“Moderation is a novel that refuses to do things by halves. It is a piercing, laser-precise exploration of big tech and its imperialist intentions; it is a breathtakingly funny and complex portrait of immigrant communities in America; it is a highly charged, passionate and tender love story, willing to embrace myriad forms of love.
A wonderful book.”
Kaliane Bradley, New York Times bestselling author of The Ministry of Time
“Tender and cutting, engrossing and immediate—Elaine Castillo’s Moderation is a moving meditation on connection, growth, and how, in a world that’s constantly on the verge of ending, one way we move forward is cultivating our own. Castillo’s prose is luminous and lucid, balancing humor and emotion with wicked aplomb.
Castillo expertly stretches the possibility of language; Moderation is infinite.”
Bryan Washington, National Book Award 5 under 35 honoree and author of Lot, Memorial and Family Meal
“With its unyielding density of sharply observed detail, high-resolution psychological drama, and driving narrative momentum, Moderation reminded me that the novel is still the best form of virtual reality we have.”
Jenny Odell, New York Times bestselling author of How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy
“Masterful… Castillo shifts seamlessly in scale and tone, from a wide-angled systems novel to a love story, and from barbed satire to staggering emotional depth.
It’s a triumph.”
Publishers Weekly, starred and boxed review
“Sharp, compelling… a slyly brilliant narrative about a Filipino American thirtysomething learning (eventually) to live real life… Castillo again proves an enviably erudite chronicler of… history, power structures, identity politics, and socioeconomic inequities… Poignant.”
Booklist, starred review
“Castillo raises the bar for writing about tech and virtual reality, family stories, and workplace romances. Castillo’s gorgeous prose infuses both the real world and the virtual reality landscapes with life. Girlie is an exceptional protagonist, defined by her cutting humor and dogged, almost maniacal independence… and her yearning for true happiness, if she can find a way to let it in.
A brilliant novel with much to say about work, family, excess, identity, and love.”
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Elaine Castillo’s Moderation is a captivating exploration of class, race, corporate reification, and love. Moderation is a near-future masterpiece that challenges our perceptions of identity and connection in the digital age. It is a page-turning read.”
Paul Yamazaki, City Lights Booksellers
