Orla Cadden is a budding novelist stuck in a dead-end job, writing clickbait about movie-star hookups and influencer yoga moves. Then Orla meets Floss—a striving, wannabe A-lister—who comes up with a plan for launching them both into the high-profile lives they dream about. So what if Orla and Floss’s methods are a little shady—and sometimes people get hurt? Their legions of followers can’t be wrong.
Is it too early to declare Megan Angelo’s debut one of the best novels of 2020? Maybe. Even so, it’s probably one of the funniest and most hopeful dystopian stories you’ll come across this year ... Even if you aren’t a fan of science fiction or reality TV, Followers delivers a shrewd look at human relationships, habits and obsessions. Of all the doomsday scenarios out there, perhaps it won’t be too bad if this one comes true after all.
Angelo cleverly weaves together two seeming unrelated timelines which meet one another in the thrilling conclusion of this contemporary, sci-fi masterpiece giving readers the ‘everything coming together’ moment leading to a satisfying, emotional conclusion ... a believable and terrifying pathway showing how our current obsession with social media, sharing, and celebrities may continue to grow and evolve over time leading to a dark and damming end. Angelo invites us to question many contemporary issues around social media, privacy, and fame as well as forcing the us to take a good hard look at our own internet usage, friendships, careers, values and choices ... Angelo writes with sensitivity and humour as well as relatable characters and dilemmas, particularly for the young female reader just starting out life as an adult and finding it more than a little daunting. The writing is so creative and seamless, I actually had a hard time believing that Followers is Megan Angelo’s debut novel! It feels like she has been storytelling for years ... Thought provoking, challenging, emotional, and funny, Angelo has written a spectacular debut novel you will not be able to put down.
The shrewd and surprisingly moving result is a darkly prophetic novel that takes an incisive look at women, fame and the future of social media stardom ... Angelo sharpens the tension by adding a satiric bite that provides a constant reminder that Internet and reality television fame are tricky balancing acts ... Although fast-paced, Followers will make rich discussion material for book clubs, raising hard questions about the price of celebrity, the ethics of technology use and how much of today's entertainment contains subtle commercials. At the same time, its core sings with emotion. Angelo's high-concept plot hangs gracefully on the framework provided by the interesting chemistry between her characters ... An excavation of a complex female friendship as well as a deep dive into the direction social media is pulling the U.S., Angelo's first outing is sharp, perceptive and ultimately hopeful.
