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The List
In this sensational, page-turning debut novel, a high-profile female journalist’s world is upended when her fiancé’s name turns up in a viral social media post—a nuanced, daring, and timely exploration of the real-world impact of online life, from award-winning journalist and internationally bestselling author Yomi Adegoke.
Ola Olajide, a celebrated journalist at Womxxxn magazine, is set to marry the love of her life in one month’s time. Young, beautiful, and successful—she and her fiancé Michael are considered the “couple goals” of their social network and seem to have it all. That is, until one morning when they both wake up to the same “Oh my god, have you seen The List?”
It began as a crowdsourced collection of names and somehow morphed into an anonymous account posting allegations on social media. Ola would usually be the first to support such a list—she’d retweet it, call for the men to be fired, write article after article. Except this time, Michael’s name is on it.
Compulsively readable, wildly entertaining, and filled with sharp social insight, The List is a piercing and dazzlingly clear-sighted debut about secrets, lies, and the internet. Perfect for fans of Such a Fun Age , Luster, and My Dark Vanessa , this is a searing portrait of these modern times and our morally complicated online culture.
Ola Olajide, a celebrated journalist at Womxxxn magazine, is set to marry the love of her life in one month’s time. Young, beautiful, and successful—she and her fiancé Michael are considered the “couple goals” of their social network and seem to have it all. That is, until one morning when they both wake up to the same “Oh my god, have you seen The List?”
It began as a crowdsourced collection of names and somehow morphed into an anonymous account posting allegations on social media. Ola would usually be the first to support such a list—she’d retweet it, call for the men to be fired, write article after article. Except this time, Michael’s name is on it.
Compulsively readable, wildly entertaining, and filled with sharp social insight, The List is a piercing and dazzlingly clear-sighted debut about secrets, lies, and the internet. Perfect for fans of Such a Fun Age , Luster, and My Dark Vanessa , this is a searing portrait of these modern times and our morally complicated online culture.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2023
3128 people are currently reading
53780 people want to read
About the author
Yomi Adegoke
14 books389 followersYomi Adegoke is a British journalist and author. She has written for The Guardian, The Independent and the Pool.
Of Nigerian heritage, Adegoke was born in East London and raised in Croydon. She attended the University of Warwick and studied law.
She published her debut novel, The List, in 2023.
Of Nigerian heritage, Adegoke was born in East London and raised in Croydon. She attended the University of Warwick and studied law.
She published her debut novel, The List, in 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,315 reviews
January 22, 2024
they could never make me root for a man with a podcast
November 8, 2023
1.5
this was the longest 300 page book I've ever read in my life.
this is going to have ****spoilers.***** you're welcome, honestly.
I picked this up because I love gossip! I love drama! and having your fiancé accused of sexual harassment a month before your wedding is great drama! and they both work in media! and there's texts incorporated! I normally eat this up!
here's the problem. we get both of their perspectives, so we know within like the first 30 pages that yes, it is a false accusation BUT it was made because Michael is cheating on her.
so there is no mystery. there is no tension. it's not really a moral dilemma, because even if you answer the question "can you stay with a man and publicly not believe his accusers" with "yes," HE'S CHEATING ON HER ANYWAY. so you know they aren't going to stay together. in a book where tension is the only thing keeping things moving, you ruin the tension right off the bat.
second, I don't think we need a book about men being falsely accused of things and throwing themselves into traffic as a result. does it happen? sure, sometimes. rarely. BUT WE KNOW THAT ANYWAY. there is no shortage of people running to tell you about false accusations any time something happens. we don't need another book about it.
Michael was such a frustrating character. I am so aware that unlikeable characters can be unlikeable on purpose and it doesn't mean the book is bad, but it really seemed as though we were supposed to kind of sympathize with Michael? Like yes he cheated on his girlfriend but now his life was being ruined?
sure... i guess. but also I could've done without michael's inner monologue about how his entire relationship with ola made him feel emasculated because she had a job and could drive a car and had slept with *almost* as many people as him.
