This was a rollercoaster...

I think this book is quite adept in following the rather insane nature of social media post #METOO.

It delves into how potent social media can be in allowing the stories of previously silenced survivors to be heard. It also shows how the misappropriation of this tool as a route for revenge or blackmail, however minimal, is effectively used to allow the plethora of abusers to go through.

The book attempts to show the intersectionality of this issue with broader issues: the misogyny that runs rampant in the UK, the homophobia, mental health in black men, and the double-edged sword of internet fame - however, it at times feels like these much wider issues are glossed over to get back to the central narrative of the book.

I like the idea that the author posits in Ola - the uncomfortable question of what would you do if it happened to you. This question mirrored against cultural and familial context was exciting and should have been dug into more (something that I think would have helped greatly with understanding Ola)

The main downfall of what could have been a truly explosive book is that it can't decide if it wants to be a book on the harmful nature of blanket cancel culture and the complexities behind that statement as we interact online or a book on sexual assault. It tries to do both and fails both sides tremendously.

Combining the two provided a narrative that teetered dangerously close to focusing on the idea of false accusations, which is already such a vocal narrative in shutting down the voices of victims of abuse and assault.

A look into how those two intersect would be vastly interesting, but The List is a rather clunky stab at this.

The writing was cinematic (I 10000% can see this as a limited series - perhaps not in the current cultural climate... :( ) and there is a lot of potential, so I am intrigued with what Yomi produces next in the fiction space.

Overall a decent book but I did expect just a little bit more.

Journalists Ola and Michael are about to get married when they discover that his name is on a list of abusive men in media. I thought The List was nicely paced, with a dual POV switching between the couple until the last chapter when a revelation is made by someone else. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the novel, but it was a solidly easy read with an interesting premise.

Liked it, didnt love it BUT i think it will work VERY well on screen. It's very topical ,very modern and I think it's one that the under 30s will appreciate more than someone who is in their mid 40s . . It raises many questions about social media and how lives are being ruined because of our obsession with it . If you like your modern day contemporary books then this will be one for you .

I really really really wanted to enjoy this book but I just couldn't get into it. I thought the pacing was poor - I felt taken out of the book a lot.

Women not being believed about sexual assault or harassment is so prevalent in today's society and I don't know how to feel about reading a book that is promoting not believing women. Obviously its a fictional book and there are cases where women have lied about it but unfortunately so many women are not being believed at all and I think this book can be harmful towards that.

With all that out of the way, I did find it interesting to read about how cancel culture can affect people and their loved ones and I also liked the commentary about social media and how it gives you power of a voice to hundreds of thousands of people but what you say can also be twisted or manipulated so so easily.

Thanks to Netgalley and Fourth Estate books for the Arc

Fast-paced, easy to read, and engaging. However, it didn't quite hit the spot for me, although I will be recommending to other people

A modern question handled well in a fresh book with the most fantastic cover. What would you do if you were about to marry a man found on The List? I really enjoyed thinking about this one and wanted to discuss it with others. A good book club choice.

Had me HOOKED! I absolutely loved this book and it looked at some really important issues from some really interesting angles. The characters were so incredibly real I felt like they were actual people in my life and was surprised not to find them on my social feeds once I put the book down. So many books really struggle with portraying social media in a way that doesn't feel like a grandma explaining Facebook, but Yomi Adegoke captured this era of social media in a very accurate way.

I have reviewed this book as part of my monthly reading wrap-up upn my YouTube channel. My full thoughts can be found in this video https://youtu.be/XMj7wRLIFd4?si=GipkKMVUULOYpfhZ

This is a book with a compelling and topical premise. However, there is nothing sensitive, insightful or fresh about this take

DNF

Reading the blurb on this book I thought it was going to be my cup of tea. It all happened within a few pages then took a very slow turn. Couldn’t get past 25% which disappointing.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The List has an incredibly interesting premise: Ola, a journalist working for a feminist website and known for an exposure of alleged sexual misconduct by men within the music industry, is about to marry Michael, whose name appears on an anonymous list of men accused of sexual misconduct. Will she go ahead with the wedding?

Unfortunately, I can’t say the book lives up to that initial interesting take. I found the characters to be underwritten, lacking nuance or even empathy. Everything was described, nothing conveyed through dialogue and no interiority and therefore nothing for the reader to unpick or work to understand. This made the more than 300 page novel quite long and tedious.

The device of a countdown to the wedding in the first part of the book was well done and did contribute to an initial feeling of engagement with the story and wanting to know what happened next. This intrigue couldn’t last though and I soon lost interest, particularly given that I didn’t care about the main characters.

I was also quite uncomfortable with the direction the story took which focuses on the fallout for two of the men on the list, both of whom are apparently falsely accused. When many women in our society are not believed or ignored when raising similar allegations and knowing that around 1% of accusations are shown to be false, I was disappointed that the author chose to focus on the men's’ experience in this situation rather than the victims.

Not a book I would recommend on many levels.

An interesting exploration of #MeToo, relationships, family and friendships, I can't comment on the realism of the Black cultural experience as I am not part of it but I found it all fascinating.
A book that really does show how much power words have, and how protected people become with money and fame.

I inhaled this book sat by the pool drinking rose and then talking about it with my friends until they were bored stiff. It’s great pacey writing with a real pay off.

Social media doing what it does best. Very apt and aware. Too many uninformed opinions can ruin lives. It’s quite a read.
ARC copy.

I really thought I was going to love this book, because of the way it deals with topical issues such as social media, cancel culture, the Me Too movement, to name but a few. However, I really couldn't get into it, and I felt a real disconnect from the characters. I also found the writing style particularly jarring, but I can't put my finger on what particularly about it was jarring. It made it a challenge to read. I think some people will absolutely love this book, but sadly I am not one of them.

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I really wanted to love this book given it's focus on the good and bad of social media but it felt very mid to me. I felt like it almost covered too many issues?

I liked this book enough but it wasn't entirely for me. The characters were good but i just really struggled to hold my focus with this. The action and drama were okay but i just felt that certain moments weren't believable in the world of the story. The characters also felt a little too 2d in places and they just needed a little something extra to push them to being fully developed.

The novel explores themes of online rumors, trust, and the consequences of social media's power to shape public opinion and personal relationships. It has received acclaim for its topical and thought-provoking nature, making it a relevant and engaging read for those interested in contemporary fiction.

I’m only giving three stars because it simply wasn’t for me. I’m not the target audience I guess as the language and constant social media references bored me. However I do think for a younger reader this would be a very interesting read as the subject matter is relevant.