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thephdivabooks's review against another edition
5.0
In the age of social media, how do we define our worth? I’ll admit as a blogger, I’ve had my fair share of moments where I compare my following, popularity, likes, shares, and other metrics to others. This is the time that we live in, where many of us feel that some of our value is related to how others see us.
I read an advanced copy of Followers back in mid-fall of 2019, and it was without question the best book I read in 2019. Followers holds a special place in my heart because it pulled me out of the worst reading slump I’ve been in since blogging. I was still consuming books, but oddly enough as a print-reader, I could only do audiobooks. I couldn’t focus at all on a book.
Alternating between 2015 and 2051, Followers tells a story about the culture of celebrity and influence and the way even small mistakes can be misinterpreted and have long-term impact on their lives. It’s also about how our relationship with others through social media can derail our understanding of who we are at our core, and what makes us happy.
In 2015, an aspiring writer and current blogger for a celebrity gossip site Orla Cadden is living with aspiring singer Floss. Despite talent, both Floss and Orla struggle to make progress towards their dreams. And so one day Floss asks Orla to help her in a different way—make her a celebrity. The idea seems outrageous at first, but between Orla’s role blogging about celebrities and Floss’s grit and determination, the two succeed. Floss becomes a Kardashian-like superstar.
But what people in 2015 don’t know is that they are headed towards an event that will fundamentally change society forever. The Spill.
In 2051, Marlow lives in Constellation, California—a closed town that houses government-selected “celebrities” whose lives are broadcast 24/7 to their followers. The residents of Constellation can view comments from the followers, but their job is to act like they don’t know they are being broadcast.
Marlow barely remembers life before Constellation, her mother and father moved her there as a child. In fact, though Marlow isn’t happy, she isn’t used to making decisions about her own life. Until she learns something shocking about her past that will shatter everything she knew.
As Orla and Floss head unknowingly towards the Spill, Marlow seeks to understand life outside of the small bubble she lives in.
All of the characters in this book were fascinating. In their own ways, each character was deeply flawed and also redeemable. Orla and Floss, for instance, had such a unique relationship. Because we hear the story from the perspective of Orla and Marlowe, Floss is a character that can seem ridiculous or overly ambitious through most of the book. But then Orla has these moments of clarity and reflection about Floss, and suddenly you’ll see her in an entirely different light.
Orla is a bit of an underdog, which in and of itself makes her rootable. But Orla also lacks a bit of conviction for some of the novel. She knows what she wants but seems incapable of taking action to make it happen. Marlow, on the other hand, doesn’t know what she wants. Everything in Marlow’s life has always been decided for her, so she never learned to introspect on what she wants. I loved seeing them grow and take form in the book.
Then there is the Spill. I was SO curious exactly what that was and why it changed technology and society so fundamentally. The concept is fascinating. In fact, I’m rooting for a sequel that focuses on different characters, but during that point in time. I was hooked! And the whole message of the book really makes you think. The message about how we evaluate our own self-worth in an age where social media rules so much of society. The messages about friendship, ambition, and what we lose when we are so connected to the anonymous external world that we lose sight of what is directly happening to us.
I loved this book so much. I have already read it twice, and I know I’ll read it so many times that the book will become worn and the pages will become soft with use. All I can say is—read this book. I hope you love it as much as I did!
Thank you to Kathleen Carter for my copy. Opinions are my own.
I read an advanced copy of Followers back in mid-fall of 2019, and it was without question the best book I read in 2019. Followers holds a special place in my heart because it pulled me out of the worst reading slump I’ve been in since blogging. I was still consuming books, but oddly enough as a print-reader, I could only do audiobooks. I couldn’t focus at all on a book.
Alternating between 2015 and 2051, Followers tells a story about the culture of celebrity and influence and the way even small mistakes can be misinterpreted and have long-term impact on their lives. It’s also about how our relationship with others through social media can derail our understanding of who we are at our core, and what makes us happy.
