Member Reviews

This is my first book by Louise O'Neill and it won't be the last. I was left guessing until the last page, unsure what was going to happen next or how it was going to end. I felt like this was a netflix documentary that leaves you open mouthed and thinking 'What have I just witnessed??'

A book full of twists and turns that is very relevant in today's social media culture.

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Another author who has moved from YA to adult fiction, Louise O’Neill really knows how to write gripping novels. Idol looks at the power held by influencers and asks whether we really know who we are looking up to online, even when they seemingly share their lives and their most personal experiences with us. The main character, an author and influencer with a booming following, plays on the natural desire of her “girls” to feel safe: “Maybe that was what she was selling: the impossible promise of safety. Maybe that was all these women wanted, in the end.” She truly believes she is helping, but when an essay she writes about her sexual awakening goes viral, her old school friend gets in touch to say that she doesn’t remember it that way at all. The book constantly asks us who we should believe and whose truth is true. Everything you think you know in the first half of the book starts to crumble in the second and you won’t be able to put it down.

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Idol is unlike any book I've read before. Louise O'Neill has a way of crafting unlikeable characters in a way that makes you sympathise with them. That made me quite uncomfortable while reading this book because Samantha is far from a good person. She is self-obsessed and has a very difficult time seeing past her own experience. To her, her experience and memory is the absolute truth, other people's experiences of the same events are not acknowldged or listened to at all.

This book had me questioning everything throughout. I really enjoyed that aspect. Who to believe? What actually happened? Sam is so convincing in her retelling and reshaping of the truth. It is hard to get a picture of what her life was actually like before the beginnning of this book.

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A timely “smoke and mirrors” novel from accomplished Irish novelist Louise O’Neill, “Idol” explores the duplicitous world of influencers and celebrity lifestyle cults through a disputed account of a teenage sexual awakening which goes viral.

The narrative switches between present and past. Samantha Miller, the ‘mega influencer’, ‘lifestyle guru’, and protagonist is an unreliable narrator, as is Lisa, her rather flat and forgettable school friend, who is now happily married and living the suburban life. Both characters are dislikable.

The novel’s themes include social media culture; the idolisation of influencers; power; sex and sexual consent; trauma; cancel culture; friendship and the reliability of memory.

“Idol” is not literary fiction but rather a glamorous page turner great for a beach holiday.

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If you're a Louise O'Neill fan, you'll know how dark and twisty her writing can be. Idol is no different. As with all Louise O'Neill, it carries a serious message and isn't shocking just for shock factors sake. Timely and really brilliant. Another success for Louise O'Neill!

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I love an unreliable narrator and that is exactly what Samantha miller is.

Samantha Miller is living her life on social media. She has a following of ‘her girls’ that hang on every word she says and she is a lifestyle guru to millions. But when you are at the top of your game there is only two be way you can go and Samantha Miller is about to find out how hard you can fall !!

A trial by social media is what Samantha finds herself in. Why is no one believing her ? Why is someone out to destroy her ? When you live your life on social media do you have to accept the good and the bad ?

This book is a fantastic revelation in what happens when people turn against you on social media and how you can be at the very top one minute and then at the very bottom the next. If you are a fan of social media or hate it with a passion then this book has you covered. In my opinion a great summer read and one to keep you entertained.

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This was a quick, sharp read with an interesting story and concept . I didn’t find anything about it particularly profound or impressive but it was quite a compulsive page turner and an easy enjoyable read for me .

I’d recommend for anyone who wants to be pulled in but not overly challenged by the story . Good for holiday reading 🏝.

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What happens when a mega influencer mines her past to get more followers and sell more books and grow her empire? What if her recollection doesn't square with the other person who was there? And what if (cherry on top of the cake) that event happened when she was in high school? A fun, pacy read. No greater truths revealed-- if you need to be told you never can go home again, you're not paying attention-- but would be great to read by the pool or at the beach.

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This one fell flat for me... I dont know if my expectations were too high or I fell for the hype.

It's a good read but I found all the characters unlikeable & therefore wasn't really invested in it

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Idol is a glitteringly delicious shiny read that captivates and draws you in from the first page and keeps you hooked until the last word.

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I read only ever yours by this author a few years ago, and the story has been burned in my brain ever since. I could not stop thinking about it, and this book is no different.

The author has a serious skill for twisting a storyline so it never goes the way you expect it will. The ending isn’t a happy one, but neither was only ever yours, and I personally think it is so rare to have a story end in a way that things aren’t wrapped up, and there is no “happily ever after.”

I liked how the narrative switched from present day to the past, and it was done flawlessly. The author only gave as much information as she wanted to.