Why couldn't he have just been the love-to-hate-him book villain that his personality clearly wanted him to be??? why do we end on good terms??
finally, the thing that made me literally throw this book across the room, was the twist at the end. we learn that it wasn't actually michael's mistress that falsely accused him and put him on the list, it was his mistress's BOYFRIEND. and now his mistress is crying to her boyfriend about how she doesn't understand why Michael and ola are still so aggressively mad at her when she apologized and is trying to move on, and this man who is PRETENDING TO BE HER AND FALSELY ACCUSE MEN IN HER NAME is COMFORTING HER.
so we end the book about men behaving badly and betraying their girlfriends with the realization that THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
everything about this book just made me very sad. what was the message? sometimes, very rarely, men are falsely accused of bad things. and it might be because they're cheating on you with a woman who has an insane boyfriend. and sometimes, very rarely, other men are accused of things (homophobia, violence) and it's TRUE but it's nuanced because they're actually secretly gay themselves!!! and if you call them out for the ways they were homophobic while in the closet, they might kill themselves so be careful.
also hated that both the fact that characters had 1) committed suicide and 2) been raped were used as like plot twists?
eveennnnn if you ignore the craziness and just view this as a messy new approach to the #metoo conversation... it was just so sad? there was not a single bright spot in this book. this is one of the first books where I almost shed a tear because I just felt so sick for Ola. Her realization that she put her reputation and everything on the line to stand by this man who was CHEATING ON HER ANYWAY. and then somehow the resolution is them getting coffee and not her burning his house down??????
anyway.
this was the longest 300 page book I've ever read in my life.
this is going to have ****spoilers.***** you're welcome, honestly.
I picked this up because I love gossip! I love drama! and having your fiancé accused of sexual harassment a month before your wedding is great drama! and they both work in media! and there's texts incorporated! I normally eat this up!
here's the problem. we get both of their perspectives, so we know within like the first 30 pages that yes, it is a false accusation BUT it was made because Michael is cheating on her.
so there is no mystery. there is no tension. it's not really a moral dilemma, because even if you answer the question "can you stay with a man and publicly not believe his accusers" with "yes," HE'S CHEATING ON HER ANYWAY. so you know they aren't going to stay together. in a book where tension is the only thing keeping things moving, you ruin the tension right off the bat.
second, I don't think we need a book about men being falsely accused of things and throwing themselves into traffic as a result. does it happen? sure, sometimes. rarely. BUT WE KNOW THAT ANYWAY. there is no shortage of people running to tell you about false accusations any time something happens. we don't need another book about it.
Michael was such a frustrating character. I am so aware that unlikeable characters can be unlikeable on purpose and it doesn't mean the book is bad, but it really seemed as though we were supposed to kind of sympathize with Michael? Like yes he cheated on his girlfriend but now his life was being ruined?
sure... i guess. but also I could've done without michael's inner monologue about how his entire relationship with ola made him feel emasculated because she had a job and could drive a car and had slept with *almost* as many people as him.
Why couldn't he have just been the love-to-hate-him book villain that his personality clearly wanted him to be??? why do we end on good terms??
finally, the thing that made me literally throw this book across the room, was the twist at the end. we learn that it wasn't actually michael's mistress that falsely accused him and put him on the list, it was his mistress's BOYFRIEND. and now his mistress is crying to her boyfriend about how she doesn't understand why Michael and ola are still so aggressively mad at her when she apologized and is trying to move on, and this man who is PRETENDING TO BE HER AND FALSELY ACCUSE MEN IN HER NAME is COMFORTING HER.
so we end the book about men behaving badly and betraying their girlfriends with the realization that THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
everything about this book just made me very sad. what was the message? sometimes, very rarely, men are falsely accused of bad things. and it might be because they're cheating on you with a woman who has an insane boyfriend. and sometimes, very rarely, other men are accused of things (homophobia, violence) and it's TRUE but it's nuanced because they're actually secretly gay themselves!!! and if you call them out for the ways they were homophobic while in the closet, they might kill themselves so be careful.
also hated that both the fact that characters had 1) committed suicide and 2) been raped were used as like plot twists?
eveennnnn if you ignore the craziness and just view this as a messy new approach to the #metoo conversation... it was just so sad? there was not a single bright spot in this book. this is one of the first books where I almost shed a tear because I just felt so sick for Ola. Her realization that she put her reputation and everything on the line to stand by this man who was CHEATING ON HER ANYWAY. and then somehow the resolution is them getting coffee and not her burning his house down??????
anyway.
