Moderation
LISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2026
Published on 4. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-83895-499-4 (ISBN)
Description
Sometimes people just...click.
'Wonderful'
Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of Time
'A literary firecracker'
Pandora Sykes, Books and Bits
'Brilliant'
Elle
Thirty-something Girlie Delmundo works a day job as a content moderator, removing the very worst that makes it on to the internet. She's one of the best at it, too, so it's no surprise when she's given a big salary rise to start moderating its new venture: virtual-reality theme parks, lush simulations of civilizations long since dead.
But as she begins to explore the intricate worlds that she moderates, Girlie notices two deeply troubling things: that there might be something much darker built into the very code of the company, and that William, technically her new boss, a man whose barriers are as mighty as her own, might just be that long-forgotten thing... Girlie's type.
'Wonderful'
Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of Time
'A literary firecracker'
Pandora Sykes, Books and Bits
'Brilliant'
Elle
Thirty-something Girlie Delmundo works a day job as a content moderator, removing the very worst that makes it on to the internet. She's one of the best at it, too, so it's no surprise when she's given a big salary rise to start moderating its new venture: virtual-reality theme parks, lush simulations of civilizations long since dead.
But as she begins to explore the intricate worlds that she moderates, Girlie notices two deeply troubling things: that there might be something much darker built into the very code of the company, and that William, technically her new boss, a man whose barriers are as mighty as her own, might just be that long-forgotten thing... Girlie's type.
Reviews / Votes
Moderation is a novel that refuses to do things by halves. It is a piercing, laser-precise exploration of big tech... breathtakingly funny...and a highly charged, passionate and tender love story. A wonderful book. * Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of Time * 'Blisteringly funny' * Susan Barker, author of Old Soul * 'A precision-guided bomb' * The New York Times Book Review * 'Biting' * New Yorker, Best of 2025 * 'Wry and witty' * Financial Times * 'Tender and cutting' * Bryan Washington, author of Family Meal * 'Fearless' * TIME, Must Read of 2025 * 'Girlie Delmundo is one of the most memorable, expertly drawn characters in recent fiction... Delicious, full-bore immersion' * The Atlantic, Top Ten Books of 2025 * Castillo is a literary firecracker... Reading her is like pressing your finger on a bruise just to feel the thrill. If you liked Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and/or The Circle by Dave Eggers, you'll like this * Pandora Sykes, Books and Bits * With its unyielding density of sharply observed detail, high-resolution psychological drama, and driving narrative momentum, Moderation reminded me that the novel is still the best form of virtual reality we have * Jenny Odell, author of Saving Time * Masterful...Castillo shifts seamlessly in scale and tone, from a wide-angled systems novel to a love story, and from barbed satire to staggering emotional depth. It's a triumph. * Publishers Weekly *starred review* * With this novel...Castillo raises the bar for writing about tech and virtual reality, family stories, and workplace romances...A brilliant novel with much to say about work, family, excess, identity, and love * Kirkus *starred review* * Slyly brilliant... Castillo again proves to be an enviably erudite chronicler of (racist) history, power structures, identity politics, and socioeconomic inequities * Booklist *starred review* * Castillo is a writer of razor-sharp acuity who takes seriously the sinister instrumentalisation of storytelling, in a world increasingly veering right. * Guardian *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
220 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83895-499-4 (9781838954994)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2025
Atlantic Books
€8.49
Available for download
Person
Named one of '30 of the planet's most exciting young people' by the Financial Times, Elaine Castillo was born and raised in the Bay Area. Her debut novel America Is Not the Heart was named one of the best books of 2018 by NPR, San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Public Library, The New York Post, The Boston Globe, Real Simple, Lit Hub, and has been nominated for the Elle Award, the Center for Fiction Prize, the Aspen Words Prize, the Northern California Independent Booksellers Book Award, and the California Book Award.