A review by oohgoshtara
The List by Yomi Adegoke

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Ola is a high-profile feminist journalist whose fiancée Michael is called out online as an abuser a month before their wedding. What began as a crowdsourced collection of names morphs into a viral anonymous account posting about male abusers in the British media. 

I found the “The List” thought-provoking. It makes you question what if, what would you do, who would you believe if you were in Ola’s place. 

The story is complicated and tense and will keep you guessing and turning the pages. It’s a testament to the power of the internet and how living our lives online can be dangerous. You can post anything online. Who checks? What’s true? What’s not? And if its salacious enough who cares? 

I didn’t particularly like any of the characters Ola and Michael were kind of insufferable in their own ways. I also didn’t particularly like their individual friend groups. The ‘bros’ were especially problematic, but I think a realistic representation of men among men not calling each other out for abusive behaviors. Michael only feels the need to call out another man on the list because he finds out a woman, he knows was assaulted by that man which makes it personal to him. Prior to this he was passive in these conversations with other men on the list. 

I did however like reading from Michaels POV as a man accused of being an abuser on the list and being in his head while also not knowing if he’s guilty or not. We just know he’s not being truthful about something. 

I do not know what I wanted the outcome of this story to be, but I did not agree with what I felt was harmful rhetoric about women making false accusations for revenge purposes even with that twist at the end. 

I would however recommend this book. I think it is extremely tense and timely. A great book for discussion.