of how other people deal with disaffection and suppression. Like I mentioned before, criminologists already highlight that online subcultures like incels need to be taken seriously; otherwise, as Low states in his blurb, "mass shootings are the norm."
Low examines today's incel nation—an internet subculture of involuntary celibates who blame society for their failures in life, particularly on the love plane. I haven't seen any author touch upon this topic, except for a police investigator in the news, highlighting this as a huge concern. But no one is paying attention or has the mental capacity to understand the nature of outsiders and why mass shootings happen. We're never in the head of an incel, experiencing life from their perspective.
Incels use the digital world to unite and share life stories. We learn about their nature, desires, and aspirations, which seem out of reach despite their attempt to fit in.
CoinciDATE's satirical take on society expands into individual transgressive journeys. We learn about the story's central characters, where each one carries a uniqueness, representing the different roles in modern society:
-Barry is an unattractive student in his twenties who has never dated or slept with a girl. He falls for the stereotypical beauty that works on his campus. (These beauties are also called "Staceys").
-Doug is an unsatisfied married man who falls for a younger girl. He represents the so-called "Chad"—the privileged white male who is popular with the girls.
-Miranda is your average troubled middle-class girl that tries to figure out her life. She joins CoinciDATE and makes money by stalking her clients' desired partners and disclosing private information.
CoinciDATE represents everything unethical about being human. If you've always second-guessed private investigators, this will put a new spin on how dating agencies have evolved (observed in the realm of fiction).
While most characters are unlikeable, you can't help but empathize with them. Why? Because you have felt similarly in one way or another. Low opens your eyes to today's harsh realities, dictated by our dark desires to get what we want.
Every character's sense of morality is questionable, but it will ruin the book's whole point if they act any differently. Do losers stay losers? Do bad people always get away with what they did? Is sex or capitalism the root of all evil?
Ultimately, there are no heroes. Everyone thinks of themselves.
The suspenseful build-up leads to an almost unforeseen but phenomenal climax, which got me curious about how it would play out on screen. (That's if the author is willing to turn it into a script.) Some unexpected bloody turns caught me off guard—somewhat in the style of Imperial Bedrooms. More disturbing acts take place until someone believes they have saved the day. But whether they did it for the right reasons is another question. Again, this shows who we are in today's capitalist society.
Low is way ahead of the game than most transgressive fiction writers and has mastered the fundamentals of satire writing. You will know what I mean when you find yourself laughing at the most outrageous scenes.
CoinciDATE was one of the most refreshing books I have read this year, addressing relevant social issues triggered by social media and dating apps. It gave me a greater understanding of how other people deal with disaffection and suppression. Like I mentioned before, criminologists already highlight that online subcultures like incels need to be taken seriously; otherwise, as Low states in his blurb, "mass shootings are the norm."
March 8, 2022
It’s rare to find a book like CoinciDATE which never stops to amuse for even half a page. Some scenes cause a good chuckle, whereas other scenes induce a fit of breath-taking laughter. Both the motel scene and the swimming pool chapter had me creased up and crying, but the strip club episode was a killing. Ridiculously hilarious!
Low’s style, telling the story of a shady business idea from multiple angles in third person but from inside their minds, allows for a varied multitude of thoughts and voices. His novel achieves to show authentic perspectives of realistic characters and their ideas as well as their ridiculous situations, problems, and feelings. With “incels” raging on about “Chads” and “Staceys” by using grotesque word pools from ideological bubbles and internet speak, one may wonder whether older generations even come close to understand half of the cast. One way or another the narrator spares none of these alienated loners from suffering consequences and contradictions of their worldview. Contrasting acts of monstrosity with moments of good will, this book presents characters whose symptoms have some of their causes in society, while decisions of these characters ruin their unwholesome community in Southern California. — As a seminal text on the sexual revolution and its consequences David R. Low’s CoinciDATE runs the risk of ending up being taught in U.S. high schools and universities.
A brilliant demolition of any remaining optimistic views on modern dating culture of the Silicon Valley type. An educational horror-show!
Low’s style, telling the story of a shady business idea from multiple angles in third person but from inside their minds, allows for a varied multitude of thoughts and voices. His novel achieves to show authentic perspectives of realistic characters and their ideas as well as their ridiculous situations, problems, and feelings. With “incels” raging on about “Chads” and “Staceys” by using grotesque word pools from ideological bubbles and internet speak, one may wonder whether older generations even come close to understand half of the cast. One way or another the narrator spares none of these alienated loners from suffering consequences and contradictions of their worldview. Contrasting acts of monstrosity with moments of good will, this book presents characters whose symptoms have some of their causes in society, while decisions of these characters ruin their unwholesome community in Southern California. — As a seminal text on the sexual revolution and its consequences David R. Low’s CoinciDATE runs the risk of ending up being taught in U.S. high schools and universities.
