The New Me by Halle Butler | What Is Millennial Fiction?
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- My thoughts on The New Me by Halle Butler, plus musings about the qualities that define recent "millennial" fiction.
Note: I only included books I've read in this discussion, so if you have others that you think would qualify, please share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Books mentioned:
THE NEW ME by Halle Butler
SEVERANCE by Ling Ma
CHEMISTRY by Weike Wang
MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION by Ottessa Moshfegh
PAVANE FOR A DEAD PRINCESS by Park Min-gyu
CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN by Sayaka Murata
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Articles mentioned:
"Halle Butler's 'The New Me' Is An Office Novel For A Precarious Age" by Jia Tolentino: www.newyorker....
"Let's Celebrate the Stinky Heroines of Repulsive Realist Fiction" by Hillary Kelly: www.vulture.co...
"How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation" by Anne Helen Petersen: www.buzzfeedne...
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Goodreads: tinyurl.com/43...
Twitter: tinyurl.com/2y...
Claire, your videos always amaze me. Not only is your analysis forever on-point, you're able to deliver an entire think piece's worth of content without pauses or frequent editing. Truly one of the best on BookTube.
Thanks so much, that is so nice of you to say :) But make no mistake - I absolutely edit (more than you can imagine!) and also script all my videos, so they are not quite as seamless as they may seem ;)
HIGHLY underrated channel, Claire. You are a LEGIT critic, a true literary mind. It's so refreshing to see a top notch critic outside of the handful of dinosauric gatekeepers we all think of when we think, "book review".
SUBBED.
thanks!
You've given me so much to process! I think you're right on about how millennial literature is defined by a very specific demographic. When I was working in a coffee shop ten years ago one of my coworkers had a meltdown saying, "I'm a college graduate, I speak two languages, I shouldn't be here!" I'm not sure we've gotten past that point in the media-driven conversation yet. Great video as always 💕
Totally! I think we've all been raised with the idea that we should constantly be working and that we should define ourselves through our work (which may lead to meltdowns like the one your coffee shop colleague had!)...I've been considering that idea over the past few years and don't feel particularly defined by my job, but I worry that that somehow means I've "given up" or am not ambitious enough, when it fact I think it has made me a lot happier than I was when I was younger and more ambitious...so, who knows! Definitely something worth exploring, so it's nice to see some of those questions getting the literary treatment :)
Wow! Really loved this. I was waiting for that sort of hiccup of what a reader might be quick to look for to depart from empathizing with characters like the one in The New Me, with her zero student loan status and support from her parents. Similarly when I read Eileen and The Pisces, each of those main characters also have their own crutch of support they know they can fall back on that somehow leaves them in a privileged landscape despite their extreme circumstances. I might define millennial literature based on this limited pattern of privilege because I think so many people I know see their millennial status as competitive to others, hence the burnout era and the gig economy/side hustles of Uber and other similar opportunities that give us a sense to “catch up” but I’m not sure to what.
Even thinking of tv shows, I think we’re in this sort of era of the-upbeat-twenty-something-just-trying-to-afford-her-morning-latte: thinking of shows like Shrill, Special, & even, Rilakkuma and Karou-and all of these even being streaming platform original series, I think reinforces that more than ever we’re given this sense of being seen or wanting to be appealed to and understood.
I’ll admit that I love all of these forms of media to consume! I find myself deliberately looking for some sense of resonance and comfort in knowing the struggles so many of these characters seem to face in a seemingly safe slice-of-life space. I’ll be sure to check out the works here I haven’t read yet.
OKAY my long comment is officially over lol, another wonderful video Claire 💫
Thanks, Alex! I think that's such a good point about the gig economy and millennials' desire to catch up to others - in some ways I think that kind of envy and dissatisfaction has probably always existed, but I'd guess that it is aggravated and reinforced by social media (interestingly, social media did not play a huge role in The New Me, which I found interesting...)
And I totally agree about the TV shows - the waywardness of Millie in The New Me reminded me so much of Hannah from Girls, or a less funny version of Abbi and Ilana from Broad City, or even the ways in which Issa and Molly from Insecure don't totally have their shit together. Maybe that's just what adult life is! But I do think this is the literary version of a lot of those shows (have you seen the new show Ramy on Hulu? I think it falls into this category, too, and for a show about a young Muslim man in New Jersey, it reminded me of Girls in a lot of ways I wouldn't have expected!).
