(reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned
“I feel like maybe he has an answer for me, because I don’t know how to act or what to do or who to be and I hate my job and I’m scared to lose my job…”
The “he”, who this forty-five-year-old single dad, Saul, is referring to above, is his dead grandfather. In fact, Saul is bored with his tech job at CollaborationHub and spends a large amount of time in the bathroom writing a novel about his grandfather. As you can see, he is trying to make sense of himself. Though Saul now lives in Portland, he is from a Jewish family who lived near Atlanta. How his grandfather experienced antisemitism in the Deep South was to be a backdrop of his novel.
This obsession with his novel broke up his marriage as well as currently threatening his job. However, he wants to finish it before his own father dies.
We see how Saul seeks to find real connections with women, his son, and others, and how he progresses in small steps. The evolution of his character is artfully depicted through his own words as the narrator, providing readers insight into his internal growth.
This story sounds depressing, but it really isn’t. It’s hilarious and you can relate to the characters. Saul’s pursuit of self-discovery becomes a journey that readers can empathize with, despite its quirks and complications.
Author Yuvi Zalkow’s mastery of comedic timing shines throughout the book. The humor never becomes mundane, which is no small task. He deftly maintains the humor’s momentum, ensuring that even as Saul’s situation grows increasingly difficult, the laughter remains constant.
I Only Cry with Emoticons is an engaging and humorous exploration of one man’s quest for purpose, connection, and understanding amid the impersonal tech world.
