Tiffany, 38, of Scottsdale presented a copy of Beloved to the Barnes & Noble customer service desk requesting a full refund on the grounds that “the energy of the cover” had been affecting her sleep. She had purchased it for a bookshelf photo for Instagram. The photo received 47 likes and was deleted the same day after someone in the comments explained what the book was about.
The associate, Marcus, 22, is working on his MFA and has read Beloved twice. He processed the return without comment. He got into Iowa. He leaves in the fall.