{"product_id":"oval","title":"Oval","description":"\u003cb\u003eBizarre weather. Unprecedented economic disparity. Artists employed by corporations. And the ultimate work of art: Oval, a pill that increases generosity. This unforgettable debut novel asks questions of empathy and power on every scale--from bodies to bureaucracies--to create an unsettling portrait of the future.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn the near future, Berlin's real estate is being flipped in the name of \"sustainability,\" only to make the city even more unaffordable; artists are employed by corporations as consultants, and the weather is acting strange. When Anja and Louis are offered a rent-free home on an artificial mountain--yet another eco-friendly initiative run by a corporation--they seize the opportunity, but it isn't long before the experimental house begins malfunctioning. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter Louis's mother dies, Anja is convinced he has changed. At work, Louis has become obsessed with a secret project: a pill called Oval that temporarily rewires the user's brain to be more generous. While Anja is horrified, Louis believes he has found the solution to Berlin's income inequality. \u003ci\u003eOval\u003c\/i\u003e is a fascinating portrait of the unbalanced relationships that shape our world, as well as a prescient warning of what the future may hold. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A fascinating near-future exploration of relationships, sustainability, and power. An extraordinarily accomplished debut novel.\" --Jeff VanderMeer, author of \u003ci\u003eBorne\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAnnihilation\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Elvia Wilk's \u003ci\u003eOval\u003c\/i\u003e is a marvel. At the core of this seductive, acute, superbly-contemporary update of mid-period J.G. Ballard lies a deep-beating, deep-dreaming heart.\" --Jonathan Lethem\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Soft Skull","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51943401685223,"sku":"9781593764050","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0449\/4075\/5096\/files\/imageloader_4d8e8458-4268-4d39-817b-2839d576356c.jpg?v=1775321551","url":"https:\/\/arvidabookco.com\/products\/oval","provider":"Arvida Book Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}