Rejection

Rejection is a provocative plunge into the thorniest problems of modern life: sex, relationships, identity, and the internet. Through a cast of intricately linked characters, the novel-in-stories reveals how rejection throws their lives and connections into turmoil. From a tryhard male feminist whose passionate allyship turns into nihilism, to a young woman’s unrequited crush spiraling into obsession, and a shy late bloomer’s disastrous first relationship, these characters intersect across dating apps, social media, and dimly lit bars, exposing how delusions warp our desire for connection. Sharply observant and outrageously funny, Tony Tulathimutte’s prose is both brutal and gut-bustingly funny, sparing no one in its merciless skewering of contemporary loneliness and internet culture. The stories capture the spirit of our doomscrolling age with piercing insight and dark humor, creating a world that is horribly familiar yet unflinchingly extreme. Longlisted for the 2024 National Book Award in Fiction, Rejection is a compelling exploration of human failure, desire, and the search for meaning in a fractured digital era.