Metrophage is an engaging read about a futuristic world where all of society's ills are amplified. Exploitation, addiction, disease, racism, poverty, xenophobia, organized crime, law enforcement brutality and despair are pumped up to an eleven, creating a hopeless and disorienting setting for our protagonist to navigate. Though the characters could have been fleshed out more I did feel invested in their survival, especially the ones who remained optimistic when surrounded by hostility and violence. I also liked envisioning the variety of locations Jonny found himself in, usually after waking up from injury-induced unconsciousness. Yet the science fiction elements were my favorite part of this book.  The technology advancements, body upgrades and new drugs presented by Kadrey felt unique while still plausible, especially for people searching for meaning and pleasure in this ruthless narrative. While the ending was unfulfilling, it did feel right for this story. Jonny is not a hero, he's a man with a mission that ultimately becomes meaningless as he travels further down the rabbit hole of corruption and loses one part of himself after another in the process.