My first book by this author and it won’t be my last! Moving between the past and modern day , this book is a real page-turner from beginning to end. Thank you to the publishers for this early review copy

I really enjoyed this book, and raced through it. The story contained a bit of everything including betrayal, trolling on social media, followers on social media, wellness gurus, addiction, and love in all its many forms. It could easily have been a frothy beach read but I felt the author actually discussed some really important contemporary issues in a well thought out way contained in a very readable story. thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book

Writing aside, the thing I love most about Louise O'Neill is that you can't pigeonhole her work. Each book feels fresh, innovative and defies genre labels. Her novels cover a diverse range of subjects. With "Idol", O'Neill explores the subjectivity of memory, and our carefully cultivated online personas, through the lens of friendship. It's current, timely and really makes you think about the world we are building for ourselves by centering social media in our lives. I thought it was a brilliant read and expect it will be a huge hit. I hope so, as Louise O'Neill deserves widespread recognition and readership.

Full stars for this one. Kept me engrossed, kept my 100% attention. Easy to follow. My interest was continually peaked. Idol Idol because it’s based around just that however, it’s also based around a friendship from the past all remembered differently. You know that song? “It was a sunny evening” “No it rained” “You wore a red dress” “No it was blue” Oh yes! I remember it well. Very much like that. Past catching up with the future. Obsession and control. It was such a superb story. Thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like female friendships gone wrong Secrets Lies Tragic past events dominoing on you like now….. You found it, look no further!

This fourth book I have read by Louise O’Neil and like all the previous ones it’s gripping from the get go. Set between the present day and twenty two years in the past this story follows Sam Miller who is a highly successful influencer flying high on everything and anything woke. Sam and her well-being company champion self care, well-being and women rights. She is the author of highly successful books, a guru of self care,has her own well being brand and three million followers on instagram. The start of the novel sees Sam be accused of sexual assault by her female best friend from high school( O’Neil writings at its best- fresh, intuitive and pioneering) after the publication of her new book which discusses the sexual encounter between the two. We see Sam going from a event to promote her book where she is adored by her fans as this paragon of everything good to returning to her hometown to confront her accuser in order to save her brand. Sam knows there is no way this can be true Sam remembers the night in question and she is a survivor of sexual violence she isn’t that person. There begins the 360 degree spin with the character of Sam. I went from liking Sam, believing she was innocent , buying into her brand to starting to question her motives, her memories, finding her the worse kind of privileged white women to feeling sorry for her, then to hating her. Louise has written a powerful character here. I was unsure right until the end what I believed and this was due to how Sam was presented. She is undoubtedly unreliable narrator and this makes for compelling reading. Louise has created a complex character there are hints that the fact Sam isn’t what she presents to her public from the start and as the novel goes on her true character is revealed more and more this really makes you question her, there is points in the book where you think that’s been taken out of context poor Sam then you think hang on Sam is deluding herself and the reader .You are unsure what is true and what is lie. Sam very much believes her truth and it’s clear she has and has had issues all her life, she blames everyone but herself for these and uses this to emotionally manipulates people both in her work life and private life. The other characters albeit are only told from Sam’s point of view are written in the same complex way, it leaves you uncertain of who is telling or remembers the truth. The book explores on how different people can experience the same events in very different ways, and questions how can you figure out the reality of things when this is the case. It asks what is “truth”, is there a “truth” and more worrying can we lie to ourselves into believing what we know is the “truth”. The issues raised in the book are topical and so important in the world we live into today the idea of cancel culture, sexual assault, manipulation, the #MeToo movement, harassment, drug abuse, eating disorders, woke culture, (cyber) bullying, the power of social media, toxic friendship, fake news, unqualified influencers and the lesser discussed women as the abusers, that in particular is a very interesting take on the #meToo movement and gender politics of today. It makes for uncomfortable but compelling reading, it’s dark, gripping, unsettling, thrilling, clever, and important. You will be left mulling this over for a while. Louise O’Neil isn’t a easy voice to read but it’s a voice you have read. Her books address the uncomfortable realities we live with in. Going flawlessly between today and the past we watch this idol come undone and ultimately gasp as the truth come out. Thanks the author, NetGalley and Random House for the ARC