Reviews

A New York Times Editor’s Choice

Praise for Berlin

“Cinematic and confessional... Berlin is a Woolfian mirror: Red herrings and cliffhangers stoke interest by conforming to expectations, until the novel undercuts them with digressions and anticlimaxes, reveling in its own formal impunity... electric... funny and unsettling.” – The New York Times

“Highly entertaining... In the course of this witty and unsettling romp, Setton locates the humor and pathos in personal crisis while nimbly sidestepping the perils of the coming-of-age travelogue. Bereft of the earnestness characteristic of many Bildungsromans, Berlin manages to be both light social comedy and dark psychological study... Daphne is a fabulous comic creation... It’s written in funny, punchy vignettes perfect for consumption between U-Bahn stops, and a few hours in the presence of Daphne Ferber pay generous spiritual dividends.” – The Washington Post

“This book is a wry, slinky exploration of something that many of us have dreamed of doing, but it’s coupled with an existential crisis that comes from the dream being less than what was expected. Written in punchy, self-effacing prose, Berlin is one of those novels whose jokes and terrors alike will stick with you for a while – in the best of ways.” – NPR

“The novel fizzes with insight and excruciatingly funny jokes!” – Bustle

“A moving and rollicking tale of self-delusion... Setton proves herself a masterful and hilarious chronicler of contemporary life... Well-plotted while still capturing the meandering feeling of Daphne’s unbound life, and with deliciously handled foreshadowing, Setton’s sharp novel of stunted plans is compulsively readable and ultimately devastating. This isn’t one to miss.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“On the run from responsibility and lying about her compulsions, the unreliable narrator in this unsettling debut is fascinating company... [Setton] writes perceptively about the destabilizing effects of vulnerability and loneliness in an unfamiliar environment. There’s also plenty of humor in Daphne’s overthinking and her cynical approach to dating... Setton builds her growing paranoia and sense of dread to terrific effect in this unsettling, compelling read.” – The Guardian (London)

“Berlin is wonderfully funny, and Daphne’s observations about modern life, men and the challenges facing young women always hit the nail.” – Financial Times (London)

“On the run from responsibility and lying about her compulsions, the unreliable narrator in this unsettling debut is fascinating company... [Setton] writes perceptively about the destabilizing effects of vulnerability and loneliness in an unfamiliar environment. There’s also plenty of humor in Daphne’s overthinking and her cynical approach to dating... Setton builds her growing paranoia and sense of dread to terrific effect in this unsettling, compelling read.” – The Guardian (London)

I just loved it – it truly wedged itself into my brain. Absolutely vile and brilliant. Plaything is an unhinged melody, and it will serenade fans of the darkest narratives. In this utterly gripping, stomach-turning and explosive novel, obsession and jealousy are heightened by the claustrophobia, paranoia and loneliness of lockdown. I couldn’t leave it alone, right until the bitter, bloody end. ― Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller

Full of sticky moral situations punctuated with gory details ― Rose Cleary, author of How to Be a French Girl

Fascinating and mysterious, the darkness and depth of this daring novel will linger long after reading. Big big fan. ― Ashley Hickson-Lovence, author of Your Show

A seductive tale of infatuation and the complexities of romance. Setton’s talent for unravelling the love-drunk narrative is thrilling. ― Amy Twigg, author of Spoilt Creatures

‘A gloriously tense tale of obsession…At times the reader feels like Setton’s plaything, but she does it so well we don’t really mind’  - Financial Times 

‘Setton offers a slow drip-feed of apprehension and unease the novel swells a satisfying - and pleasingly unpredictable- climax ‘ - Daily Mail 

‘The surprises work, a twist towards the end left me uttering an expletive aloud, and the final page made me shudder. Animal loves, however, be warned. It’s not just the Mice who Suffer’ - John Boyne, The Irish Times