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Impostor Syndrome
Impostor Syndrome: A Novel | Kathy Wang
17 posts | 17 read | 13 to read
From the critically acclaimed author of Family Trust comes a new satire, exploring the fiercely competitive world of women in Silicon Valley in a thrilling tale of foreign espionage and personal secrets. In 2006 Julia Lerner is living in Moscow, a recent university graduate in computer science, when shes recruited by Russias largest intelligence agency. By 2018 shes in Silicon Valley as COO of Tangerine, one of Americas most famous technology companies. In between her executive management (make offers to promising startups, crush them and copy their features if they refuse); self promotion (check out her latest op-ed in the WSJ, on Work/Life Balance 2.0); and work in gender equality (transfer the most annoying females from her team), she funnels intelligence back to the motherland. But now Russia's asking for more, and Julias getting nervous. Alice is a first generation Chinese American whose parents are delighted shes working at Tangerine (such a successful company!). Too bad shes slogging away in the lower echelons, recently dumped, and now sharing her expensive two-bedroom apartment with her cousin Cheri, a perennial founders girlfriend. One afternoon, while performing a server check, Alice discovers some unusual activity, and now shes burdened with two powerful but distressing suspicions: Tangerines privacy settings arent as rigorous as the company claims they are, and the person abusing this loophole might be Julia Lerner herself. The closer Alice gets to Julia, the more Julia questions her own loyalties. Russia may have placed her in the Valley, but she's the one who built her career; isnt she entitled to protect the lifestyle shes earned? Part page-turning cat-and-mouse chase, part sharp and hilarious satire, Impostor Syndrome is a shrewdly-observed examination of women in tech, Silicon Valley hubris, and the rarely fulfilled but ever-attractive promise of the American Dream.
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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Bookstore finds 📚❤️ these Little Golden books are hard to find at a good price! $3 bucks each! I had to have the notebook 😂🙄

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marleed
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Pickpick

I understand the poor reviews from readers anticipating a Tom Clancy-ish Russian spy novel so I knew not to settle in for a thriller. Instead I got caught up in the character study of Russian-born Julia set up as the COO of big tech Tangerine(ha!) and the Alice (American born Chinese) who discovers something is amiss. I liked it. ↓

#Pantone2022 13-2004 Potpourri

marleed It might seem out of order for Oona to make way into this post, but I‘m always intrigued when stories are very different but the artwork of the covers are similar! 2y
68 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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bookandbedandtea
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Mehso-so

This book is more about the journey than the destination- which is frequently awesome- but this story felt too long and slow to me. It was billed as a "thriller" and a "cat and mouse game" but what I saw was an exploration of women in the tech industry and the ways in which they have to fight to get and keep a seat at the table. I liked both Julia and Alice but I don't know that I liked where this ended up.

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

I haven‘t seen much about this book on litsy, but I‘m glad I pulled it out of the #botm pile!

Julia is a Russian orphan recruited to be a spy. She was placed in Silicon Valley and worked her way up to COO of a social media giant. She‘s married an American and had a baby. When minor employee Alice discovers that Julia‘s account is doing some shady things, she is determined to get her caught. This reads as contemporary fic with some plot tension.

Cinfhen I started on audio awhile back but it wasn‘t hooking me…maybe I‘ll try again. Hope you‘re feeling ok 2y
Megabooks @Cinfhen it‘s kind of quiet for a spy novel, but I loved Julia as a character! 2y
82 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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FelinesAndFelonies
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Pickpick

I'm surprised by the low rating for this book on Goodreads & thought it was much better than the rating suggests.
Although Julia isn't particularly likeable, that wasn't an issue for me. I think the dislike of her is a result of her exhibition of characteristics that are more strongly associated with males. I feel like Julia is a literary character who is a stand in for society's perception of any strong or successful woman.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

FelinesAndFelonies @TheAromaofBooks This is my #bookspin for August. 📚 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
65 likes2 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book about a Russian Spy embeds in a US tech company and the IT employee who suspects something is amiss. One small beef: the title and cover don‘t really reflect the story.

