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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
"People don't like the idea of the government running the Internet? They don't like the government watching them? Let me tell you something: nobody ever had privacy. Privacy was an illusion. Believing that we had it is what left us open to attack. On this version of the web, we will be watching you - so that we can watch out for you."
The Followers is a debut futuristic sci-fi novel that eerily is not so far-fetched to imagine, and more importantly, this is a cautionary tale on the dangers of needing to always be in the limelight, the obsession with increasing followers, and the backlash from sharing boundless amounts of information on social media. The book goes back and forth between two time periods that are connected by a massive cybersecurity event (the Spill) that alters everyone's way of life forever.
The year is 2051. The government controls the Internet. Instagram is now Amerigram, and everyone is tuned in and obsessed with what is happening in Constellation - a closed community where the government-selected residents’ lives are televised 24x7 and every decision for the course of your life is determined by your followers. One such resident is Marlowe who lives in Constellation with her mom, Floss. Disenchanted with being in the spotlight and having her fate controlled by followers and the network, Marlowe discovers a secret about her past that gives her the courage to attempt an escape, but leaving her tightly manicured world is not as easy as it seems.
The Followers is a debut futuristic sci-fi novel that eerily is not so far-fetched to imagine, and more importantly, this is a cautionary tale on the dangers of needing to always be in the limelight, the obsession with increasing followers, and the backlash from sharing boundless amounts of information on social media. The book goes back and forth between two time periods that are connected by a massive cybersecurity event (the Spill) that alters everyone's way of life forever.
The year is 2051. The government controls the Internet. Instagram is now Amerigram, and everyone is tuned in and obsessed with what is happening in Constellation - a closed community where the government-selected residents’ lives are televised 24x7 and every decision for the course of your life is determined by your followers. One such resident is Marlowe who lives in Constellation with her mom, Floss. Disenchanted with being in the spotlight and having her fate controlled by followers and the network, Marlowe discovers a secret about her past that gives her the courage to attempt an escape, but leaving her tightly manicured world is not as easy as it seems.
The most interesting part of this book to me was the cover between the juxtaposition between the really bright and feminine cover and then the black and white skull label on the spine listing it as a dystopian novel.
I get that this book is a social commentary about how bad social media is and technology and iphones and so on. It's...you know, it's not a new thing. I get it. The storyline was sort of compelling in the beginning between the future and the present but I found none of the characters engaging or had any redeeming qualities that made me like them. I ended up hating all of them and their shallow petty ways, even the character we're supposed to be rooting for, and the ending was complete nonsense after everything that happened and wasn't remotely realistic.
I think this would have worked better as a novella.
I get that this book is a social commentary about how bad social media is and technology and iphones and so on. It's...you know, it's not a new thing. I get it. The storyline was sort of compelling in the beginning between the future and the present but I found none of the characters engaging or had any redeeming qualities that made me like them. I ended up hating all of them and their shallow petty ways, even the character we're supposed to be rooting for, and the ending was complete nonsense after everything that happened and wasn't remotely realistic.
I think this would have worked better as a novella.
To me, this book was The Truman Show meets The Circle (the book/movie, not the TV show). I loved the premise and I loved how it jumped back and forth between the characters. It dragged a bit in the middle, but it really picked up again at the end.
This is the story of Orla, Floss and Marlow, and how their lives became entangled. Marlow's whole life has been online for everyone to see and comment on, not by her choice but her parents. Floss was a social media star before the spill, and found a new way to gain followers and to continue her fame by using Marlow. Orla wanted to be a writer, but instead, her writing is what made Floss a star in the first place.
I really liked this book, though I'm still processing about how I feel about the end. The ending left me a bit unsatisfied.
This is the story of Orla, Floss and Marlow, and how their lives became entangled. Marlow's whole life has been online for everyone to see and comment on, not by her choice but her parents. Floss was a social media star before the spill, and found a new way to gain followers and to continue her fame by using Marlow. Orla wanted to be a writer, but instead, her writing is what made Floss a star in the first place.
I really liked this book, though I'm still processing about how I feel about the end. The ending left me a bit unsatisfied.
Spoiler
I wanted Orla to have her comeuppance, and I don't feel that that is how Floss actually wanted to live. I get that living together made the story come full circle, but it seems a complete 180 to how Floss was for the rest of the book.
We are often warned that social media is ruining us as a society. In a world where everything is shared, from the banal to the sensational, fairly ordinary people's lives are put on display for all the world to see, warping our perception of what life is supposed to look like. So what about the consequences? After decades of oversharing our lives, what will the America of the future be like? Such is the premise explored in Megan Angelo's debut novel Followers.
