Went into this fairly blind and could hardly be more pleased with how it turned out. The characters were frequently infuriating, but I couldn't help but feel they're exactly the twenty-something overdramatic theater types I've known. I love the way the plot unfolds at the end, even if much of the build to get there is slow and agonizingly rooted in seemingly random Shakespeare quotes/plotlines. But wow, it definitely pays off for me. Heartbreaking and immersive in a way that reminds me of Babel with lower stakes and yet the same intensity. Will be thinking about it for a while.

This is going to be one I'm thinking about and probably unable to shut up about for a long time. The breadth of coverage here is amazing! Great investigative work, good sources, and thorough discussion of where the really alarming gray areas are in Spotify's relationship with artists, users, and employees alike. The conclusion is also succinct and effective in saying that the way forward is not just to switch to another streamer, but to rethink the way we engage with music - and streaming - more broadly. I originally put this book on hold because I heard someone say in an interview "it's kind of crazy that we now demand to have access to all music all of the time! It's not sustainable" and I think that changed something in my brain chemistry because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. This book gave SO MUCH more context and weight to that line of thinking. Definitely going to reread at some point.