Thanks for the long comments! I always love to hear your thoughts on things :)
Wow. I loved this, Claire. Such an amazing video, it's hard to say enough in a comment. Somehow you've merged Didion or DFW with literary criticism & the contemporary anthropology we call sociology. BT needs this -- you've created the missing niche. Brilliant. Briefly, it seems the "traits" used to label millennials, although sometimes humorously noticeable, are as you suggest limited to a certain part of the population (let's talk to some millennial auto mechanics) & are just variations on characteristics of every young generation. What could be said of the hippies of the 60s (the Republic didn't fall) or the money-chasers of the 80s (Bret Easton Ellis, anyone), or ... each generation to its own preoccupation. But you have made me want to read more into this. If only in homage to & to thank you for the massive amount of work, intelligence, & insight you put into it. This is what BT should be. 🐢
Great stuff!
You are way too kind! But thank you for your always thoughtful and generous comments :) Each generation does have its own preoccupations, you are completely correct, and I also wonder if the book about the millennial auto mechanic already exists but just isn't immediately labeled "millennial" fiction because it isn't about highly-educated screw-ups (I haven't read There, There yet, so I'm not sure of the ages of the central characters in that book, but isn't Tommy Orange a millennial author? but I don't think I've really heard him classified as a "quintessential millennial author" in the way, say, Sally Rooney has, even though they both seem to be writing about their own kind of specific experiences...that example may be off, but you get the idea!) :)
@@wernfried2866 Oh, if this was intended for me, thank you! If it was for Claire, then I wholeheartedly agree!!
@@tortoisedreams6369
Yes, it was for you! I liked your detailed and highly interesting comment. And Claire's reply appears to answer your and my comment (below) as well ;). I also like both your references to 'auto mechanics' and the things and concepts that would imply. The only character that comes to mind is Connel out of 'Normal People', not exactly an auto mechanic even though of working class origin and with a more ingenuous approach to things, yet highly educated. Or maybe the gamekeeper of Lady Chatterly, no millennial either but in a job closer to the auto mechanic ;)
Thoughtful and articulate as always Clare. I’m a Gen X and often rant about millennials, despite having relatives and friends who are a credit to that generation. A friend often has to remind me that we weren’t the most likable in our twenties and I think social media has a huge amount to answer for with its constant comparisons, notifications of what you could be doing and what others are doing etc. Funnily enough the last few Iris Murdoch novels I’ve read, both written in the late seventies, had older characters discussing twenty somethings in the exact same terms that we talk about millennials today and while reading War and Peace, many of the younger characters are going through the same existential crises. Of course, as you said, most of these characters are privileged white people who have little else to concern themselves with other than their own thoughts and feelings. Anyway, although I would probably shy away from most of the books you mentioned Clare, I can’t deny that their content is simply part of the body of literature as a whole and not necessarily a specific generation in time.
Completely! In some ways, while reading The New Me, I was wondering if this trend of books by highly-educated, disaffected young white women is just a new version of the Sad Suburban White Man books of decades past (Updike, Cheever, etc.) - definitely a new variation on things we've seen before!
great cross section of books! To support your thesis, there is a timeline in Ling Ma's story about the mother hating american life but finally acclimating and getting acceptance by owning stuff. It's a repeating generational pattern of ennui.
Finally! I've been watching your previous videos wondering when you're going to upload a new review.
Thanks for your patience! ;)
Claire's videos are so informative, hardly a moment for her to come up for air, such a good source to learn of other reads, thx,
thank you :)
I could listen to you for hours. Every time I discover a book I want to read, your channel is the first place I run to to see if you’ve reviewed it.
I’ve also discovered so many amazing reads because of you. You’re amazing! 🙌
Thank you so much! :D
you're one of the smartest in the booktube community ♥️
you're too kind! but thank you :')
this was a great discussion video. I remember reading Plato's Phaedrus and seeing old people criticize the "entitled" new generation because the alphabet was invented and now they were so spoiled they wouldn't memorize the lyrical classics....complaining about the new generation is just something that happens. My favourite discussion on millennial was by Adam Conover called "millennials don't exist" it's on UA-cam and worth watching. It gave me a sense of calm. The New Me sounds great though....and overall disappointment does sound familiar. Every generation has a new kind of disappointment to deal with unfortunately.
