20 September 2024
Ripe By Sarah Rose Etter Review & Book Club Questions
Reviewed by: Melissa Ng
Quick Facts
Book Publication Date: 11 July 2023
How I Read It: eBook on indyreads - borrowed from my local library
Where You Can Find Ripe By Sarah Rose Etter: Amazon Australia* | Kobo US* | Kobo Canada*
Content & Trigger Warnings: Drug use, coarse language, suicide, virus outbreak, mental illness, depression, unexpected pregnancy, abortion, toxic relationships, toxic workplace, panic attacks, spice
Ripe Book Review
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter is a book that leaves you feeling unsettled, gritty, and frankly, a little disturbed.
The story follows Cassie, a woman trapped in a toxic job at a Silicon Valley startup, navigating unethical projects and unhealthy relationships in a world full of stark contrasts between wealth and poverty.
I found the startup environment quite relatable at the start, having worked in a startup myself for seven years, although not in Silicon Valley. Many of the stereotypes rang true.
For example, the description of the open plan office:
The open office floor plan is a form of strangulation. White desks stand in perfect rows on blue-gray carpet. The lighting has been scientifically proven to increase our productivity by 14 percent. Giant concrete-colored couches dot the room, and invitation to sit and relax. But I have never seen anyone sit on the sofas. The subtext is clear: we must never relax. The layout means everyone can see us as we walk, eat, think, breathe, work. Every move is on display. The office is two hands around my throat and an invisible eye, spying, monitoring, measuring our productivity.
I spent many a day in an open office floor plan feeling like my movements were being watched and with an app on my phone as my access pass into the building, my movements were literally being tracked.
There were breakout areas and comfy lounge chairs that were barely used, and upper management often set poor examples of good work-life balance, by sending emails at all hours of the night.
Thankfully, I never had anyone ask me to do anything illegal at work. So, my experience was no where near as extreme as Cassie’s.
Cassie’s depression is depicted as a black hole that follows her around – a heavy metaphor for her emotional state.
Her personal life is a mess too, with a toxic relationship with her mother and an open relationship with a chef that results in an unexpected pregnancy.
Her world is chaotic, and there’s no escape.
The book the littered with trigger warnings. From the virus outbreak that feels reminiscent of COVID-19 to scenes of substance abuse and workplace toxicity, it’s not an easy read.
None of the characters are particularly likeable, including Cassie, who makes one poor life decision after another.
At times, the story felt almost absurd – there are scenes that don’t quite seem realistic, though perhaps that was the point. It’s a strange, uncomfortable look at depression, mental illness, and the toxicity that surrounds Cassie’s life.
One thing that stood out to me was how the book made me feel – tense, uneasy, and constantly on edge. It’s not a book you relax into.
In fact, it felt almost claustrophobic at times, especially with the way the startup culture is depicted. The feeling of suffocation that many who are on the brink of burnout will recognise in today’s work culture.
By the end, I wasn’t sure what to make of Ripe.
There were parts of the story that I connected with, especially the startup culture and burnout, but reading about Cassie’s depression, toxic relationships, and anxiety made for a difficult experience.
It’s not a book I’ll be returning to, but I do think it offers an interesting, albeit uncomfortable, exploration of mental health and the pressures of modern life.
I’d love to hear from someone who has experienced the Silicon Valley startup culture and see how it actually compares to real life.
Ripe By Sarah Rose Etter Book Club Questions
- Why do you think Cassie agreed to take the job in Silicon Valley?
- Did you think any of the characters were likeable? Why or why not?
- Do you think you could thrive in the same work environment?
- Would you agree to do illegal projects at work?
- What do you think the black hole represents?
- What do you think the pomegranate represents?
- Do you think Cassie’s perception of San Francisco is accurate?
- How do you think a city like San Francisco becomes so financially inequal?
- Cassie’s relationship with her mother is quite toxic. Would you continue the relationship?
- What do you think of Cassie’s fake self?
- Do you think any of the characters in this book are happy?
- Do you think Cassie can overcome her depression?
- Could you date someone knowing they are in an open relationship?
- What do you think of Cassie’s relationship with the chef?
- Do you think Cassie would be a good mother?
- What do you think happened to Cassie at the end?
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