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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
The premise of this book is very interesting. The game show itself reminds me of a combination of Love Island, Big Brother, and Survivor (all shows I’ve enjoyed). The characters were interesting enough but I didn’t particularly like our protagonist. I found myself occasionally switching between rooting for and against her. The background characters were interesting enough. I’d definitely recommend this book.
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
mysterious
tense
slow-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:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Respectfully - what the heck did I just read? Listen, I was gripped by the first 50-60% but unfortunately it didn't stick the landing for me.
I was really compelled by the premise as someone who has watched her fair share of reality tv. I'm always interested in the psychological elements of these shows - contestants who are isolated from their friends, family, and other connection to their real lives and put in increasingly desperate situations to achieve fame and glory. I'm fascinated by both the individual and group unspooling that seems to happen with a few weeks left, and the way that this book captures on this idea and takes it to its extreme is an intriguing premise.
The idea here is a Big Brother or Love Island but contestants are dropped off at a "compound" that is essentially a shell - there's no food, no clothes except what they have on their backs, no furniture, and certainly no creature comforts. They must complete individual and collective tasks to "earn" rewards, but of course the producers don't make it easy on them, manufacturing drama and conflict as they test the group's resilience both on their own and as a whole. (Think: giving one contestant food as a secret reward for a task while withholding food from the group amidst increasingly dwindling supplies).
The book is described as Love Island meets Lord of the Flies, but I think that does it a disservice because all the competition, drama, and revenge in this book is purely manufactured for TV audiences and the competitors know that. They could leave at any point, taking their spoils with them (and many do).
The book is supposedly set in a dystopian world, but we don't get much of any detail on what is happening in the outside world. There were times I thought this was actually a smart decision and other times when I think more information would have been more helpful to understand the contestants state of mind - just how bad was the "real world" outside the compound?
There was a lot of building of tension that I undoubtedly enjoyed and I was really hooked but then the book devolved in a way that was unsatisfying to me. While I enjoyed following the increasing desperation of our narrator, Lily, and the escalation of others' behavior that had been forecasted early in the book, the ending sorta fell apart in a bizarrely violent mishmash.
It was highly entertaining but I don't think it has a much deeper meaning than a "money can't make you happy" and that point was accomplished with a sledgehammer rather than with any nuance. If you want a book that you can devour in an afternoon by the pool, this might be it, but I don't think it will stick with me longer than that.
I was really compelled by the premise as someone who has watched her fair share of reality tv. I'm always interested in the psychological elements of these shows - contestants who are isolated from their friends, family, and other connection to their real lives and put in increasingly desperate situations to achieve fame and glory. I'm fascinated by both the individual and group unspooling that seems to happen with a few weeks left, and the way that this book captures on this idea and takes it to its extreme is an intriguing premise.
The idea here is a Big Brother or Love Island but contestants are dropped off at a "compound" that is essentially a shell - there's no food, no clothes except what they have on their backs, no furniture, and certainly no creature comforts. They must complete individual and collective tasks to "earn" rewards, but of course the producers don't make it easy on them, manufacturing drama and conflict as they test the group's resilience both on their own and as a whole. (Think: giving one contestant food as a secret reward for a task while withholding food from the group amidst increasingly dwindling supplies).
The book is described as Love Island meets Lord of the Flies, but I think that does it a disservice because all the competition, drama, and revenge in this book is purely manufactured for TV audiences and the competitors know that. They could leave at any point, taking their spoils with them (and many do).
The book is supposedly set in a dystopian world, but we don't get much of any detail on what is happening in the outside world. There were times I thought this was actually a smart decision and other times when I think more information would have been more helpful to understand the contestants state of mind - just how bad was the "real world" outside the compound?
There was a lot of building of tension that I undoubtedly enjoyed and I was really hooked but then the book devolved in a way that was unsatisfying to me. While I enjoyed following the increasing desperation of our narrator, Lily, and the escalation of others' behavior that had been forecasted early in the book, the ending sorta fell apart in a bizarrely violent mishmash.
It was highly entertaining but I don't think it has a much deeper meaning than a "money can't make you happy" and that point was accomplished with a sledgehammer rather than with any nuance. If you want a book that you can devour in an afternoon by the pool, this might be it, but I don't think it will stick with me longer than that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What the hell was this book