A brilliant demolition of any remaining optimistic views on modern dating culture of the Silicon Valley type. An educational horror-show!
May 18, 2021
Coincidate is not a book created for mass-appeal. It is not a feel-good, anodyne 'page-turner'. But it is an unvarnished look at unpleasant realities of modern life that collectively get ignored or grossly simplified. And it's a hell of a lot of fun all the same.
Coincidate features an interlocking cast of characters all centered around the Coincidate stalking agency. The perspective shifts chapter by chapter, and the book follows a frenetic pace. At 400 pages, it isn't short, but there is no lull or gap in the pace. I finished the final 250 pages of the book in one sitting because I did not want to put it down.
David Low is a perceptive observer of the darker impulses of human nature - of how the need to be loved and validated can make people both ridiculous and heinous. He spares nothing illustrating the inner desires and motives of Coincidate's rotating cast of characters. Characters act in humiliating and pathetic ways, and Low describes it all in explicit, intimate detail.
Despite handling serious (incel culture, mass shootings) and upsetting topics, this is not a book that takes itself too seriously. Low introduces plotlines and characters that push the envelope of suspension of disbelief. But it works. Key to this is the sense of dark humor permeating every page -Coincidate is one of the funniest books I have ever read.
Coincidate features an interlocking cast of characters all centered around the Coincidate stalking agency. The perspective shifts chapter by chapter, and the book follows a frenetic pace. At 400 pages, it isn't short, but there is no lull or gap in the pace. I finished the final 250 pages of the book in one sitting because I did not want to put it down.
David Low is a perceptive observer of the darker impulses of human nature - of how the need to be loved and validated can make people both ridiculous and heinous. He spares nothing illustrating the inner desires and motives of Coincidate's rotating cast of characters. Characters act in humiliating and pathetic ways, and Low describes it all in explicit, intimate detail.
Despite handling serious (incel culture, mass shootings) and upsetting topics, this is not a book that takes itself too seriously. Low introduces plotlines and characters that push the envelope of suspension of disbelief. But it works. Key to this is the sense of dark humor permeating every page -Coincidate is one of the funniest books I have ever read.
August 5, 2021
Disregarding the harsh topic, I consider CoinciDATE a book about humans and their sexuality with all its distortions. Hence, I could relate to all the characters, despite the fact I hated some of them. Relate in a sense of understanding where are they coming from, how did they end up being such people. It feels that the author brought into the book a deep understanding of human psychology, and it's close connection to human sexuality.
At the same time, as I understood what all the intermingled plots were based on, I was still shocked by the outcomes. Mainly because people can always surprise you, even if you think you know them. That's why I think this book is so human. It offers the readers an experience of interaction with people, many of us would avoid otherwise. By people, I mean characters who became so real for me during my reading that it was hard to let them go and stop following the flow of their lives.
I am thankful to the author, who definitely knows a thing about humans soul, for this masterpiece. Totally recommend it to anyone who loves reading deep psychological novels. Especially those that do not have excessive amount of terminology or smart-ass comments on how people should live, but depict people as they are, with all the reasons that lead them to be this or that way.
At the same time, as I understood what all the intermingled plots were based on, I was still shocked by the outcomes. Mainly because people can always surprise you, even if you think you know them. That's why I think this book is so human. It offers the readers an experience of interaction with people, many of us would avoid otherwise. By people, I mean characters who became so real for me during my reading that it was hard to let them go and stop following the flow of their lives.
I am thankful to the author, who definitely knows a thing about humans soul, for this masterpiece. Totally recommend it to anyone who loves reading deep psychological novels. Especially those that do not have excessive amount of terminology or smart-ass comments on how people should live, but depict people as they are, with all the reasons that lead them to be this or that way.
May 8, 2021
This book is by design, quite the heavy read. Right from the opening pages the author makes it clear this book will tackle some uncomfortable topics and follows some deeply flawed and frustrating characters. This book is also incredibly funny, weird, relevant, and uncomfortable in how relatable the characters often can be.
The story follows characters who constantly make terrible decision after terrible decision, and it’s incredibly frustrating at times, but also part of what makes this book unique. You can't help but want to know how Barry will make his life worse or more problematic. The characters are deeply flawed and some of them are downright horrible people, but they are all people we've met and know feel like we know someone extremely similar personally. Each one is fighting with their own demons and reading this book is often like eavesdropping on very intimate and personal struggles.
