Once again I find myself wrecked by Louise O’Neill’s ability to tell stories about how our society messes up women and girls. I expected this. I’ve pre-ordered this book but was delighted to receive an eARC on NetGalley because I could not wait. Shout out to the Sam Miller I knew when I taught in England (aside from being a blonde white woman, she was nothing like this Sam Miller).

Sam Miller is a wildly popular, successful influencer. Founder of a wellness brand, Shakti, Sam is riding high on the publication of her latest book. After she publishes a tell-all essay about her sexual experience with her female best friend in high school, however, that friend emails her manager, angry and accusing Sam of sexual assault. So Sam must venture back to her small New England hometown to reconnect with this friend. In so doing, she opens the floodgates of her memory for a deluge of disturbing propositions. Idol asks us to confront whether we really remember the past accurately—and what happens if we aren’t the person we remember being?

Pretty much from the first chapter, I did not like Sam. This is by design—O’Neill has a talent for creating unlikable protagonists, and I think they have their place. We so often label women “unlikable” (or even less polite terms) simply for being strident, forthright, assertive, etc. Sam is these things, yes, but that isn’t why she is unlikable—I don’t like her because she is self-absorbed and perhaps even narcissistic. However, she isn’t a shallow character. Based on the limited third-person narrator’s perspective, Sam seems to truly believe in much of her grift—she meditates, etc. (Note that I am not suggesting meditation itself is always a grift—rather, I’m pointing out that many wellness gurus do not practise what they preach.) Sam doesn’t have a public and a private persona: she generally believes in her reality, and that is fascinating.

One of the best moments in the book comes early on. Sam is having an emergency call with her therapist, who asks her, “What would it mean to you if this accusation were true?” The therapist does not let Sam dodge the question, despite much bluster from Sam that it isn’t and can’t be true, and I really liked the dynamic in this scene. It’s a great, albeit harrowing question: what if it were true that you did something awful to someone, even if you can’t believe it of yourself?

The whole theme of Idol revolves around this question: is Sam Miller a “good” person? Can any of us be good people? O’Neill leaves many of the details of the past up for interpretation. The book strongly hints that Sam’s version of events is unreliable. On the other hand, it seems clear that her former bestie, Lisa, has her own issues, has made her own mistakes, has her own traumas. There’s another character who is nominally the primary antagonist of the book—I won’t reveal their name, for spoiler reasons, though it’s pretty easy to figure out who they are given all the breadcrumbs. This character has it out for Sam. And I get why, even though I don’t condone their actions.

I think this is what makes Idol work so well for me: O’Neill spends time exploring the different angles of what it means to be a flawed social media influencer, encompassing the perspectives of Sam herself, her manager, this antagonist, Lisa, her mother, etc. There is a compelling scene later in the book where Sam is meeting with Shakti’s board of directors, mostly old, white guys. One of them is adorably “woke” because of his younger daughter’s influence. They are discussing how Sam can distance herself from Shakti, given the allegations against her, so Shakti can go public. Sam, of course, balks at the idea of stepping away from her baby when men who have similarly been accused of sexual assault haven’t fallen from grace.

It takes guts, I think, for O’Neill to examine these double standards in this way. It’s one thing to write books about women crusading against male abusers—and these books should be written. It’s another to write a book about a powerful woman who might be one of those abusers, to discuss how white women like Sam and myself are often complicit in propping up these abusive systems because we think we will be rewarded and think we will be safe as a result. At the same time, we can admit that when we as a society do hold women to account, we do so with a vociferousness and viciousness seldom seen for men.

But I keep coming back to the portrayal of Sam as an influencer and what the role of influencer culture plays in our society. We have a lot of conversations about cancel culture: whether it exists, whether it has gone too far, whether it only works on marginalized people. I think we need to reverse that. We need to talk more about promotion culture. We need to ask ourselves why it is that certain people keep being given a platform, only for them to be revealed as frauds, criminals, or abusers. O’Neill is asking us, gently but persistently: “are people like Sam Miller rotten from the start, and that is what draws them to influencing, or does the influencing rot them from within?” Has Sam’s entire life since living her hometown just been her running away from memories she doesn’t want to admit?