In 2015, an aspiring writer and current blogger for a celebrity gossip site Orla Cadden is living with aspiring singer Floss. Despite talent, both Floss and Orla struggle to make progress towards their dreams. And so one day Floss asks Orla to help her in a different way—make her a celebrity. The idea seems outrageous at first, but between Orla’s role blogging about celebrities and Floss’s grit and determination, the two succeed. Floss becomes a Kardashian-like superstar.
But what people in 2015 don’t know is that they are headed towards an event that will fundamentally change society forever. The Spill.
In 2051, Marlow lives in Constellation, California—a closed town that houses government-selected “celebrities” whose lives are broadcast 24/7 to their followers. The residents of Constellation can view comments from the followers, but their job is to act like they don’t know they are being broadcast.
Marlow barely remembers life before Constellation, her mother and father moved her there as a child. In fact, though Marlow isn’t happy, she isn’t used to making decisions about her own life. Until she learns something shocking about her past that will shatter everything she knew.
As Orla and Floss head unknowingly towards the Spill, Marlow seeks to understand life outside of the small bubble she lives in.
All of the characters in this book were fascinating. In their own ways, each character was deeply flawed and also redeemable. Orla and Floss, for instance, had such a unique relationship. Because we hear the story from the perspective of Orla and Marlowe, Floss is a character that can seem ridiculous or overly ambitious through most of the book. But then Orla has these moments of clarity and reflection about Floss, and suddenly you’ll see her in an entirely different light.
Orla is a bit of an underdog, which in and of itself makes her rootable. But Orla also lacks a bit of conviction for some of the novel. She knows what she wants but seems incapable of taking action to make it happen. Marlow, on the other hand, doesn’t know what she wants. Everything in Marlow’s life has always been decided for her, so she never learned to introspect on what she wants. I loved seeing them grow and take form in the book.
Then there is the Spill. I was SO curious exactly what that was and why it changed technology and society so fundamentally. The concept is fascinating. In fact, I’m rooting for a sequel that focuses on different characters, but during that point in time. I was hooked! And the whole message of the book really makes you think. The message about how we evaluate our own self-worth in an age where social media rules so much of society. The messages about friendship, ambition, and what we lose when we are so connected to the anonymous external world that we lose sight of what is directly happening to us.
I loved this book so much. I have already read it twice, and I know I’ll read it so many times that the book will become worn and the pages will become soft with use. All I can say is—read this book. I hope you love it as much as I did!
Thank you to Kathleen Carter for my copy. Opinions are my own.
thebookenjoyer's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
harmonj3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
renegadepearl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nataliegoodman13's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This. Book. The journey I went on while reading it was incredible. I kind of hated the characters, but their journeys were enjoyable. I love a good mystery, and the dual narrative was something I’m not usually used to in that genre. Orla being Marlow’s mom makes so much sense. The character dynamics were interesting, but I wish we’d gotten more on the Spill. Overall, I really liked this book. I’ll probably reread it at some point. It’s timely and relevant, so I’d definitely recommend it.
sarahlreadseverything's review against another edition
1.0
Beyond relieved to be finished with this one. If it wasn't for the fact it's a book club pick I don't think I would have made it to the end. Boring, vapid and just overall bla. All of the characters are terrible people who go through zilch personal growth. Also, one of the timelines is set in 2015, but technologically seems far closer to 2020 (when the book is published), which just irritated me even more throughout.
hannahdrake42's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Abortion
cheekpie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jnjackson's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this book because of the plot – dystopian-near-future, technology-will-be-our-destruction, Black-Mirror type of thing. It was definitely that, although for most of the book, it felt lighter than I was expecting. The end made up for it with a very DARK look at what a universal power grid shutdown and privacy data spill could look like for America. I found it interesting to see both sides of the aftermath: people who embraced the new way to use the internet, and those who refused to have anything to do with it. Although it was slow at times, I would recommend!
caseyflemingo's review against another edition
5.0
It's been awhile since I have been this entranced by a book. This story was beautiful and exciting and sad, and very different from the kind of books I thought I liked.