I totally agree! And I'll definitely check out that video - thanks for the heads-up about it :)
This is so thoughtful. I've read several of these novels, though not The New Me. I'm coming at them from being a Gen X parent to millennial young adults and am often full of anxiety that everything we in my generation believed was the right way to steer our kids toward the possibility of a successful future was in the end misguided. We swore to them that a four-year degree was the only path they should take and while I don't think it hurt, it certainly was no guarantee. Your analysis of this literature is spot on; perhaps the subject matter is about people in a certain class in a certain age, but all of us are affected by the collapse of norms, the need to feel like we have purpose in society, and the unclear future of everything. And there are plenty of books about the generations above us, so why not focus on a huge demographic of younger people who were born after the post-war possibilities of affordable college and housing? I hope that focus will widen from the subset of privilege to a broader group, but it's a start.
I totally agree - those guarantees seem to be disappearing, and I can imagine it's hard to be a parent with children facing those unknowns...it's hard to know what advice to give people when, as you say, norms are changing so rapidly and wealth disparity continues to increase, but it'll be interesting to see if things reach a breaking point and we return to a push for workers' rights, trust-busting, etc. It's certainly interesting to see more and more writers grappling with these changes in their work - if nothing else, we all know we're not alone!
"...inundadet with the idea that a fresh start is always just a yoga class or a new outfit away.."
Nothing said Disney college program mindset more than this. For lack of a better way of wanting to express it.
I do find it so fascinating that protagonists having wealthy parents to help them out seems to be a bit of a trend, as I feel like it's not something a lot of people can relate too, though obviously it does help in terms of the plot at least in My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Loved hearing your thoughts, it is exciting that as we as a generation get older we'll start to see more of our specific experiences reflected in literature.
Totally - I think it was a plot device in My Year of Rest and Relaxation and played into the kind of hyperbolic tone of that book, but I also think that trend might be a product of the fact that a lot of times, the people who are able to take the time to write a book or pursue a writing career are people who maybe have had some financial advantages (in the form of wealthy parents or something like that).
I enjoyed My Year of Rest and Relaxation, perhaps too much. Need to check out some of the others you mentioned. Loved the review. As always your thoughts are so articulate and on point.
I’ve been scared of reading Chemistry because I feel it will be too close to home. I’m wondering, do you ever experience or have you experienced that fatalistic boredom and lack of meaning in your life?
Thanks, Valentina! My Year of Rest and Relaxation was so great. I enjoyed Chemistry and would encourage you to check it out - it's a little more light-hearted than the Moshfegh and the Butler.
And of course I feel fatalistic boredom and lack of meaning in my life! I'm overcome with it about once every 3 days! 😂 But I think that's just how life goes, so in my better moments I try not to fall into too much despair about it.
This was excellent! I was thinking in the beginning that I'm not interested in the book but you always talk so intelligently and insightful about your reads that you end up making me want to pick up the books. :D
Thanks so much! :D
very thoughtful video review, gonna check out more of your work, thanks
I think phrases such as "millennial novel" or, like a book I read recently, "instagram novel," are easy shorthands for literary publicity to dilute and minimize what a book is doing in order to help with marketing. Is it about a middle class, entitled 20-something grappling with existential angst? Call it a millennial novel! Is there social media used in it? Be sure to slap that label right on the cover so customers know what this novel is about.
To me, it comes across as oversimplified and dismissive, especially, as you mentioned, there is no singular, universal millennial experience that is being captured by these particular narratives. I've read a lot of the novels you mentioned in this video, albeit not The New Me, and I have found them all to be grappling with these issues in unique and compelling ways. I don't think that characterizing them under a singular umbrella is doing them any good.
Great, thought-provoking video!
You're so right - the marketing of books (and even the critical coverage of books, to be honest - calling Sally Rooney the voice of the millennial generation is sure to get clicks!) is often so reductive and lacking in nuance.
