Review of the Day: The Raise

Other people might like this book; this was not a book I enjoyed.

The Raise is a first person female centric thriller set in a technology company in Manhattan. One of the problems I had with Kriegsman’s book is that I did not understand what service the company actually provided for its customers. At times, I was reminded of John Carreyrou’s Bad Blood and the case of Elizabeth Holmes. Holmes was the founder of a blood testing company that would use tiny amounts of blood to test for many diseases. Holmes was good at dressing for success and convincing investors. However, the fact that she is currently incarcerated at a federal prison in Texas tells you everything you need to know.

Back to The Raise.

To give an example of the language in the book, there are many descriptions of clothes makeup, and appearances.

Victoria is wearing what I can only describe as a funeral muumuu. Even though it looks better suited for a sixty-year-old and does her delicate frame no favors, it likely cost upwards of four hundred dollars at some “shabby chic” boutique in Southampton, where her family vacations in the summer, and where Victoria has retreated for a string of mental health days since the accident. Lucky bitch (location 260).

After slathering my under eyes in color corrector and concealer and dabbing on some ruby ChapStick, I slip on my trusted wide-legged trousers, oversized black blazer, and gilded loafers. The outfit says dutiful and methodical, while the gold-studded loafers promise spunk. The goal, Darcy would say, is to look polished but approachable, like you can pound a beer with the sales team, then playfully demand that they get back to work. “No one wants to work for a stiff cunt in a sheath dress” (location 686).

Overall, Kriegsman leans toward short sentences and a fair amount of the book is copies of text messages and emails. The point being that I would not call this book literary fiction.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a free copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

epub. 302 pgs. 29 September 2025