A review by bisexualbookshelf
Hard Copy by Fien Veldman

dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“Narratives have to be given form, otherwise we’d never be able to understand each other.”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Hard Copy by Fien Veldman is a hauntingly introspective novel that blends dark comedy with existential dread. The story follows a young woman, working a low-wage office job, who forms an unusual attachment to her office printer. Through her conversations with this inanimate companion, she unravels the trauma of her past while grappling with the grim realities of her present. Veldman’s prose is stark and unembellished, mirroring the narrator’s sense of detachment and alienation, yet it is also deeply evocative, capturing the profound vulnerability that underlies her cynical outlook on life.

The novel is steeped in class consciousness, exploring how the narrator’s precarious financial situation and monotonous job exacerbate her feelings of anxiety and disillusionment. Her observations of the city’s contrasts—between the beauty of wealth and the grunge of poverty—highlight the societal divides that shape her internal world. Diagnosed with an allergy to stress, the narrator must constantly self-soothe, a task made all the more difficult by her bleak surroundings and the dehumanizing nature of her work. Her only solace comes from the printer, a machine she understands better than her colleagues, who pity her but fail to truly see her.

The narrative is interspersed with glimpses into the narrator’s childhood, revealing the profound impact of growing up near a pedophilic neighbor. These memories are not always seamlessly integrated into the present-day storyline, and at times, the transitions between past and present feel abrupt. However, these fragments of the narrator’s past add depth to her character, offering insight into the origins of her anxiety and her mistrust of the world around her.

Veldman’s writing is rhythmic and repetitive, mirroring the cyclical nature of the narrator’s thoughts as she processes the violence and pain she has experienced. The novel critiques the exploitative dynamics of the modern workplace, where the narrator’s job is both a source of sustenance and a contributor to her unraveling. The introduction of the printer’s perspective midway through the novel further underscores the story’s anticapitalist ethos, as the machine sympathizes with the narrator’s plight, recognizing how deeply her job is affecting her.

While Hard Copy excels in its exploration of existential themes and the psychological toll of isolation, the novel’s ending may leave some readers wanting more. Despite some uneven pacing and an ending that may not fully satisfy, Hard Copy is a powerful and thought-provoking read. Veldman’s prose is both sharp and deeply resonant, offering a candid portrayal of a woman struggling to find meaning in a world that feels increasingly alien. For those drawn to introspective, character-driven narratives with a darkly comic edge, Hard Copy is a novel likely to live in your head rent-free for weeks after finishing it. 

📖 Recommended For: Readers who enjoy introspective and existential narratives, those drawn to dark comedy with a philosophical edge, anyone interested in stories about the psychological toll of modern life.

🔑 Key Themes: Workplace Alienation, Trauma and Healing, Class Consciousness, Existential Dread, Human Connection vs. Isolation.

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