Wow. Wow. Wow. FOLLOWERS is a book every social media user should read. If you’ve ever felt annoyed by influencers, wannabe influencers, thirsty fashion/lifestyle bloggers, or just random people showing off and bragging on Facebook what they think is aspirational (like a visit to Chick-fil-A or Applebee’s), this story is for you.
FOLLOWERS alternates between the lives of Orla in 2015-16 New York and Marlow in 2051 California. In Orla’s chapters, the reader learns that Orla and her roommate, Floss, have a desperate desire to be famous and have used some questionable strategies to help them accomplish their goals. In Marlow’s chapters, the reader learns that a cataclysmic event known as “The Spill” changed social media and reality TV forever. Now government-appointed celebrities like Marlow live every moment of the day on camera for their loyal followers and corporate sponsors. They must always be mindful of their millions of followers and keep the content flowing so the dollars keep coming in… And when their storyline starts getting stale, it’s time to create a designer baby to keep the followers engaged. (FYI: This is the ONLY time I have ever enjoyed reading about baby making. The process was absolutely hilarious. And scary.) During the baby making process, Marlow learns some startling information that causes her to try to escape her corporate sponsored life.
There is so much more I could say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil anything. The author nails the current state of social media in a way that is brilliant, humorous satire and social commentary without being snarky or preachy. She doesn’t spell things out for the reader, either, and allows the reader to come to his or her own conclusions. She has a way with words and crafting a dark, witty tale that is slightly over the top but also based on reality. I laughed out loud so many times while reading about the characters’ antics (e.g., Floss has to stick Post-it notes in her cupboard to remind her to “Be relatable!!!!!!”), but there are also some very sad, serious moments in the story (e.g., the hopeless way Orla feels about her life before she meets Floss and they hatch their plan to become successful).
PLEASE READ THIS ONE!
FOLLOWERS alternates between the lives of Orla in 2015-16 New York and Marlow in 2051 California. In Orla’s chapters, the reader learns that Orla and her roommate, Floss, have a desperate desire to be famous and have used some questionable strategies to help them accomplish their goals. In Marlow’s chapters, the reader learns that a cataclysmic event known as “The Spill” changed social media and reality TV forever. Now government-appointed celebrities like Marlow live every moment of the day on camera for their loyal followers and corporate sponsors. They must always be mindful of their millions of followers and keep the content flowing so the dollars keep coming in… And when their storyline starts getting stale, it’s time to create a designer baby to keep the followers engaged. (FYI: This is the ONLY time I have ever enjoyed reading about baby making. The process was absolutely hilarious. And scary.) During the baby making process, Marlow learns some startling information that causes her to try to escape her corporate sponsored life.
There is so much more I could say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil anything. The author nails the current state of social media in a way that is brilliant, humorous satire and social commentary without being snarky or preachy. She doesn’t spell things out for the reader, either, and allows the reader to come to his or her own conclusions. She has a way with words and crafting a dark, witty tale that is slightly over the top but also based on reality. I laughed out loud so many times while reading about the characters’ antics (e.g., Floss has to stick Post-it notes in her cupboard to remind her to “Be relatable!!!!!!”), but there are also some very sad, serious moments in the story (e.g., the hopeless way Orla feels about her life before she meets Floss and they hatch their plan to become successful).
PLEASE READ THIS ONE!