April 16, 2023
In The List we are taken to London where we meet Ola Olajide, an upcoming journalist at a feminist magazine who will be marring the love of her life, Michael, in less than a month. Ola and Michael met, started dating- like all couples they went through some very rough patches but they both stuck to it and are currently seeing their efforts paying off. Ola is doing great at her job, young, beautiful and by society’s standard, very successful. Michael, took his time but he will be starting a new role at Curated, earning more and marrying the love of his life.
After sharing their engagement photos online, Ola and Michael became the new poster couple for Black Love. They went viral and started getting a following- a following Michael loved because in some ways it validated him and the relationship. Of course, like all famous insta-couple they started getting deals and being featured. This worked in their favour, until they woke up one day to a list be posted on twitter that will shatter their lives.
First let me say, I did speed through reading this novel because I just HAD to know if what was on The List was true.
Second, there were a lot of plot holes or things that just did not make sense. It felt like the author wrote this book so it could be picked up for a TV series or a show. I just know when an author is writing to be picked up for a show and this was the definition. I did not believe they were an Instagram famous couple- very few things in the book pointed to that. The book tried to cover entirely TEW much- feminism, being woke, modern day influencing, love, culture, friendship etc. Somethings were done well but the others were not because too much was trying to be covered.
Yes, it was an entertaining read but not believable.
Find me here:
https://www.instagram.com/bookofcinz/?hl=en
After sharing their engagement photos online, Ola and Michael became the new poster couple for Black Love. They went viral and started getting a following- a following Michael loved because in some ways it validated him and the relationship. Of course, like all famous insta-couple they started getting deals and being featured. This worked in their favour, until they woke up one day to a list be posted on twitter that will shatter their lives.
First let me say, I did speed through reading this novel because I just HAD to know if what was on The List was true.
Second, there were a lot of plot holes or things that just did not make sense. It felt like the author wrote this book so it could be picked up for a TV series or a show. I just know when an author is writing to be picked up for a show and this was the definition. I did not believe they were an Instagram famous couple- very few things in the book pointed to that. The book tried to cover entirely TEW much- feminism, being woke, modern day influencing, love, culture, friendship etc. Somethings were done well but the others were not because too much was trying to be covered.
Yes, it was an entertaining read but not believable.
Find me here:
https://www.instagram.com/bookofcinz/?hl=en
August 9, 2023
Bad writing, bad characters, and an apologist plot. If you’re a survivor and think this book was good I’d love to know why.
July 20, 2023
1.5 stars.
Personally I feel profiting off of real stories like this, real lists, real victims, somewhat focusing on false accusations given the stats of women being assaulted, never believed, conviction rates being extremely low as are the stats for false accusations is bird behaviour at best and downright abhorrent at worst. Then to not even do it well is even more insulting.
Personally I feel profiting off of real stories like this, real lists, real victims, somewhat focusing on false accusations given the stats of women being assaulted, never believed, conviction rates being extremely low as are the stats for false accusations is bird behaviour at best and downright abhorrent at worst. Then to not even do it well is even more insulting.
January 2, 2024
I never wanted a book to be over so bad
July 9, 2024
Hashtag Black Love London-born couple Ola and Michael are a month away from their over-the-top Ghanaian and Nigerian themed wedding when The List is shared online; a list of toxic men and their crimes in the entertainment industry in London; Michael’s name is on the list with a summary of his deeds! Ola has built a career in calling out toxic masculinity, what will she do now?
This was a compelling read, just for the sake of really wanting to know what happens next as soon as possible. It did feel like a lot of the story was pushed in specific directions by the writer, in that it didn’t feel organic. Overall, a conflicting read that probably needs rereading to get the most of. I liked the writer pointing out how so many toxic Black men pull out the race card to counterattack their accusers. In a way the book replicates the reality where male pain is seemingly more important and relevant than female pain. Still the most essential reason why this is a very good read is because it got me taking a deeper look at my rationales, thoughts and views on male toxicity and abused woman’s lack of reporting pathways. A solid 8 out of 12 Four Star read, thank you so much Yomi.
