Unfortunately I will be unable to give feedback on this book. I requested this book and had intentions of reading it. However my taste in books has changed and I do not feel that a review from me would do the book justice

As someone who works in the film industry, books like this are always on my TBR. Li's powerful narrative throws you into the devastating aftermath of an assault and its profound impact on the lives of the characters. It's not an easy read but I 100% suggest you give it a read.

Very topical. Very true. Very, VERY good. This covers a range of areas that impact society. It’s a brilliant book. A very strong 5 stars for a very strong writer.

A roller-coaster of twists that challenges your assumptions at every corner. Very fast paced and I couldn’t put it down, absolutely loved it from start to finish…

Yup .. really unputdownable.. and I was resisting it ahead of reading, when I saw it was about Hollywood and related issues to sexual harassment which I've read too much about in the news etc .. it's the narrator's voice .. her early involvement with films right from start is familiar and plausible .. getting further and further drawn in to treatment of fellow females and cornered into 'helping' .. really gripping. It's a good one!

The rage I felt while reading this book is….
The exploitations of the powers that be, just because they have money and by default power was enraging to say the least.
You know a book is good when it evokes a powerful emotion within you.

Thanks must go to the publisher, Netgalley and Winnie M Li for this ARC. Not a book I would normally have rushed to read, but was tempted with the good reviews. Despite fiction, it felt incredibly realistic, highlighting issues within an industry plagued with scandal and revelations within recent years. A slow burn, but compelling read.

A searing reflection on the entertainment industry and years of 'looking the other way'.

When film obsessed Sarah manages to get a job in the film industry she is seduced by the promise of glamour and glory, but it soon becomes apparent that the place of women in the industry is to play second wheel to the men who hold the money and power, and the best thing she can do to get ahead is to smile, look pretty, and play by their rules. Despite her hard work and her very obvious talent, without which the film she helps produce wouldn't have achieved the success it does, she is still just a pretty face and struggles to gain the respect and recognition she requires.

Told with 10 years hindsight, when she is older and wiser and with a degree of separation that allows her to examine both her actions and those around her, this is a difficult and uncomfortable story, especially in light of the #metoo movement. There are many moments that you can see coming which leave you cringing, but it feels accurate and realistic. The lift moment brought tears to my eyes, knowing what was coming and feeling powerless to do anything about it. There were moments when I became extremely frustrated with both Sylvia and Sarah - where was the female solidarity?! - then caught myself and questioned by own thought processes - the fault lies squarely with the men who carry out these actions, and those that allow it to go on and don't challenge it rather than the women in a vulnerable position who are also victims of the controlling and coercive behaviour of the men who have power over them.

A difficult read in places, but a very important one.

Compelling and timely with a voice that jumps right off the page and refuses to let go. I loved the talking points at the heart of the book, but also what a pacy ride it was.

Unfortunately this book didn’t really stand out to me despite having a really interesting premise. I preserved to finish it but could have been better turned.

Complicit is a timely and engrossing read which highlights the me too movement and the abuse that happens in Hollywood. It's not an easy read but one that is important and well researched.

Complicit is a fictional story that shines a light on sexual absue in the film industry. In the book, the #MeToo movement is just starting and the book format is main character Sarah Lai recounting her story from 10 years ago via flashbacks to a New York Times journalist.

I found this book so interesting and addictive reading. We know Sarah is no longer part of the film industry but we don't know why. This is definitely a slow burning story but it works well, although it is a little on the long side. The strength of the characters and story, and for me the interest in the film industry, is what kept me going with it and I'm glad I did because I loved the ending.

I thought this book was really effective in showing how things can gradually escalate and how you can find yourself in situations where you feel unable to say no due to the abuse of power. It highlights sexual assult but also provides commentary on the sacrifices women make compared to men to forge ahead in their careers.

I definitely recommend this book if you are able to read it. It's uncomfortable reading but it definitely gives you something to think about.

A very powerful story about how women, especially women from a minority, are taken advantage of, manipulated and over looked.

The characters were very robust and there was a real sense of rage and intense dislike generated for the Harvey weinstin esk like character.

Have recommended to friends.

I was so excited to read this book but the pace was off and the writing style did not sit well with me. I really tried to perceiver but the writing style was just not for me.

Having read Ronan Farrow's Catch and Kill and being in the process of reading She Said by Megan Twohey and Jodi Cantor, I feel like Li's fictionalised depiction of the MeToo reckoning within the film industry was spot on. I think that the authenticity of the story likely lies with Li's own story as a survivor of sexual assault and as someone that once worked within the industry.

This book was everything I was hoping it would be and more. I wasn't expecting the writing style, which often times felt like a Longford, in-depth article but I really liked it! I also appreciated the additional elements that were transcripts of interviews with others, which provided additional context, but also demonstrated the ways in which this behaviour can go unchecked, be excused or how others can simply fail to see the problem.

It was interesting, and I thought important, to see the juxtaposition of Sarah who felt that she had played a role in the abuse of these women, alongside others who couldn't see their own role within these situations. Contrasting those that are able to view the impacts their actions or inactions have on others or the wider society with those that lack that awareness or simply do not care.

There were also various layers of power prevalent throughout - gender, race, age, job title and experience and so on. Each of these played a different role but were equally important in the telling of this story and making the reader stop and think.

Don't be surprised if you're left feeling angry, sad, disappointed, frustrated but also hopeful throughout this read. Also don't be surprised if you have conflicting feeling around some of the characters, but that's one of the areas I think this book gets so right - we rarely make all the right choices, we're rarely 'good' all the time, but do we know when to stand up, when to make the 'right' choice when it counts the most?

I wrongly thought that this was Li's debut, but it's not and now I want to go and read her other work and anything she comes out with next!

I'd note that this book does fall into the thriller category, but not in the way many would traditionally expect from a thriller, therefore I'd suggest going in expecting general fiction and enjoy those thriller moments along the way.

A really timely topic and a creative approach but, I found it to be too slowly paced for me (could well have been my mood at the time so, take that with a grain of salt) and that the pace detracted from my overall buy in to the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I thought the premise sounded interesting, a very contemporary subject. The ARC I received was poor quality, with many words run together without spaces, making it difficult to read. I persevered for almost 5% of the book, during which time it was clear that the main character loathed her teaching job and had no liking or respect for her students. I worked as an educator of adult students for almost 10 years and could not identify with or understand this characterisation so I'm sorry but I gave up reading at this point.

A book that makes you think about what it’s like from a female point of view in the film industry and a thriller that keeps you gripped

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A good read dealing with a topical issue. Very much character based but it drew me in and kept me reading to the end.