What a solid pick-up. [Followers by Megan Angelo]
Orla Cadden dreams of literary success, but she’s stuck writing about movie-star hookups and influencer yoga moves. Orla has no idea how to change her life until her new roommate, Floss—an ambitious, wannabe Kardashian—comes up with a plan for launching them both into the high-profile lives they so desperately crave. But it's only when Orla and Floss abandon all pretense of ethics that social media responds with the most terrifying feedback of all: overwhelming success.
Thirty-five years later, in a closed California village where government-appointed celebrities live every moment of the day on camera, a woman named Marlow discovers a shattering secret about her past. Despite her massive popularity—twelve million loyal followers—Marlow dreams of fleeing the corporate sponsors who would do anything, even horrible things, to keep her on-screen. When she learns that her whole family history is a lie, Marlow finally summons the courage to run in search of the truth, no matter the risks.
I believe I first started reading this book back in January. It's generally on a daily basis that I check NetGalley to stay on top of archive dates. But today being the 31st, at around 2AM I saw that the archive date had been set at some point the day before, for the day before. So suddenly I was left with less than a day to read about 90% of the about 400 page book. Having read a few chapters previously I wasn't turned off by anything in the book, but I also wasn't invested. With a rushed but attentive read that soon changed.
Probably about four or five chapters into the story I got really invested. Following two timepoints, 2015 and 2051, Megan Angelo's Followers goes back and forth between heavy social commentary and sci-fi dystopia. A little like The Stepford Wives meets The Truman Show meets any critique about the perils of social media. I can't say much without spoilage, and I think spoilage should be avoided at all costs with this book because, whew, what a ride. Personally the dystopia of 2051 was eerily disturbing and therefore more enjoyable than the build-up in 2015, but the social commentary critique of it all was also important. I felt disgusted with characters, but a good disgust.
I went back and forth between 4 stars and 5 stars for this book in my mind as I read. It's easily one of the best fiction books I've read the whole year. Still, I have to consider that it took as long as it did for me to get invested in the story. The ending, while logical, was a bit too neat and quick of a wrap-up. In reality Followers is somewhere between a 4 and 4.5 star read, but having revisited the NetGalley rating system I think my gut of 4 stars is more appropriate.
Thirty-five years later, in a closed California village where government-appointed celebrities live every moment of the day on camera, a woman named Marlow discovers a shattering secret about her past. Despite her massive popularity—twelve million loyal followers—Marlow dreams of fleeing the corporate sponsors who would do anything, even horrible things, to keep her on-screen. When she learns that her whole family history is a lie, Marlow finally summons the courage to run in search of the truth, no matter the risks.I believe I first started reading this book back in January. It's generally on a daily basis that I check NetGalley to stay on top of archive dates. But today being the 31st, at around 2AM I saw that the archive date had been set at some point the day before, for the day before. So suddenly I was left with less than a day to read about 90% of the about 400 page book. Having read a few chapters previously I wasn't turned off by anything in the book, but I also wasn't invested. With a rushed but attentive read that soon changed.
Probably about four or five chapters into the story I got really invested. Following two timepoints, 2015 and 2051, Megan Angelo's Followers goes back and forth between heavy social commentary and sci-fi dystopia. A little like The Stepford Wives meets The Truman Show meets any critique about the perils of social media. I can't say much without spoilage, and I think spoilage should be avoided at all costs with this book because, whew, what a ride. Personally the dystopia of 2051 was eerily disturbing and therefore more enjoyable than the build-up in 2015, but the social commentary critique of it all was also important. I felt disgusted with characters, but a good disgust.
I went back and forth between 4 stars and 5 stars for this book in my mind as I read. It's easily one of the best fiction books I've read the whole year. Still, I have to consider that it took as long as it did for me to get invested in the story. The ending, while logical, was a bit too neat and quick of a wrap-up. In reality Followers is somewhere between a 4 and 4.5 star read, but having revisited the NetGalley rating system I think my gut of 4 stars is more appropriate.
Followers was published January 2020.
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