The reader starts out the story feeling nothing but sympathy for Sam, but as the story plays out, your opinion changes. She does things and you find yourself on the edge of your seat, wanting to scream at her to stop. The author is incredibly talented, they convince the reader to feel for the character only what they want you to feel. And at the right times, of course.

I have no doubt that, just like only ever yours, I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time to come. Highly recommend!

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Louise O'Neill is my 'must buy' author. I have always enjoyed reading her books. From Asking For It to After the Silence and the rest in between I love reading her stories. Idol has just joined that list of books I enjoyed.
Idol is the story of Samantha Miller - lifestyle guru is a 3 million strong following. Her latest book release has been a huge success helped along by an article that she released a few days earlier where she talks about an important sexual experience she had. However, when the person discussed in the article makes claims that Samantha is lying, that things didn't happen that way and that Samantha took advantage, Samantha's world begins to fall apart.

Idol was brilliant and what Louise O'Neill has expertly done is to dissect the argument that famous people are at a disadvantage in the sense that because of their fame they are prey to people trying to take advantage take them down a peg or two whilst also looking at the alternative argument that people who are famous are privileged and believe that their fame allows them guilt free behaviour.

Coupled with this we also have two really unreliable characters Samantha and Lisa. As a reader, you are constantly on your toes trying to figure out who you believe and who is telling the absolute truth.

Idol is a ten ticket thrill ride of a novel and one that will have you hooked from the very first page. I loved it!

Idol by Louise O'Neill is available now.

For more information regarding Louise O'Neill (@oneilllo) please visit her Twitter or Instagram account.

For more information regarding Random House (@randomhouse) please visit www.randomhousebooks.com.

For more information regarding Transworld Publications (@TransworldBooks) please visit their Twitter account.

For more information regarding Bantam Press (@BantamPress) please visit www.bantam.press.

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Hmm not sure what to make of this one. The main story revolves around 2 childhood friends, we pick up the story when they are adults, living their own lives, Sam is a celebrity author and life coach and Lisa is happily married living the suburban life.

They are back in each others lives after Lisa makes a public accusation against Sam and now Sam is desperate for Lisa to denounce it publicly. The story is shared in a dual time line, one in the present and the other leading up to the incident.

I kept switching sides when reading this story and throughout the book didn't really like either of them.

I don't want to gv anything away except say that it could have been a great story even without the twist at the end, which I found really unnecessary.
Just before it happened, I was quite satisfied with how I thought the story would end, a bit ambiguous and not really knowing what happens next, but just ending on an affirmative of how I felt towards Sam and eventually sympathetic with Lisa.

Therefore because of the ending I give this story a 3 star. I do like Louise O Neills style of writing and just because I'm not a fan of Idol, doesn't mean I won't read her other books.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

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Louise O’Neill continues to write about dark issues in a page turning fashion.

This book deals with the internet celebrity really well, and captures the disconnect really well. I stayed up late multiple nights reading this, unable to put down my kindle for “one more chapter”. It is so hard to write an unlikeable character who makes the worst decisions who you also want to make better choices? It’s not a case of yeah let us watch her world burn but a “no get her a fire extinguisher please!”).

A book that could easily be seen as real life splashed all over twitter and Reddit that will make you think twice about what your idol on insta is saying…

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Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled with this book, I couldn't get into it, I disliked the characters and couldn't care less about what happened to them. Not one I'd be willing to read again

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I’m really sad to say that I struggled to get into this book. The synopsis sounded great but this one just wasn’t for me. This could be a case of it’s not the book, it’s me as I can see that plenty of people have really enjoyed it so don’t let my view on it put you off giving it a go.

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With thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the copy of Idol.

Idol by Lousie O`Neil is the perfect beach/holiday read, gritty and fast paced, I’m sure it will be a best seller and be on everyone’s summer list.

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So much praise from well known authors but not sure why.
Sam a social media influencer is accused of sexual assault by an old school friend.
Sam returns to her old home town to get to the bottom of this.
She faces up to old memories and events.
The book was hot and cold .I enjoyed some parts but wanted to skip some bits and just get to the end.
Not great.

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This book is so relevant at the moment. For me, it really highlighted so much of what I dislike about social media and the influencer wagon- it's all just smoke and mirrors. It's a really great journey, though I'm pretty sure every single character in this book is completely unlikeable.

I zipped through it in a day and I agree with other reviewers; a great beach read.

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a real cracker in the book world - this is so relevant right now with social media the way it is.

Friendship turned bad and how theres two side to every story, how history disrupts the memories and doubts slides in.

A scarily realistic and atmospheric read.

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