I would argue that it seems like some people might be put off by reading about violence, incels and even down right misogynists, but I never felt the violence was excessive or negative qualities glorified. The book does a good job at capturing the insanity that is late 2010s America and relevant “millennial struggles” echoed online. Throughout the book's sad, depressing, and horrific parts, there is always an undertone of humor. It mostly succeeds, even if it can feel somewhat cartoonish at points. One character who shows up later in the novel (I will not mention their name), is, if I understood correctly, meant to be a literal space alien. The inclusion of this character is downright jarring, but in a twisted way it kind of works, as so much of what happens in this book seems to be meant to be weird and jarring.
It's funny, depressing, weird, and captures the darker aspects of American culture. Highly recommended.
The story follows characters who constantly make terrible decision after terrible decision, and it’s incredibly frustrating at times, but also part of what makes this book unique. You can't help but want to know how Barry will make his life worse or more problematic. The characters are deeply flawed and some of them are downright horrible people, but they are all people we've met and know feel like we know someone extremely similar personally. Each one is fighting with their own demons and reading this book is often like eavesdropping on very intimate and personal struggles.
I would argue that it seems like some people might be put off by reading about violence, incels and even down right misogynists, but I never felt the violence was excessive or negative qualities glorified. The book does a good job at capturing the insanity that is late 2010s America and relevant “millennial struggles” echoed online. Throughout the book's sad, depressing, and horrific parts, there is always an undertone of humor. It mostly succeeds, even if it can feel somewhat cartoonish at points. One character who shows up later in the novel (I will not mention their name), is, if I understood correctly, meant to be a literal space alien. The inclusion of this character is downright jarring, but in a twisted way it kind of works, as so much of what happens in this book seems to be meant to be weird and jarring.
It's funny, depressing, weird, and captures the darker aspects of American culture. Highly recommended.
June 25, 2021
I loved this book, and I highly recommend it to everyone. However, it comes with a warning: it is not for the faint of heart, and it will not make you walk away feeling any better about society (maybe about yourself, but that depends on which characters you might relate best to... ;))
Low does an amazing job developing a cast of misfits, who are also oddly relatable characters. Interweaving multiple storylines and juxtaposing grim realities with uncanny pseudo-fantasies, CoinciDATE leaves you feeling frustrated, empathetic, sad, and yet more aware of the afflictions affecting so many humans in the united states. Low's ability to saddle numerous dark topics with humor and satire makes this book all the better.
Timely, appropriately inappropriate, and raw, this book leaves you with a better understanding of dating, love, and human interactions in a violent, aggressive, relentlessly unsympathetic 21st century United States.
Low does an amazing job developing a cast of misfits, who are also oddly relatable characters. Interweaving multiple storylines and juxtaposing grim realities with uncanny pseudo-fantasies, CoinciDATE leaves you feeling frustrated, empathetic, sad, and yet more aware of the afflictions affecting so many humans in the united states. Low's ability to saddle numerous dark topics with humor and satire makes this book all the better.
Timely, appropriately inappropriate, and raw, this book leaves you with a better understanding of dating, love, and human interactions in a violent, aggressive, relentlessly unsympathetic 21st century United States.
February 28, 2022
Coincidate is a difficult book to put down once you start reading it. The book focuses on the darker sides of society and human nature but despite the various unsettling themes you are continuously drawn in to read more. Each character in the forefront is presented in a way that quickly lets you understand their perspective and place in life and you can't help but feel like you know them personally. The book shifts perspective from character to character which keeps it fresh and constantly engaging. There is no way to call this book boring and amid the darker parts the author is aware of how lighten up the mood and has many passages will possibly make you laugh out loud. Like how a cicerone can identify the perfect steam beer, anyone who appreciates darker fiction will likely enjoy this book very much.
April 17, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. When I read it, I thought that it was timely, wacky and fun. The writing reminds me of Bulgakov's Heart of a Dog. In CoinciDATE, Low confronts 2020's dogma (it changes with the weather) in the hopes of creating discussion where there is often condescension and refusal to discuss. The premise that a dating agency arranges and facilitates the dating lives of lost souls is funny. It's like minority report meets tinder. In addition, Low's description of the space bodies take up is unique, silly and a little gross. Mostly, the book is a humorous social commentary addressing issues that have been, in my opinion, wrongfully stripped of their humor.
April 20, 2021
"Nothing human disgusts me, unless it is unkind" - Tennessee Williams
CoinciDATE is a psychological thriller set in a dystopia that is just the contemporary United States. David Low confronts the human and the unkind in equal measure. It is a biopsy of the incel phenomenon. Starting with his pseudo-Elliot Rodgers, Low's characters embody the social pathologies endemic in the post-Tinder dating world. He doesn't bother with flattery and I found myself uncomfortably confronted with aspect, behaviors, impulses and motivations I have experienced in myself and others first hand. Every character was someone I already knew.