2024 read
This was a compelling read, just for the sake of really wanting to know what happens next as soon as possible. It did feel like a lot of the story was pushed in specific directions by the writer, in that it didn’t feel organic. Overall, a conflicting read that probably needs rereading to get the most of. I liked the writer pointing out how so many toxic Black men pull out the race card to counterattack their accusers. In a way the book replicates the reality where male pain is seemingly more important and relevant than female pain. Still the most essential reason why this is a very good read is because it got me taking a deeper look at my rationales, thoughts and views on male toxicity and abused woman’s lack of reporting pathways. A solid 8 out of 12 Four Star read, thank you so much Yomi.
2024 read
February 20, 2024
I sometimes got a bit tired of the countless references toward the same theme of harassment and how women are treated, but at the same time I’m also pleased this was a focus. But I still would have got the message if it hadn’t been brought forward so much. Other than that a pretty standard book with some surprises, but nothing that makes it stand out.
January 9, 2024
Mapping the seemingly perfect relationship between a “feminist writer” and her man - a podcaster & newly hired content creator at a well known media firm after they wake up to his name on a public document accusing him of harassment alongside other notorious men in the creative space, this novel focused heavily on the real life implications of cancel culture and the dark side of social media; exploring other themes such as suicide, grief, sexual abuse, misogyny, and love.
Throughout this book I truly couldn’t figure out if any of these characters were meant to be likeable which I must admit kept taking me out of the flow of the book; the pacing was also off with the story lagging at some points. But most importantly, I found that the book at times teetered on feeding into very harmful rhetorics about women making false accusations for vengeance purposes and that last chapter didn’t help my feelings about this at all!
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for providing my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Throughout this book I truly couldn’t figure out if any of these characters were meant to be likeable which I must admit kept taking me out of the flow of the book; the pacing was also off with the story lagging at some points. But most importantly, I found that the book at times teetered on feeding into very harmful rhetorics about women making false accusations for vengeance purposes and that last chapter didn’t help my feelings about this at all!
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for providing my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2023
I'd describe this as a finger-on-the-pulse hot and buzzy book but also as one that could have been more polished as a fictional vehicle to carry the important social commentary and debate.
At the heart of the book is what happens when an online journalist for a feminist news site finds her fiancé on The List: a Google doc posted to Twitter that lists creative industry harrassers, users, abusers and rapists. Cue discussions about how to navigate loyalties: to fellow female victims? to the men we love and hope we know? We want to believe the women but Black men, especially, have been historically lynched and murdered on the false rape testimony of white women - think Emmett Till, the Scottboro Boys, both name-checked in the text.
Add to that the unverifiable status of online accusations: a Google doc gives protective anonymity, of course, to women speaking out, but it's also open to abuse as there is no evidence. In the case of Michael, his employers have done a DBS check to prove the accusation of having a restraining order taken out against him is false but that doesn't stop the trolling and online abuse that spills over into real life.
All of this is important material but I found the writing foggy and messy at times with extraneous exposition and descriptions that could have been cut or better integrated. There are also holes in the characterisation as people do things for the convenience of the plot: jarring instances are the opening scene where Ola and Michael are club-hopping, drinking champagne to celebrate their upcoming wedding, don't get home till 3 am... and then he doesn't stay the night as he's starting a new job the next day? All this just to separate the two protagonists when The List drops on social media.
Similarly, Ola has no friends at her workplace, refuses to go for team drinks, doesn't talk to anyone... just so that when The List appears with Michael's name on it, none of her colleagues know he's her fiancé and she's requested to write about it. Why would Michael even be DBS-checked for a job on a YouTube channel?
So lots of interesting material here and it's a bit chick-lit-y with issues giving it mass market appeal. Despite the two best friends and the £30,000 wedding, this raises questions about internet 'justice' alongside the perennial question of how we call out male violence against women.
Thanks to 4th Estate for an ARC via NetGalley
At the heart of the book is what happens when an online journalist for a feminist news site finds her fiancé on The List: a Google doc posted to Twitter that lists creative industry harrassers, users, abusers and rapists. Cue discussions about how to navigate loyalties: to fellow female victims? to the men we love and hope we know? We want to believe the women but Black men, especially, have been historically lynched and murdered on the false rape testimony of white women - think Emmett Till, the Scottboro Boys, both name-checked in the text.
