Platformed

by Kelsey Josund

Silicon Valley in the 2030s is not so different from today, filled with vaguely sexist CEOs, contested inequality politics, and startups that are almost a joke. After she loses her job when her startup folds and loses her home to California's annual wildfires, Sara joins the latest an unnamed tech giant's quasi-utopian community, floating above the drowned land that was once Monterey. Alone on the inside with a thousand mysteriously chosen strangers, Sara is insulated by an all-powerful corporation from the turmoil of crumbling governments and a changing climate. Everyone around her seems incredibly thankful, rescued from gig work and student loans and bad news, but she can't find her own gratitude. As she learns more about her new home, she begins to see the cracks in its perfect facade. She must choose between surveillance and lies from the anonymous algorithms that protect her or face a vulnerable life outside the system to which she has signed away her next five years. Leaving, she learns, may not even be an option.

Genres: Dystopia, Mystery, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Fiction

364 pages, Hardcover

First published May 18, 2021

About the author

I am a software engineer and author living and working on the road -- I've been traveling full time while working remotely since October 2022. I studied computer science at Stanford University, but I’ve always loved stories in all their forms. I approach writing fiction the same way I approach writing code: I like to know where it’s going, but I want to figure out the details as I go along. Good software is a lot like a good story, full of neat and clever solutions to tricky problems, beautiful at a granular level but also from a distance.

Originally from Seattle, I love getting outdoors to escape to the mountains on the weekends. I care deeply about the ecosystems that humans impact and that impact us. My writing explores these issues while also following classic coming-of-age arcs in science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Anissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good debut novel that's part character study and part climate & economic collapse story. The main character joins a highly selective enclave called The Community as a means of escaping natural disasters and the lack of employment. The Community is revealed over the length of the story and of course, isn't the panacea it claimed (just what is the company running it testing and who is the company?!).

More than anything I liked the writer's style. Some things were a bit predictable but most everything felt grounded and highly plausible. The descriptions of the fires was alarmingly real. Questions and observations by the main character were posed in a thoughtful way and I was always eager to return to the story after having to put the book down. That said, I was disappointed not to have some,
important to me, questions answered by the end: what happened to Emily?!; is Sara out of The Community after the chat with Everest?; what happens after the five years is up?. I have so many questions!

Maybe a sequel is in the works and if so, I'd certainly read it.

Recommended.

[Jessy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won an advance reader copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Platformed has a great hook - a young woman named Sara enters a bubble-like community overseen by a tech giant to escape spiraling crises of governance, climate disaster, disease, and unrest ravaging the world, but discovers the charmed life she’s selected to pursue for the next five years isn’t all it appears to be.

Unfortunately, I was as uninterested in Sara’s relationships as she was, and found much of the story reliant on sometimes clunky reveals. For example, I don’t remember ever reading how Sara realized her roommate’s decorations were virtual reality, only a statement that they were.

The big twist was more confusing than anything else (why *did* Everest leave her phone out and on in his room? Why did he even need to have the physical device as part of his supposed mission to spy/help her assimilate?) and the ending was abrupt and left many loose threads dangling. I kind of suspect the author is planning a sequel based on the end, but it was unsatisfying for me as a reader.

Three stars because it was a quick read and touched on some of broader ideas are interesting/would make good book club fodder: What do you do when the life you expected isn’t achievable? How do you define yourself away from your family and job? What would you do all day if you didn’t have to do anything at all? When does a way of living that you rejected become the best choice left to you? Is Sara’s dystopia our future - and if so, can we avert it?

[Jack Atherton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I started reading this book, it was hard to put down. It’s an easy read and more of a character study + cautionary tale of one possible techno-climate dystopian future. But if you’re looking for an action-packed plot like the Hunger Games, this is not really that type of book! The plot is there more to explore the setting through the eyes of one character, and the setting is pretty compelling and easy to relate to my experiences living in the Bay Area my whole life. I do wish a few more things were explained about the community by the end of the book, but maybe that leaves room for a sequel!

