Reviews

Followers by Megan Angelo

aepritchard's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25


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magyklyxdelish's review against another edition

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4.0

This truly felt like a Black Mirror episode.

This was a gripping look at a possible future we could all face, shaped by social media and the internet. A world where the celebrities are living in a place called Constellation and are filmed 24/7 practically. Everything they do is mapped out by the network.

This book follows Marlow in this creepy future and Orla and Floss 35 years before. This book has a lot of heart and I appreciated how fleshed out the characters were. One particular theme I enjoyed was how no one was really truly bad or good. Everyone had good and bad to them. It made the characters seem more real.

There were a couple parts where it felt the story dragged but overall I would totally read this one again.

4.5/5 ⭐️

billymac1962's review against another edition

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DNFing at 33%. While this is a terrific premise, I feel absolutely nothing for any of these characters. So I’m out.

slichto3's review against another edition

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4.0

Wow, Followers was truly an electric novel! I haven't had the privilege of reading a book that gripped me so hard, that left me wanting to read deep into the night, in a while, so Followers was a wonderful breath of fresh air (with Terry Gross).

The story alternates between the perspectives of two women: Orla and Marlow. In the 20teens, Orla is a fame blogger but dreams of becoming a serious writer. Blogging does not seem to be the best route for her, until she meets her new roommate, Floss Natuzzi. Floss aspires to be famous, however she can get there. Orla and Floss seem some synergy - Orla can talk up Floss on her blog, and Floss can give Orla unlimited access for juicy stories. It's perfect! Except both women have some obsessions - Floss with fame, Orla with Danny, a crush from high school - that lead to problems for them and for others.

In the 2050s, Marlow lives in a town where each resident is a professional celebrity. Almost 24/7, they are recorded and watched by followers around the US. It's great, except not so much. Marlow's relationships with everyone in her environment - her husband, Ellis, her mother, Floss - are all superficial and unfulfilling to Marlow. She wants freedom and reality, and she gets that by running away.

Both women's stories end up connecting in an exciting ride. Thinking back on it, I suppose not that much really happens in Followers, but I was locked in to everything that did. After each chapter, I wanted to get right on to the next. And it was, mostly, a satisfying journey. I had hoped for a grander conclusion, but I was happy where it ended up. I also felt that the characters didn't always stay consistent, and that some not-so-realistic things happened, but these are mostly minor quibbles. I'd recommend Followers as a fun, exciting read.

traceyelder's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 - this book is nothing like what I expected. Perhaps it’s because I read the synopsis a year or more ago and saw that it was available at the library so I just picked it up and read it near-blindly. It was good, though. I enjoyed the back and forth present (2015-2022) and future (2051) stories, but found so much of the book eerie and a bit scary because of how real they felt. The present day line covers influencers and sharing data on a private internet, and the future storyline takes place in a “post apocalyptic” world where there is no privacy and data is controlled by the government. It made me think a lot about what our world would be like if we go through a similar “Spill.”

minimicropup's review

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This is an interesting story, I like the premise so far, but it's a book that requires some focus and the length of it is a bit too much for me right now. I felt like I was rushing it because I have too many scheduled reads (library, ARCs) to get to, and even just setting this aside for a day or two, I'd have to get caught up again for who was who and what last happened. I think that speaks more to my inexperience with sci-fi elements, so I need extra time to understand the worldbuilding. It's a not-too-distant future story but world-changing events happened and we're discovering it gradually via the time jumps. 

This is on my list to return to later when I have longer stretches of reading time available to dedicate to it. 

kaceybriann's review against another edition

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dark sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

rosy57's review against another edition

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mysterious

3.0

aprilcote's review against another edition

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3.0

Another Times best. This story was split between 2016 and 2051. The current day story was full of insta fame and shallow acts to garner followers. Then “the spill” happens. We don’t find out what the spill is until the very end of the way too long and drawn out story with zero redeeming characters and a ton of filler. The futuristic portion of the story is more of the same with different technology. An interesting take on how self absorbed and vile people can be and not much else. Then it ends. I am now officially done with Time magazine’s recommendations and going back to what I feel like reading.

ginny17's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars. I would have given it 4, but I didn't like the ending.