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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
This is a really interesting and intriguing (hopefully) fiction story that will make you question your internet and social media behavior!!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I get what Angelo was trying to do with this book and while it was cool, I don't think it was successful. While I understand how the plots were tied together, they often felt disjointed. It felt like there was a great deal of potential but the book was just too long and it felt more repetitive than it needed to be.
slow-paced
I REALLY wish I could rate this 3.5 stars, which I think is where I'm most comfortable putting it, but I'll round up for now!
I really enjoyed this, tbh. I thought it was a really interesting take on this particular idea, which has obviously been hugely informed by the Truman show, things like KUWTK, and the impact on culture. This book literally starts with a quote from Nietzsche and another from Kylie Jenner, which is INCREDIBLY funny, and I think sets the tone for the book! There's a lot of Big ideas here, but I don't think it ever takes itself too seriously. There's consideration, without pretension. It's extremely entertaining, too. I don't think it's hard to work out what twists are coming, tbqh, but I don't think the novel's that concerned with keeping secrets from the reader. Secrets, obviously, are a huge thing in this book, where one of the characters is literally a starring member on a futuristic Truman-esque show except they're all very aware of where they are.
It's a smart book, about consumerism and consumption of self. Naturally there's a lot about the construction of the self and the distorted images we present to the world. I think there's some really nice brushes here -- for e.g. the 'villainous' people are nearly always given something, there's a motivation or a moment where their humanity is affirmed.
Sometimes I think this book didn't dig deep enough for me, personally, but I still thought it was a lot of fun to read and I liked spending time in this world and with these characters.
I really enjoyed this, tbh. I thought it was a really interesting take on this particular idea, which has obviously been hugely informed by the Truman show, things like KUWTK, and the impact on culture. This book literally starts with a quote from Nietzsche and another from Kylie Jenner, which is INCREDIBLY funny, and I think sets the tone for the book! There's a lot of Big ideas here, but I don't think it ever takes itself too seriously. There's consideration, without pretension. It's extremely entertaining, too. I don't think it's hard to work out what twists are coming, tbqh, but I don't think the novel's that concerned with keeping secrets from the reader. Secrets, obviously, are a huge thing in this book, where one of the characters is literally a starring member on a futuristic Truman-esque show except they're all very aware of where they are.
It's a smart book, about consumerism and consumption of self. Naturally there's a lot about the construction of the self and the distorted images we present to the world. I think there's some really nice brushes here -- for e.g. the 'villainous' people are nearly always given something, there's a motivation or a moment where their humanity is affirmed.
Sometimes I think this book didn't dig deep enough for me, personally, but I still thought it was a lot of fun to read and I liked spending time in this world and with these characters.
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Classism, Deportation
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Followers by Megan Angelo is a fascinating exploration of technology - both what is and what could be. In the present (2055), the government runs the internet. Way back in 2015, the internet was very similar to now because, well, it is now! The present focuses on Marlow trying to find out the truth about her life. This happens after a bombshell secret is revealed, so she must trek back through the past to get answers. In 2015, the story focuses on Orla and Floss. Floss is a social media darling. Orla dreams of being a famous writer, but to get there, she writes articles to cover celebrities. Floss and Orla form an unlikely friendship, but there are also a lot of dynamics and layers to their friendship. The story goes between the past and present focusing on the social media that was and the social media that is. Throughout, it starts to build a connection between the characters in each time, and you start to wonder how this might all come together. This was the realest of real commentaries on social media. While you could say this is dystopian, you could also say this is legit where we are right now, and the future it paints isn't so far from where we could go. This one captivated me as the author did a fantastic job at using technology as well as characters to tell her story. My only critique is that I wanted to know more! I was so drawn into the world she built that I craved more detail. I had all the questions. Really that critique speaks to the realness of the story that was told! Also, this is an wonderful commentary on the role social media has come to play in our lives, and it's a good piece to turn a mirror on how its used and the dystopia that could very, very well be our reality. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this January 2020 release!
So good! The pace was a little slow for me but the concept was very unique and timely. Loved finding not-so-subtle references to our current state of affairs.