The reviewer appreciates Jia Tolentino's voice but finds the book repetitive and lacking in original insights. They feel the essays cover well-trodden topics without adding new perspectives, making the read frustrating for those already familiar with the subjects.
The reviewer enjoys Jia Tolentino's writing style and her articles in The New Yorker but finds Trick Mirror to be disappointing. The book covers topics that have been extensively discussed elsewhere, such as the Fyre Festival, the 2008 housing crisis, and the founding of Facebook. The reviewer feels that the essays do not offer new insights or compelling arguments, instead summarizing well-known events and movies. The only standout section is a part of the chapter on the commercialization of feminism, which the reviewer found interesting but not unique. Overall, the book feels like a summary of recent pop culture without adding much depth or originality.
Quick quotes
Here is who I recommend this book for: Anyone who has been in a coma for the last ten to fifteen years; a person who just discovered the internet, or perhaps only recently learned how to read; someone over the age of 70 or under the age of 10 who has a suddenly discovered interest in small and generally feminist happenings of recent years.
There is nothing much new here.
I did not care for this book much at all.