tao lin captures an uncanny state of being overly aware of one's own actions and existence, but in a detached, almost dreamlike - fever-dreamlike - way, with an enthralling accuracy, by virtue of an incredible prose, purposefully and precisely disjointed, that often left me disturbed or nauseous. Brett easton ellis describes him as "the most interesting prose stylist of his generation" but as he gets a shoutout in the book I'm not sure we can take his word for it - although I for one am convinced.
taipei is like fear and loathing in the 21st century, fear and loathing on facebook, in 140 character spurts, or at least as stattaco - although I am woefully aware of to what degree a bit old and idiotically cliche this analogy makes me seem.
taipei is the only book I have ever read that captures the mental state of having clicked through youtube videos for hours searching for a dopamine hit in the same way one would chase the dragon.