CoinciDATE is a psychological thriller set in a dystopia that is just the contemporary United States. David Low confronts the human and the unkind in equal measure. It is a biopsy of the incel phenomenon. Starting with his pseudo-Elliot Rodgers, Low's characters embody the social pathologies endemic in the post-Tinder dating world. He doesn't bother with flattery and I found myself uncomfortably confronted with aspect, behaviors, impulses and motivations I have experienced in myself and others first hand. Every character was someone I already knew.
May 5, 2021
Does anyone feel like they have a good understanding of the state of romance in 2021? Personally, I see the unceasing torrent of supposedly positive and life-affirming social media content spewing forth from influencer couples and relationship gurus and I think: This can’t possibly be it. What are you not telling us?
David R. Low’s CoinciDATE explores the darker side of modern romance, showing a warped reality in which flitting desire quickly turns to unbound obsession and deception is far more commonplace than honesty. Lives are utterly ruined so that a few can gain social cache and financial power. Those who display naked ambition and profound narcissism are left unrestrained by ethical qualms or fear of retribution. Love sucks.
I don’t know what your expectations for a first-time author are (and they may be completely different from my own) but I was impressed by the way Low creates convincing, deep characters and places them in situations in which you know they are bound to come into conflict with one another. The setting - ostensibly a present-day coastal American town on the small-medium size - and its inhabitants are, at times, absurd, as if they were lifted from a Twilight Zone episode written by Thomas Pynchon. But the author uses this surrealism to his advantage, depicting deplorable people in deranged dilemmas in order to reveal something fundamental and imminently relevant to the way we think about others and ourselves today. Our perception of “reality” or “truth” is unavoidably altered by our surroundings and the frameworks in which they are presented to us; CoinciDATE attempts to identify and examine these perception filters, though you may not agree with the book’s conclusions on what they are and what effect they can have on us. This book is not for everyone, but even though its occasionally grotesque subject matter may put some readers off entirely, I think it makes for a valuable and entertaining reading experience.
Disclosure: David R. Low is a friend of mine and I was lightly involved in the production process of this book.
David R. Low’s CoinciDATE explores the darker side of modern romance, showing a warped reality in which flitting desire quickly turns to unbound obsession and deception is far more commonplace than honesty. Lives are utterly ruined so that a few can gain social cache and financial power. Those who display naked ambition and profound narcissism are left unrestrained by ethical qualms or fear of retribution. Love sucks.
I don’t know what your expectations for a first-time author are (and they may be completely different from my own) but I was impressed by the way Low creates convincing, deep characters and places them in situations in which you know they are bound to come into conflict with one another. The setting - ostensibly a present-day coastal American town on the small-medium size - and its inhabitants are, at times, absurd, as if they were lifted from a Twilight Zone episode written by Thomas Pynchon. But the author uses this surrealism to his advantage, depicting deplorable people in deranged dilemmas in order to reveal something fundamental and imminently relevant to the way we think about others and ourselves today. Our perception of “reality” or “truth” is unavoidably altered by our surroundings and the frameworks in which they are presented to us; CoinciDATE attempts to identify and examine these perception filters, though you may not agree with the book’s conclusions on what they are and what effect they can have on us. This book is not for everyone, but even though its occasionally grotesque subject matter may put some readers off entirely, I think it makes for a valuable and entertaining reading experience.
Disclosure: David R. Low is a friend of mine and I was lightly involved in the production process of this book.
March 27, 2022
Though there might be some stylistic shortcomings in parts, Low keeps the reader involved emotionally and always turning the page — the most we can ask of a young author. The book explores some of the most uncomfortable issues facing modern American society and his generation through the prism of the absurd. What separates it is the combination of Low’s gift for storytelling, fearlessness in expression and sense of irony.
I’m looking forward to his next book!
I’m looking forward to his next book!
April 20, 2021
This book is a really interesting look into the mysterious and creepy world of incels. It is simultaneously extremely dark and hilarious. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on in the brains of really messed up people, you will like this book. I highly recommend it.
December 4, 2022
A well-written and deeply disturbing exploration of incel culture. (I didn’t think it was possible for the ending to be more shocking than the beginning but… good lord!)
June 23, 2021
A consistently interesting and reflecting narrative; a transgressive book I'll always recommend.
Watch my YouTube review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTB0Y...
Watch my YouTube review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTB0Y...