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apart from leading us through an engaging mystery, this book skillfully and honestly explores the ambivalent emotional, psychological and spiritual responses of a young person embedded in a social and environmental surrounding that no longer supports the humans who must live within it. The issues faced by Sara, the central character, are familiar enough, even to us, even now, that the reader can well imagine the unnerving possibility of being faced with similar losses and challenges. Weighing the physical and psychological impacts of two starkly contrasted environments - that of the country's crumbling social and political systems in a decimated natural environment against that of the tightly controlled and protected big company Community - forces Sara, and ourselves, to think carefully about our systems and what our existence within them should try to achieve. We might not find every answer, but we will find a path we can follow toward healing, tolerance and true community with other human beings.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great first novel

This was a well written, thought provoking story. The protagonist was believable. I look forward to reading more from this new author.

[Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping novel that I finished in a few sittings and kept me thinking long after it ended! The writer managed to transport me into another world while sneaking in dystopian parallels to our current society and relatable characters.

[Gawan Fiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Platformed is a dystopian sci-fi novel set in 2030s Silicon Valley that follows Sara, a software engineer, as things slowly start to fall apart amidst climate change, inept government, and corporate mega-power.

The depiction of Silicon Valley 15 years in the future is remarkably on-point, and intimately captures the capitalist endgame of a culture obsessed with optimization.

'She had, at one point, believed wholeheartedly that there was a way to optimize every day, an ideal way to arrange appointments and tasks onto her calendar so not a moment was wasted. There was a cost function that could be applied to every decision and if only she could find it, she could solve it and live perfectly... Everyone in Silicon Valley--that microcosm of exploding capitalism--seemed to buy into the same idea. Money was so much more than currency. They let it guide them.'

As a resident of Silicon Valley, the descriptions throughout the book resonated with my experiences here and my fears of what it could become. After all, we are already seeing the precursors: Google's recent smart city trials are awfully similar to the corporate communities depicted in Platformed.

Climate change is the other societal shaper in this future world, and while it is explored on multiple levels, what impressed me most was the way Josund captured the insidious slow burn of climate-driven natural disasters: how it lulls those with privilege into complacency and the horror when it's finally your turn to face them.

'She thought back on...that long list of landmark accords in cities that everyone hailed for their progress--Kyoto and Paris and Copenhagen--but which in the end no one listened to until it was too late. Parking lots full of Teslas that flowed like rivers, which they thought would save them but didn't, in the end.'

'The blaring of her phone's emergency alert jolted Sara out of sleep and into confusion...
"Evacuation notice?"
"It's the fire," she breathed. "It's here?"
For a shocked moment they stared at each other, trying to decide if it was real. Because it couldn't have reached them, right? Disasters happened to other people.
...
The annual California lottery that no one thought they would ever lose. Tonight they had lost.'

Compelling world-building aside, the central struggle for Sara is to find meaning in a world that does not truly need her; a world where people are losing their jobs to automation and their homes to natural disasters. What do you do when you've been displaced from everything you've ever known? How do you thrive in a community that shields you from the chaos of the world, but provides you no real future? This novel provides an excellent meditation on such questions.

'There was no other way out of a depression fueled by fear and despondency except to see that such gloom, like everything else, was a waste. There was supposed to be a second part to such a message, though. Nothing matters does not tell you how to live your life.'

And of course, there's the inherent mystery of the secretive corporate community, which gradually unravels as she explores her new home. Overall, the future depicted in Platformed was unsettling and yet entirely plausible, reminiscent of the dystopian tv series, Black Mirror. It was a compelling read that I enjoyed finishing in just a few sittings.

[Amita Gupta]

This book sounds awesome- can’t wait to read it for my book clubs!

[Birb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Platformed takes place in a near future that is both eerily dystopic while at the same time uncomfortably plausible. Sara, a woman in her twenties, loses her home and enters the Community, a place where basic necessities are free in exchange for the inhabitants "testing things." This book is tremendously honest, speaking to the millennial experience and the problems inherited by new generations. The characters are diverse and real and wonderfully flawed, one of the best parts of this story. Through both dialogue and Sara's thoughts, Platformed is deeply contemplative, making you think along with the characters.