Followers alternates between 2015 and 2051, examining how social media changed societal norms over the course of 35 years. Situated in the present day is Orla, a talented writer who just can't seem to get her big break in the literary world. Instead she is a blogger with a large following, but really, all she is doing is writing fluff pieces; click bait about Internet celebrities, who will do anything to gain followers. Things begin to change for Orla, however, when she makes friends with Floss, one of the aforementioned fame-hounds. Together, the women devise a plan to launch both of their careers to soaring new heights. But what is the price of fame? And just how far will these two women go to gain more followers?
Fast forward to 2051 where Marlow is living the life of influencer dreams. A resident of Constellation, a celebrity-only city in California, Marlow lives her life 24/7 on camera, where her daily activities are streamed live for her 12 million followers to see. But despite all her fame and fortune, Marlow dreams of a life off-camera, one where every minute of her life is not broadcast out to the world for people to pick apart, comment on, and emulate. Marlow's situation takes a drastic turn when she learns that the life that she lives on camera is a complete lie; that she is not the person she thought she was. She flees Constellation in search of answers, and that is when this novel's past and present clash in unpredictable ways.
Followers is a dark and gritty novel that explores the seedy underbelly of society's obsession with social media. This book will make you feel disgusted with the world's fixation with oversharing, but will also have you contemplating the larger implications of broadcasting our lives for all to see. Not only is this novel indicative of the times, it is also compelling and filled with characters you will love to hate. As a plus, Follower's present and past come together in twisted and convoluted ways, making this a shocking and disturbing debut.
Followers is recommended to readers of the Millennial and Z generations, those who are most familiar with the concept of influencers and oversharing. Readers who also want to experience the thrills and chills of a social media epidemic will enjoy this novel, which fleshes out this concept with calamitous results.
Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Followers alternates between 2015 and 2051, examining how social media changed societal norms over the course of 35 years. Situated in the present day is Orla, a talented writer who just can't seem to get her big break in the literary world. Instead she is a blogger with a large following, but really, all she is doing is writing fluff pieces; click bait about Internet celebrities, who will do anything to gain followers. Things begin to change for Orla, however, when she makes friends with Floss, one of the aforementioned fame-hounds. Together, the women devise a plan to launch both of their careers to soaring new heights. But what is the price of fame? And just how far will these two women go to gain more followers?
Fast forward to 2051 where Marlow is living the life of influencer dreams. A resident of Constellation, a celebrity-only city in California, Marlow lives her life 24/7 on camera, where her daily activities are streamed live for her 12 million followers to see. But despite all her fame and fortune, Marlow dreams of a life off-camera, one where every minute of her life is not broadcast out to the world for people to pick apart, comment on, and emulate. Marlow's situation takes a drastic turn when she learns that the life that she lives on camera is a complete lie; that she is not the person she thought she was. She flees Constellation in search of answers, and that is when this novel's past and present clash in unpredictable ways.
Followers is a dark and gritty novel that explores the seedy underbelly of society's obsession with social media. This book will make you feel disgusted with the world's fixation with oversharing, but will also have you contemplating the larger implications of broadcasting our lives for all to see. Not only is this novel indicative of the times, it is also compelling and filled with characters you will love to hate. As a plus, Follower's present and past come together in twisted and convoluted ways, making this a shocking and disturbing debut.
Followers is recommended to readers of the Millennial and Z generations, those who are most familiar with the concept of influencers and oversharing. Readers who also want to experience the thrills and chills of a social media epidemic will enjoy this novel, which fleshes out this concept with calamitous results.
Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another weird dystopian I really enjoyed it. It being set between 2015-2051 is a little freaky there are nods to some real life events so it hits a bit more.
I realllllly liked this. Pulled me in, gave me a goood story, gave me a lot to think about. Futuristic, but human.
In her debut novel, Megan Angelo proves that she has writing chops. Followers is well-written and well thought out. She offers a refreshing and terrifying look into the future, how our current technology and social media use will affect us long term, and she paints a picture of how it all evolves into an even more invasive part of everyday life.
This is the kind of book that makes you think about how quickly technology is advancing and our worlds are changing and the repercussions that may have on us long term.
I agree with some of the other reviewers in that the book is longer than it needed to be. The book was well-paced in the beginning but started to drag out in the middle and rushed at the end. There were certain plot lines that had gaps and other resolutions that seemed incomplete.
This is the kind of book that makes you think about how quickly technology is advancing and our worlds are changing and the repercussions that may have on us long term.
I agree with some of the other reviewers in that the book is longer than it needed to be. The book was well-paced in the beginning but started to drag out in the middle and rushed at the end. There were certain plot lines that had gaps and other resolutions that seemed incomplete.