Stella and Violet are best friends, and from the moment they met in college, they knew their roles. Beautiful, privileged, and reckless Stella lives in the spotlight, and hardworking, laser-focused Violet stays behind the scenes. As both strive for success, each reveals just how far she'll go to get what she wants -- even if it means destroying the other person along the way.
Pitoniak’s dialogue-heavy prose keeps a quick pace, and her characters and the TV-news setting ring true, even as the propulsive plot begins to strain credibility. Hand this to readers who like books exploring the dark side of female friendships, à la Megan Abbott, or fans of Tara Isabella Burton’s Social Creature (2018).
... a phenomenally written novel that keeps up the tension from the beginning until the very end, with a storyline that is flawless. It is a psychological thriller (I kept asking myself Who is the bad guy and who is the victim here?); a critique of society; and a showcase into the world of the privileged and super-rich ('old money'), and their offspring ... This is a book worth reading because, in addition to what already has been said, it poses and addresses an important question: 'What are we prepared to do, and how far would we go, in order to achieve our ambitions and be successful?'
... psychologically astute ... Pitoniak perceptively traces the fracture of Violet and Stella’s sisterlike bond, leading to a denouement the reader will not anticipate. The author’s insightful glimpse into the competitive world of television news, as well as her spot-on portraits of these two ambitious women, come together in an emotional, gripping novel sure to become a popular summer read.
