🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
A super interesting multiple-timeline story which will have the reader scratching their head and scrambling to put the pieces together — unsuccessfully, as it will turn out, if you are at all like this reader. Featuring a terrific ending that I absolutely did not guess, and one that took much skill on the part of the author, this ending managed to make it all hang together, explanation in place, in a manner that was satisfying (in its fulsomeness), as it scooped up and organized all the strange and unfathomable elements of this story, into neat and tidy happenings. (No spoilers here.)
Our first person POV narrator, across it all, is Natalie Heller Mills, a thirty two year old Christian woman who is remarkably unlikable. Natalie’s story, and how she manages to remain unkind, unlikable, and even quite hateful at times, is a doosie. Without revealing too much of the plot, (which will take the reader in so many unpredictable directions), the story will center around Natalie and her quest to be the perfect wife, a flawless Christian, a traditional farmer with a “pioneer” spirit, and a beacon for all to follow. Despite her belief that “most people are morons”, Natalie will rise to become a social media influencer and darling, — and that is exactly where the trouble will start.
Hard to put down, this is a blazing satirical look at our internet age, the fierceness of the forces that compel us to put our own lives on hold, as we follow bloggers who are clearly not as perfect as they look. And so we feed a love/hate relationship with all things fake, (fueled by our need for an idyllic escape, made bitter by our envy of those living same). As Natalie will clearly come to learn.
A terrific read, which will have us trying to decipher the behaviour (and ultimately the mind) of someone clearly unusual, likely dangerous, and definitely deeply unpleasant.
A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.