While romance is by no means the focal point of this story, it was one of my favorite aspects. Between Sara's own romantic experiences and those of her friends, Platformed nails the struggles and quirks of modern dating. Sara's romantic relationships never dominate her life's purpose, but are each compelling in different ways.

There are no easy answers for Sara, but you're left with a sense of hope for her. My heart hurts <\3

[Miriam Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the protagonist, I'm a woman working in tech in Silicon Valley, and I have to say this book hits it on the nose. The future envisioned in Platformed is eerily familiar. It's the object in your periphery that you're trying to avoid looking at. And despite the eeriness, it was a fun and entertaining read that I finished in just a few sittings. I'm not usually much of a sci-fi (or cli-fi) reader, but maybe now I will be!

[Maddy Berkman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thouroughly enjoyed Platformed by Kelsey Josund! I recently started a new job and didnt have time to finish the book in one go, but I couldnt stop thinking about it! The short chapters are engaging and rich with detail. Josund's writing style is distinctive and compelling, easy to relate to leaves you wanting more!

[Thea Chard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! This subtle scifi is a slow, creepy burn that feels like a not-impossible near future, particularly poignant of times today and prescient of what could soon be.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LIVED in a possible future community as I read PLATFORMED. I easily slipped into connection with Sarah and her plight as contemporary events compel her decision. Strong yet spare writing stimulated my imagination as I walked around and viewed her surroundings. The story unfolded in a gentle and honest manner, impelling me to keep turning the page.

[Anya Deering · Rating 5 out of 5]

Platformed is a gripping story that offers a glimpse into a future that's just a bit too uncomfortably close. This book offers a compelling narrative with gorgeous world-building and complex characters. Each step of the way was an unexpected and exciting surprise, and I had so many questions at the end of every chapter that I couldn't wait to turn the page, gobble up the next one, and find out!!

Sara's natural curiosity sweeps us into a fantastic haven known as The Community, that seems both like an utterly unbelievable sci-fi alternate reality, while simultaneously being completely believable in today's landscape of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Kelsey Josund manages to create an entire world filled with beautiful descriptions and nuanced details, while telling an exciting and fast-paced story. If it weren't for the constant deep rumbling of existential dread Josund masterfully evokes, I'd love to call this book thoroughly enjoyable and an absolute delight to read! The writing feels wonderful to read and the short, snappy chapters hop back and forth between life before complete ecological disaster and the tech dystopia of 2030. As the past (our present) crawls forward, it only serves to intensify the sense of foreboding, like the shark of inevitable environmental disaster closing in on us. The perfect book for summer 2021's dissonant discomfort of as we claw our way out of a pandemic, take off our masks, and head to the beach!

Platformed is science fiction that's a little too close to reality, and A MUST READ for fans of Made for Love, Uglies Pretties Specials, or any other dystopian tech lit.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Characters: 3, I had a hard time caring anything about Sara, the MC. She's emotionally cold, going through the motions of socializing while actively tuning people out and not caring about them as individuals at all, and aside from occasionally searching a crowd for her sister or best friend, doesn't think about either for the vast majority of the book. She repeatedly sleeps with men she doesn't care about (or for) or is even much attracted to after the first meeting, so I'm not sure what drives her at all. She also kept pointing out how other people were happy (and that made each of them suspicious, naïve, nonsensical, or crazy) and she was not, but she had no discernible emotional state at all- not sad, not angry, not scared (just judgmental, despite assuming anyone who was laughing was laughing *at* her). She's also frustratingly incurious- she asks herself questions like "Do they select us to fill roles?" but then immediately dismisses them and doesn't pursue any action to resolve said questions (like asking someone, investigating, or seeing what happens when she removes those tech contacts from her eyeballs). None of the other characters were individual in any sense. Even the best friend, Bea, is more of a plot device than a character (although to what end, I'm not sure, except that where Sara is passive, Bea believes she's an activist in a rather hypocritical way).