Add to that the unverifiable status of online accusations: a Google doc gives protective anonymity, of course, to women speaking out, but it's also open to abuse as there is no evidence. In the case of Michael, his employers have done a DBS check to prove the accusation of having a restraining order taken out against him is false but that doesn't stop the trolling and online abuse that spills over into real life.
All of this is important material but I found the writing foggy and messy at times with extraneous exposition and descriptions that could have been cut or better integrated. There are also holes in the characterisation as people do things for the convenience of the plot: jarring instances are the opening scene where Ola and Michael are club-hopping, drinking champagne to celebrate their upcoming wedding, don't get home till 3 am... and then he doesn't stay the night as he's starting a new job the next day? All this just to separate the two protagonists when The List drops on social media.
Similarly, Ola has no friends at her workplace, refuses to go for team drinks, doesn't talk to anyone... just so that when The List appears with Michael's name on it, none of her colleagues know he's her fiancé and she's requested to write about it. Why would Michael even be DBS-checked for a job on a YouTube channel?
So lots of interesting material here and it's a bit chick-lit-y with issues giving it mass market appeal. Despite the two best friends and the £30,000 wedding, this raises questions about internet 'justice' alongside the perennial question of how we call out male violence against women.
Thanks to 4th Estate for an ARC via NetGalley
October 25, 2023
I did not like this. This is an important topic treated in a messy way.
This takes a #MeToo movement-esque basic storyline and focuses on the men who are exposed.
I think the author was trying to make a grand statement or say something important, but mostly, this reads as a defense of ain't-shit men.😩
This had the bones of a good story in there, and the author clearly understood the basics of the story.
No one needs a defense of the bad perpetrators, especially when the victims rarely receive any justice.
The author clearly lays out that less than 1% of men accused are impacted while all victims are harmed 100% of the time. The debacle with Meg thee Stallion after being a victim of gun violence is all the proof I need that wr don't need to be worried about the impact of this type of public shaming on perpetrators.
Spoilers below
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The gag is that this isn't a defense as Michael is a turd and his actions were abusive and harmful while this text focused on framing his ex, misogynistically, as unhinged.
This takes a #MeToo movement-esque basic storyline and focuses on the men who are exposed.
I think the author was trying to make a grand statement or say something important, but mostly, this reads as a defense of ain't-shit men.😩
This had the bones of a good story in there, and the author clearly understood the basics of the story.
No one needs a defense of the bad perpetrators, especially when the victims rarely receive any justice.
The author clearly lays out that less than 1% of men accused are impacted while all victims are harmed 100% of the time. The debacle with Meg thee Stallion after being a victim of gun violence is all the proof I need that wr don't need to be worried about the impact of this type of public shaming on perpetrators.
Spoilers below
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The gag is that this isn't a defense as Michael is a turd and his actions were abusive and harmful while this text focused on framing his ex, misogynistically, as unhinged.
July 24, 2023
The premise of this felt really interesting to me, so I was disappointed when it personally just did not live up to the hype.
'The List' certainly raises some important points and discussed issues that I think we should be seeing explored more, but I unfortunately just could not enjoy the execution. Most of all, I found the two protagonists so painfully underdeveloped as characters that it just made the book feel even slower. (The pace of this book was another issue--it really could have cut a lot of pages, or at least spent less time fleshing things out that didn't need fleshing out.) It felt often as if Adegoke didn't fully understand their own characters, emphasised, for example, by the uncertainty surrounding the characters own 'celebrity' level, which is something that was an important point for the plot, but was not at all cohesively done. Though this sounds minor, it is something that bothered me all the way through the novel, unfortunately.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC.
'The List' certainly raises some important points and discussed issues that I think we should be seeing explored more, but I unfortunately just could not enjoy the execution. Most of all, I found the two protagonists so painfully underdeveloped as characters that it just made the book feel even slower. (The pace of this book was another issue--it really could have cut a lot of pages, or at least spent less time fleshing things out that didn't need fleshing out.) It felt often as if Adegoke didn't fully understand their own characters, emphasised, for example, by the uncertainty surrounding the characters own 'celebrity' level, which is something that was an important point for the plot, but was not at all cohesively done. Though this sounds minor, it is something that bothered me all the way through the novel, unfortunately.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC.
