Ripe

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter is a brilliantly crafted novel that delves deep into the emotional and existential complexities of modern life, using the black hole as a metaphor for the overwhelming forces of nihilism, depression, and the crushing weight of capitalism. The story follows Cassie, a young woman working in a demanding, soulless tech company in San Francisco, where she grapples with the oppressive nature of corporate culture, the drive for profit, and the hollow pursuit of success. The novel is a profound reflection on the insatiable beast that is tech culture, revealing how the constant pressure to achieve and accumulate wealth strips individuals of their humanity, reducing them to mere cogs in the capitalist machine.

“You wake up one day and realize what you’ve become, what you allow, and you have to stare down into the pit at yourself, at your own choices, at the ways in which you have been cunning and stupid and false and wretched to keep up with the world around you. ”

Etter’s writing is both vibrant and raw, bringing to life the conflicting emotions many young professionals feel as they navigate careers that promise more, yet deliver little fulfillment. The theme of isolation, especially for those who have moved away from their homes in search of opportunity, is palpable throughout. Cassie's sense of loneliness is compounded by the alienation that comes with being consumed by a culture of work that demands everything, but gives nothing in return.

The black hole imagery that threads through the novel acts as a powerful symbol of depression, drawing the reader into Cassie’s experience of being sucked into the void, with no escape. Ripe poignantly captures the emotional toll of chasing success in a world that often feels devoid of meaning, making it a deeply relatable and timely reflection on the human condition within the framework of late-stage capitalism.