After losing her job, Anna Krestler attempts to anchor her drifting life by embedding herself within a pretentious art collective, only to find that her own self-absorption and the demands of reality are difficult to reconcile. Anna navigates the hollow promises of the digital age while balancing the influence of her well-meaning friend Leslie and the eccentric demands of a new social circle centered on the nebulous concept of Nowism. Her objective to find meaning through artistic creation is constantly undermined by her own inertia, her mother’s practical expectations, and the encroaching responsibilities of adulthood. The narrative follows Anna’s erratic trajectory as she attempts to curate a life of substance, ultimately colliding with the harsh consequences of her choices when her roommate’s life-altering news forces a confrontation with the truth.

This novel presents a sharp, cynical look at the anxieties of the millennial experience through the lens of a protagonist who is both frustrating and recognizable. The narrative style leans into the absurdity of its characters, using wit to expose the vanity inherent in the search for self-actualization. Readers likely find the exploration of digital-age malaise and the pressure to perform a meaningful life to be a central, resonant theme. The story avoids easy resolutions, instead opting for a messy, honest conclusion that reflects the protagonist's own lack of clarity. By focusing on the friction between artistic aspiration and the mundane requirements of survival, the book offers a grounded critique of contemporary narcissism.