June 2, 2022
Darkly sardonic third-person story of Kenneth & his band of incels: stinky fat-settlers and wannabe Chads with mournful jawlines. Though rather tell-y, being verbose suits the teenage-minded character who is fittingly articulate and unintentionally funny yet bankrupt in emotional intelligence. I always find these sorts vaguely sympathetic in part for the interesting entertainment, blunt sex & race observations that try too hard to turn attraction into economic & numbered absolutes, I.e. wrist and neck size predetermining your perpetual virginity. Unfortunately, this book delves pretty baseline, introductory into such concepts.
One of my fav pastimes is perusing the incel forums because there is actually such a range of boys (some brand new who actually adore their moms so put her on too much of a pedestal compared to their-age Staceys and are cautious but impressionable about this mindset) and amazing slang (rice-cel, mogging, lookmaxxing, etc).
This book makes me wanna read a femcel collaboration, especially since it’s a woman who actually started the incel movement about herself. The extreme social (media) anxiety & feeling horribly ugly/unworthy while everyone else seems oversexed are ironically very relatable to girls.
Though this book is not fast-pace (should be cut down a fourth), the first big “twist” is predictable and happens so soon I keep expecting it to be a dream. Not enough groundwork has been lain to make him seem truly violent or even at a tipping point vs his regular frustration. I don’t even feel bad for anyone hurt because it all happens without any buildup or interactions.
The next ch starts a new female POV of a highly cliche and boring wannabe English major. Even as an author, I have zero sympathy for any whiner who wastes $50K—not a reasonable $10K over four years—on an “education” you get for free on YouTube. Plus, working in a coffee shop/bookstore? I get all the customers should be tossed in an incinerator, but if I read one more book with this nothing setting, I’m gonna stink-bomb a publishing house. I do get slight American Psycho vibes from the flirting business man with her though.
Another ch, another POV: the nicer, tubby friend of Kenneth. He has an interesting perspective, wishing he was in harm’s way to seem more attractive to girls, living with parents immediately over any even close-to-home tragedy, and wanting to quietly play devils advocate against the normies. He’s on an SJW film board funly highlighting all their blatant racism, though, like most things in the book, goes on for too long and should be subtler. Plus, one of his friends dies and it’s glazed over like he was a goldfish.
The girl Miranda is as rude, jealous, cynical, and depressed with lonely monotony as an incel, then takes on the job of a dating PI: investigate crushes so shy people can strike up conversations with them—her searches provide as many good surprises as unlikely incidents. One with a cute story and ex gf he’s willing to die over! Then there’s this office guy, Doug, who’s a wolfish Chad (despite his beta name), who sad virgins orbit. One character is writing a novel about the life of a translator for mail order brides, which I hope becomes a reality from this author. As you can tell, there are too many characters that could’ve been cut or condensed.
Things get pretty funny toward the end (there’s a character named Rocket Jizz after all) and there’re the moral dilemmas of assisting in suicide, stalking, and hebephelia. Seems to be a lot of satire that borders on magical realism or dreamlike fantasies that may or may not exist. Too many pivotal scenes are skipped over to be less thrillingly recapped later. Miranda’s end is too rushed like an afterthought to artlessly tie up ends/connections.
The end w/ Barry is a bit stupid because it’s like what Kenneth did never happened: no grief counselors, no one even giving his friends an odd look, no school closures, security presence nonexistent, no safety precautions of any kind. Too easy, no obstacles or planning. When Barry is obfuscated from doing what he wants, his true end is much better, no matter how silly or metaphorical.
One of my fav pastimes is perusing the incel forums because there is actually such a range of boys (some brand new who actually adore their moms so put her on too much of a pedestal compared to their-age Staceys and are cautious but impressionable about this mindset) and amazing slang (rice-cel, mogging, lookmaxxing, etc).
This book makes me wanna read a femcel collaboration, especially since it’s a woman who actually started the incel movement about herself. The extreme social (media) anxiety & feeling horribly ugly/unworthy while everyone else seems oversexed are ironically very relatable to girls.
Though this book is not fast-pace (should be cut down a fourth), the first big “twist” is predictable and happens so soon I keep expecting it to be a dream. Not enough groundwork has been lain to make him seem truly violent or even at a tipping point vs his regular frustration. I don’t even feel bad for anyone hurt because it all happens without any buildup or interactions.
The next ch starts a new female POV of a highly cliche and boring wannabe English major. Even as an author, I have zero sympathy for any whiner who wastes $50K—not a reasonable $10K over four years—on an “education” you get for free on YouTube. Plus, working in a coffee shop/bookstore? I get all the customers should be tossed in an incinerator, but if I read one more book with this nothing setting, I’m gonna stink-bomb a publishing house. I do get slight American Psycho vibes from the flirting business man with her though.
