“Though the turmoil at the center of [the novel] is entertaining, its twist ending a clawed swipe at the irony of the scarcity myth–the zero-sum foundation of capitalism–it’s not the thing that kept me reading. Instead, it was Stein’s deft navitagion of the shades of superficial feminism, the lexicon of start-up culture and the tone of a generation reckoning with how to be honest with itself.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Leigh Stein’s latest novel is as decadent and brutal as a vampire facial. It’s an exposé of feel-good feminism, an indictment of contemporary capitalism, and an absolute treat to read. This book will make you laugh, gasp, and vow to get off social media for good – and it’ll understand when you can’t help but log right back on.”
—Julia Phillips, National Book Award finalist for Disappearing Earth
“A darkly witty romp through corporate feminism.”
—Huffington Post
“Leigh Stein’s novel might just be the hit of adrenaline you need to delete your apps permanently–or at the very least, leap off your couch and do something better with your time.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Self Care proves Leigh Stein’s status as a great ‘demolition expert’ (Kenneth Tynan’s term for Bernard Shaw) of the influencer era.”
—The New Republic
“Stein’s sharp writing separates her from the pack in this exquisite, Machiavellian morality tale about the ethics of looking out for oneself.”
—Publishers Weekly *starred review*
“Just try not to snort your Moon Juice out your nose while laughing your ass off.”
—Refinery29
“A brutal dissection of ‘Insta-Worthy’ culture, the unconscionable capitalistic impulses behind wellness ventures, and the farce of forced community building.”
—Vulture
“Brutal and brutally funny…Stein presents a punchy, bracing criticism of modern feminism’s transformation into a commercialized hellscape of goat yoga, healing crystals, and ‘girl bosses.'”
—Esquire
“Merciless and mordantly funny…Stein gives her ruthless romp through influencer culture an authenticity born from a genuine love of the internet…This is the self-aware callout culture novel that we need, but odn’t deserve. Don’t sleep on Self Care (unless you Fitbit tells you to sleep more–then do that, hydrate, and add 20 minutes of Headspace before reading).”
—Salon
“A novel of manners for our 280-character era.”
—Elle
“Stein offers a look into the dark underbelly of these easily marketable spaces, the promise that a room full of women equals safety, and the egos and violence that sadly so often exist within them.”
—Bitch Media
“Self Care is the bitchy beach read for people who wear a ‘Bitches Get Shit Done’ T-shirt, but who are also well-versed in debates about reclaiming the word ‘bitch.’ Stein is the kind of writer who would be at home both in The New Yorker and on a Tumblr page devoted to writing poems about The Bachelor…At it’s core, it’s a very clever satire.”
—AV Club
“Self Care is a skewering mockumentary about influencer culture, internet feminism, and the infinite ways that big tech capitalizes on our worst fears and insecurities. Utterly teeming with humor, this is exactly the sort of book that Dorothy Parker would have written if she’d been reincarnated as an Instagram celebrity.”
—Catherine Lacey, author of The Answers and Certain American States: Stories
“A hyper-timely–and unexpectedly heartfelt–satire of #girlboss culture and the wellness industrial complex…Compulsively readable…Brilliant.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Wickedly talented Leigh Stein – for my money, one of our sharpest millennial writers – knows the internet, and she’s used that intimate knowledge to write a pitch-perfect novel for our times. Self Care is a hilarious and sneakily moving send-up of what it means to try and live when every move you make is observed and dissected online, by a writer who sees the truth and says it with so much humor and heart you’ll laugh (and maybe cry) out loud.”
—Julie Buntin, author of Marlena
“A titillating satire about our quest for validation and the lengths that some will go to for #selfactualization, Self Care is an intelligent, delightful read that will make your mind (and epidermis!) glow.”
—Courtney Maum, author of Touch and Costalegre
“Timely and playful…Offering a juicy glimpse into the pathos and ethos of the wellness industry and the influencers who make it all appear so shiny and bright.”
—Booklist
“A smart criqique of the wellness industry…but also a very fun read.”
—Betches
“It’s not just that I found Self Care wildly entertaining, I found it deeply illuminating. So this is how the clickbait gets cooked up! I learned, I laughed, I loved every page. What I especially admired was Leigh Stein’s rare ability to be hilariously wicked while remaining deeply empathetic. I say skip your next juice cleanse and read this brilliant and delightful novel.”
—Meghan Daum, author of The Problem With Everything: My Journey Through The New Culture Wars
“So damn good. i stared reading, kept reading, and didn’t look up until I was done. There is so much to applaud about Stein’s novel…A juicy, funny, smart read. Did I already say it was a smart read? Leigh Stein is so smart and so understanding of the internet I am in awe.”
—Alma, Favorite Books for Summer 2020
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