Her Golden Coast by Anat Deracine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I know Anat in real-life and I had read her previous book and loved it so when I saw this was available, I knew I wanted to read it.
And I am so glad I did.
This book takes place over the 2000s in Silicon Valley. The main characters work at a start-up. As the years unfold, so does a lot of moments that end up impacting their work and lives: the housing bust, and tech recession, the election of Obama and the conversations around marriage equality, the insanity of the VCs and tech companies buying each other and of course the toxic bro culture are all the background in which this story takes place. And it’s a strong and honest depiction of the industry and the time.
And our main characters come from two very different worlds, do two different jobs in a similar environment, showing the reader the dichotomy of roles and the respect they each have in these companies. The book doesn’t shy away from tough topics like classism, sexuality and sexism, as all of these are real everyday experiences of our characters.
But at its heart, this book is about friendship and love. It’s about two people who are trying to find their way in a world that isn’t being really kind to them. They are trying to navigate growing up, finding their place in their work and in the world. Finding their people and understanding how to be who they are in a world that really makes it hard to do so. And the kind of love that comes from sharing so much life together and being there for each other again and again.
I couldn’t help but fall in love with each of the main characters and found myself rooting for them. And, for me, the books I love are filled with characters who are real and characters who grow. This wonderful book delivered on both counts.
with gratitude to netgalley and Mayavin Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
