books like things have gotten worse since we last spoke

What ensues is a tale of manipulation, obsession, and self-mutilation leading to destruction.Īs a queer youth already on social media myself in the early 2000s, when Things Have Gotten Worse is set, I relate deeply to the idea that, while looking for solace from hate and rejection in your “real life,” it could be easy to fall into the arms of someone online who offers emotional support.

What begins as Zoe daring Agnes to wear a too-sexy dress into the office to “deserve her eyes,” soon morphs into a contractual agreement whereupon Zoe assumes complete ownership over Agnes. Zoe tells Agnes that her father used to ask her, “What have you done today to deserve your eyes?” He meant it as a way of saying not to take eyesight, among other gifts, for granted.

These points are magnified by their respective handles: anges_in_wonderland_76 and crushedmarigolds.Īs the relationship deepens, cracks in introductory politeness and niceties widen into jealousy and control. The instant messages are written in a way that showcase Agnes’ anxiety and awkwardness, while also making clear that Zoe is direct and dominant. His prose, especially in the longer email messages, is vibrant and quite poetic. Creeping unease is apparent even before they exchange screen names and the correspondence moves to instant messaging, which LaRocca employs beautifully to convey the growth of their relationship. Regardless of any ill intent, holding someone as a savior blurs perception and opens one up to manipulation. Zoe, right from the start, has money and security to hold over Agnes. She graciously accepts and reveals to Zoe that she was nearing the end of her rope: “You plucked me right from the edge before I was about to jump … You’ve changed my life, guardian angel.”Īlready clear from these early exchanges is the power imbalance forming between the pair. In her mother’s words, “My child isn’t gay.” Zoe sends her deepest sympathies and offers to wire money to cover Agnes’ monthly rent payments. She shares the story of the antique it was one of the last things she received from her mother before being cut off for revealing her sexuality. From there, chemistry sparks as the two share sentiments about their grandparents and slowly get to know one another.Īgnes soon discloses to Zoe that she is selling the apple peeler to help pay bills so that she can keep her apartment. Zoe Cross responds by email to the solicitation: she wants to buy the peeler for her grandfather due to its unlikely connection to composer Charles Ives, which had been included in Agnes’ original description. It’s an ad for the sale of an antique apple peeler that belonged to her great-grandmother. What follows is the chronological correspondence between Agnes and her online girlfriend, Zoe, from the time they meet until Agnes’ untimely demise.įirst, we see a post by Agnes on an LGBTQ+ message board. Eric LaRocca’s masterful epistolary novella tells the reader immediately that Agnes Petrella is dead.

Books like things have gotten worse since we last spoke