Another ch, another POV: the nicer, tubby friend of Kenneth. He has an interesting perspective, wishing he was in harm’s way to seem more attractive to girls, living with parents immediately over any even close-to-home tragedy, and wanting to quietly play devils advocate against the normies. He’s on an SJW film board funly highlighting all their blatant racism, though, like most things in the book, goes on for too long and should be subtler. Plus, one of his friends dies and it’s glazed over like he was a goldfish.
The girl Miranda is as rude, jealous, cynical, and depressed with lonely monotony as an incel, then takes on the job of a dating PI: investigate crushes so shy people can strike up conversations with them—her searches provide as many good surprises as unlikely incidents. One with a cute story and ex gf he’s willing to die over! Then there’s this office guy, Doug, who’s a wolfish Chad (despite his beta name), who sad virgins orbit. One character is writing a novel about the life of a translator for mail order brides, which I hope becomes a reality from this author. As you can tell, there are too many characters that could’ve been cut or condensed.
Things get pretty funny toward the end (there’s a character named Rocket Jizz after all) and there’re the moral dilemmas of assisting in suicide, stalking, and hebephelia. Seems to be a lot of satire that borders on magical realism or dreamlike fantasies that may or may not exist. Too many pivotal scenes are skipped over to be less thrillingly recapped later. Miranda’s end is too rushed like an afterthought to artlessly tie up ends/connections.
The end w/ Barry is a bit stupid because it’s like what Kenneth did never happened: no grief counselors, no one even giving his friends an odd look, no school closures, security presence nonexistent, no safety precautions of any kind. Too easy, no obstacles or planning. When Barry is obfuscated from doing what he wants, his true end is much better, no matter how silly or metaphorical.
September 24, 2022
Enjoyed reading this. Maybe it's just me, but Low's book created this dystopian vibe for me, as if it would take place in a distant future removed from today's world. I constantly had to remind myself that literally anything described in it could be happening in the exact same form today already - it probably is.
I feel that the book gives a realistic impression of this incel-dystopia lived by plenty of men today. It's holding a mirror to male-dominated online rabbit holes, be it forums or games, and shows what the people behind it could be like. The businesses presented in the book, a stalking agency to improve clients' odds before approaching a girl and the cult-like club where men pay to spend time with women and like-minded men, feel like just the logical progression of pick-up courses and OnlyFans.
Overall the book asks good questions, without openly judging the main characters for their behavior. It doesn't have to provide answers to be relevant.
My only criticism is that sometimes I found the book illogical: How is Miranda making so much money with what she's doing when she's spending entire days investigating girls for broke folks like Barry? How is the incel cult financed when people can participate for as little as 20 bucks? Also, what was up with Rocket Jizz? While I enjoyed the craziness of the latter, I'd have wished for a better explanation of the workings of the ConciDate-world in other aspects.
Overall a great read, definitely felt shorter than 400 pages. Unusual topics, engagingly written, good characters. Would recommend!
I feel that the book gives a realistic impression of this incel-dystopia lived by plenty of men today. It's holding a mirror to male-dominated online rabbit holes, be it forums or games, and shows what the people behind it could be like. The businesses presented in the book, a stalking agency to improve clients' odds before approaching a girl and the cult-like club where men pay to spend time with women and like-minded men, feel like just the logical progression of pick-up courses and OnlyFans.
Overall the book asks good questions, without openly judging the main characters for their behavior. It doesn't have to provide answers to be relevant.
My only criticism is that sometimes I found the book illogical: How is Miranda making so much money with what she's doing when she's spending entire days investigating girls for broke folks like Barry? How is the incel cult financed when people can participate for as little as 20 bucks? Also, what was up with Rocket Jizz? While I enjoyed the craziness of the latter, I'd have wished for a better explanation of the workings of the ConciDate-world in other aspects.
Overall a great read, definitely felt shorter than 400 pages. Unusual topics, engagingly written, good characters. Would recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2026
This book is hilarious. The CoinciDATE plot centers around the romantic life (or lack there of) of Barry, a young man who resides at the intersction of social awkwardness and online incel culture. It is a story that poses the question all young men will recognize: How do I get favorable attention from women? Instead of consulting friends and older brothers to gain knowledge on the gentler sex, CoinciDATE highlights the problems associated with taking relationship advice from annonymous (single) men online.