I don't think this burnout or "world-weariness" is new, but it is very much re-contextualized and perhaps just as prominent as it seemed to be post WWI. I think a lot of it has to do with cultural uncertainty, but also specific and unique aspects of uncertainty in relationships, in finances, in perception and so many other arenas. Thank you for such an articulate video. You made some great connections and I'm very interested to check out some of the books you mentioned.
You're so right - world-weariness is nothing new, but every generation experiences a different and specific variation of it (which is worth considering and exploring!). :)
this is such a great video!! so comprehensive & nuanced!! ty! i would also say that 'millennial' as a generational category is so much about how marketing can sell things, like its a created or constructive boundary around a bunch of different ppl - for example i was born in 95 & someone born in 81 or whatever is in a very different place in their life than i am and yet we are bound together as 'millennials' [altho even then some ppl say millennials end at 94 or 96. i feel like im just regurgitating what your saying in this video because it's so good lol. i think millennial burnout is an upgrade to previous generational burnout but i think some of that has to do with the cloying self awareness that the internet & internet culture has given us & the gross effect of hyper capitalism has had on millennials. i do kind of feel angry in part about 'millennial fiction' because i feel like that is often code for 'the white woman protagonist is selfish and middle class' [im thinking about normal ppl for example] when like, millennial traits that arent explored much are; an ineffable hope in the world being a better place, breaking down normative family & life paths because previous ones dont work anymore, collective caring, being fairly good at responding to crises because we've grown up through so many & a deep sense of love for the 90s lol anyway!! hope that made sense !! i rlly enjoyed your video!
These are all such awesome thoughts! You're so right, there's a lot more to the "millennial generation" than what is represented in fiction so far, and I hope more of that is reflected going forward (and I think it will be - to be fair, millennials are still on the whole pretty young and still have a lot of time to reflect on the ways in which our generation was shaped and the implications of all that).
@@ClaireReadsBooks yes i totally agree!! we have a lot of time :)
Such a fantastic video! I was also surprisingly drawn in by The New Me, looking forward to checking out some of the other books you mentioned.
As a millennial who just bought a ‘rebirth candle’ in an un-ironic effort to restructure my life this struck a chord 😂 I definitely need to read The New Me. Your thoughts on millennial fiction are so smart and well-articulated - I think I’m inclined to agree that a lot of the issues explored in these books are more symptomatic of being in your mid-20s than being born in 1990. I wonder if the reason people are responding so well to books like this and MYORAR is less about the characters’ ennui itself, which has been thoroughly dissected in post-modern lit, and more about the way a lot of contemporary authors are depicting it with this ironic mix of grit and glamor? I feel like this approach seduces a lot of readers (myself included) - it validates our own struggles but still gives us that thrill of escapism, because if the protagonist is blonde and beautiful and rich it doesn’t force me to hold that mirror up too closely.
I feel you! I'm definitely guilty of those kinds of behaviors as well (my bamboo plant brings so much joy and greenness into my life, I tell myself!), but I do think those kinds of things can be helpful, although I'm also looking for ways to be mindful that don't just involve purchasing something or adopting a new "wellness habit" lol.
That's such an interesting point about the grit and glamor of 20-something struggles - and it makes me think MYORAR is almost a literary version of those "confessional" "no make-up" Instagram posts in which an influencer "pulls back the curtain" to talk about how hard life really is - which is, in its own way, a kind of performance! Wow...I think you're definitely on to something with that. And while I wouldn't say The New Me is glamorous, it leans almost hyperbolically in the opposite direction, with the main character being so gross that you can kind of see yourself in her but can also hold her at a distance and tell yourself you'll never be that far gone.
Claire Reads Books I think you’re spot on with the Instagram comparison! This reminds me of the Busy Philipps appeal actually - how her persona is this kind of weird hybrid of a Chill Relatable Girl and this glamorous Hollywood woman that we all want to be. Hmm I wonder if we can rephrase grit and glamor to reflect the commonality between MYORAR and things like The New Me... relatability and exaggeration?? Also, have you read The Pisces? Because it fits in super well with this convo and is weirdly a cross between these two extremes as it’s super glamorous and super gross all at once. I just find it interesting that all these ‘millennial books’ seem to have this in common! (Except maybe Sally Rooney...? But I guess there’s a kind of glamor to her characters as well, just not to MYORAR extremes...)
