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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i was all in at first but the premise really ended up outselling the execution. it kind of feels like it was trying to speak on too many things at once and didn’t ultimately say much about anything.
there’s a part where a character talks about going on talk shows and just screaming “privacy good”, and that’s about the level of statement i feel like this book is making.
(also, “millennials all get literal brain damage from their phones” seems… a little too on the nose, no?)
there’s a part where a character talks about going on talk shows and just screaming “privacy good”, and that’s about the level of statement i feel like this book is making.
(also, “millennials all get literal brain damage from their phones” seems… a little too on the nose, no?)
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a little strange and I didn't quite get into it. It does seem like something that could happen in our current society that is so focused on social media and gaining followers.
I get why it was set up the way it was but it really dragged at the onset. The last quarter of the story is brilliant.
"Followers" is set in two times - in 2015, we follow Orla and Floss, creating Floss a career as an influencer. In 2051, Marlow is living in a government-owned reality-tv village, where her entire life is lived on camera, for her followers. A catastrophic online event caused the end of the private internet, and the government sponsored reality-tv villages are its replacement. A really fast-paced addictive read, darkly funny throughout - I really enjoyed this.
Fairly interesting social commentary, found it to be an enjoyable read! I give it three stars just because I didn’t really like any of the characters so that made it a bit harder to get into it. But at the same time, the mystery of learning what had happened to Orla, Floss, and Marlow kept me intrigued.
Followers is a futuristic & disturbing look at how social media & influencers evolve from 2015 to 2051. In 2015 we meet Orla & Floss, one the face, the other the brains. Together they plot their way using technology & the internet to become famous. In 2051 we meet Marlow, living a Truman-like life on a set in Constellation, CA, where Pitt & Lohan are now street names. The United States is basically divided between the talent & the voyeurs. One obsessed with being seen & the other obsessed with watching. Stories or arcs are created for all the talent, who are essentially walking advertisements, with their every move live streamed for the rest of the world to consume. The book is told in dual timelines & the best part for me was the way the 3 women’s stories come together. While it does have sci-fi elements to it, it’s more women’s fiction/cautionary tale, so if you’re looking for some action or a murder mystery, this isn’t it. I think the reason I found this so eerie is because it seems somewhat plausible. I also found it difficult not to cringe at the behaviors explored.
The level of writing we’re getting from some of these debut authors lately has seriously raised the bar for everyone coming behind them. Megan Angelo deserves all the accolades she’s receiving for Followers & I’m excited to see what she explores next. *** Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The level of writing we’re getting from some of these debut authors lately has seriously raised the bar for everyone coming behind them. Megan Angelo deserves all the accolades she’s receiving for Followers & I’m excited to see what she explores next. *** Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
a little black mirror feeling. a little futurist sci-fi feeling. a little real and current feeling. this book was addictive and hard to put down. a thought provoking read about where we are at in our current lives with social media and the internet and one imaginative idea of where it could all lead us.