Boston - October 04, 2005

Pop Goes the Novel

Toy Story

So you’ve been looking for a book about cryptanalysis, illicit sex, corporate culture, homeopathic medicine, pirates, lateral thinking, trend spotting, crosswords puzzles, small-world networks, Enigma machines, video games, famous mathematicians, office politics, focus groups, vegans, and viral marketing.

Well, obviously.

PopCo, the clever, subversive new novel by Going Out author Scarlett Thomas, follows Alice Butler, a quirky young English woman employed by PopCo, the world’s third-largest toy company (and uber-hip bastion of cutting-edge capitalism).

Recruited from her previous job as a crossword puzzle creator, Alice is whisked off to live at PopCo’s remote and luxurious Thought Camp and develop a product that will become a craze among teenage girls. Ah, mysteries unlocked.

Along the way, she’ll partake in bizarre brainstorming sessions, have an affair with a co-worker, discover PopCo’s slightly sinister business practices, and receive mysterious messages that may relate to her grandfather’s decoding of an ancient manuscript leading to a desert island and buried treasure.

It’s mystery, romance, and corporate satire rolled into one — a sort of Harriet-the-Spy-meets-Douglas-Coupland with a Treasure Island twist.

Well, obviously.

Available online at amazon.com.