Cover Image: Adults

Adults

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Member Reviews

Made me laugh out loud. A very delayed coming of age story, of a London woman hampered and aided by social media. Obsessing and paranoid over very action as it is recorded, reported and changes her relationships in real life. Skewering online journalism in passing.

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Jenny has her life sorted, a successful columnist, a good boyfriend and fantastic best friend, that is until she lose her job, boy friend and Kelly and her mother moves in with her.

Jenny is obsessed with social media, how many comments and likes she will get. Jenny has become selfish, self righteous and inconsiderate towards those that love her most.

A fantastic book exploring the perils of social media obsession, and the effect it has on mental health.

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Jenny is falling apart. Her boyfriend has left her, her friends are sick of her, and her job is hanging by a thread, but you wouldn’t know it from her social media. On the surface, Jenny’s life looks successful and happy, but on the inside she is anxious, insecure and has an obsessive need for validation.

I found this to be a really stressful read. Jenny was a truly infuriating character, but also incredibly relatable. Despite being pretty annoying, she has a marvellous narrative voice.: smart, witty and full of hilarious insights.

There isn’t really that much of a plot. The story centres around Jenny’s relationship with social media, and how that affects her relationships with others. The only way the plot really develops is in Jenny’s acceptance of her problem, and the way that allows her to let go of her ex and repair her relationships with her friends and her mother.

I liked the way the book is written. The writing style is excellent – very readable – and the chapters jump backwards and forwards through time, which was a little bit confusing but quite effective. My biggest criticism is that Adults is almost too smart. It’s very ‘woke’, and Jenny seems to be completely aware that she has a problem throughout the book, but doesn’t bother to do anything about it, rather than being in denial which would have felt more genuine. This took away some of the realism.

Adults is such a relevant book right now, with such an emphasis on our obsession with social media and our need for validation and ‘likes’ from strangers on the internet.

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A very poignant novel very much of our time. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the characters within. However I was confused at times as to who was speaking and had to go back and re read. There were also times when the main character having a moment of introversion when I didn't really understand her thought processes but I am rather old, so maybe more my own problem.

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We meet Jenny, our social media obsessed lead character as she is spending an afternoon framing the perfect caption for her Instagram post (a croissant picture). An exclamation mark or none? Or maybe even two...........

I wasn't sure what to think when i first started this book but now i have finished I think there are themes throughout which will resonate with social media users, even those who are nowhere near as addicted as Jenny. I mean, who hasn't worried about how others will view or interpret their on line presence at some point? Who wouldn't want to hide their rough edges and only portray the sunny side of life? And even if you don't have you ever looked at someone else's post and envied the "perfect" life they are living? This story feels very timely during a time where there is a definite shift on social media towards sharing both the good and bad and reminding others that social media does not show the full picture.

I enjoyed the style of this book, the chapters were short, sharp and punchy and I liked the way the characters and back story developed. I would recommend.

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I struggled to get into this, and then was gripped. Jenny’s issues with social media and her phone are easy to identify with, and it’s an effective way of considering your own uses and behaviours around connectivity. I loved getting to know Jenny and the impact that Carmen and Art have had on her, and then her own relationship with Kelly. Complex but easy to read - highly recommend.

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I'm not in the demographic audience for this book, however, I could still really relate to it. I think if you aren't into social media or understand it's significance for so many people, then a lot of this book will be lost on you.

As the book begins with Jenny agonising over a post for her Insta account - does she have the right filter?, has she got the #tag right? You may think this is going to be a lighthearted chick lit kind of aread, and you would be so wrong.

Once we begin to get to know Jenny and her foibles, a whole deeper world is unearthed and actually at one point I did have a little cry; not only for the wonderfully evocative writing, but a memory it stirred in me. Yet at the next moment I was laughing out loud at the reference to The Scottish Restaurant - do not say its name!

There are some wonderful characters in the book. The author develops them so well and the interactions so wonderfully crafted that it felt like I was stood there watching it all happening.

The story line does flip flop at times and not sequentially. However, it meanders around much like Jenny's mind and I really rather liked how it was all mapped out in a haphazard way. Although I realise now that the more painful memories were surfacing towards the end.

I think the author has a unique voice and I look forward to reading more of her books. I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars.My thanks to netgalley and Harperfiction for inviting me to read and review this book.

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Adults is like a Bridget Jones wannabe book, without the humour. The main character is shallow, unlikeable, and has virtually no redeeming features. Nothing happens, and it takes forever about it. This was a complete misfit for me, and is clearly aimed at anyone who lives life through a social media lens. I would hesitate to suggest this was for a younger audience than me, as I’m certain plenty of this group would find it vacuous too. I read it all as I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. If I had bought it, I definitely wouldn’t have persevered.

