I want to start by saying that Louise O'Neill's Asking For It is one of the best books I've ever read. This is the second book of hers I've read and I think the standard of Asking For It set the bar so high that it was impossible to best it.

Having said that, I did enjoy reading Idol. The subject matter really appealed to me - influencers, secrets, high school drama brought into adult life. On that last point, there was so much fixation on the high school element of the story that it felt a little young for an adult book, but a little too old for a YA book. Maybe this sits in the New Adult sphere?

There's no doubt that Louise O'Neill is an excellent writer. You really get into the head of the main characters, which makes it all the better when the unreliable narrator aspect is thrown in. The subject of consent and sexual assault is a difficult one to navigate sometimes, but it felt to me like O'Neill dealt with it really well, especially the angle she takes on the subject. It's so hard to talk about the bits of this book I loved without giving the whole plot away!

Samantha is a deeply unlikeable main character, which I'm generally ok with. The only problem is, she didn't have any redeeming qualities, which made it tough to keep reading sometimes. I don't mean to compare the two, but the main character in Asking For It was similar in outlook, but because she was a teenager it felt more fitting. I think the problem I found was that Samantha read more like a teenager than an adult.

Anyway, Idol has reminded me how much I loved Asking For It, so I'm off to buy all of her other books, because she really is a fantastic writer.

Idol is a very timely novel that examines the current wellness movement, the impact of social media and cancel culture, disordered eating, sexual assault, power imbalances, bullying and the ‘me too’ movement. Louise O’Neill’s style of writing is very easy to read and propels you through the story but I struggled to care about any of the characters. For this reason, I felt apathetic about the story’s conclusion. As always, Louise O’Neill shines a light on some very important issues and tries to examine all sides of the argument. For me, I enjoyed After The Silence a lot more.

A remarkable novel showing how different each person perception of the same event can be, and also of the dangers of social media and blindly following the current “IT girl”.

What is this novel really about? Teen angst and revenge amplified by social media. Recollections that are a product of our unreliable memory. Once upon a time when teens did stupid things, the only ones who knew about it were they themselves, and some close friends. Storms would be local and they would die down relatively rapidly. Not anymore. The pressing need that everyone feels to share their opinion has turned social media into a powerful weapon. The protagonist of the novel is not the most sympathetic of characters but she is a very good example of how one can become a victim of the way in which social media almost forces people to re-create their own story. The novel is reminder of how one should not believe everything online is what it seems, the me-too debate included. An interesting read.

Louise O’Neill is on razor sharp form with this new novel. She’s definitely moving more commercial mainstream than her previous works, but maintaining that ability to delve into nuanced feminist territory and unafraid to create unlikeable lead characters.
Sam is a wellness guru who appears to have it all. Best selling books, film adaptations, sold out events with her loyal followers…: and an uncanny ability to present her version of events that may well differ to others. When one such event is documented and published, sex with her oldest childhood friend, that friend Lisa claims it wasn’t as Sam claims but was in fact non consensual.
Everything Sam has built is in danger of crashing down.

Toxic friendships, parental conflict, the wellness industry and PR damage control are brilliantly portrayed. A great read.

This was really well-written and easy to read, perfect for fans of Nine Perfect Strangers. Ultimately it was missing a little something for me, but I suspect other readers will enjoy.

3.5 but rounded up as I fundamentally Enjoyed reading it. ONeill has a punchy, enjoyable style and a clever way of revealing a story which kept me plowijg on. but ultimately I found the resolution unsatisfying, and feel it was a missed opportunity to investigate the nuances and complications of recollection and trauma

What a twisted web has been woven here. A timely and engaging read, packed with O’Neill’s wry observations, but one which left me feeling distinctly nauseous.
Samantha Miller is the kind of character you might love to hate. Ruthless in her determination to succeed and something of a social-media icon, I found her whole demeanour unpleasant. She is adept at spinning the truth to suit her narrative, and this propensity makes the crux of the book more than a little problematic.
Sam herself is a victim of abuse, in therapy to help her manage the effects of the trauma and definitely struggling to keep a lid on her more self-destructive tendencies. This is heightened when her best friend from school sends an email accusing her of assault. Sam recalls the night referenced very differently, and we get to watch things unfold as we follow Sam try to manage this potentially disastrous moment.
As we journey with Sam through a return to her home-town we learn just how difficult it can be to ever know the truth, as each of us will experience things differently and bring our own experiences to events in our lives. Just because two people remember an event differently doesn’t mean one is lying.
This was a murky read, certainly encouraging us to reflect on how we interact with others and the role social media has in our lives. I can’t wait to see what other O’Neill fans make of it when it’s released next year, and I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to publication.