Totally! Busy Philipps is a perfect example. And I haven't read the Pisces yet but really want to! I suspected that it would fit well in this kind of discussion and contemplated holding off making this video until I had read it but then got impatient, haha.
I loved this review! Thank you! And I think I love millennial fiction 🥴 I ate up Rooney’s Normal People and Moshfeig’s. My year of rest and relaxation. I also liked watching Girls 😂🤷🏻♀️ This book totally sounds up my alley!
Haha, I think this book is definitely in the vein of Girls! So probably something you'd like :)
Fascinating video. I'd never heard the term Millennial Fiction, and am grateful that you explained it so well. Many patterns do repeat throughout the generations, which probably explains why many of the classics are so enduring. ❤
great, great reviews. Having not read any of these I won't comment further on content but I find your thoughtful consideration of these books and subject very refreshing. Thanks
Thanks so much, Kerry! :)
this video came up in my suggested tab, and I'm glad I clicked on it! your analysis of the genre made me consider what "generation Z literature" might look like as we become old enough for such a genre to develop. I imagine that such a genre might feature sarcasm and nihilistic humor more so than millennial literature, with a heavier emphasis on the problems of society and capitalism than on the problems of the self. anyway, thanks for an interesting video!
I'm really curious, too, especially since a lot of "millennial fiction" seems to be written by "second wave" millennials, who are actually fairly close in age to the oldest Gen Z-ers... so I'm curious to see how different it will be or what Gen Z preoccupations will end up being as they get old enough to start publishing books :)
Ok so I stumbled upon your videos and I am stuck to the screen listening to you! You are so articulate and well spoken and have motivated me to start reading books.
Thanks so much! :D
Great review, depressing and interesting book! Interesting genre. Really glad I've found your channel. Feels awkward to admit how much I could've related to Millie at certain low points in my 20's. I didn't have the financial support from parents but I'd both worked as an office temp and watched every episode of forensic files before I turned 30, 'nuff said, womp.
I was born 1975 and I strangely am at this point in my life just now. I've recently become an office drone for the first time in my life and although I have a good salary (which I didn't have before) I traded meaning for financial security. Needless to say I struggle with adapting to this and most of the books you mentioned are on my wishlist. Oh dear, lol. Great video!
At least the books will let you know you're not alone! I think my biggest struggle right now is realizing that work doesn't have to be the most meaningful thing in your life, and the most meaningful thing and/or the most valuable thing that you contribute to the world doesn't have to be what you get paid to do (which runs counter to the "find your passion" narrative about work that is so prevalent).
Hi, I came across your channel through recommendations on Book Twitter and I am glad I did come over here to look you up.
I love your reviewing style and to be honest, I wasn't aware of millenial fiction being a thing, but this book definitely seems like the perfect example of it. I'll be looking up this genre now. Sounds interesting.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm glad you're enjoying the videos :)
Been missing you! I finished The New Me last night, so I found this perfectly timed :)
Thanks, Alexandrea! :D What did you think of it??
I started typing a comment three times, as I was watching, but you addressed each of the points I was going to raise, and did so better than I would have. So I just say: BRAVO. My personal opinion is that yes, this is an early-20s thing, not a Millennial thing. The book "Quarterlife Crisis" came out in 2001 (so anyone reading it was Gen X). It was an account of this "new" phenomenon of young people having no purpose in life, or something. I read it and thought "what the fuck is wrong with these people, get a job and stop whining". (I try to have more empathy these days.)
Thanks, Laura! I totally think it's an early-20s thing, and in the face of millennial disappointment, I've been trying to adjust my own expectations - I'm caught between, on a macro level, being glad that millennials seem to be more aware of the structural inequalities of our society and the ways in which things are legitimately hard or not fair, while, on a micro and personal level, not giving in to a sense of nihilism or despair or a feeling of having no autonomy (focusing on the good and the ways I'm really lucky even if I don't have "the dream job" and live in an increasingly expensive city, etc.). So kind of like you said - finding a balance between "just suck it up" and having empathy for the fact that life is hard!
