Homo Zapiens by Victor Pelevin
After Soviet Communism fell, Russia fell into a capitalistic free-for-all. Homo Zapiens explores this world from the view of a few participants. It feels like a Russian version of Generation X. The rules of the capitalistic came are still being worked out. People try to make money, but the end result of success is often involvement of the mob and death. People get so much money that showing consumption is the point. Drugs may be smoked in currency just to show how much money somebody has.
In a capitalist world, you need to use marketing to get your message out and make sales. Making ridiculous ads may make you well known, but not respected. Serious ones may give a degree of success, but no memory. The goal is to get some balance. However, some of the characters just go for the most ridiculous ones they can, because they can.
The end of the book drifts off into more randomness. It is as if the book itself trips on a mixture of capitalism and drugs.
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