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Social media has provided him a soapbox from which to vent his daily vitriol, yet @UGMAN ponders if anyone is actually listening. By 2019, the lure of the 280-character rant had pulled him in and under as he had forsaken his family and surrendered his job to the Twitterverse. It wasn't just an addiction to social media that cost him his family; it was his increasing cynicism, indifference, and apathy. Now, he can only interact with his adolescent daughter through anonymous and trite conversations on YouTube. As each day passes, the rage builds within him, and his only outlet is splenetic outbursts targeting various public figures, even to the point of wishing death upon them. He lives as a recluse in a basement apartment, his worries confined to his internet being cut off and not being heard.
The world of social media and its circus-like atmosphere is encapsulated brilliantly in this satirical novel. The man known only by an esoteric appellation is a lost soul, clinging to the failures of the past while wasting away the present. The downward spiral of the protagonist can be observed in each tweet or blog post, as well as his occasionally caustic interactions with other people. The poignant aspect of the story lies in how a single "like" of a post can trigger near euphoria in @UGMAN, which echoes how social media resonates with people in real life. He is looking for approval with every post, as he doesn't want to be seen as a lone voice yelling into the void. Ultimately, the author deftly portrays his protagonist as a tragic figure. This novel combines elements of dark humor and drama. The result is inspiring.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review