Atmosphere: 4, The setting is 2030 Bay Area, with nods to Monterey Bay, Silicon Valley, and Half Moon Bay. Beyond being on the shore, and the ocean levels having risen enough to swamp existing towns, there wasn't much in terms of place. I struggled to picture it, though it *was* described (both as having an Old Europe charm and being entirely made of concrete, two things I cannot resolve in my head). From the synopsis, I had expected there to be something sinister afoot, but in fact there's no overall emotional sense to the story, so it was the opposite of immersive.

Writing: 3, It felt oddly stilted. There was way too much information that the reader didn't need, about people and events that didn't matter, but somehow also a lack of it with respect to setting atmosphere and mood. Each person is exactly described by skin color, hair color, and eye color but nobody's tone or facial expression apparently conveys anything. There were also inconsistencies (like the bedding is both "a mere projection" made by her tech contacts, but also a physical thing she could buy in "every color of the rainbow"), which pulled me out of the story.

Plot: 4, Things got a little more interesting around pg 270, with notable lines about inheriting a dying world and feeling complicit in your own failure. But nothing actually happened. The entire novel is one depressed, self-destructive, emotionally distant, self-obsessed woman's rumination on whatever she happens to be seeing at the moment.

Intrigue: 2, I kept reading, though I should've DNF'ed this, because the synopsis meant that surely, surely there was a twist coming and there would be intrigue. Reader, there was not.

Logic: 4, Hard to say what Sara's motives are, as she seems to not know why she's doing anything. So in that way, her pointless wandering and wondering were logical to her character. And if we assume every other human in the Community was equally devoid of personality, then their robotic wandering also makes sense. But the overall plot had some very large logic failings. And then the author, who clearly lives in the Bay Area, did a thing those folks do that is nails on chalkboard for me: referred to the Bay Area as Northern CA. As if the entire half a state above it doesn't exist (seriously, look at a map, SFO is middle of the state). Actual Northern CA is Eureka, Arcata, Crescent City, Mendocino County.

Enjoyment: 2, This was a waste of my time and energy and I deeply regret not DNFing it.

[Harrison Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the terror of living in a dystopian climate-change ravaged future where human settlements have either been submerged underwater or obliterated by fire, this book hones in on humanity's two biggest threats to itself - technological advancement and the need to make money. It is technology which has exacerbated climate change after all, and has the potential to solve it if only it were profitable to do so.

Platformed depicts a world where some people have been fortunate enough to insulate themselves from the environmental chaos going on around them in 'intentional communities.' These places, whilst appearing like nice places to live, are really part of an experiment led by big tech companies who have taken the logical step of controlling not just what you see on social media via algorithms, but what you can actually see (achieved through VR lenses).

Although this technology isn't harnessed in the way I'd imagine it would be if it were real, this is one of the novel's main strengths. It isn't a page-turner in terms of plot, but there were plenty of worthy moments at which to stop and contemplate, before resuming reading later on. I would have assumed that the VR lenses would be used to propel capitalism (as why invent anything otherwise really?), make everyone seem like they're wearing a brand that just happen to be sponsoring the big tech firm, making you want that brand - augmented advertising really. But the novel uses the lenses for what appears like a more utopian purpose.

The novel then explores whether this kind of utopian living is actually idyllic or not, and whether if we're not in a system that necessitates consumption, whether we then become the product, the augmented advertising tailoring all of us to each other, rendering us homogenous. It then goes on to explore the philosophy of whether any kind of living can ever be meaningful, whether we can ever be more than just the consumers or the consumed. Whether we, or anything, really matters. It's bleak, as all good dystopian fiction should be, but the ending conveys a sense of hope, and that the main character, Sara, has finally figured it all out, what her meaning is.

[Wiblitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

(An arc copy was provided to me)

I started this one a while back because I was really into the premise. I’ve been in a phase of digging tech-related Sci Fi stories and this take on a world that is succumbing to man-made environmental apocalypse was on the nose but intriguing. I ended up putting it down and not picking it back up for a while after a passage of particularly bad dialogue.

Here’s the good: I like the idea of the premise, of this future of environmental destruction, of what that next step could be, of what this world of tech could create.