Interesting analysis. I have not any of these novels but I want to read Convenience Store Woman this month. I feel like this ennui you describe has probably been felt by many generations as they move through their twenties and realize adult life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s just that millennials have a lot more “stuff” to distract themselves with.
You are so right! And Convenience Store Woman is great - I hope you enjoy it, Heidi! :)
I love your videos Claire :) I enjoy your reviews and I hope you continue to share such amazing reviews of this video. I think this book you've captured the struggle and false promises.
Thanks so much, Michelle ❤️
You should read "the culture of narcissism" by Christopher lasch. It's a nonfiction book written in 1979 that describes many of the same millennial topics.
Hi Claire! Your video inspired me to do a comparison essay on millenial fiction; I was thinking of either discussing the way in which these novels represent time and/or space, or the way in which the representation of reality is addressed. But I’m not sure which two novels would be best for either of these topics! So far I’ve thought about My Year of R&R + Severance, or R&R + The New Me, but have also considered Convenience Store Woman as interesting anomaly. What do you think?
Oof. This was brilliant... and also so triggering to watch. I'm neither white nor am I from a first-world Western country, but I could relate quite a bit to some of the ugly traits of the characters mentioned. (Maybe a little bit of it is part and parcel of being 25, maybe some of it is a result of "drinking the kool-aid," so to speak, of modern culture that these books depict and critique). A little painful, but wow! You speak so incisively about books and characters, and I was so fascinated to hear your take on these works. I haven't read any of them yet, but your reviews have me feeling both intrigued (and a little scared too, not gonna lie lol)! Watching this review felt like talking to a brilliant doctor about a disease I didn't know I had.
Perhaps it's a bit personal (and out of your scope for this channel), but given what you've spoken about in both this video and in your follow-up video about millennial fiction, I'd love to see a video from you about modern culture, as depicted in these novels. In particular, I'd be really interested to hear about your journey with figuring out what role work plays in your life + how to not feel so pressured to define oneself by one's job (or feel so desperate to "follow your dreams"). Or maybe books that helped you along throughout that process? I guess I'm curious about this because it's one of the things that I felt most triggered by when you were talking about "The New Me"'s protagonist, as well as the characters in Ling Ma's "Severance." The struggle towards attempting to determine the role your passions play in your life, the pressure of defining oneself by one's career, the urgency to become completely financially independent, and the dissatisfaction that comes from taking jobs that pay the bills but don't necessarily nourish the soul.... all of it really struck a chord. I'd really like to hear more about your perspective on this! (I'm feeling very affected by these particular reviews of yours, haha!)
What an amazing video! Do you write any book reviews/think pieces for places, and if so, where can we find them? :)
Thanks so much, Beatrice! I don't write for any outlets but would love to someday - for now, I occasionally post reviews/thoughts on books online at www.clairereadsbooks.com and on my Goodreads :)
Thank you, Claire.
Thanks for the review, like it a lot!
And equally thanks for the bibliography.
What has come to my mind in terms of comparable works is 1. Sally R’s books: They do in some way represent millennial fiction, don’t they, for the author as well as her protagonists and some of the more prominent themes. Regarding 2. ’The Vegetarian’, not so sure; would that be stretching the point to say, its three main characters display partly opposing, partly complementary angles of a search for oneself in this world?
Looking forward to your next video ;)
Sally Rooney is definitely millennial fiction! I thought about including her books in this discussion but thought they weren't commenting quite as much on millennials' relationship to work, although they definitely contemplate some of that and especially the question of how millennials form a sense of self. And The Vegetarian is definitely a fascinating book, but I believe it was originally published in 2007 in South Korea, so maybe a more general look at the idea of self than one that is specific to a particular generation.
One of the millennial literatures I have recently read is Tai Pei by Tao Lin. You might be interested to check it out.
I will! Thanks so much :)
I’m reading Normal People by Sally Rooney, a millennial. It could be better.
Most books could, tbf 🤷🏻♀️
Bookstore Berlin Germany
Ah ok
Yes forever
If you would review my life I'm sure I'd understand myself more.
Claire Reads hey
FINALLY
Sounds like this book will make me feel personally attacked 🤣.
It is a distinct possibility! 😭😂