A review by intonewrealms
Followers by Megan Angelo

dark reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Followers is a dual timeline book. In 2015 we have Orla, who moves to NYC because she dreams of becoming a novelist and impressing her high school crush by becoming famous, but ends up spending her career making other people famous, most notably Floss. In 2051 Floss’s daughter Marlow is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with her life, which has almost always been led on screen in the community of Constellation where lives are scripted but the ‘talent’ must pretend to be living their lives without knowing they are on camera. Marlow herself has had a unique experience as the face of antidepressant drug Hysteryl for all problem children in the U.S.

This book had some really effectively disturbing parts where we see the aftereffects of a generation obsessed with their phones, and then eventually in present day the big event that led to the government taking over the internet. The fog that affects the elderly in the future seems so eerily possible. However, I feel the author could have focussed on different effects on different generations, not just millennials. I guessed the twist very early on, which was unusual for me, but didn’t necessarily hurt my expórtenle. The pacing was what was pretty bad because the first half felt so slow, even though it hinted at some interesting things. Then, we actually start to get to those things and it is pretty cool, but the ending was god-awful to me. Because of what happens, I really think we could have done with some Floss chapters in both 2015 and 2051. Finally, I found it really weird that Marlow commented on racism several times but the book never actually went anywhere with it.
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