Reviews

Interesting dystopian story about social media culture and its afterlives, centering on a friendship between Floss and Orla, and a different woman named Marlow living in a future. I really enjoyed reading and not knowing where the story would take me! Ultimately the critique of technology was hollow (screens=bad, privacy=good) but it was certainly a fun ride.

I liked the world-building in the beginning of the book, but I felt that the exploration of the outside world post-Spill

(especially Atlantis and the "fog")

felt hollow. The arc of the characters was not quite believable to me, with an ending that seemed abrupt and too neat.

Small gripe: I left feeling like I didn't know what any of the characters actually looked like, which was weird, except for that present-day Floss is fat, which is supposedly an important reflection of her inner character. The book harped on that way too much, unnecessarily fat-phobic. It also was a little heavy-handed with the Trump-like president figure.

fontanacary's review against another edition

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5.0

this book destroyed me 10/10 five stars. I got this book as a gift from my mom and at first I thought it would be super cliche and just her way of telling me to use my phone less lol. But it was so, so good.

I can't even put into words how fantastic this book is. Megan Angelo has such a good grasp of language, sarcastic humor, and detail that just drives her message so well. Every line of this book feels so intentional and it's a treat to see the story progress. Marlow's side of the story especially absolutely haunts me because of how real it feels--in the age of streamers and reality TV stars, a world like Constellation where lives are recorded and scripted almost 24/7 doesn't seem too far off, which is terrifying!!! This book just sticks to you in a way that haunts you for a long time (which is a compliment!). If Marlow's story terrifies me, Orla's side of the story is the one that rips out your heart and cuts it into a million pieces and then sells those pieces to butcher shops around the world that then continue to cut it into a million more pieces (which is again a compliment!). Specifically the way her parents react to their daughter's decisions and the climax of the conflict at the end of the book.... It changed me.... (sob) The whole book has its funny moments, but it's written with this sort of detached pragmatism (like "this is just how the world is") that foreshadows the catastrophe that's brewing in the climax of the book SO well. This book will leave you reflecting for a LONG time. This review probably made 0 sense but PLEASE just read this book.

rachael_amber's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

librarian_kj's review against another edition

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3.0

The beginning was slow, but as I read further I was glad I did. The middle was great, and I found myself loving it. Until the end. When nothing happened. Very anticlimactic.

keen23's review against another edition

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3.0

One of those books where things just happen to the characters, not that the characters attempt to do anything.

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