The Factory
A surreal exploration of the modern workplace and identity
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Granta Books
Published:2nd Nov '23
Should be back in stock very soon
In The Factory, three employees navigate the surreal and absurd world of work, questioning their purpose within a consuming industrial environment.
In The Factory, the author presents a modern fable that explores the consuming nature of work and its impact on individual identity. Set in a sprawling industrial complex, the narrative follows three new employees who are assigned to distinct departments. Each character's role is seemingly mundane: one shreds paper, another proofreads documents, and the last studies the moss that blankets the grounds. As they adapt to their routines and the peculiarities of their colleagues, the boundaries between their work and their lives begin to blur.
As the story unfolds, the characters find themselves increasingly engrossed in their tasks, leading to a disorienting experience where the factory becomes their entire world. The once-clear lines between reality and work dissolve, prompting them to question their existence within this environment. They grapple with existential questions that arise from their monotonous routines, such as the nature of their purpose and the meaning of their labor. The surreal atmosphere is enhanced by the presence of strange animals and an overarching sense of absurdity.
With echoes of Kafka and Beckett, The Factory combines moments of dark humor with a poignant examination of modern work culture. It invites readers to reflect on the absurdity of their own lives and the often-overlooked implications of a work-centered existence. This vivid portrayal of the workplace serves as both a critique and a mirror for contemporary society.
Brilliantly strange... As the workers toil and their voices blur, it all leads to a question simultaneously outraged and amused: "What the hell is wrong with the world?" * Guardian *
This is captivating, disquieting prose... Into this relentless tension, Oyamada weaves flashes of dark humour... Dreamlike and dizzying... this short, powerful book poses important questions about the terrifying futility of corporate jobs and our role in the world * Financial Times *
Strangely chilling * New York Times *
A stirring portrait of modern work-life culture * TIME Magazine *
[A] stellar, mind-bending debut * Publishers Weekly *
A very smart commentary on working life * United by Pop *
An elegant and often funny sketch of 21stcentury corporate life... Oyamada casts an unflinching eye on climate catastrophe and the failure of humans to avert it... Yet for all its dark undercurrents, The Factory is not bleak * Literary Review *
Ideal for those seeking a retreat into Kafka/Beckett-type absurdism * Strong Words Sunday Book Club newsletter *
By the time we reach the suitably bizarre ending, the author has effectively portrayed the confounding maze of modern capitalism to which there is a clearly marked entry point but no exit * Irish Times *
One of the mysteries that keeps the reader hooked is that of the factory itself: a nameless, giant industrial complex set somewhere in modern-day provincial Japan... The final twist might not come as a surprise, but it is surprisingly eerie, and stays with you long after you finish reading * TLS *
Oyamada takes the reader on the same absurd, confusing journey as the workers... This way, the author mirrors how surreal, monotonous, and soul crushing the modern workplace seems to many of us * NB magazine *
ISBN: 9781803510538
Dimensions: 205mm x 138mm x 15mm
Weight: 201g
128 pages