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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
This is in between a 4-5, but the story was just so interesting! I now doubt everything I have ever seen on social media from the “influencers” (not that I actually follow any of them anyway).
And bonus points to the author for having the President’s speeches (which would fall in 2019ish in the back and forth timeline) mirror the exact speeches we hear from Trump all the time now
And bonus points to the author for having the President’s speeches (which would fall in 2019ish in the back and forth timeline) mirror the exact speeches we hear from Trump all the time now
3.5/4 - Took me a while to get into this book. I liked the last quarter of the book best and wish the author spent more time on the “Spill” and the events that took place at the end of the novel. Overall, I enjoyed this dystopian take on technology/social media.
There's a lot to love here. Angelo's vision of social media (and the pursuit of fame) in the very near future is sharp and compelling, and her characters are vivid, complicated women. I was just disappointed at the ending. It felt rushed and (especially for one character) unsatisfying.
It’s 3.5! This book got… much too long. I enjoyed it, and I was IN it, but like around 60-80%, it dragged and dragged. And then the ending was too much? I dunno. Book club June/July 22!
I loved this book. The concept was interesting, and, like all good dystopian novels, plausible. The twists kept me engaged so much I finished this in 2 days. It was well-written and funny while also being profoundly sad. There were a few bits I could’ve done without, or that didn’t make much sense (spoilers: Trump still being elected after The Spill, and his odd cameo at the end), but overall very fun. I imagine the ending is a little controversial but I really liked it. I thought it was simple and peaceful to end it so ordinarily.
I had a very hard time reading it. It jumps around a lot and confused me as to where it was time wise according to the plot. The last few chapters were really good though.
This satire, thriller, quasi-dystopian story tells the tale of two women, Orla and Floss, who become friends through a mutual desire for fame. Starting in the 20-teens, Orla is a writer, slaving away at a pop culture news site and waiting for her big break. Floss is a Kardashian wannabe: she wants to be an influencer, she wants followers, she wants insta-fame. She and Orla, her roommate, hatch a plan where Orla creates the Floss persona, and it works, to dizzying success. The story shifts between 2015-2016 and 2041, where society lives in the aftermath of an event that leaves those of us glued to our screens shadows of our former selves. Reality stars are moved to a government-run, enclosed village where they live their whole lives on camera, with implants that buzz to let them know when they've gained or lost followers, or if they've been off screen too long. Here, we meet Marlow, a 30-something who lives in the village, and dreams of a life off-screen. Discovering a long-held family secret gives her the courage to go on the run, where she heads to New York to get answers.
Followers is a realistic sci-fi thriller that posits an entirely plausible future. Social media-obsessed characters and a screen-consumed society are instantly recognizable - it does take place in 2016, after all - and the tempting mystery that unfolds through two timelines is fascinating and kept me turning pages, wanting to know what happens next. It's a good book to handsell/booktalk to teens, and let them work through the story by asking them what they think future social media and reality stars will look like. Put this on your "this could be our future" shelf with Vox by Christina Dalcher (another YA/Adult crossover), and Caragh O'Brien's Vault of Dreamers trilogy.
Followers is a realistic sci-fi thriller that posits an entirely plausible future. Social media-obsessed characters and a screen-consumed society are instantly recognizable - it does take place in 2016, after all - and the tempting mystery that unfolds through two timelines is fascinating and kept me turning pages, wanting to know what happens next. It's a good book to handsell/booktalk to teens, and let them work through the story by asking them what they think future social media and reality stars will look like. Put this on your "this could be our future" shelf with Vox by Christina Dalcher (another YA/Adult crossover), and Caragh O'Brien's Vault of Dreamers trilogy.
3.5 stars
I liked but didn’t love FOLLOWERS. I love the premise, which explores the way the internet and social media are affecting mental health, relationships, and data privacy in modern day (2015) and in the future (2050) with the help of some WILD characters. It was a fun, fictional companion to my recent(ish) reading of DIGITAL MINIMALISM. The story is fast paced and at times unputdownable, but I found the modern day storyline to be far more compelling than the future timeline and wished there was a bit more plot in that section.
I liked but didn’t love FOLLOWERS. I love the premise, which explores the way the internet and social media are affecting mental health, relationships, and data privacy in modern day (2015) and in the future (2050) with the help of some WILD characters. It was a fun, fictional companion to my recent(ish) reading of DIGITAL MINIMALISM. The story is fast paced and at times unputdownable, but I found the modern day storyline to be far more compelling than the future timeline and wished there was a bit more plot in that section.