Super Sad True Love Story is another in the growing trend of mainstream writers dabbling in science fiction settings. This is similar to Solar (review) by Ian McEwan in that a non-sciencefiction writer puts an non-science fiction story in a science fiction setting. I like the trend, as better writers in science fiction can only bring better stories, but I do have to say that I’m disappointed with the results so far. What’s the problem with Super Sad True Love Story?

Lenny Abramov is a schlep. He has a decent job, but mediocre social skills and no much of a way with women. But, in his last days of a year-long business trip to Italy, he meets a Korean girl Eunice. He falls for her, but she doesn’t think much of him. When her new relationship goes bad, she decides that maybe a relationship with Lenny will help her out. While America decays in relation to the rest of the world (especially China), Lenny and Eunice’s relationship plays out.

Does any of that sound like science fiction to you? It’s set in the near future and there is a Facebook on steroids device that lets you scope out the fiscal and sexual rating of people around you (and vote on it as well). There’s bio-engineering hinted at and talked about. And there is futuristic political goings on. But none of these are truly integral to the story. It feels like it’s a mainstream novel that just happens to be in a futuristic setting rather than a science fiction novel.

The writing is wonderful. Shteyngart is a great writer who can really put a story together. But I just never clicked with the novel. It’s not bad, but it’s not something that grabbed my attention. I would recommend it and might check out other novels by Shteyngart, but it’s a mild recommendation at best.