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Idol
'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.
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.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2022
About the author
Louise O'Neill
17 books2,248 followersLouise O' Neill is from Clonakilty, in west Cork. After graduating with a BA in English Studies at Trinity College Dublin, she went on to complete a post-grad in Fashion Buying at DIT. Having spent a year in New York working for Kate Lanphear, the senior Style Director of ELLE magazine, she returned home to Ireland to write her first novel.
She went from hanging out on set with A-list celebrities to spending most of her days in pyjamas while she writes, and has never been happier.
She went from hanging out on set with A-list celebrities to spending most of her days in pyjamas while she writes, and has never been happier.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,097 reviews
February 10, 2022
"How can anything be true then? How do you know what's real?"
Holy shit. I was not prepared for this.
I'm not even sure where to begin with my review. I guess I'll start with that I couldn't put this book down. At times, I wasn't even sure what I was reading; I only knew that I had to find out where this story was going and how it would resolve. Idol takes on a LOT of fascinating themes without ever becoming weighed down by them.
She knew there was nothing more powerful than a woman finally given permission to scream.
We start by meeting our protagonist, Samantha Miller-- a social media lifestyle guru who has built a business empire and sold books on the back of recreating herself after her sexual assault and struggles with addiction. Samantha recently penned an essay about a formative sexual experience with her best friend and the essay went viral. But now her manager has received an email from Lisa, the aforementioned best friend, saying she remembers it quite differently.
As the persona Samantha has created for herself starts to crumble, she decides to revisit her old friend and the past.
On the one hand, the book is an exploration of the nature of memory and truth. How well do we really remember the past? Most people today have heard the phrase "my truth". The question is: is this something to be sneered at? Surely there isn't "my truth" and "your truth" but only "THE truth", right? But what if there isn't? What if the "truth" is dependent upon your point of view? What if someone else has a very different view of an experience you had? It's a chilling thought.
Was this what it meant to be an adult, everyone reframing their childhood experiences to paint themselves as the victim?
And we also see in Idol the truth of the adage that if you tell a lie enough times, you start to believe it yourself.
On the other hand, the book delves deep into the life of social media stars and "cancelling". We often place unrealistic expectations on "influencers", expect them to be perfect, and far too many people delight in tearing them down when it turns out they weren't as perfect as they were pretending to be. Nothing makes us smell blood like hypocrisy, after all.
Sam is a mess, there's no other way to say it. Flawed, manipulative, caught up in herself and the version of her she presents to the world, but O'Neill has created a messy character that I couldn't tear myself away from. I wonder if I was reading as wide-eyed as I felt.
While reading this I kept thinking about a quote I've seen now and then-- "Life is the story we tell ourselves" --a phrase which has always struck me as lovely and poetic. After finishing this book, it seems downright sinister.
CW: sexual assault, addiction and substance abuse, disordered eating.
February 15, 2022
It goes without saying that the impact of social media today is massive, and ‘Idol’ merely reinforces my dislike for it!
Samantha Miller is an influencer - she tells her ‘girls’ (her adoring fans) how to live their lives, but when you’re up there on your pedestal with 3 million followers, there’s only one way to go, as Samantha is about to find out!
An intriguing storyline, that highlights the current issue of trial by social media. Well written, with interesting (though not always likeable characters) Idol demonstrates the problem of reinventing oneself, and it will make you shudder!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Samantha Miller is an influencer - she tells her ‘girls’ (her adoring fans) how to live their lives, but when you’re up there on your pedestal with 3 million followers, there’s only one way to go, as Samantha is about to find out!
An intriguing storyline, that highlights the current issue of trial by social media. Well written, with interesting (though not always likeable characters) Idol demonstrates the problem of reinventing oneself, and it will make you shudder!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
September 30, 2022
I write this review with a pounding heart, this book has managed to deliver so much tension and power. I could not stop reading it!
Idol follows Samantha Miller, a woman whose career has gone from success to success. However, when her old best friend gets back in touch, highlighting she has a different memory of an event, Samantha’s world comes tumbling down.
I never reread a blurb before I start reading a book, which worked amazingly with this read because it added an extra twist early on. From that moment I was completely hooked. I absolutely devoured this book and did not want to put it down. By the end I had chills coursing through me. Louise deals with some very difficult topics, and yet I was completely swept up in this incredibly harrowing read. It highlights how the life people put online can be so far from reality.
Throughout the majority of this book I didn’t like a single character. But it actually worked really well to keep me engaged and wanting more. By the end there were two characters that really stole my affections, one of which managed to bring a huge smile to my face as they showed their true cunning and strength. This is a book that is going to stay with me for a long time. I wish I could erase it from my memory and read it all again from the start.
I would recommend this to any fans of thrillers but please be aware that there are triggers. I want to thank Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press and Louise O’Neill for sending me a copy of this book so I can give my personal thoughts.
Idol follows Samantha Miller, a woman whose career has gone from success to success. However, when her old best friend gets back in touch, highlighting she has a different memory of an event, Samantha’s world comes tumbling down.
I never reread a blurb before I start reading a book, which worked amazingly with this read because it added an extra twist early on. From that moment I was completely hooked. I absolutely devoured this book and did not want to put it down. By the end I had chills coursing through me. Louise deals with some very difficult topics, and yet I was completely swept up in this incredibly harrowing read. It highlights how the life people put online can be so far from reality.
Throughout the majority of this book I didn’t like a single character. But it actually worked really well to keep me engaged and wanting more. By the end there were two characters that really stole my affections, one of which managed to bring a huge smile to my face as they showed their true cunning and strength. This is a book that is going to stay with me for a long time. I wish I could erase it from my memory and read it all again from the start.
I would recommend this to any fans of thrillers but please be aware that there are triggers. I want to thank Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press and Louise O’Neill for sending me a copy of this book so I can give my personal thoughts.
February 10, 2022
4.5 stars
OMG! What a banger. I haven't been this riveted by a female character since reading a Gillian Flynn's novel last time. This book has all the things I like to read about: destructive female friendships, an examination of online celebrity and its rise and fall, cancel culture, mythologizing of one's own life and bending memories to fit one’s emotional needs, the nature of truth, consent, disordered eating, #metoo movement and performative wokeness. I know it sounds like a lot, but it all is weaved together pretty seamlessly into a dynamo of a story. It’s a heavy book, full of venom and delusion, but impossible to put down. Now, where is the marketing campaign to put this novel into everyone's hands and make a movie out of it?
OMG! What a banger. I haven't been this riveted by a female character since reading a Gillian Flynn's novel last time. This book has all the things I like to read about: destructive female friendships, an examination of online celebrity and its rise and fall, cancel culture, mythologizing of one's own life and bending memories to fit one’s emotional needs, the nature of truth, consent, disordered eating, #metoo movement and performative wokeness. I know it sounds like a lot, but it all is weaved together pretty seamlessly into a dynamo of a story. It’s a heavy book, full of venom and delusion, but impossible to put down. Now, where is the marketing campaign to put this novel into everyone's hands and make a movie out of it?
February 19, 2022
On 3rd January 2022 Sam(antha) Miller, best selling author and owner of Shakti, a lifestyle brand, is about to launch her 4th book ‘Chaste’. She has her audience (young, mostly white and female) in the palm of her hand, this is the power of the cult idol with over 3 million social media followers. This is Sam at her peak, literally moments after her speech to her “loves“ the world she has created with all its power and monetary benefits begins to implode. Well, I dare say if you plonk yourself at the top of a brand success pedestal at some point you’ll fall off. Is she a good person? Authentic? Truthful? Only time will tell.
Wow. This is one powerful well written novel. Louise O’Neill is quite some writer as unafraid she tackles a whole host of issues via Sam such as #MeToo and sexual assault, eating disorders and so on. In Sam the author has created a superb character who you view through various different lenses. There is Sam the attention seeker, the messed up, Sam the obsessive, the deluded, the needy and the character who gets what she wants any which way she can. Then there’s the Sam her followers see but then there is the Sam from the past where other characters have an entirely different perception of the truth. This is very much a she said/he said/she said novel and you have no idea who to believe or who is the credible one with much of this being played out on social media (can you hear me groaning?!). She’s not easy to like but she’s very damaged and at times you feel sad then you feel angry at her behaviour and manipulation. The only thing that seems to be true is that if you tell yourself something enough times you will grow to believe it.
There’s tension, it’s uncomfortable, you wince, you groan and it’s quite raw at times with some scenes making you gasp in shock. It’s absolutely gripping as you witness the crash, burn, rise, crash and burn. It’s certainly not a book that is easy to read because it’s so dark but it’s equally impossible to put down. Louise O’Neill has nailed it here with the highly topical and much debated themes of the book.
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld, Bantam Press for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Wow. This is one powerful well written novel. Louise O’Neill is quite some writer as unafraid she tackles a whole host of issues via Sam such as #MeToo and sexual assault, eating disorders and so on. In Sam the author has created a superb character who you view through various different lenses. There is Sam the attention seeker, the messed up, Sam the obsessive, the deluded, the needy and the character who gets what she wants any which way she can. Then there’s the Sam her followers see but then there is the Sam from the past where other characters have an entirely different perception of the truth. This is very much a she said/he said/she said novel and you have no idea who to believe or who is the credible one with much of this being played out on social media (can you hear me groaning?!). She’s not easy to like but she’s very damaged and at times you feel sad then you feel angry at her behaviour and manipulation. The only thing that seems to be true is that if you tell yourself something enough times you will grow to believe it.
There’s tension, it’s uncomfortable, you wince, you groan and it’s quite raw at times with some scenes making you gasp in shock. It’s absolutely gripping as you witness the crash, burn, rise, crash and burn. It’s certainly not a book that is easy to read because it’s so dark but it’s equally impossible to put down. Louise O’Neill has nailed it here with the highly topical and much debated themes of the book.
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld, Bantam Press for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
February 13, 2022
There's an interesting yin yang in my feelings about Idol - written by an author who in her previous novels, especially Asking For It, has always challenged my world views and had me thinking long into the night about the narrative she has presented. Her journalistic articles too are deep and affecting.
On the one hand Idol is a page turner. Watching the fall of an Internet sensation after an allegation of sexual assault and her desperate attempts to rewrite the past, to the point of obsession, is in many ways wildly entertaining. You don't want to stop reading until you find out how it ends even though it's perfectly obvious from the outset that there won't be any real surprises in this she said she said story.
On the other hand I felt this was more, and I'm reaching for the right word here, sensationalist? Sam reaches almost stupendous caricature status as the story progresses, while her accuser, the childhood best friend, is almost a cardboard cut out, slinking around in the shadows, never really offering the reader any grasp of her realities. Even the final "confrontation" is shouty and honestly a bit shallow when comparing it to the depth of writing I've come to expect from this author. I didn't feel sorry for any of them frankly, and the final " twist" - I use that description for lack of a better one rather than inferring a typical psych thriller twist - was a bit of a flail in the darkness.
I did enjoy it, it has some interesting insights into those trials by social media we see all the time - and I read it over a couple of sittings it was gripping. But it didn't challenge me in the same way and I likely won't return to it in my head now I'm done.
On the one hand Idol is a page turner. Watching the fall of an Internet sensation after an allegation of sexual assault and her desperate attempts to rewrite the past, to the point of obsession, is in many ways wildly entertaining. You don't want to stop reading until you find out how it ends even though it's perfectly obvious from the outset that there won't be any real surprises in this she said she said story.
On the other hand I felt this was more, and I'm reaching for the right word here, sensationalist? Sam reaches almost stupendous caricature status as the story progresses, while her accuser, the childhood best friend, is almost a cardboard cut out, slinking around in the shadows, never really offering the reader any grasp of her realities. Even the final "confrontation" is shouty and honestly a bit shallow when comparing it to the depth of writing I've come to expect from this author. I didn't feel sorry for any of them frankly, and the final " twist" - I use that description for lack of a better one rather than inferring a typical psych thriller twist - was a bit of a flail in the darkness.
I did enjoy it, it has some interesting insights into those trials by social media we see all the time - and I read it over a couple of sittings it was gripping. But it didn't challenge me in the same way and I likely won't return to it in my head now I'm done.
May 21, 2022
I think I am in the minority here. I struggled with this one. I very nearly gave up on it. There was little to like about this novel, but I can see why it would appeal to some.
The reason why I came to this novel was that I thought the premise sounded interesting. O'Neill seems to be drawn to this kind of narrative, where it is one character's word against another; one character seeing their "truth" as opposed to the other. I enjoyed her first book, "Asking For It" but I struggled with her novel "Almost Love." Despite this, this one intrigued me.
Idol deals with a lot of issues. At its heart, there is toxicity - toxic relationships, toxic people and toxic behaviours. Samantha Miller has worked her way through addiction to becoming a very successful lifestyle "guru." She has released books, and has a strong online presence, guiding her "girls" on how they can be the best in their lives. Samantha releases an essay, describing the time when, as a teenager, she is intimate with a female friend. Samantha remembers it as a positive experience, but the other woman, Lisa, remembers it very differently.
Samantha's celebrity status brings an interesting dimension to this tale. Once Lisa gets in touch with Sam's manager, Sam is on a mission to try and put out this fire before it truly starts to take hold. Sam is eager to get Lisa to bend to her will, and say and do exactly what she wants/needs her to say or do. Sam identifies as a survivor herself, and her website proclaims that all women should be believed. But what happens when both survivor and perpetrator are women? Who to believe then?
This novel is a true examination of what it means to be a celebrity, and how we put them upon a pedestal. It is also an examination of sexual abuse, and especially how people construct narratives for their entire life. So, in this instance, which narrative is true?
So why did I struggle with this book? Well, for starters, I truly could not stand Samantha. She is perhaps one of the most horrible characters that I have come across. Although I accept that not all protagonists are perfect - they are, in fact, better when they have some flaws and complexities to their personality - with Samantha I was repulsed by her. She is a narcissist, and perhaps one of the most toxic people that has been portrayed within a book that I have read.
But I also struggled with this book because of its pacing. It starts with Lisa reaching out to Sam's manager, and making her allegation. But then, for a very long time, it feels as though nothing very much happens, well nothing very feasible anyway. Considering Sam's "celebrity" status, I was amazed that her PR team, or her manager would have let her be the person to reach out to Lisa, going to where she lives to try and talk her round. For all the millions that she is meant to be worth, I just could not picture this actually happening. Whilst this means that we then get to see more into just how obsessed Sam was with her friend, it makes for a strange and at times infuriating read. Also, the revelations that happen, and the ultimate climax are very predictable. This all led to me feeling let down and disappointed by this book, rather than being truly engaged with it.
As I said, I can see why some people would enjoy this novel but I am sorry, I just can't recommend it.
The reason why I came to this novel was that I thought the premise sounded interesting. O'Neill seems to be drawn to this kind of narrative, where it is one character's word against another; one character seeing their "truth" as opposed to the other. I enjoyed her first book, "Asking For It" but I struggled with her novel "Almost Love." Despite this, this one intrigued me.
Idol deals with a lot of issues. At its heart, there is toxicity - toxic relationships, toxic people and toxic behaviours. Samantha Miller has worked her way through addiction to becoming a very successful lifestyle "guru." She has released books, and has a strong online presence, guiding her "girls" on how they can be the best in their lives. Samantha releases an essay, describing the time when, as a teenager, she is intimate with a female friend. Samantha remembers it as a positive experience, but the other woman, Lisa, remembers it very differently.
Samantha's celebrity status brings an interesting dimension to this tale. Once Lisa gets in touch with Sam's manager, Sam is on a mission to try and put out this fire before it truly starts to take hold. Sam is eager to get Lisa to bend to her will, and say and do exactly what she wants/needs her to say or do. Sam identifies as a survivor herself, and her website proclaims that all women should be believed. But what happens when both survivor and perpetrator are women? Who to believe then?
This novel is a true examination of what it means to be a celebrity, and how we put them upon a pedestal. It is also an examination of sexual abuse, and especially how people construct narratives for their entire life. So, in this instance, which narrative is true?
So why did I struggle with this book? Well, for starters, I truly could not stand Samantha. She is perhaps one of the most horrible characters that I have come across. Although I accept that not all protagonists are perfect - they are, in fact, better when they have some flaws and complexities to their personality - with Samantha I was repulsed by her. She is a narcissist, and perhaps one of the most toxic people that has been portrayed within a book that I have read.
But I also struggled with this book because of its pacing. It starts with Lisa reaching out to Sam's manager, and making her allegation. But then, for a very long time, it feels as though nothing very much happens, well nothing very feasible anyway. Considering Sam's "celebrity" status, I was amazed that her PR team, or her manager would have let her be the person to reach out to Lisa, going to where she lives to try and talk her round. For all the millions that she is meant to be worth, I just could not picture this actually happening. Whilst this means that we then get to see more into just how obsessed Sam was with her friend, it makes for a strange and at times infuriating read. Also, the revelations that happen, and the ultimate climax are very predictable. This all led to me feeling let down and disappointed by this book, rather than being truly engaged with it.
As I said, I can see why some people would enjoy this novel but I am sorry, I just can't recommend it.
July 8, 2023
Full stars for this one. Kept me engrossed, kept my 100% attention. Easy to follow. My interest was continually peaked.
Idol
Idol because it’s based around just that however, it’s also based around a friendship from the past all remembered differently.
You know that song?
“It was a sunny evening”
“No it rained”
“You wore a red dress”
“No it was blue”
Oh yes! I remember it well.
Very much like that.
Past catching up with the future.
Obsession and control.
It was such a superb story.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you like female friendships gone wrong
Secrets
Lies
Tragic past events dominoing on you like now…..
You found it, look no further!
Idol
Idol because it’s based around just that however, it’s also based around a friendship from the past all remembered differently.
You know that song?
“It was a sunny evening”
“No it rained”
“You wore a red dress”
“No it was blue”
Oh yes! I remember it well.
Very much like that.
Past catching up with the future.
Obsession and control.
It was such a superb story.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you like female friendships gone wrong
Secrets
Lies
Tragic past events dominoing on you like now…..
You found it, look no further!
July 21, 2022
Having published numerous books for a variety of audience types and genres, Idol by Louise O'Neill is a topical, general fiction novel. Samantha Miller is an influencer with three million followers and tells her young fans the absolute truth. Her recent essay discloses a sexual experience with her friend many years earlier, when she is contacted to say it was not as she recalls in her essay. So, the issue of consent is raised in this enjoyable tale that captures the modern world of social media and the online fame game. The narrative alternates between 2022 and events in 1988 and the following couple of years as the three friends navigate their final years of schooling and youth. As a social media storm erupts, things deteriorate as Sam tries to reconnect with Lisa and Josh to confirm her truth. A most enjoyable read, with insightful use of psychology and quality writing on life in the digital age and the me-too movement. So overall, an unfolding gem of a tale with plenty of action and twists, making a four star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
October 19, 2022
Idol was dark, deceptive, and entirely engaging — Samantha Miller has built an empire as an influencer. Her “girls” seek her advice and follow her directives on how to best live their lives. Samantha’s newest book, Chaste, quickly rises to the top of the bestseller list and she follows it up with an essay that goes viral.
Not everyone agrees with Samantha’s new essay though, most notably her teenage best friend, Lisa, who challenges Samantha’s recollection. Lisa’s claims threaten to destroy the public image Samantha has worked hard to build. Samantha returns to her hometown to try to put an end to this and while there, is forced to confront people and a past she’d rather leave behind.
I can’t say I liked many of the characters in this book but wow, I couldn’t put it down! The character development was great — Sometimes we see a different side of people when they’re pushed to, or beyond, their limits. I had to know how things would play out.
Idol was my first book by Louise O’Neill and it will not be my last, highly recommend.
Not everyone agrees with Samantha’s new essay though, most notably her teenage best friend, Lisa, who challenges Samantha’s recollection. Lisa’s claims threaten to destroy the public image Samantha has worked hard to build. Samantha returns to her hometown to try to put an end to this and while there, is forced to confront people and a past she’d rather leave behind.
I can’t say I liked many of the characters in this book but wow, I couldn’t put it down! The character development was great — Sometimes we see a different side of people when they’re pushed to, or beyond, their limits. I had to know how things would play out.
Idol was my first book by Louise O’Neill and it will not be my last, highly recommend.
May 9, 2024
My relationship with this author is all over the shop. I love Only Ever Yours and Asking for It, but this one and After the Silence are terrible in comparison.
Firstly, don't be fooled by the cover or title. There's no Idol here, nor is there a glistening poolside lifestyle. All we see here is a sleepy town that's always cold.
The female lead is (probably intentionally) awful. She fluctuates between acting 40 and 4, and it's impossible to get a handle on who she is.
The second female lead is entirely wet.
They call each other mouse. Yes, really.
There's no character development. There are plot holes everywhere. The storyline is basic.
In the era of 'speaking your truth' and social media, this book could have done so much, but it fails on every level.
I've listened to Louise O'Neill on a few podcasts now, and I really love her, but her recent novels are lacking, in my opinion.
Two stars.
Firstly, don't be fooled by the cover or title. There's no Idol here, nor is there a glistening poolside lifestyle. All we see here is a sleepy town that's always cold.
The female lead is (probably intentionally) awful. She fluctuates between acting 40 and 4, and it's impossible to get a handle on who she is.
The second female lead is entirely wet.
They call each other mouse. Yes, really.
There's no character development. There are plot holes everywhere. The storyline is basic.
In the era of 'speaking your truth' and social media, this book could have done so much, but it fails on every level.
I've listened to Louise O'Neill on a few podcasts now, and I really love her, but her recent novels are lacking, in my opinion.
Two stars.
April 23, 2022
Wow, this is one dark and very addictive thriller. So much to unpack here and I don't want to give away spoilers. I read it in less than 24 hours, but there are themes that certainly did make me uncomfortable at times.
Samantha Miller has worked so hard to be where she is. She has 3 million followers on Instagram, a new book on the best sellers list and is adored by girls everywhere. Her message of "speak the truth" has helped so many of her fans. But that is all about to come crumbling down when her past comes back to haunt her. In order to fix her reputation she heads back to her hometown and her former best friend Lisa. She will have to confront her truth and a past that is less than happy.
The story of nothing is as it seems online, that celebrity you idolise - are they really what they say they are? There will be alot in this story that will be hard to read, themes of sexual assault, #metoo ., drug use and alcohol abuse to name just a few. Samantha is an interesting character, with many issues and failings, but I really felt for her. Really well done by the author.
Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes May 12th
Samantha Miller has worked so hard to be where she is. She has 3 million followers on Instagram, a new book on the best sellers list and is adored by girls everywhere. Her message of "speak the truth" has helped so many of her fans. But that is all about to come crumbling down when her past comes back to haunt her. In order to fix her reputation she heads back to her hometown and her former best friend Lisa. She will have to confront her truth and a past that is less than happy.
The story of nothing is as it seems online, that celebrity you idolise - are they really what they say they are? There will be alot in this story that will be hard to read, themes of sexual assault, #metoo ., drug use and alcohol abuse to name just a few. Samantha is an interesting character, with many issues and failings, but I really felt for her. Really well done by the author.
Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes May 12th
February 16, 2022
A captivating, compulsive read. I enjoyed every page and when I was forced to put it down I couldn't wait to get back to it as soon as possible - always the sign of a great read. The story centers on a holier than thou guru and the house of cards that social media and online celebrities/influencers appear to often live in. Clever and well written, this absorbing book is the first I have read by this author and now I'm wondering why I waited so long to read her novels. Thanks to NetGalley, Louise O'Neill and the publisher for the advance copy of this one. Highly recommend.
June 23, 2022
I feel like I'm being gaslighted by Goodreads ratings of contemporary novels.
July 19, 2022
This book will stay with me for quite some time and I really wish it didn't. This has, for some reason, messed with my head so much that I literally have flashbacks to scenes from this book and it's genuinely causing me distress.
My main issue is, what is this book supposed to teach us? Some scenes have actual merit, there is talk about white women vs black women as influencers and "life coaches", general talk about misogyny and sexism, about how even in #metoo times sexual violence has to fit into the right categories to be considered real, that women in the public eye have to be perfect, always, and will not be forgiven the same way a man will be for the same mistakes, the duality of being a famous person but distinctly lacking meaningful relationships is addressed, there is even something to be said about the depiction of mental illness (at first). And then the book just screws us all over.
For me, it basically ruined all the good parts by the way the MC deteriorated in the second half of the book. I didn't want to be part of this spiral into utter and absolute desolation and chaos, I really didn't want to be. Especially not in the head of this insanely unreliable narrator. Many parts of this were so cringey I really don't know how I made it through. This is supposed to be an adult woman losing her shit, but she reads like a thirteen year old. It wasn't fun, believe me.
Ultimately, to me, this does a huge disservice to everyone who has ever been the victim of sexual violence. Our MC has suffered through sexual violence, but since she lied about how it happened, it will only be used against her. The best friend, who has come forward with her allegations and is obviously not well, literally only suffers for trying to speak her truth and will continue to do so now that the truth is finally out in the world. So really, there is no way to win. Isn't that just the uplifting message you want to send to people dealing with sexual violence? Obviously it isn't. So why send it?
I also found the fact that both of these women are adamant in their insistence that they're straight deeply insulting. The synopsis frames the sexual assault as the MCs "sexual awakening" (which is just really utter and complete bullshit). This led me to believe this would be a book about a lesbian MC and possibly closeted best friend dealing with these allegations, but this is genuinely one of the straightest books I've ever read. Literally no one is being homophobic and yet the MC and the best friend act like being into men is the only way to live. Maybe this could have been used to talk about the sexual violence happening in same sex relationships that isn't ever really addressed (not that it's addressed a lot in straight relationships, but you get what I mean), but once again O'Neill decided not to do anything of merit.
The unreliability of the MC also quickly ruined any and all meaningful discussions about mental illness and trauma, because you don't know if anything is real. Everything is presented through this lense of contempt and bullshit to build tension that O'Neill obviously didn't know how else to build, to then falls entirely flat in the last reveal. Because the thing is, you already know. Once you understand how the unreliability generally works, you know exactly what will be revealed. The only things that stay murky are the parts about the MC's trauma and mental illness, which obviously really took from her character development. Her obvious and violent struggles with her mental illnesses are used for shock value and to make her an abuser who doesn't know she is one. I just don't think that's very respectful or has any merit as a plot point.
The only time I laughed reading this was when the MC is send to talk to the woman accusing her of sexual assault by her agent, because that is so unrealistically stupid that it genuinely made me laugh out loud.
Overall though this book really tries to be woke to instead fall into all the harmful tropes and ultimately not say anything important.
Hopefully I will not be having any more flashbacks to this book now that I've written this review. I really can't put into words just how uncomfortable many, many moments made me without any payoff whatsoever. I genuinely wish I hadn't read this.
My main issue is, what is this book supposed to teach us? Some scenes have actual merit, there is talk about white women vs black women as influencers and "life coaches", general talk about misogyny and sexism, about how even in #metoo times sexual violence has to fit into the right categories to be considered real, that women in the public eye have to be perfect, always, and will not be forgiven the same way a man will be for the same mistakes, the duality of being a famous person but distinctly lacking meaningful relationships is addressed, there is even something to be said about the depiction of mental illness (at first). And then the book just screws us all over.
For me, it basically ruined all the good parts by the way the MC deteriorated in the second half of the book. I didn't want to be part of this spiral into utter and absolute desolation and chaos, I really didn't want to be. Especially not in the head of this insanely unreliable narrator. Many parts of this were so cringey I really don't know how I made it through. This is supposed to be an adult woman losing her shit, but she reads like a thirteen year old. It wasn't fun, believe me.
Ultimately, to me, this does a huge disservice to everyone who has ever been the victim of sexual violence. Our MC has suffered through sexual violence, but since she lied about how it happened, it will only be used against her. The best friend, who has come forward with her allegations and is obviously not well, literally only suffers for trying to speak her truth and will continue to do so now that the truth is finally out in the world. So really, there is no way to win. Isn't that just the uplifting message you want to send to people dealing with sexual violence? Obviously it isn't. So why send it?
I also found the fact that both of these women are adamant in their insistence that they're straight deeply insulting. The synopsis frames the sexual assault as the MCs "sexual awakening" (which is just really utter and complete bullshit). This led me to believe this would be a book about a lesbian MC and possibly closeted best friend dealing with these allegations, but this is genuinely one of the straightest books I've ever read. Literally no one is being homophobic and yet the MC and the best friend act like being into men is the only way to live. Maybe this could have been used to talk about the sexual violence happening in same sex relationships that isn't ever really addressed (not that it's addressed a lot in straight relationships, but you get what I mean), but once again O'Neill decided not to do anything of merit.
The unreliability of the MC also quickly ruined any and all meaningful discussions about mental illness and trauma, because you don't know if anything is real. Everything is presented through this lense of contempt and bullshit to build tension that O'Neill obviously didn't know how else to build, to then falls entirely flat in the last reveal. Because the thing is, you already know. Once you understand how the unreliability generally works, you know exactly what will be revealed. The only things that stay murky are the parts about the MC's trauma and mental illness, which obviously really took from her character development. Her obvious and violent struggles with her mental illnesses are used for shock value and to make her an abuser who doesn't know she is one. I just don't think that's very respectful or has any merit as a plot point.
The only time I laughed reading this was when the MC is send to talk to the woman accusing her of sexual assault by her agent, because that is so unrealistically stupid that it genuinely made me laugh out loud.
Overall though this book really tries to be woke to instead fall into all the harmful tropes and ultimately not say anything important.
Hopefully I will not be having any more flashbacks to this book now that I've written this review. I really can't put into words just how uncomfortable many, many moments made me without any payoff whatsoever. I genuinely wish I hadn't read this.
May 7, 2022
This book, I imagine, will split ‘the vote’….
Samantha is a social media guru, loved, adored, cherished by millions of girls who stand by her feminist vocality and vegan lifestyle…until she is accused of sexual assault…by a former female best friend ( Lisa ) and her life becomes, well in the words of one author comment ‘gloriously messy’
I really liked Samantha for the first part of the book then this changed to a rabid dislike of her, but there are reasons for this and I think readers will either empathise or totally loathe her
Same has to be said for all the other characters throughout tbh
There are many triggers, most of the ones you are thinking are there and do form part of the complete story and not just thrown in for effect
A peculiarly sharp and brutally quick ending, I wondered if a chapter had been missed but no, it ends as the rest of the book made me feel, slightly out of kilter and yet wanting just that bit more of the story
A strange book to review and although am giving it lower marks they are good lower marks if makes sense, an unsettlingly unable to pigeon hole book that would recommend you read if you want to shake up your mind a bit!
7/10
3.5 Stars
Samantha is a social media guru, loved, adored, cherished by millions of girls who stand by her feminist vocality and vegan lifestyle…until she is accused of sexual assault…by a former female best friend ( Lisa ) and her life becomes, well in the words of one author comment ‘gloriously messy’
I really liked Samantha for the first part of the book then this changed to a rabid dislike of her, but there are reasons for this and I think readers will either empathise or totally loathe her
Same has to be said for all the other characters throughout tbh
There are many triggers, most of the ones you are thinking are there and do form part of the complete story and not just thrown in for effect
A peculiarly sharp and brutally quick ending, I wondered if a chapter had been missed but no, it ends as the rest of the book made me feel, slightly out of kilter and yet wanting just that bit more of the story
A strange book to review and although am giving it lower marks they are good lower marks if makes sense, an unsettlingly unable to pigeon hole book that would recommend you read if you want to shake up your mind a bit!
7/10
3.5 Stars
July 20, 2022
The perfect blend of interesting ideas and a frothy, moreish narrative style – I struggled to put this book down. It’s just crying out to be made into a miniseries (and if it is, I’ll devour that as well).
May 2, 2022
4.5 stars
Samantha Miller has it all - ambition, fame, money and 'her girls' - adoring fans that hang onto every word she says. Life is good for Sam, and her new book is set to rock the charts until an email from an old friend brings it all crashing down. Sam's childhood best friend is claiming a sexual experience between the two of them, that Sam wrote about in an article, wasn't consensual and now Sam's whole career is teetering on the brink. There's nothing worse than being cancelled, and Sam is determined to not let it happen.
Another fantastic book from Louise O'Neill - this had everything I wanted in a book looking at celebrity and cancel culture that I haven't received in other books and I loved how Sam's character was built up as this wellness influencer (think Brené Brown meets Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop), but then over the chapters all the cracks and ugliness in her perfect exterior started to shine through.
This author is just a master at creating these amazingly complex, flawed human beings and you hate them but relate to them all at the same time for the perfectly imperfect way they swan through life. I think so much can be written about the world of influencers - particularly a type of influencer (rich, white women) who don't really know the meaning of struggle taking advantage of the needs and issues of other women who are so desperate for a calm face to guide them through it all. There were some great moments in this when we see how Sam's following is mostly white young women (but that's not her fault) and she receives criticism from BIPOC influencers in the same sphere for her cultural appropriation when it comes to the type of practices she preaches which seem to be a mixture of different faiths and organisations.
Everything in Sam's hometown was like watching a car crash and Sam just kept digging that hole deeper, and deeper for herself. While she was 40 years old, it was obvious that she had never let go of some things from her childhood (namely not being chosen as 'the one' by the boy she liked). The look at the intoxicating, obsessive way female friendships can be especially at a young age when emotions and hormones are so out of control was done really well. And how we can see Sam exercise her control once more over Lisa when she comes back into town and uses her more domineering personality to wear the other woman (who is mentally & spiritually fragile) down.
There were lots of satisfying moments in this book but the ending was the cherry on the cake, and I feel like I let out a sigh of relief when everything came crashing down once again.
This book is a fantastic take on truth and memory, as well as how one can warp the truth/memory for their own gain. It's also a fantastic gaze at the danger of influencer culture to such an extreme and how it seems to be so easy for young women to fall under the spell of others who might just being using their trauma for their own gain.
Samantha Miller has it all - ambition, fame, money and 'her girls' - adoring fans that hang onto every word she says. Life is good for Sam, and her new book is set to rock the charts until an email from an old friend brings it all crashing down. Sam's childhood best friend is claiming a sexual experience between the two of them, that Sam wrote about in an article, wasn't consensual and now Sam's whole career is teetering on the brink. There's nothing worse than being cancelled, and Sam is determined to not let it happen.
Another fantastic book from Louise O'Neill - this had everything I wanted in a book looking at celebrity and cancel culture that I haven't received in other books and I loved how Sam's character was built up as this wellness influencer (think Brené Brown meets Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop), but then over the chapters all the cracks and ugliness in her perfect exterior started to shine through.
This author is just a master at creating these amazingly complex, flawed human beings and you hate them but relate to them all at the same time for the perfectly imperfect way they swan through life. I think so much can be written about the world of influencers - particularly a type of influencer (rich, white women) who don't really know the meaning of struggle taking advantage of the needs and issues of other women who are so desperate for a calm face to guide them through it all. There were some great moments in this when we see how Sam's following is mostly white young women (but that's not her fault) and she receives criticism from BIPOC influencers in the same sphere for her cultural appropriation when it comes to the type of practices she preaches which seem to be a mixture of different faiths and organisations.
Everything in Sam's hometown was like watching a car crash and Sam just kept digging that hole deeper, and deeper for herself. While she was 40 years old, it was obvious that she had never let go of some things from her childhood (namely not being chosen as 'the one' by the boy she liked). The look at the intoxicating, obsessive way female friendships can be especially at a young age when emotions and hormones are so out of control was done really well. And how we can see Sam exercise her control once more over Lisa when she comes back into town and uses her more domineering personality to wear the other woman (who is mentally & spiritually fragile) down.
There were lots of satisfying moments in this book but the ending was the cherry on the cake, and I feel like I let out a sigh of relief when everything came crashing down once again.
This book is a fantastic take on truth and memory, as well as how one can warp the truth/memory for their own gain. It's also a fantastic gaze at the danger of influencer culture to such an extreme and how it seems to be so easy for young women to fall under the spell of others who might just being using their trauma for their own gain.
July 25, 2022
There was little to like about this story and the characters involved in it. Samantha is one deeply troubled, narcissistic and unlikable character. The last few chapters felt like a very shallow and rushed retribution.
January 29, 2022
I have so much respect for Louise O'Neill's fearlessness. Not only is she effortlessly moving between genres over the span of her career but she also isn't afraid to take on the most probing of topics. And her wry observations are almost always on point.
In this, her third adult novel, Louise tackles the subjects of wellness and influencer culture, abuse of power, sexuality, consent and the Me Too movement, trial by social media and cancel culture. Idol's damaged but successful protagonist, Samantha Miller, has made her fortune telling young girls how to live better on the internet. She has amassed three million followers and a platform to say whatever she believes to be true, until her childhood best friend Lisa gets in touch to challenge a piece Sam wrote about a sexual experience they shared as teenagers. While Sam recalls an intimate moment of sexual awakening she can now utilise to promote her newfound chastity, Lisa remembers it as something she didn't consent to. As her public profile disintegrates, with reporters contacting old friends and flames for dirt, Sam travels back to her hometown to confront Lisa and attempt to keep her life on the rails.
Idol - like all of Louise's books - is a timely and incisive take on important socio-cultural issues. As always, her commentary is searing and her writing scalpel-sharp. Essentially this is a story about the subjectivity of memory and the curation and manipulation of the past to spin a suitable narrative. This is also a book about friendship and envy, and although this book is set in New York and Connecticut, the story throbs with the bitterness of Irish begrudgery.
A gripping, piercing and murky read and one that, no doubt, will amass its own large following on publication. And Louise deserves the readership. 3.5 stars.
In this, her third adult novel, Louise tackles the subjects of wellness and influencer culture, abuse of power, sexuality, consent and the Me Too movement, trial by social media and cancel culture. Idol's damaged but successful protagonist, Samantha Miller, has made her fortune telling young girls how to live better on the internet. She has amassed three million followers and a platform to say whatever she believes to be true, until her childhood best friend Lisa gets in touch to challenge a piece Sam wrote about a sexual experience they shared as teenagers. While Sam recalls an intimate moment of sexual awakening she can now utilise to promote her newfound chastity, Lisa remembers it as something she didn't consent to. As her public profile disintegrates, with reporters contacting old friends and flames for dirt, Sam travels back to her hometown to confront Lisa and attempt to keep her life on the rails.
Idol - like all of Louise's books - is a timely and incisive take on important socio-cultural issues. As always, her commentary is searing and her writing scalpel-sharp. Essentially this is a story about the subjectivity of memory and the curation and manipulation of the past to spin a suitable narrative. This is also a book about friendship and envy, and although this book is set in New York and Connecticut, the story throbs with the bitterness of Irish begrudgery.
A gripping, piercing and murky read and one that, no doubt, will amass its own large following on publication. And Louise deserves the readership. 3.5 stars.
November 24, 2021
Writing aside, the thing I love most about Louise O'Neill is that you can't pigeonhole her work. Each book feels fresh, innovative and defies genre labels. Her novels cover a diverse range of subjects. With "Idol", O'Neill explores the subjectivity of memory, and our carefully cultivated online personas, through the lens of friendship. It's current, timely and really makes you think about the world we are building for ourselves by centering social media in our lives. I thought it was a brilliant read and expect it will be a huge hit. I hope so, as Louise O'Neill deserves widespread recognition and readership.
May 12, 2022
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Idol by Louise O'Neill is a fast and addictive read that I found really intriguing. Well written and filled with darkness.
Samantha Miller 40, is an influencer and has 3 million followers on Instagram (mostly white and female), she travels the world as a motivational speaker and her new book Chaste is top of the bestseller list.
IDOL is an exploration of Samantha’s world as an online influencer and how it has the potential to crash and burn when she receives an email from her childhood best friend, Lisa. A memory from the past that may or may not be the truth will see her career hang by a thread.
There are some highly topical themes tackled in this story, sexual assault, drug use, eating disorders and cancel culture.
I thought this was a timely story and although the characters weren’t likeable they were highly interesting. A highly entertaining read!
Publication Date 03 May 2022
Publisher Penguin Australia (Imprint:Bantam Press)
Thanks so much Penguin Books Australia for sending me a review copy of Idol
Idol by Louise O'Neill is a fast and addictive read that I found really intriguing. Well written and filled with darkness.
Samantha Miller 40, is an influencer and has 3 million followers on Instagram (mostly white and female), she travels the world as a motivational speaker and her new book Chaste is top of the bestseller list.
IDOL is an exploration of Samantha’s world as an online influencer and how it has the potential to crash and burn when she receives an email from her childhood best friend, Lisa. A memory from the past that may or may not be the truth will see her career hang by a thread.
There are some highly topical themes tackled in this story, sexual assault, drug use, eating disorders and cancel culture.
I thought this was a timely story and although the characters weren’t likeable they were highly interesting. A highly entertaining read!
Publication Date 03 May 2022
Publisher Penguin Australia (Imprint:Bantam Press)
Thanks so much Penguin Books Australia for sending me a review copy of Idol
October 29, 2022
This was a truly awful book, badly written and populated with terrible characters. I am utterly bewildered by the amount of good reviews it received, and am struggling to figure out what O' Neill was trying to say with her story. Samantha is shallow, selfish and spiteful and her friend, Lucy, doesn't have any personality to speak of. The book is set in America and reads like an incoherent combination of clichés from US tv and literature. The commentary on the cult of the influencer guru could have been interesting if it was handled better. It was certainly a page-turner but I didn't enjoy one page of its madly compelling narrative.
September 11, 2023
Samantha Miller is an influencer, she tells her adoring fans how to live their lives and has three million followers. She travels the world as a motivational speaker and her book "Chaste" is top of the bestsellers list.
Samantha receives an email from her childhood best friend Lisa, who challenges an article Samantha wrote about a sexual experience they shared as teenagers. Lisa argues that it was not consensual and now Samantha's career is hanging on the brink.
Whose truth is a lie? And how can two memories be so different.
A captivating read that I couldn't put down.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Samantha receives an email from her childhood best friend Lisa, who challenges an article Samantha wrote about a sexual experience they shared as teenagers. Lisa argues that it was not consensual and now Samantha's career is hanging on the brink.
Whose truth is a lie? And how can two memories be so different.
A captivating read that I couldn't put down.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2023
Overall I enjoyed the plot. Unfortunately it was really repetitive at times, and the dialogue randomly went from one direction to the opposite direction at times. I also found most plottwists quite predictable.
July 13, 2023
I'm fascinated by the whole phenomena of the "social media influencer" and mystified that such an individual can indeed heavily influence people merely by chatting all manner of b*llocks on the internet. Videos and reels like Observe While I Try on These 75 New Outfits, or Watch Me Obsessively Clean My House/Heat Up My dinner/Unbox Expensive Stuff I've Been Given For Free is big business these days and this story very much taps into that.
Samantha Miller is an online influencer, spiritual guru and role model to her huge throng of female followers, they buy her books, live for her Instagram updates and hang on her every word, yep Samantha's livin' the dream, until a figure from her past makes a very unpleasant accusation.
I really enjoyed this, Samantha is a horrible character (in fact they all are) but I loved reading about her. She's perfectly portrayed, from her pick n' mix spirituality and clean eating, to her insistence on speaking "her truth". I found it a worthy point that what we might adamantly claim to be "our truth" may not be the actual truth but merely our own perception of what happened, we're complex beings and often our feelings don't bear any relation to the facts, our life experiences, insecurities and triggers all affect our perception of a situation.
All in all, a page turning tale of toxic people, and how it only takes one whisper of a thing to bring the whole house of cards crashing down, one day cock of the walk, next a feather duster, 4.5 stars.
Samantha Miller is an online influencer, spiritual guru and role model to her huge throng of female followers, they buy her books, live for her Instagram updates and hang on her every word, yep Samantha's livin' the dream, until a figure from her past makes a very unpleasant accusation.
I really enjoyed this, Samantha is a horrible character (in fact they all are) but I loved reading about her. She's perfectly portrayed, from her pick n' mix spirituality and clean eating, to her insistence on speaking "her truth". I found it a worthy point that what we might adamantly claim to be "our truth" may not be the actual truth but merely our own perception of what happened, we're complex beings and often our feelings don't bear any relation to the facts, our life experiences, insecurities and triggers all affect our perception of a situation.
All in all, a page turning tale of toxic people, and how it only takes one whisper of a thing to bring the whole house of cards crashing down, one day cock of the walk, next a feather duster, 4.5 stars.
December 1, 2021
This was a really enjoyable read and reinforces why exactly I hate social media.
Samantha is a guru/influencer/idol, however you would describe her. She has a following of millions of her "girls" on social media and encourages them to speak their truth.
Sam also speaks her truth, one day writing about her sexual experience with her female best friend.....however her friend remembers it a very different way and the issues of consent are laid bare here.
It was a very interesting choice for O'Neill to change the gender balance of stories which are sadly too prevalent in society at the moment. It is one of those stories where you will love then hate then pity then hate some characters as the story progresses in the present day but also as the truth emerges over what happened all those years ago.
A really interesting, thoughtful, balanced novel about a very current issue in society which I think was handled very sensitively.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Samantha is a guru/influencer/idol, however you would describe her. She has a following of millions of her "girls" on social media and encourages them to speak their truth.
Sam also speaks her truth, one day writing about her sexual experience with her female best friend.....however her friend remembers it a very different way and the issues of consent are laid bare here.
It was a very interesting choice for O'Neill to change the gender balance of stories which are sadly too prevalent in society at the moment. It is one of those stories where you will love then hate then pity then hate some characters as the story progresses in the present day but also as the truth emerges over what happened all those years ago.
A really interesting, thoughtful, balanced novel about a very current issue in society which I think was handled very sensitively.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2022
This book was a wild ride, from exploring the science of memory and how we mould events to fit in our life's narrative, performative woke culture and the influencer lifestyle? Exactly
May 15, 2022
4.5⭐
Wow. Just... wow.
This book is... a lot. And one I feel like my review will not do justice, because how I do adequately put into words just how incredible it is? I was hooked right from the start and found it to be such a page-turner despite the heavy subject matter. I read the last 75% in one sitting - a glance at my clock said 2.30am, then 4.40am and before I knew it, it was past 6am.
I love how this novel explores the many versions of truth as well as trauma and memory. It starts uncomfortable but important conversations about consent, sexual assault and the #MeToo movement. It's also an acute deep dive into the influencer lifestyle and image, social media toxicity, performative wokeness and cancel culture.
The protagonist is a hot mess but yet there's also something so charismatic about her that you can't peel yourself away from. Sad to say but I could relate to some of her experiences and decisions e.g. fictionalising a real-life account as a coping mechanism.
This is my 4th book by the author and once again, she tackles the most difficult topics with such ingenuity and skill. It's also one of the most intriguing and well-written books I've read about female friendships. There are lots of crazy, intense moments but also tender and heartfelt ones.
Dark, haunting, powerful, unforgettable — this is a book that will stay with me for long.
Thank you to Random House UK and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
Favourite quotes:
✨ "She understood their despair but more importantly, she understood the fury hiding beneath their smiles. She knew there was nothing more powerful than a woman finally given permission to scream."
✨ "We are all capable of being incredibly moral and incredibly monstrous, given the right circumstances. It does us no service to try and hide from our shadow selves."
✨ "Women in the public eye could only have one personality type - nice - or everything they'd worked so hard for would be taken away from them."
✨ "You can't give a man the power to make you cry. That's what they want and if you're weak enough to give it to them, they won't respect you. There's always one person who loves the other a little more in a relationship."
✨ "They were something more than friends, more than sisters even; they were two halves of the same person, only whole when they were together."
✨ "All we need is Ronan fucking Farrow to decide he wants to investigate the story for the New Yorker and we may as well kill ourselves now and get it over with."
✨ "I've lived in this city long enough to know that the only thing these people can't forgive is poverty. If you have enough money, they'll forget everything."
✨ "What's that thing you always say? 'This is my truth.' Well, it seems like there's your truth and there's my truth and there's nothing in between."
✨ "People claimed they wanted the the truth but when faced with it, it was too messy for them to accept. The truth often felt like a story, one with plot holes, an unreliable narrator."
✨ "Maybe that was what she was selling; the impossible promise of safety. Maybe that was all these women wanted, in the end."
✨ "You can still love someone who hurt you."
Wow. Just... wow.
This book is... a lot. And one I feel like my review will not do justice, because how I do adequately put into words just how incredible it is? I was hooked right from the start and found it to be such a page-turner despite the heavy subject matter. I read the last 75% in one sitting - a glance at my clock said 2.30am, then 4.40am and before I knew it, it was past 6am.
I love how this novel explores the many versions of truth as well as trauma and memory. It starts uncomfortable but important conversations about consent, sexual assault and the #MeToo movement. It's also an acute deep dive into the influencer lifestyle and image, social media toxicity, performative wokeness and cancel culture.
The protagonist is a hot mess but yet there's also something so charismatic about her that you can't peel yourself away from. Sad to say but I could relate to some of her experiences and decisions e.g. fictionalising a real-life account as a coping mechanism.
This is my 4th book by the author and once again, she tackles the most difficult topics with such ingenuity and skill. It's also one of the most intriguing and well-written books I've read about female friendships. There are lots of crazy, intense moments but also tender and heartfelt ones.
Dark, haunting, powerful, unforgettable — this is a book that will stay with me for long.
Thank you to Random House UK and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
Favourite quotes:
✨ "She understood their despair but more importantly, she understood the fury hiding beneath their smiles. She knew there was nothing more powerful than a woman finally given permission to scream."
✨ "We are all capable of being incredibly moral and incredibly monstrous, given the right circumstances. It does us no service to try and hide from our shadow selves."
✨ "Women in the public eye could only have one personality type - nice - or everything they'd worked so hard for would be taken away from them."
✨ "You can't give a man the power to make you cry. That's what they want and if you're weak enough to give it to them, they won't respect you. There's always one person who loves the other a little more in a relationship."
✨ "They were something more than friends, more than sisters even; they were two halves of the same person, only whole when they were together."
✨ "All we need is Ronan fucking Farrow to decide he wants to investigate the story for the New Yorker and we may as well kill ourselves now and get it over with."
✨ "I've lived in this city long enough to know that the only thing these people can't forgive is poverty. If you have enough money, they'll forget everything."
✨ "What's that thing you always say? 'This is my truth.' Well, it seems like there's your truth and there's my truth and there's nothing in between."
✨ "People claimed they wanted the the truth but when faced with it, it was too messy for them to accept. The truth often felt like a story, one with plot holes, an unreliable narrator."
✨ "Maybe that was what she was selling; the impossible promise of safety. Maybe that was all these women wanted, in the end."
✨ "You can still love someone who hurt you."
February 24, 2022
While I have a couple of Louise O'Neill titles on my shelf (Only Ever Yours has been waving at me for too long and I WILL pick it up soon) this is my first Adult fiction from the author, and I'm mightily impressed.
Idol tackles influencer culture, the rise and fall of the 'life guru' phenomenon, abuse of power, bullying, sexuality, consent and the Me Too movement, eating disorders, social media and cancel culture, and I'd dare to say narcissism and personality disorders too.
It's not often that I can read a story with a VERY unlikeable main character and still enjoy the story. I caught on early to the true nature of our protagonist, though I don't know if that's down to the writing, or me having spent a few years behind the curtain in YouTube event green rooms. I think it's a timely story in lots of ways, not least of which because of the public fall of a guru or two we've seen in the past couple of years, but also as we navigate this new-ish world of social media and celebrity being so... parasitic to each other?
If Idol were a film I would definitely watch it, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is one day.
(Thanks to NetGalley, Louise O'Neill and the publisher for the advance copy)
For more reviews and book chat follow me on Instagram @GlamazingSarah
Idol tackles influencer culture, the rise and fall of the 'life guru' phenomenon, abuse of power, bullying, sexuality, consent and the Me Too movement, eating disorders, social media and cancel culture, and I'd dare to say narcissism and personality disorders too.
It's not often that I can read a story with a VERY unlikeable main character and still enjoy the story. I caught on early to the true nature of our protagonist, though I don't know if that's down to the writing, or me having spent a few years behind the curtain in YouTube event green rooms. I think it's a timely story in lots of ways, not least of which because of the public fall of a guru or two we've seen in the past couple of years, but also as we navigate this new-ish world of social media and celebrity being so... parasitic to each other?
If Idol were a film I would definitely watch it, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is one day.
(Thanks to NetGalley, Louise O'Neill and the publisher for the advance copy)
For more reviews and book chat follow me on Instagram @GlamazingSarah
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