January 17, 2024
Any time a man—famous or not— is accused of abuse online, you're bound to come across people online who don't know him coming to his defense, and others trying to blow up his professional and personal life.
Well, Yomi Adegoke took it upon herself to write about this topic, and she did a terrible job at it.
In this book, we're following Ola and Michael, two insta-famous Black Brits, who are one month away from getting married and living their happily-ever-after... until Michael is accused of violence and harassment through a list of abusers that is published anonymously on twitter.
I didn't know exactly where the author wanted to take the story, because one moment you're being presented with abused women rightly standing up for themselves, and then the next moment, you're being asked to consider the accused men, how some of them might be falsely accused, and how dogpiling them on the internet harms them.
The narrative kept switching back and forth for a while, until it stopped being about abused women entirely, and focused on the falsely accused men instead. Here and there, the author tries to make it seem like she's still trying to center survivors of abuse, but it falls short, because ultimately she goes back to the "woe is me" story of the falsely accused man and his feminist girlfriend who is just so torn up about whether to stick to her principles, or stand by her man.
It felt like the author was trying to write a nuanced take on "cancel culture" but instead she ended up writing a defense of accused men.
While there's definitely something to be said about internet dogpiles, this wasn't the way to go about it, in my opinion. All this book did was sanitize all abusers, because which of them would ever come out and say "Yes, I did what I'm being accused of" ??
The author makes sure to point out that falsely accused men are an extremely small minority, so my question is, why did she feel the need to write an entire novel about them?
Also, the ending was incredibly lazy; it was the type of cartoonish villain shit you'd expect to find in a disney movie. It cheapened the story even further than I thought was possible.
I have so much more I could say about this book, but I'll just end this review by noting how disappointing it is that it was written by a woman.
Well, Yomi Adegoke took it upon herself to write about this topic, and she did a terrible job at it.
In this book, we're following Ola and Michael, two insta-famous Black Brits, who are one month away from getting married and living their happily-ever-after... until Michael is accused of violence and harassment through a list of abusers that is published anonymously on twitter.
I didn't know exactly where the author wanted to take the story, because one moment you're being presented with abused women rightly standing up for themselves, and then the next moment, you're being asked to consider the accused men, how some of them might be falsely accused, and how dogpiling them on the internet harms them.
The narrative kept switching back and forth for a while, until it stopped being about abused women entirely, and focused on the falsely accused men instead. Here and there, the author tries to make it seem like she's still trying to center survivors of abuse, but it falls short, because ultimately she goes back to the "woe is me" story of the falsely accused man and his feminist girlfriend who is just so torn up about whether to stick to her principles, or stand by her man.
It felt like the author was trying to write a nuanced take on "cancel culture" but instead she ended up writing a defense of accused men.
While there's definitely something to be said about internet dogpiles, this wasn't the way to go about it, in my opinion. All this book did was sanitize all abusers, because which of them would ever come out and say "Yes, I did what I'm being accused of" ??
The author makes sure to point out that falsely accused men are an extremely small minority, so my question is, why did she feel the need to write an entire novel about them?
Also, the ending was incredibly lazy; it was the type of cartoonish villain shit you'd expect to find in a disney movie. It cheapened the story even further than I thought was possible.
I have so much more I could say about this book, but I'll just end this review by noting how disappointing it is that it was written by a woman.
July 17, 2023
'Would you be okay with other crimes being handled via the court of Twitter?'
Ola and Michael are just a month away from being married. As a socially prominent, hashtag-worthy couple, their partially sponsored wedding will be the talk of the social media world. Instead, The List is published on Twitter, and they begin to be talked about for all the wrong reasons. Michael's name appears, accused of harassment and assault at a Christmas party - sandwiched between other men accused of much more heinous crimes against women. The List goes viral before it is quickly deleted. The damage has already been done. Who created it? Who published it? And just who is Michael, the man Ola had dreamed of marrying?
Yomi Adegoke does a great job highlighting the paradoxical nature of social media: it can make you and just as quickly break you; it's a forum to have a voice, yet the 'voices' aren't always honest; you can spread messages widely and rapidly, but they start morphing as they lose their context. Ultimately, the anonymity of social media facilitates people to act in a different way as if they were face to face, 'it was an anonymous, immediate way to settle a score. However, so many issues are contended with, within the story, I felt it fractured any one, particular, message. Overall, it was an ok read for me.