There are no easy answers to be found in this book. The climax and denouement are raw and jumbled and bitter; I had to go back and re-read to make sure I wasn’t missing something. The ending is a testament to O’Neill’s refusal to reassure us that everything will be OK. It won’t be. We’ve constructed this abusive society that loves to build up women only to tear them down and pits women against each other, generationally, sexually, and competitively. Whether or not we root out the Sam Millers of the game is immaterial so long as the game itself continues to exist. She may or may not be a product of the culture, but her power and privilege are a symptom of it. Idols fall from grace because we demand it—yet we are always willing to replace them with someone fresh, someone new, so the cycle can begin again.

well written, good plot, i enjoyed it would read again i really like the author

Influencer culture is a really hot topic at the moment, particularly when it comes to the Wellness Industry. Idol follows the story of Samantha Miller who has millions of young followers who pay to hear her speak and take her advice on how to best run their lives. However, when she posts an essay about an intimate experience she has with a childhood friend, that friend comes forward to dispute the memory and Samantha’s life and reputation starts to shatter around her.

Idol is a great twist on the topic of Me Too and really allows the reader to question how experiences are remembered from different character’s viewpoints. The book is really a slow-burn character study into Samantha’s decline in reputation and sanity. As this is the case it does feel a little repetitive at times and does drag a little more than needed – a ruthless edit could have helped this out. Samantha is not a particularly likeable character either and certainly not a reliable one as we start to piece together what happened on the night in question.

I liked the addition of the follower count at the beginning of chapters and how this declined as the story went along - it reminded me of the Black Mirror episode ‘Nosedive’ in places. However, I would have liked the social media element of this story to be a little more prevalent and perhaps a few more chapters included before the incident to really solidify Samantha’s life and create empathy with her before she started to unravel would have helped pique my interest later in the tale.

Overall, Idol is a solid story that builds upon the idea of an unreliable narrator but became a little repetitive and dragged in places. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Bantam Press for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I raced through the first third of this (when I was still wedded to the character of Samantha and her vulnerability) and then I got stuck as she started to unravel and it became obvious that she was an unreliable narrator. Her character was astonishingly well drawn but I found some of the others slightly less convincing as I was reading...although it all fitted together plausibly by the end. And I was stunned by the final few chapters. A very thought-provoking read, it will stay with me.

A friend mentioned that she had pre-ordered this book, as she loves the author; I remembered I had the ARC so decided to give it a go. I read it in a couple of hours....

This was my first book by this author so can‘t compare it to her others, but this was certainly compelling and suspenseful; I felt almost breathless at times.

Sam is a wellness guru who posts about a teenage relationship, that the other person remembers differently.

This feels very ‘now‘, being about cancel culture and is a slightly different spin on the unreliable narrator… whose memories are right, and do we have the right to challenge others‘ memories of events. The only thing I didn‘t much like was the ending… too sudden and no conclusion to some of the threads. (but I'm one of these people who likes everything tied up in a neat bow!)

Another thought provoking read by Louise O'Neill, which focuses on pertinent women's issues such as consent and female autonomy in an unflinching way- Idol is no different. Following the format of her other reads with a somewhat unlikeable main character whose world is upturned by an event, in this case a revelation, and which doesn't shy away from confronting bias and preconceived opinions. I would include a trigger warning for sexual assault, although dealt with in a sensitive way. The smug and self-absorbed "influencer/ guru" Sam is accused of sexual assaulting her childhood best friend, encourging exploration of consent and how the abuser may not see themselves that way, the ongoing impact of trauma and cancel culture. It feels incredibly timely with Sam's obsession with her social media followers and influencer culture. I wonder if it is aimed as YA like her other books, as I didn't read too much about it beforehand, but it's broad enough to appeal to a wide open-minded audience.

ol By Louise O’Neill
by Bronagh on April 22, 2022
Idol‘Idol’ is Louise’s first book with her new publisher Transworld and it’s just as gripping as her previous books.

For Samantha Miller’s young fans – her ‘girls’ – she’s everything they want to be. She’s an oracle, telling them how to live their lives, how to be happy, how to find and honour their ‘truth’. And her career is booming: she’s just hit three million followers, her new book Chaste has gone straight to the top of the bestseller lists and she’s appearing at sell-out events. Determined to speak her truth and bare all to her adoring fans, she’s written an essay about her sexual awakening as a teenager, with her female best friend, Lisa. She’s never told a soul but now she’s telling the world. The essay goes viral. But then – years since they last spoke – Lisa gets in touch to say that she doesn’t remember it that way at all. Her memory of that night is far darker. It’s Sam’s word against Lisa’s – so who gets to tell the story? Whose ‘truth’ is really a lie?

The story is seen through the perspective of Samantha and is written in the past and present tense. Samantha is an influencer with a legion of followers, who follow her way of life, obey her every word and most importantly believe every word she says.

But when Samantha releases an article about a lesbian encounter with a friend, her world turns upside when this friend replies with a different version of the story. Samantha finds her world falling apart and having to defend and justify her actions and past.