The bad: That promising set-up goes nowhere.

The story moves pretty slow and is interrupted by flashbacks to Sara’s life before she decided to join the platform (living in an experimental community run by a tech corp where you don’t have to spend money and they take care of your debt in the meantime).

Here’s the thing, it seems like the author is still trying to figure out who they are as a writer. The dialogue is bad and the prose is odd. There’s a lot of overworked flowery description mixed with utilitarian delivery. It’s not one clear voice, but rather ambled around. It gets a touch more cohesive about halfway through. The characters are very surface level and need a lot of work to become dimensional people that leap off the page. One character is even described as …nondescript (but made sure to mention he had brown skin, which was off putting without any further elaboration). The main character, Sara, was a bit boring and just seemed to go with the flow without making any interesting decisions. She let life happen to her instead of making things happen. Plenty of people do that but I don’t want to read books about them.

There just wasn’t much conflict. It had a feel of dystopian YA novels I read growing up except those had main characters that went on journeys and trials and tried to save something. Sara didn’t do anything.

Overall I wasn’t sure what her point of view was beyond showing a world succumbing to a climate crisis.
If you’re into the premise of people being in a similar type of community, the show Upload has a similar feel.

[Aritra Bikash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Platformed: A Novel by Kelsey Josund is a detailed diary of the protagonist with easy to spot minute details with easy to relate circumstances around to attach the readers to the character and plot of this fiction. Fiction like this will force you to turn the page in thirst for unprecedented wonder.

After losing her job owing to some unforeseen events, Sara has relocated to Silicon Valley, which is filled with chauvinist CEOs, controversial inequality politics, and much-anticipated disaster.
The difficulty of adjusting to a new work environment alienated her and disrupted her tranquilly. She was confronted with the same tragic backstory as her coworkers. She was completely unaware of her timely appointment.
She finds the cracks in her new workplace's perfect veneer as she learns more about it.
Escaping was not easy for her?
Will she accept it with the peer influence? Or did she get to know that leaving is not even in her options yet?
When does a way of life she once despised become the only option available to her?
Just pick the book to know more about this point!
The storey is brutally honest, describing the millennial experience and the challenges that younger generations inherit. The personalities are diverse and real, and they're all tainted by current circumstances that force her to make a decision.
A smooth voyage across the pages of a fresh storey with a tinge of my favourite romance and induced a long-lasting impression. The ending of the book was not an ending for me with some loose ends entangled within! Maybe there will be a second part!
I would recommend this to serious readers since the storey unfolded delicately and honestly that compelled them to keep turning the page until the wonderful ending was reached.

[Read 4 Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginning with the name of the book "Platformed," I think the title is important, it's easy to understand and catchy. Besides, it is of such a high level of interest, since reading the title gives a feeling that catches the viewer's attention.

📚The title is absolutely suitable for this plot. I like the cover it is attractive. The author used simple and lucid language and it help the readers to what the author trying to communicate.

📚This is the protagonist's detailed diary with easy minute details that can be easily related in order to attach the reader to the character and the plot of this fiction. Fiction like that forces you to turn the page for amazing sight.
Sara, a twenty-year-old woman, loses her home and enters the community, where basic necessities are free for people who test things. This is a very honest book about the millennium and the problems that new generations have inherited.
As the story progresses it will take you a crazy ride. You will go mad at moments but you will be hooked to it and flow while reading the book was really smooth.

📚Talking about the words and the language used in the book, in terms of difficulty I personally didn't face any difficulty while reading the book. Whereas the choice of words is something that gives a flow while reading and it was awesome. So what are you guys waiting for go grab your copy fast.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very different concept of dystopia. If you are young and healthy, you may be permitted to leave the fires, unemployment, and poverty of the normal world, and live instead in a city where nothing is asked of you as long as you do not question the rationale of the place. You don't have to work, but you can if that relieves your boredom. All food must be obtained from restaurants outside your dwellings to encourage people to get out and mingle, and occasionally you must participate in team-building exercises.