As Barry tragically stumbles through life, we are introduced to a young woman named Miranda who works for the company CoinciDATE. CoinciDATE's business model is to prey on the Barrys of the world. For a fee, CoinciDATE employees will stalk the women these social misfits are too shy to approach. The reconnaissance is sold to these lonely guys so that they can engineer a way to cross paths with these woman in hopes of establishishing a meaningful relationship (and it works out as well as one would expect).
This book was very easy to read as Low writes in prose one would find in online forums or in casual banter between guys. It is uncommon for me to laugh while reading, but I found myself laughing out loud on numerous occassions. The book really has it all: goofy young men, women who are uncomfortable around creepy guys, online incels, amateur stalking, verbal abuse, and a sprinkle of school shootings.
As Barry tragically stumbles through life, we are introduced to a young woman named Miranda who works for the company CoinciDATE. CoinciDATE's business model is to prey on the Barrys of the world. For a fee, CoinciDATE employees will stalk the women these social misfits are too shy to approach. The reconnaissance is sold to these lonely guys so that they can engineer a way to cross paths with these woman in hopes of establishishing a meaningful relationship (and it works out as well as one would expect).
This book was very easy to read as Low writes in prose one would find in online forums or in casual banter between guys. It is uncommon for me to laugh while reading, but I found myself laughing out loud on numerous occassions. The book really has it all: goofy young men, women who are uncomfortable around creepy guys, online incels, amateur stalking, verbal abuse, and a sprinkle of school shootings.
August 31, 2025
I'm the author of this book. I'm judging it against every other book or piece I've written, rather than against the rest of literature. I think it remains a pretty good book, but everything I've written since is far better. My second book, SCHLOCK, is far more representative of the type of writing I'd later pursue.
I think this book successfully shines a light at the state of dating, romance, and loneliness as exacerbated by online discourse in the average US city.
I recently got into a conversation with someone who read this for their book club. He didn't particularly care for the book. He believed the nihilistic worldview ended up validating the beliefs of the Incel characters. That wasn't my intention,but it wasn't not my intention either. At the risk of sounding pretentious, every choice the characters make gives them the only logical outcome they can receive. If it sounds like I'm removing responsibility on the part of the author, I am. The characters decide their own fates.
I wish I had gone weirder with this book. I've learned to give in to my worst and best tendencies.
I never was and still remain a bit unsatisfied with how Miranda's story culminates. If I could go back and do a George Lucas special edition, I'd do something with her story.
It's a good book and has enough quality in it to overcome what blemishes I see.
I think this book successfully shines a light at the state of dating, romance, and loneliness as exacerbated by online discourse in the average US city.
I recently got into a conversation with someone who read this for their book club. He didn't particularly care for the book. He believed the nihilistic worldview ended up validating the beliefs of the Incel characters. That wasn't my intention,but it wasn't not my intention either. At the risk of sounding pretentious, every choice the characters make gives them the only logical outcome they can receive. If it sounds like I'm removing responsibility on the part of the author, I am. The characters decide their own fates.
I wish I had gone weirder with this book. I've learned to give in to my worst and best tendencies.
I never was and still remain a bit unsatisfied with how Miranda's story culminates. If I could go back and do a George Lucas special edition, I'd do something with her story.
It's a good book and has enough quality in it to overcome what blemishes I see.
January 2, 2022
Reading this novel provided the fix for that perverted, indulgent satisfaction that we all crave to some degree. Low's writing flow and characterization is mesmerizing, captivating, and more than anything, believable. As the events play out I was in part sickened yet still hungering for more! Every decision, every thought process, every interaction, I couldn't help but realize I was being exposed to the reality that is the darker aspects of humanity that exist in every one of us. Capturing the essence of that and furthermore putting it to paper in a way where the reader just has to read one more chapter, and maybe one more after that, is definitely not an easy feat. Yet, in his debut novel, Low manages to create a story filled with characters that expose us to just that. Remarkable writing frames an original and challenging subject matter, even crossing the border of taboo at times. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who isn't afraid to test their resolve, and I am looking forward to future works from the author!
February 19, 2022
Highly recommend to anyone looking for an entertaining story and candid look at contemporary America.
Ambitious and clever, Low addresses many of the darker features of our evolving society head on: online "dating", school shootings, misogyny, masculinity, and a generation lost to economic stagnation. While these topics are heavy, fear not. Low employs a healthy dose of humor and irreverence throughout.
This story is told by a dynamic cast of characters. You'll find heroes, villains, and everything in between. But as this story of suspicion and betrayal unfolds, you'll be asking yourself if anyone can truly tell the difference. Told from many different perspectives, there is something here for everyone to enjoy. With each twist and turn, you'll find yourself gripped, laughing, and at times needing to look away, perhaps, over your shoulder.