I absolutely love Louise’s books, her writing is sharp with deplorable characters that you instantly hate but you find their flawed personalities addictive and suddenly it’s 3 o’clock in the morning and you’re struggling to get up for work the following day.

In the typical style of Louise’s writing, she takes a complex subject of toxic female relationships as well as the contradictions of influencers and deliver a wonderfully, intricately weaved story with twists and drama along the way.

Samantha is a horrible character, a narcissist absorbed in her own world and sees everything through her own narrative. To her loyal followers, she’s a vision of purity when in-fact she’s a cruel and jealous person and when she lets the mask fall, it makes for fantastic reading.

Louise’s writing is sharp and she’s unapologetic for shining a light on the harsh reality of social media, where likes and engagement are considered more important than personal feelings and privacy. It gives a true account of the world that we live in and are all consumed with on a daily basis.

A gripping story with revelations that shook me to the core, ‘Idol’ is another thought provoking, brutal and compulsive book from Louise that reeled me in from the first page.

You can pre-order ‘Idol’ from Amazon and will be available to buy from good bookshops from 12th May 2022.

In 'Idol' by Louise O'Neill, Samantha Miller is a wellness guru. To packed audiences of girls she offers a way out of addiction and trauma, drawing on her own past experiences. Social media savvy, she is aware of her best angle at all times, communicates with her followers regularly on Instagram and has had a film made of her rags to riches biography. But then she makes a misstep and writes about a teenage sexual experience with her best friend. A story her friend disputes.

O'Neill writes compellingly about how people's pasts can be reshaped by others as well as by ourselves to fit with different agendas. All of the characters within this novel are complex and nuanced, leaving the reader uncertain if they can trust anyone's story. The premise of the novel is excellent, and fits brilliantly with current culture. I would certainly recommend this novel to others, both as an enjoyable read and one that leaves you thinking.

This is a very modern, of the moment novel, that I feel will work well for readers in their 20s especially- following Sam a very successful influencer, whose life is turned upside down when someone claims something she has written about is not true. This leads to Sam having to confront a lot of skeletons in her past. A good read, but in some parts a bit frothy for me- I’m not big on influencers so this may well be why!

I did not enjoy this novel. Which is sad because I thought I would. The plot fell flat for me as instead of a really interesting look into the current state of celebrity and their power over society it just felt really gossipy. It had its serious and dark moments but the whole thing felt very rushed and unfulfilling. I don’t think this book knows what it wants to be in the end. The writing style flits quite erratically and it feels very much like a first draft.

I don’t like writing bad reviews but there wasn’t much in this book that I enjoyed. It was a quick read and only took a day which shows that it definitely had something there which kept me hooked but in the end I just didn’t really enjoy the ride.

Wow, this is one dark and very addictive thriller. So much to unpack here and I don't want to give away spoilers. I read it in less than 24 hours, but there are themes that certainly did make me uncomfortable at times.

Samantha Miller has worked so hard to be where she is. She has 3 million followers on Instagram, a new book on the best sellers list and is adored by girls everywhere. Her message of "speak the truth" has helped so many of her fans. But that is all about to come crumbling down when her past comes back to haunt her. In order to fix her reputation she heads back to her hometown and her former best friend Lisa. She will have to confront her truth and a past that is less than happy.

The story of nothing is as it seems online, that celebrity you idolise - are they really what they say they are? There will be alot in this story that will be hard to read, themes of sexual assault, #metoo ., drug use and alcohol abuse to name just a few. Samantha is an interesting character, with many issues and failings, but I really felt for her. Really well done by the author.

Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes May 12th

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

Sam was a very complex character and so well written but I cringed so much that I had to put it down. I'm sorry and this is clearly a case of it's me, not the book 🙈

This book kept me reading, kept me interested to the end, though I'm not sure what it was trying to say about its subject matter of rape, silence, memories and glamorous women influencers. It was a rollercoaster with twists that were worth waiting for though not always entirely clear in my opinion, though that was maybe me reading it too fast to find out what happened next!

Samantha Miller grew up with her best friend Lisa. They did everything together. They knew everything about each other. They fell for the same boy. However something happened that caused them to loose contact.

Sam went off and became a very wealthy social media star. Millions of followers. Book deals and a very successful company. She has just released her latest book. In it she has told her fans of an incident that happened when she was eighteen. Suddenly her world is pulled from under her. The friend she has written about has emailed her agent. She claims that the incident was not as described. ( don't want to give any spoilers here).

Sam's carefully crafted world starts to crumble as rumours swirl. Followers disappear. Suddenly all the bad press in the media is about her. The only was she can save herself and her career is to head home. She needs Lisa to retract her statement.