Hooked_on_books I totally agree about the cover/title. Are they for a different book? It‘s so bizarre! 3y
84 likes1 stack add1 comment
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EmG
Panpan

I got this as a #BOTM selection and was really disappointed. I‘ve also heard it praised on a few podcasts. I found it pretty slight. A cat and mouse story with no suspense, a very perfunctory chase and nobody to root for.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Julia is COO of mega tech company Tangerine. She also happens to be a Russian spy. Alice finds some suspicious activity on Tangerine‘s servers and starts to figure some things out. I enjoyed this, but not as much as I thought I would. I loved reading Alice‘s story, but Julia‘s was a little lackluster for me. And the cover doesn‘t fit the book at all, which annoys me.

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nitalibrarian
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Pickpick

I liked this one. I don't even know if you can call it a thriller? It's more a character study and way less an action book. I liked the pacing. Julia is a COO of a Silicon Valley company, Tangerine, and also a Russian spy. You get her point of view, her handler's, Leo, and Alice, an IT worker within Tangerine who discovers Julia's strange activities within the company.

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nitalibrarian
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Time to read one of my #botm books. Started this one this morning.

31 likes1 stack add
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TheSpineView
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Here is my #BOTM selection. This is the only book thought I would like this book. I felt lukewarm about May's choices.

Laughterhp I‘m thinking about skipping this month but haven‘t made the decision yet. 3y
TheSpineView @Laughterhp It is a lack luster month.😔 3y
60 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Picked my #BOTM box for May. But guys ... I‘m just not feeling the options lately. When I rejoined 2 years ago, there were many more nonfiction picks. Now there isn‘t much and I struggle every month to decide. Sigh ...

8little_paws I'm thinking when I run out of credits I will discontinue my membership. I am really put off by learning there are books that you can only get from them if you're a new member. I am with you I miss the nonfiction books. It's a lot more commercial fiction it feels like lately.
3y
Reviewsbylola Their selections have been so weak the last few months. Really unimpressed overall. 3y
Megabooks I‘m glad I quit. Not missing it...yet. 3y
See All 9 Comments
BarbaraTheBibliophage @8little_paws I never heard this thing that different kinds of members get access to different books. I just feel like it‘s all stories about young women ... which I am not. 3y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Megabooks I‘m thinking this is my last month ... I have so many unread to catch up on, it‘ll be like I‘m still a member. 🤪 3y
Reviewsbylola It‘s funny, when I go through my list of favorite BOTMs, almost all of them are super old. 2018 and earlier. 3y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Reviewsbylola That‘s telling, isn‘t it? Maybe the reason so many recent BOTM are languishing on my bookshelves is because they don‘t interest me as much. I‘m now actively searching for a subscription service that suits me better. 3y
Reviewsbylola If you find one, lmk! 3y
74 likes9 comments
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Traci1
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I struggled to narrow it down this month. I knew if the Andy Weir was in the #botm lineup, it'd be a sure pick, but there were several I really wanted among the other choices. I may have to make another account for Things We Lost to the Water and Last Thing He Told Me. I wonder if the husband would notice if 2 blue boxes showed up in May. 🤫

MaleficentBookDragon I picked two of those as well. 3y
68 likes1 comment
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TheLibrarian
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#BOTM #BOTMspoilers

I believe the top 5 are the main picks and then the first 4 in the bottom section are the add-ons for May. It also looks like they will go live today.

Beachesnbooks thanks for posting! looks like some intriguing ones i'll have to look up 🤔 3y
59 likes1 comment
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swishandflick
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📣Word on the street is that these are two of the #BOTM picks for May 📚

Reviewsbylola Not really feeling these. I MAYBE could be persuaded on the Laura Dave. I hope I‘m more impressed by the other choices! 🤞🏻 3y
Traci1 I'm just ready for them to drop already! 👀 3y
Cinfhen Thanks for the tag, Ashley!! You‘re still the BEST sleuth out there💜I like the sound of the tagged book @Reviewsbylola 3y
77 likes5 comments