Big tech companies sponsor these new cities, supposedly to have a captive audience to test new products on. But their real motive is to see how little they have to give the masses to keep them happy and unquestioning in a world of dramatically expanding scarcity.

The novel was an interesting concept. However, all of the characters were one cliché or another.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super interesting premise. It’s a future Silicon Valley. We’ve continued to destroy the planet and between fires and a terrible economy, life is challenging for a lot of people. A big tech company has created a virtual reality utopia called The Community where young adults meeting certain mystery criteria can live for free while being research specimens for their products.

The beginning was great, the middle got slow and repetitive. The main character, Sara, seems so disinterested it’s hard to connect with her. Much of the context about the community is vaguely described / kept in mystery. The twist at the end could have been punchier.

Overall a good first novel and I hope the author keeps writing.

[Michael Rhames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall: 3.4/5
Platformed is a dystopian novel about a young woman who decides to join a bubbled community ran by a giant corporation which would provide her with a steady job as a product tester and and safe housing in a world that had been made increasingly uninhabitable by the devastation brought on by climate change. It goes back and forth in time, the present marked from the time she and the people with whom she traveled arrived at the community.

While I loved the concept, it became painfully slow at times.

Cover: 3/5
The colors are attractive, but the image as a whole doesn't really speak to me. This is not a book that would have piqued my interest at first sight.

Writing/Delivery: 6/10
Kelsey Josund writes a fluid and easy to follow prose, and has the ability to keep you on edge through the story without complicating it.

My only issue with how this book was written (or rather sequenced) is probably the same reason why it was done this way. This is just my uneducated guess. I found the flashbacks much more interesting and intense than the main story. For the most part, nothing much ever really happens in the bits taking place in the present. So, while a linear sequence would have made more sense, the first half would have been truly promising, only for the pace to slow down to a crawl for most of the second half.

Editorial 8/10
A small amount of errors, mostly punctuation-related and a few typos, kept this book from a perfect score in this section of my review.

Sara didn't thinks... instead of Sara didn't think...

and

The defined and tracked a plethora of... vs. They defined and tracked a plethora of...

are examples.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for being a good writer.
2 stars for leaving this reader scratching her head.
This was an unsatisfying read.
Don’t waste my time if you’re not going to give this reader a fulfilling ending. Without that what is the purpose of the entire book. Kelsey Josund is a rock solid writer. Her scenes are written beautifully and the fire was on point. Alas, the protagonist was endlessly odd and almost unlikeable.
Argh! At the end you are left with many, many questions without a hope of answers. Some readers suggested there should be a sequel to answer all the dangling questions. Count me out.

[Matthew Rasnake · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book itself was decently written and enjoyable. Nothing groundbreaking, but offering some bright spots in characterization and setting. Unfortunately, the narration was a little flat and there was a persistent transformer hum during most of it, which was made more apparent because of the bits that were filtered out during the silences. Some of the punch-ins weren't quite matched well enough to the surrounding recording, which had a dissonant effect. Audio issues were slight enough to be forgivable and not really detract from the overall experience.

[Tiffany Hannick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story

This book was interesting in its simple story. It is follows a young lady Sara as she joins a community ran by a company offering a job "trying products" in order to escape from the world that is falling apart around everyone. The characters are very easy to relate to and understand. The story is pretty good and believable.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally got around to reading (actually listening to the audiobook) this. Kelsey is the granddaughter of my former manager at Everett Public Library- Evergreen Branch. I really enjoyed it and thought it was smart and timely. I can’t wait to read her other books now. Congrats, Kelsey on your success!

[Emma Blackford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend reading this right now, as fires rage across the world. What a view into a future society that feels so eerily realistic and possible if we continue on our current climate path. Quick-paced read and very engaging!

[Atle Dreier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this.
Nice simple setup, slow but steady buildup, and a nice, plausible decline of the main character. I loved the small twists along the way, and the sedate pacing fit the theme and story well.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring

A protagonist whining about her boring life led to a boring read. I wish I could have those wasted hours back!

[Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Narrator did not work for me on audiobook.