Great fantastic debut for a promising author. Looking forward to what he comes up with next!
Ambitious and clever, Low addresses many of the darker features of our evolving society head on: online "dating", school shootings, misogyny, masculinity, and a generation lost to economic stagnation. While these topics are heavy, fear not. Low employs a healthy dose of humor and irreverence throughout.
This story is told by a dynamic cast of characters. You'll find heroes, villains, and everything in between. But as this story of suspicion and betrayal unfolds, you'll be asking yourself if anyone can truly tell the difference. Told from many different perspectives, there is something here for everyone to enjoy. With each twist and turn, you'll find yourself gripped, laughing, and at times needing to look away, perhaps, over your shoulder.
Great fantastic debut for a promising author. Looking forward to what he comes up with next!
August 29, 2025
Having read David Low's short stories, I came to CoinciDATE, expecting the book to feature a cast of irredeemable lowlives and freaks. Boy, was I not disappointed!
Sometimes you read a book and are left thinking, "Yes! Also, what?" CoinciDATE is one such novel. The characters portrayed here are disgusting in the best way possible. At times hilarious, and, occasionally, so pathetic as to illicit a modicum of sympathy without being forced to agree with their (awful) worldview at any point. The author shows great restraint in not moralising for or against the degenerates he is lambasting.
The second half of the book, in particular, had me glued to the pages. There are some truly bizarre turns in the last hundred or so pages that come at you from nowhere yet feel absolutely inevitable given the gaping wounds in most of the characters' psyches.
This is the strangest thing I have read in years. I can't wait to read the next one.
Sometimes you read a book and are left thinking, "Yes! Also, what?" CoinciDATE is one such novel. The characters portrayed here are disgusting in the best way possible. At times hilarious, and, occasionally, so pathetic as to illicit a modicum of sympathy without being forced to agree with their (awful) worldview at any point. The author shows great restraint in not moralising for or against the degenerates he is lambasting.
The second half of the book, in particular, had me glued to the pages. There are some truly bizarre turns in the last hundred or so pages that come at you from nowhere yet feel absolutely inevitable given the gaping wounds in most of the characters' psyches.
This is the strangest thing I have read in years. I can't wait to read the next one.
January 14, 2022
Never has it been so fun to read about some truly terrible people! The plot of events—the intersections of fates—is oddly gripping and full of some truly delightful moments. My favorite? The Adidas tracksuit, of course. If nothing else, read it for the tracksuit!
This book is simultaneously disturbing, cynical, insightful, and hilarious. If a book addressing the twisted world of incel culture sounds like a chore, just steel yourself and start reading—you'll be hooked by the quick-witted, conversational prose, which takes you into the hearts and minds of some characters you'd frankly rather not meet in real life. The more you come to despise this dystopian (but scarily relatable) society, the more you develop a weird state of love/hate towards its pitiable, despicable heroes. A page-turner and joy to read, suspenseful and full of just excellent dialogue. A very promising debut by Low!
This book is simultaneously disturbing, cynical, insightful, and hilarious. If a book addressing the twisted world of incel culture sounds like a chore, just steel yourself and start reading—you'll be hooked by the quick-witted, conversational prose, which takes you into the hearts and minds of some characters you'd frankly rather not meet in real life. The more you come to despise this dystopian (but scarily relatable) society, the more you develop a weird state of love/hate towards its pitiable, despicable heroes. A page-turner and joy to read, suspenseful and full of just excellent dialogue. A very promising debut by Low!
January 14, 2022
If this guy manages to get the right eyeballs on this I feel like it could become a cult classic. It may be one of the funniest books I have read in years and definitely one of the most absurd. If you're looking for realistic, well rounded characters, this book might not be for you. Most of the characters feel like absolute caricatures and absolutely no character can make a sensible or moral decision. The plot goes off the rails several times throughout the course of this novel. That being said, I was never bored. Anytime you feel like the plot may be slowing down or the joke is getting a little played out, CoinciDATe will blindside you with something so absolutely insane that you can't look away from it. I read all 412 pages of this in about three days and not once did it feel like a chore. Wildly entertaining.
October 16, 2021
Thanks to this book, I know now what Incels are. I don’t necessarily see that as a good thing, but what to do? This is a book about deeply lonely people. It is a very humorous book, but every several pages I had to step back and remind myself that I shouldn’t be laughing, because some of the sick stuff happening in this book seems to be a daily reality in the United States. A lot of this book feels like you are eavesdropping on people's darkest and most disgusting innermost thoughts and you want to run away because they are so awful. This book will definitely upset some people, but it will also be very entertaining for those who want to have a better understanding of why Americans are as weird as they are.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews