Welcome to a world after "the spill" - a word set in 2051 when we meet Marlow, one of the stars of Constellation. Constellation is a continuously televised, reality show (channeling some Truman Show vibes here) and shows how the important of followers, social media influence and comments/likes are in Marlow's everyday existence.
Flashbacks to 2015 are alternated with the current day Marlow storyline as we try to piece together what exactly "the spill" was, who caused it and why it happened.
This story is one about discovering who you are, loving people in spite of their faults and starting over. It's also about the power that we give social media, other people and the digital information that is so easily accessed and misused. Throw in some political references to building walls, our current president and the dark side of social media obsession and you have Followers.
This is a sci-fi/tech novel with heart and intended commentary on our technological, cultural and political values and situations. Because of that, it was one that took extra time to read through (especially because it comes in over 400 pages). Once I was invested in the characters, I had to keep reading to see how exactly these two parallel stories set in different time periods interacted with each other.
This book brings timely and important questions to light. Who is responsible for what spreads on the internet? How does technology change your relationships? Will your mistakes always be just one email away from being disclosed to someone else? Is privacy an illusion? Does technology control us or do we control it?
This dystopian novel was the right combination of action, suspense, relational drama and introspection. A recommended read from me.
Flashbacks to 2015 are alternated with the current day Marlow storyline as we try to piece together what exactly "the spill" was, who caused it and why it happened.
This story is one about discovering who you are, loving people in spite of their faults and starting over. It's also about the power that we give social media, other people and the digital information that is so easily accessed and misused. Throw in some political references to building walls, our current president and the dark side of social media obsession and you have Followers.
This is a sci-fi/tech novel with heart and intended commentary on our technological, cultural and political values and situations. Because of that, it was one that took extra time to read through (especially because it comes in over 400 pages). Once I was invested in the characters, I had to keep reading to see how exactly these two parallel stories set in different time periods interacted with each other.
This book brings timely and important questions to light. Who is responsible for what spreads on the internet? How does technology change your relationships? Will your mistakes always be just one email away from being disclosed to someone else? Is privacy an illusion? Does technology control us or do we control it?
This dystopian novel was the right combination of action, suspense, relational drama and introspection. A recommended read from me.