Ola and Michael are just a month away from being married. As a socially prominent, hashtag-worthy couple, their partially sponsored wedding will be the talk of the social media world. Instead, The List is published on Twitter, and they begin to be talked about for all the wrong reasons. Michael's name appears, accused of harassment and assault at a Christmas party - sandwiched between other men accused of much more heinous crimes against women. The List goes viral before it is quickly deleted. The damage has already been done. Who created it? Who published it? And just who is Michael, the man Ola had dreamed of marrying?
Yomi Adegoke does a great job highlighting the paradoxical nature of social media: it can make you and just as quickly break you; it's a forum to have a voice, yet the 'voices' aren't always honest; you can spread messages widely and rapidly, but they start morphing as they lose their context. Ultimately, the anonymity of social media facilitates people to act in a different way as if they were face to face, 'it was an anonymous, immediate way to settle a score. However, so many issues are contended with, within the story, I felt it fractured any one, particular, message. Overall, it was an ok read for me.
September 8, 2023
Love how it shows the danger of male podcasters
November 30, 2023
The List by Yomi Adegoke is apparently a very divisive book, based on several reviews I read. However, I found it to be smart, thought-provoking and timely.
Ola and Michael are the social media poster couple for #blacklove when their relationship is rocked to the core by the publication of The List on Twitter 30 days before their wedding.
The List is a Google Doc in which anonymous female survivors could publicly name their abusers of s*xual assault, harassment, assault and a myriad of other harmful and traumatic acts.
When Michael is named as one of the abusers on the list, and Ola, a feminist journalist is accused of being an apologist, the couple races to uncover the truth and decide whether or not to proceed with their wedding.
The truth about Michael and other athletes, musicians, actors and celebrities on The List is very complicated. It appears that a few of the men have been falsely accused, others may not be fully innocent, but may not have done all the things they were accused of, while others probably did all they were accused of and more.
This was a book about grey areas, truth in a digital society ("sentencing to hanging by the court of Twitter), sexism, toxic masculinity, racism, homophobia, online outrage, the dumbing down of our society, the far-reaching trauma survivors carry with them and the ripple effect accusations have on people's lives.
I found the story to be very engaging and I thought the characters were well-rounded. I read the book through a feminist and survivor lens and did not find it to be apologist - in fact, the plot twist at the very end cemented my feminist reading of the text.
I also don't think something like this is too far fetched in our current society. I fully believe this could happen and is already happening in many ways regarding a variety of topics trending on social media as we speak. People don't care about the far reaching ramifications of making accusations or spreading information (true or fake) online. A lot of people also blindly believe and jump on bandwagons about anything they see on Tik Tok or Twitter without bothering to research the facts.
This book made me wonder what I would do if I were in Ola's position - I do not envy the choices she had to make without access to the full truth.
The book also explores how a single false accusation can wipe out the credibility of a plethora of actual survivors. This is something women unfortunately contend with every single day. This is why some women don't even bother to report assaults - they are simply not believed.
There were many layers to the story and it's one worth reading, in my opinion.
Content Warnings: s*xual assault, s*xual harassment, online bullying, suicide, infidelity, drug and alcohol use, depression, stalking, death threats, homophobia
Ola and Michael are the social media poster couple for #blacklove when their relationship is rocked to the core by the publication of The List on Twitter 30 days before their wedding.
The List is a Google Doc in which anonymous female survivors could publicly name their abusers of s*xual assault, harassment, assault and a myriad of other harmful and traumatic acts.
When Michael is named as one of the abusers on the list, and Ola, a feminist journalist is accused of being an apologist, the couple races to uncover the truth and decide whether or not to proceed with their wedding.
The truth about Michael and other athletes, musicians, actors and celebrities on The List is very complicated. It appears that a few of the men have been falsely accused, others may not be fully innocent, but may not have done all the things they were accused of, while others probably did all they were accused of and more.
This was a book about grey areas, truth in a digital society ("sentencing to hanging by the court of Twitter), sexism, toxic masculinity, racism, homophobia, online outrage, the dumbing down of our society, the far-reaching trauma survivors carry with them and the ripple effect accusations have on people's lives.
