"A quirky, deeply satisfying, whip-smart debut that critiques corporate culture and male entitlement while also offering a heartfelt look at how to work through grief. Meticulously constructed and truly original—I inhaled it."
—Jami Attenberg, author of All This Could Be Yours
"The Very Nice Box is a fascinating look at the ways people choose to compartmentalize grief. The writing is sharp and dynamic, the plot wonderfully compelling. It's a very fun read, but it's also a timely one: how does toxic masculinity in corporate culture restructure and rebrand itself in order to appear innocuous? The Very Nice Box is a very nice book, and Blackett and Gleichman have created something stellar here."
—Kristen Arnett, author of With Teeth
"This debut has everything I crave in a novel: emotional intelligence, humor both subtle and satirical, pathos galore, and sentences that you could bounce a quarter off. Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett have managed to write a literary page-turner that is full of heart and scathing social critique, not to mention a surprise ending to rival those of my favorite mysteries. I absolutely devoured it."
—Melissa Febos, author of Girlhood
“A satire of contemporary corporate culture. An exploration of how vulnerable we become in grief. A surprising romance. A cautionary tale. Somehow The Very Nice Box manages to be all of the above. Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett have a wicked sense of humor and a keen view on our current moment. This is a delightful and propulsive read.”
—Helen Phillips, author of The Need
“What kind of box is this book? Is it a giftbox, or a memory box, or a coffin? It’s all of the above, a deftly packaged story that hinges on the way we organize our days, our work, and our love. I relished living in its perfect compartments. Gleichman and Blackett have engineered a narrative not only very nice, but exceptional.”
—Hilary Leichter, author of Temporary
"This sharp page-turner is as well-constructed and pleasing as the titular Box, with a heroine whose affecting quirks lend heart and consequence to the headlong plot."
—Emily Gould, author of Perfect Tunes
"The Very Nice Box is a thrill ride, an enthralling tale of love and vengeance. It’s a rare novel that both sparkles with humor and pulses with deep emotion. At once a transgressive love story and an exploration of how to bring back life’s meaning after loss, the plot builds in twist after twist to a shocking ending."
—Molly Dektar, author of The Ash Family
“Smart, witty, wonderfully queer, The Very Nice Box is a moving novel about love and grief, a satire on corporate culture and thriller with a brilliant twist, all at once. Utterly original, warm-hearted and addictive.”
—Kate Davies, author of In at the Deep End