Naomi Klein (not Wolf) and her trip into the Mirror World proved to be a surprisingly light-hearted read for a topic so serious, and by its very nature, dark. This is something I picked up on a whim, having recognised her name from the much-worn copy of No Logo I'd inherited from some random, Little Free Library that I haven't visited in years. I expected little, and I received a lot. 

Klein put into words a lot of the feelings I myself have had since I first began paying attention to brief mentions of a mysterious illness in late 2019. It was nice to see my thoughts, my feelings, and my utter hopelessness at the (seemingly) sudden change in western society that has cost lives and relationships, and to see it in a way that was clear, precise, and not altogether hopeless. 

Contemplating capitalism and conspiracy, and their innate relationship, Klein tracks her own veritable doppelgängers descent into something other than reality; a path many have set out on since the first lockdowns of 2020. This path many took was ridiculed. Worse, those that led others down the path were seemingly immune to reason, to logic. 

I needed to read this, I think, to find perspective, and to feel less alone. I think there's a lot of people who need to read this so as to reframe a lot of their feelings and confusion and general shrugging in the face of absurdism. It helps. And, it gives hope.

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

This was such a fascinating read and not what I was expecting (I don't read premises, so idk what I was expecting actually....).

I am a tiny bookstagrammer who shares a username with other "bookish millennial"s whose "brands" are much different than mine; they focus on SJM, Fourth Wing, etc. while I ..... do not - no shade, we are just different! I found the premise of this so relatable and compelling. I'm no one, but Naomi Klein's career and brand is deeply impacted by having this author doppelganger. Absolutely wild.

I also heavily related to this because I too, have lost loved ones to the "mirrorworld," who dove deep into the covid, 5G, and other endless political conspiracies that have spread like wildfire since the pandemic shutdown in 2020. It's painful, exhausting, and leaves you in a bit of despair wondering why they can't be pulled back from the dudebro podcasts or vile Trump camp. I appreciated that Klein weaved in so much context about how these ran rampant and gained such strong traction, because it ironically made me feel less alone in my own grief of the people I love changing right in front of me.

The way we think about our online selves, and how performative activism has become a thing was something that I think anyone on Instagram or who is perpetually online can feel connected to. It is something I ruminate about often, as I believe to be seen is to be loved. However, to be perceived incorrectly (sometimes poeple really do intentionally misunderstand you) is viscerally painful and sometimes infuriating. And in other times, you don't want to be perceived at all. This cultural zeitgeist is such a mindfuck sometimes.

I don't particularly think there was anything absolutely novel in this, and though it could feel dense at times, I am really glad I read it and felt really comforted that it's something we are all navigating (to different extents) in this "brave new world" lol. 

Every chapter something to drop your jaw at, could be a historical reference of our times one day

 Doppelganger is...hard to explain.

It's a book about doubles, in the literal sense and in myriad metaphorical ways. This is the uniting theme across the broad sociopolitical landscape Klein writes about, from QAnon to wellness influencers (and the surprising alliances between them found in the "diagonalist" movement). The framing concept is the author's persistent confusion with Naomi Wolf, and through exploring this uncanny doppelganger she's found herself saddled with, she dives into the rabbit hole of what she calls the Mirror World.

I'm not going to do her arguments justice by explaining them further here, but I found a lot of value in Klein's exploration of the motivations of Steve Bannon and his ilk, the pitfalls of the modern internet left and social justice movements, internet privacy, the history of Nazism and antisemitism, Zionism, diagonalism, and more.

Having read This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate several years ago, I already trust that Klein knows what she's talking about, and her careful excavation of the cause and effect of so many destabilizing cultural forces in Doppelganger adds to her leftist cred. I really appreciated her well-argued, non-performative writing--she knows her stuff, has spent decades living it and writing about it, and doesn't come off as preachy. In my notes I said this book feels like "coming home to the left". It's such a refreshing change from most of the internet discourse you get about these topics.

I think the biggest aha moment for me was Klein's differentiation between understanding the forces that cause social issues vs. conspiracy theories blaming some super-powerful bad actor. Incentive structures in capitalism (e.g.) cause all sorts of social ills, but it's easy to see these effects and blame them on some evil intelligent force instead. Again, I'm not going to do her argument justice, but this point is a really powerful one.

Doppelganger is not a light read, but it's well worth it. I'm glad I finished it now, while I'm pregnant, instead of trying to listen to it while taking care of a newborn. I don't think that would have worked too well. It deserves the time spent chewing on its contents. 

An interesting read that's particularly strong in its last few chapters where Naomi Klein illustrates the violent bigotry and genocidal tendencies inherent to Europe and its colonial projects.

The book is well written, covers a lot of ground and offers much food for thought. 

Trying to tie all of these topics back to the doppelganger motif at times feels like a stretch? I definitely lost the thread a few times but was captivated by Klein's meandering narrative nonetheless.

Wow.