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This book could not be more timely, being centred, as it is ,on the social media obsessed Jenny. At 35 she seemingly has it all, but appearances can be deceptive, and never more so that in her perfectly posed and highly curated online profile. Online she's looking for the perfect filter to use on the photo of her morning coffee and croissant, or constantly editing and reviewing her comments on other peoples posts, to ensure she is the ideal blend of witty and wry. In the real world she has split with her long term boyfriend, can barely afford the mortgage on her home, and her job as a columnist for a feminist publication is in real jeopardy. As she starts to spiral out of control, it seems like she is about to lose her best friend and just to cap it all off, her mother comes to stay.
This book feels so relevant to today, appearance is everything and no one wants to seem vulnerable or anything less than perfect. Jenny is a difficult character to like, she is selfish and self obsessed , and treats those around her badly, but I still found myself engaged in her story and hoping that things would work out for her in the end. The writing is sharp and funny, and at times poignant, and it is these small moments of contrast that give the book a real heart. Underneath all the superficial problems of likes and follows, Jenny has suffered real tragedy and heartbreak , but as her best friend says , no one knows because she has been doing her best to hide it all under a veneer of perfection. Of all the relationships in the book, the one between Jenny and her mother was the most interesting. It's not hard for the reader to see where Jenny gets a lot of her personality traits from, and its amusing to see the two women butt heads in a very realistic manner. I wish the author had not made her ex boyfriend quite so much of an ass, he was verging on the edge of pantomime villain.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with the realisation that they are in fact, an adult, despite what their inner voices tell them.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

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Jenny has an unhealthy obsession with her mobile phone and Instagram which on the surface leads to her split from her boyfriend. As we go through the story with Jenny we learn that there is more to her story than just a self centered, shallow woman.
Enjoyable read, although it did take me a while to start actually liking Jenny!!

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This book is very relatable to the modern world and how everything is seen through social media. I was a bit confused about the book ended though as it just seemed to end.

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I managed to read half the book before deciding that I obviously was not the target audience. Parts of it were funny : the social media obsession of a generation and its toxicity, the relationship between Jenny and her mother. Other parts just did not resonate , maybe it was the style it was written in

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Jenny is 35, writes a weekly column for an online feminist magazine and owns her own home. Sounds like she has her life together, right? Not quite. Jenny and her partner Art have recently broken up, a decision that leaves Jenny wondering whether their relationship meant anything at all to Art.

She may own her house, but she cannot really afford it now that she is living alone. Her job isn't going so great, either. Add to that an obsession with social media, specifically Instagram, and the fact that she doesn't give her friendships the attention they deserve and, well, Jenny's life begins to spiral out of control.

Then her mother comes to stay, which Jenny is convinced will only make matters worse.

Adults is a witty take on 30-something life, trying to curb your social media usage and figuring out who you really are.

While there are elements of the story that were not for me-the endless drinking and references to alcohol, for one! -Adults is an enjoyable read even though you'll likely want to yell "get a grip" at Jenny on more than one occasion.

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I'm not sure, on reflection, that I'm really the target audience for this book. Although I enjoyed some parts of it, it took me a long time to get into and even then I couldn't really connect with the characters, with the exception of Kelly (who had the patience of a saint).

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'Adults' is a novel about a Jenny, a thirty five year old , home owning that writes for a cool magazine. She seemingly has everything in her grown up adult life and yet she is not happy. Suffering from an addiction to social media which even causes the break up of her relationship with the fabulous Art, Jenny is not that 'adult' after all.

This is a searingly honest look at the damage that social media addiction can do. Jenny becomes so wrapped up in her own online presence and who is following her online that she loses sight of her friends and their needs. It is a timely reminder to look up from our phones and tablets and pay attention to the real life that is happening around us.

While I was not initially a fan of the book by the time I was half way through my opinion had totally changed. It started off feeling a bit formulaic: Drug reference to highlight coolness? Tick! Dysfunctional relationship with mother figure? Tick! Slightly kooky and embarrassing mother? Tick! Trouble with job? Tick! Impossibly handsome boyfriend? Tick! But by the end I was firmly in the 'give this book a chance' category. There are parts that are genuinely laugh out loud funny and I think it paints an accurate picture of where our social media hungry society is heading if we aren't very careful.

Thanks to the Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This is very definitely a read for the young twenty somethings obsessed with social media and how many likes they have. I’m afraid I did not gel with Jenny the main character, yet still I was intrigued to finish the novel. My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I recently saw Animals at the cinema and was very impressed by Unsworth's ability to capture the issues and characters of that particular age of late-twenties to early-30-something women. It definitely helps that I'm that age myself, as I can identify with the characters on profound level. Adults uses a similar method to deal with issues of social media overuse, mental health, friendship and mother-daughter relationships.

The main character is not particularly likeable and comes across throughout the book as pretty selfish, but that's part of the point that Unsworth is trying to make. Also having the juxtaposition of a friendship between a middle class and more working class character allows her to explore that social dynamic too. And the depiction of social media addiction and the mental health issues it can cause is right on the money. Overall a fresh, funny and enjoyable book.

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I enjoyed this so much! It was really entertaining, well written, poignant and heart warming.
I loved every second of it. I'm sure women will find a part of themselves in it.

Thanks a lot to netgalley and the publisher for this copy.

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A triumphant take on social media obsession, I loved Adults for its brutal honesty, laugh out loud turn of phrase and bare bulb spotlight on love, family and friendship.

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Adults is a novel for the 21st century Instagram generation. Self obsessed, immersed in social media, 30 something Jenny mourning the loss of her relationship following a miscarriage, stumbles her way through life. There are snippets of humour e.g. the tatty lodgers but I wanted more. However, it was an enjoyable read for a dark night.

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