On going home Sam has to confront many demons and people from her past. But can she save her future.

This is a brilliant read. It gives an insight into social media and touches on the Me Too campaigns.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC.

Irish author Louise O’Neill is well known for tackling thorny social and sexual topics in her books, and she does it again here. This time, it’s the #metoo movement, sexual consent, cancel culture and the influencer/wellness movement that comes under the microscope.

Samantha Miller is a successful online influencer and wellness guru with a multi-million following. Sam’s runaway train comes off the tracks though when an issue from her past that she has attempted to recast (knowingly or unknowingly), comes back to haunt her, and makes her (and the reader) question everything. The story is told in a dual timeline, with flashbacks to Sam’s teenage years providing the counterpoint to the present day drama unfolding. Sam is an unreliable narrator and not one that many readers will warm to.

This is quite a clever book in terms of the plot and the social issues it raises. There are some interesting tangents on relearned memories and revising past traumas that I’d have enjoyed more focus on.

Where the book fell down for me was in the flashbacks to the teenage years. It veered too much into YA for my taste and read like a Clueless spin-off at times. I’d have preferred more of the cancel culture and less of the angsty teenage melodrama. I get why the book was set in the US (the epicentre of influencer culture) but it was a little clichéd/Melrose Placey at times I felt.

I liked it more than After The Silence and Almost Love, but less than Asking For It. A timely, topical book that makes for an easy holiday read. It’ll be snapped up off the shelves of Irish airports this summer I imagine. 3/5 ⭐️

*Idol by Louise O’Neill will be published on 12 May 2022. Many thanks to the author, the publisher @randomhouse, Transworld and Bantam Press for an advance digital copy via @netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.*

📚 r e v i e w 📚
If you were to ask me to recommend a book featuring strong female characters and hard hitting subjects with unflinching rawness, a healthy dose of feminisim and witb an accessible writing style, i’d point you in the direction of louise o’neill. If you specifically wanted the above but with a sprinkling of modernity in the form of social media and inluencers then boy do i have the book for you.
Idol, like her other books, doesnt shy away from the tough topics and is unapologetic with its exploration of sexual assault, especially when perpetrated by women, what constitutes the truth and uncovering the darker side of the life of an influencer and cancel culture. We know that social media is a hot bed for those wanting to profit off of us but there is an equally high number of influencers who genuinely have our best intentions at heart - our protagonist, sam just isnt one of them and i’d like to personally congratulate louise o’neill for creating one of the least likable and yet somehow fascinating characters i’ve come across in a long time.
Sam is a special brand of narcissist and after being accused of secual assault, she is forced to confront the real her - not the one she presents to her millions of followers.
The result? A well thought out, captivating novel that is hard to put down and a cast of toxic and yet somehow relatable characters that will leave you questioning your own idols. Its incredible how sam tells us one thing and the author is able to tell us another, its almost like these characters are independent of the novel - if you’re looking for something with substance, this is the one.
Plus - look at that cover! That is the perfect cover for your summer holiday read!
Thank you to @netgalley for the chance to read an early copy - Idol is out 12th May.
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As you might expect from the above, there are a few c/w to be aware of going into this including mentions of drug use and sexual assault.
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Louise O’Neill knows how to keep you on edge and guessing at all times! This was such a dark and twisted read with such a complex plot. It was impossible to know who to trust and what would happen next - the perfect book to absorb all your attention and shock you.

With such an unreliable narrator in Sam and an equally unreliable character in Lisa, I was drawn into the story whilst feeling the best kind of frustration at having no idea what was the truth. This book delves into very serious topics of sexual assault, addiction, race, eating disorders and more and whilst it’s overwhelming and has the potential to be very triggering for people, it was so well constructed and incredibly clever. It shines a light on idolisation of people in the public eye and how connected people feel to celebrity figures. You’ll be left wondering how well you know anyone in your life and how much of what you believe to be true is all based on your own misguided perspective.

This is outside of my usual genres but very much worth the read. I’m still reeling from it!

This was my first Louise O’Neil book and I was really interested to see how she tackles a number of very hot topics - cancel culture, online influencers and also how she would deal with sexual assault and rape allegations but in all honesty i felt this missed the mark.
It lacks depth and characterisation, and I just didn’t engage with a single character.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for this ARC.

Absolutely brilliant!!!!! Loved this from the first page to the last! It’s an absolute page turner, it had me hooked from the start.

No spoilers, I don’t want to give even the slightest bit away, but I promise you that it’s fantastic!

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Another fantastic Louise O'Neill book, I couldn't put it down! Kept me reading until the early hours.