Delicious….
Samantha Miller, wellness guru extraordinaire and internet media sensation, is the epitome of everything to her millions of adoring fans. When a blast from her past threatens to expose Samantha for what she really is, how will she deal? This unreliable narrator leads the way for the reader as we are taken on a, perhaps, glamorous, outrageous, explosive and compulsive path for the truth and the exposing of the internet media facade. This is one to devour in one delicious sitting. Superb.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of Idol by Louise O'Neill in exchange for an honest review.

Louise O'Neill is one of my favourite authors and I've read every single one of her books. So when I found out about Idol, I couldn't wait for it to come out.

It certainly did not disappoint!

The novel follows a wellness influencer who is at the height of her career when an allegation appears to ruin her life. She returns to her hometown to try to find herself again.

Much like her other novels, Idol discusses feminism and flawed women in a nuanced way. It's hard to root for our protagonist as she clearly is just as twisted and wicked as her "haters" are claiming.

After reading several books that I didn't love, when I got to Idol I was immediately pulled into it. I couldn't put the book down! I read it in just one day!

This book is certainly a five stars for me!

Phwoar. This is the epitome of a compulsive read. Glamorous, riveting and audacious - Samantha Miller lives a virtual life millions around the world cannot help but follow & envy. She's built a wellbeing empire, profiting off making others feel good and being the best possible versions of herself. When that empire looks set to crumble, with a revelation from the past by her ex-best friend from childhood, Samantha returns home - a place she swore never to return - to fix things. But can her past actions ever truly be forgiven & forgotten?
O'Neill's books consistently utilise the unreliable narrator to sublime effect, we're forced to spend time with people we would never have chosen to do so otherwise. We become immersed in their murky worlds and oft-aligned with mindsets far removed from our own. That's exactly what happens here. Samantha is a self-appointed saviour of young women, a social media influencer and addict of all kinds with ever-questionable morals. O'Neill delves into her mindset, removing layer-by-layer and exposing uncomfortable truths about how much we ever really know about anyone.

.....her best book yet?

this read is so compulsive/exhilerating/thrilling/f**ked up!! imagine those Alix chapters in Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid but ITS AN ENTIRE BOOK OF BATSH*T CRAZY RICH WHITE WOMAN! super nuanced and interesting take on cancel culture + influencer culture.

Samantha Miller is a famous wellness guru and writer, but she literally encompasses white feminism, telling everyone that 'if she can make it, anyone can' without recognising her privilege in getting to the top. she complains about not having much of a black following but 'WhAttt cAn I DooOoo aBouT itttt.' you get my drift.

she writes an essay about a sexual experience she had with her female best friend (even though both women involved identify as straight) but the best friend in question comes out of the woodwork to say that she has a very different memory of that night!

touches on a lot of issues, like eating disorders, consent, the internet, gender politics, etc. but also manages to pace a really engaging plotline.

ughhh, I hate that this isn't out until may 2022 because I need to discuss asap!!

I read this gripping read in just two sittings, I was totally drawn to the characters and this had you hooked all the way though which kept me page turning until almost midnight.

Highly enjoyed this read and will definitely being checking out Louise's other books.

I absolutely loved this! What a fantastic plot, beautifully written, intertwining the relationships between the characters in such an ingenious and realistic way.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Idol centres around Samantha Miller - who is idolised by girls/women around the world. She lives for social media, her meet and greets and her new book is at the top of the charts.
Until a published essay about a 'sexual;' event with her best friend Lisa (whom she hasn't spoken to in years) begins to knock down the empire she has built.

Samantha and her team desperately try to undertake 'damage control' but is Lisa and Samantha's perception of that night the same?

The book is fast-paced, and the character of Samantha is portrayed so well that I honestly begin to dislike her. O'Neil drops little snippets of what Samantha was like into the pages and my perception of her changed as the story unfolded.

An enjoyable book.

I liked Idol by Louise O'Neil
It was an entertaining read and it kept me interested till the very end. .
I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.
Thank you netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

First time I have read this author work and it didn’t disappoint. She has written about sexual assault, and the characters whom are portrayed are well written. Look forward to more from this author.

This book is a really entertaining read - it covers social media, fame and probably most importantly memories and how they differ from one person to another. There are plenty of twists and turns with the key relationships described really well. Sam, the protagonist, is an unreliable witness but just how unreliable? You’re left wondering right until the end.

Louise O'Neill is a fantastic author and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to read her latest novel early. This is going to make a brilliant addition to the school library, as I feel that Louise is at the height of her powers when exploring the murky grey areas of sexual assault. She captures current issues so well, and I think that readers can get so much out of the questions that she poses

Another fantastically gripping novel from Louise O’Neill who really does seem to be at her best when challenging the tricky ethics of sexual assault. She presents us with a host of characters who are all flawed in their own way and the reader has to decide how they feel about everyone and what implications that has for the real world we exist in. I love everything O’Neill does and I’m always excited to see what’s coming next.