Yuvi Zalkow’s I Only Cry with Emoticons tells the story of a damaged man trying to finish his novel as he wades through divorce, an unfulfilling work life, and complex relationship dynamics. Taking place in a futuristic society even more dependent on technology than ours today, Zalkow explores how the online world can interfere with (and corrupt) reality. He emphasizes the importance of in-person connection by delving into the narrator’s familial and romantic relationships. The novel encourages its audience to think about their lives and their place in the world by asking “whose story is it exactly?” that a person wants to tell.