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Idol

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'Idol' by Louise O'Neill delves into the world of social media influencers, exploring the themes of online celebrity, authenticity, memory, and trust. The story follows Samantha Miller, a successful lifestyle guru with a massive online following, whose life is turned upside down when she is accused of sexual assault by her childhood best friend. As the narrative unfolds, the reader is taken on a journey through Samantha's past struggles with addiction, her carefully curated online persona, and the blurred lines between truth and perception. The novel skillfully navigates complex contemporary issues such as consent, abortion, and feminism, while keeping the reader hooked with its fast-paced and addictive storytelling.

Characters:

The characters are complex and often unlikable, reflecting a broader commentary on societal expectations and personal flaws.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style effectively captures the complexities of the narrative through a gripping first-person perspective.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot intricately delves into themes of memory, truth, and the impact of a viral social media revelation.

Setting:

The setting intertwines physical locations with the digital realm of social media, enhancing its thematic relevance.

Pacing:

The pacing of the narrative shifts from slow to fast, keeping the reader engaged through its twists and turns.

Notes:

The book features Samantha, an Instagram influencer and self-help guru.
Samantha's essay about her past goes viral, creating controversy.
The story explores themes like influencer culture and cancel culture.
It highlights the complexities of memory and truth.
None of the characters are particularly likable according to readers.
Samantha is portrayed as a sociopath with a troubled past.
The narrative involves a conflict between Samantha and her friend Lisa regarding their memories of a shared experience.
Idol touches on heavy modern issues including consent, women's rights, and eating disorders.
The plot has twists that keep readers guessing, with little sympathy for the main character.
The book's style is gripping and fast-paced, leaving readers wanting more.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Idol contains high content warnings for issues related to sexual assault, mental health struggles, and manipulative behaviors.

From The Publisher:

'Follow your heart and speak your truth.'

For Samantha Miller's young fans - her 'girls' - she's everything they want to be. She's an oracle, telling them how to live their lives, how to be happy, how to find and honour their 'truth'.

And her career is booming: she's just hit three million followers, her new book Chaste has gone straight to the top of the bestseller lists and she's appearing at sell-out events.

Determined to speak her truth and bare all to her adoring fans, she's written an essay about her sexual awakening as a teenager, with her female best friend, Lisa. She's never told a soul but now she's telling the world. The essay goes viral.

But then - years since they last spoke - Lisa gets in touch to say that she doesn't remember it that way at all. Her memory of that night is far darker. It's Sam's word against Lisa's - so who gets to tell the story? Whose 'truth' is really a lie?

'You put yourself on that pedestal, Samantha. You only have yourself to blame.'

Riveting, compulsive and bold, IDOL interrogates our relationship with our heroes and explores the world of online influencers, asking how well we can ever really know those whose carefully curated profiles we follow online. And it asks us to consider how two memories of the same event can differ, and how effortlessly we choose which stories to believe.

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1 comment(s)

Loved It
2 days

Very good book. Influencers fascinate me, the fakeness and entitlement says it all. Kept me wanting more and excellent ending.

 
 
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