LINKS

KEYWORDS

Student Debt
Dark Comedy
Heist
Social Satire
Speculative Fiction

The Payback

by KASHANA CAULEY

In a near-future Los Angeles where the brutal "Debt Police" violently enforce student loan payments, former Hollywood wardrobe designer Jada Williams and her two mall coworkers plot a daring heist to erase their debts and strike back at a system rigged against them. Blending dark comedy and social satire, the story explores themes of race, class, and the crushing weight of economic inequality, particularly as it affects Black women.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a near-future Los Angeles, the novel follows Jada Williams, a former Hollywood wardrobe designer now working retail at the Glendale mall, as she struggles under the weight of crushing student loan debt. After being fired from her job, Jada becomes a target of the newly instated Debt Police, a law enforcement group that violently pursues those who fall behind on their student loans. With the help of two mall coworkers—Lanae, a punk musician, and Audrey, a former government hacker—Jada devises a plan to erase not only their own debts but also those of others, culminating in a heist against the student loan system. The story blends elements of satire, dark comedy, and social commentary, focusing on themes of race, class, and the disproportionate impact of debt on Black women, while also incorporating vivid depictions of mall culture and retail work.

Readers appreciated the book’s sharp, satirical voice and humor, particularly in its depiction of the Debt Police as new-age, turquoise-clad enforcers obsessed with wellness culture. Many found the social commentary on student loans, capitalism, and the specific burdens faced by Black women to be timely and resonant. The dynamic between the three main characters—Jada, Lanae, and Audrey—was frequently highlighted as a strength, with their evolving friendship and camaraderie providing both heart and levity. The writing style, described as witty and colorful, and the vivid setting of mall life, including sensory details like the smell of Cinnabon, were also noted as highlights. Some readers found the book cathartic or wish-fulfilling, especially those personally affected by student debt.

Criticisms centered on the book’s pacing, with several readers noting that the first half was slow and heavy on setup and introspection, while the action and heist elements were delayed or rushed. Some found the plot and worldbuilding to be implausible or underdeveloped, with the Debt Police and the heist requiring significant suspension of disbelief. Others felt the characters were flat or one-dimensional, and that the narrative did not fully deliver on its promise of deep social critique, with some perceiving the commentary as shallow or too narrowly focused on student debt to the exclusion of other forms of financial hardship. The blending of dark comedy with violence and serious themes was divisive, with some readers finding the tone jarring or inappropriate. A few also questioned the intended audience, suggesting that the book’s subject matter might be too close to home for those currently struggling with debt.

The book is scheduled for publication in July 2025 and has received a moderate average rating from early readers, with a mix of positive and negative reviews. It is categorized as contemporary fiction, literary fiction, humor, thriller, science fiction, and adult fiction. The narrative is told primarily from Jada’s perspective, and the cast is predominantly composed of Black women in their late thirties. Trigger warnings noted by readers include police brutality, violence, death, grief, alcohol, disordered eating, and criminal activity. The book has been compared to works like Office Space and Robin Hood, and some readers described it as a timely reflection of current economic anxieties, particularly regarding student loans and law enforcement practices.

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