Kids Run the Show

Immersive, whip-smart and confronting, this book tells the story of a generation of child ‘influencers’, who are forced into the role by their parents at a very young age, and the impact it has on their lives.

I was incredibly impressed by how cleverly this book was written and how well-shaped all of the narrative voices are. I completely lost myself in this world, and the scary thing is although it is currently far-fetched and fictional, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that we will be living in a similar world in twenty years’ time.

Very interesting read. Extremely relevant and so realistic. Scary to think how parents can use their kids for financial gain and not be regulated for it. A very eye opening book that everyone should read.

If social media and the world of oversharing that we live in ever gives you pause for thought, this novel from award-winning French author Delphine de Vigan will make you want to delete all social media and maybe even bin your smartphone,

Melanie and Clara couldn't be more different; Melanie lives her life online, sharing her family's life in minute detail on social media. Clara is a police officer who guards her privacy fiercely. The women meet for the first time when Melanie's daughter Kimmy, a YouTube child star, goes missing, presumed kidnapped. Clara is one of the officers assigned to investigate the case and it is her job to trawl through endless hours of mind-numbing footage of Kimmy and her brother Sam for clues as to Kimmy's disappearance.

The book switches around 2/3rds of the way through to the future - the year is 2031 and the YouTube child stars of today have come of age and are only beginning to unpick the deep psychological damage inflicted upon them as a result of having been exploited as children.

Part-thriller, part-social commentary, Kids Run The Show is an incisive look at social media and the damage caused by parents exposing their children to a life online and failing to afford them any kind of privacy from the early days of their childhood. It's one that should be read by all ages - young adults and their parents alike - and it should provoke conversation around what we as a society aspire to be and how the internet is breaking us in so many ways. 4/5 stars

Kids Run The Show by Delphine de Vigan.
Translated by Alison Anderson.

I have read several cautionary novels about social media over the last couple of years and this one is the most affecting and thought provoking. A sharp, intelligent , well researched read from award winning French author, Delphine de Vigan, Kids Run the Show main characters are two women roughly the same age , exposed to the same media when growing up and who are leading vastly different lives.

Melanie is a social media star, she broadcasts her children's life on YouTube, they open gifted products, participate in "fun" games that Melanie creates, take part in meet and greets with their fans, eat, sing, dance and live all under the constant gaze of Melanie's camera.
Clara is a police officer , hard working and living a rather solitude life. These two very different women meet when Melanie's daughter is abducted and Clara is one of the officers assigned to the case.

The book examines the age we live in , where everything is broadcasted. From the early days of reality tv, to the rise of social media to influencers, to children on YouTube, to the monetization of children and family life. The book is set over several decades, jumping right up to ten years from now when the children who are currently making their families wealthy from unboxing toys online and recording themselves gaming are adults.

This is an excellent read. I liked the clear and stark writing style and enjoyed how these characters were developed. It's a clever, hard to look away from compelling read. Recommend.

Book review 📚
Kids Run The Show by Delphine De Vigan - 4.5/5 ⭐

What a disturbing and mind blowing read. Once I had finished I had to take a few to just digest everything I had just read. I cannot even begin to put this into the right words.

Firstly, Delphine is an absolutely phenomenal writer. This book came across so accurately that you could almost call it an autobiography of relevant influencers. She absolutely blew my mind with this book and there is no rating high enough to give her in her skill!

Secondly, as a mother AND an educator to children, this book is so scarily accurate it's unreal. Parents gaining from their children by plastering them all over social media?! And trust me, my kids have watch enough of a certain child on YouTube for me to now see that child in a totally different light. I'm flabbergasted at how insightful Delphine made this book in a FICTIONAL way when it's actually happening.

Thirdly, this is a must read book! Whether you have children or not. It really does open your eyes to certain aspects of social media and the way financial profit is made. I will be thinking about this book for years to come. Truly, utterly and emotionally mind blown.

Thank you to NetGalley and Europa Editions for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.