Unfortunately this read very juvenile for me and I could not get into it. Lots of he says she says, a lot of addressing the audience. Perhaps there is an audience it will appeal to but that is not me.

So I wish this book were more about corn dogs instead of being the fever dream that it was. I liked the beginning but it just didn't lead me anywhere that I wanted to go.

This was a fun little novella, while it is not something I would normally read I still enjoyed it. It feels like it was written for middle school aged children because the sentences were short and basic.

While people in Stalin's Russia had "The Master and Margarita," people living under contemporary capitalism have "Dollartorium," a novella about the lure of wealth, and how fallible chasing the life of the one percent can be.

In starting to read this book, I was a little bit worried about the writing quality, as the introductory section describing Ralph's process for growing the corn, raising the hogs, and making the corn dogs read more like a middle grade book than an adult literary fiction piece, but my mind was quickly changed. I really liked that we got to see Plato's idea of the good reflected differently in our two married protagonists - whereas the Good for Ralph is an honest day's work making corn dogs, for Phyllis the good is embodied in purchasing power and its related social status, I also thought the way the Money Master was represented, particularly when he hopped out of the TV and strutted around the Doggery, was particularly captivating. Even knowing that he was a serious grifter, I couldn't put the book down when it got to his pitch and the way he sucked Phyllis in.

However, i found my engagement with the book really wanted during Ralph's time at the Dollartorium. While I understand the value of including the individual lessons, mainly to satirize different elements of workplace culture, and show their lack of substance, they weren't particularly engaging, with the exception of the Master's comments at the end of the section which served to tie up the chapter's main point.

I also do have mixed feelings about the ending. I loved that Pullins used Stella as the heroine, and I liked the way she was described by the sycophant as being impervious to the various grifts of the money machinists. She shows that often times, quiet, unassuming strength is significantly more valuable than flashy presentation, and that it's good for us all to go and touch grass sometimes.. But, I find Phyllis' character arc hard to believe. For someone who was so wrapped up in not only the idea of money generally, but the social status and material possessions it could buy her, I find it very hard to believe that a single day of work at the Doggery could convince her of the values of a simple, unassuming life.

I think the book serves as a great critique of contemporary capitalism and its associated business culture, but at times, the writing style caused my attention to wane, and neither Phyllis nor the Money Master's character arcs reached a satisfying end, in my estimation.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I always enjoy books as relatable as this one about Ralph from Kansas who makes an honest living with corn dogs but what happens when working this way doesn’t bring in the money yet the people at the top of the class always seem to be making out. But of course we all say we will try something else to make us wealthy but what happens when that isn’t enough? That’s what this book shows. When I say this book is relatable I truly mean it.

Review will be posted on Instagram and Amazon on pub day and links added to NetGalley.