I found the story to be very engaging and I thought the characters were well-rounded. I read the book through a feminist and survivor lens and did not find it to be apologist - in fact, the plot twist at the very end cemented my feminist reading of the text.
I also don't think something like this is too far fetched in our current society. I fully believe this could happen and is already happening in many ways regarding a variety of topics trending on social media as we speak. People don't care about the far reaching ramifications of making accusations or spreading information (true or fake) online. A lot of people also blindly believe and jump on bandwagons about anything they see on Tik Tok or Twitter without bothering to research the facts.
This book made me wonder what I would do if I were in Ola's position - I do not envy the choices she had to make without access to the full truth.
The book also explores how a single false accusation can wipe out the credibility of a plethora of actual survivors. This is something women unfortunately contend with every single day. This is why some women don't even bother to report assaults - they are simply not believed.
There were many layers to the story and it's one worth reading, in my opinion.
Content Warnings: s*xual assault, s*xual harassment, online bullying, suicide, infidelity, drug and alcohol use, depression, stalking, death threats, homophobia
September 7, 2023
Intriguing premise, terrible execution.
December 12, 2023
dnf after reading the phrase “back when feminism was unsexy and unInstagrammable”. i just don’t have the capacity to read another chronically online book.
January 7, 2024
yeah no
December 12, 2023
a hard dnf 🚮
Read
November 13, 2023This was a jokey joke.
A month before Ola and Michael are set to be married Michael's name winds up on a list of men accused of everything from physical abuse to sexual assault. What follows is an examination of the strain on their engagement, the tricky space Ola finds herself in working at a magazine that wants to cover the virality of this list, Michael trying to clear his name, and all this ups and down.
I think that there is space to have some of the nuanced conversations that this book clearly wants to have. In some ways it reminded me of similar discussions that you could have found in When We Were Bright And Beautiful. Here though I'm not sure that the conversations really ever felt fully formed, and even if they had the way that this book concludes just felt like a joke. It felt like it was all for naught.
It doesn't help that in Ola trying to balance her job looking into the list and her own insecurity around believing if her fiance could be someone that has a restraining order for being physically abusive never feels like she's making decisions. She's constantly looking for validation and excuses to just do something, and at a certain point it just felt like the lengths she was going to for information felt like she knew she didn't need to go through with this wedding regardless of what her search was coming up with.
Michael also spends so much of the book surrounded by incels and befriending other people on the list that are clearly abusers that the reader loses any interest in uncovering if he has actually done the things he is accused of having done...
And again, the book ends in utter clownery. I can't stop anyone from reading this book, but I definitely would recommend not doing so and if you do decide to read anyway that you have something lined up to wash away the taste this will leave in your mouth after.
A month before Ola and Michael are set to be married Michael's name winds up on a list of men accused of everything from physical abuse to sexual assault. What follows is an examination of the strain on their engagement, the tricky space Ola finds herself in working at a magazine that wants to cover the virality of this list, Michael trying to clear his name, and all this ups and down.
I think that there is space to have some of the nuanced conversations that this book clearly wants to have. In some ways it reminded me of similar discussions that you could have found in When We Were Bright And Beautiful. Here though I'm not sure that the conversations really ever felt fully formed, and even if they had the way that this book concludes just felt like a joke. It felt like it was all for naught.
It doesn't help that in Ola trying to balance her job looking into the list and her own insecurity around believing if her fiance could be someone that has a restraining order for being physically abusive never feels like she's making decisions. She's constantly looking for validation and excuses to just do something, and at a certain point it just felt like the lengths she was going to for information felt like she knew she didn't need to go through with this wedding regardless of what her search was coming up with.
Michael also spends so much of the book surrounded by incels and befriending other people on the list that are clearly abusers that the reader loses any interest in uncovering if he has actually done the things he is accused of having done...
And again, the book ends in utter clownery. I can't stop anyone from reading this book, but I definitely would recommend not doing so and if you do decide to read anyway that you have something lined up to wash away the taste this will leave in your mouth after.
January 5, 2026
this is for ppl who are passionate about the male loneliness epidemic
July 31, 2023
I can only describe this book as callous. Geez I’m surprised 11 editors bid for this story. Indeed, publishing is highly subjective.
I’ve got no idea where to start with the review. Perhaps the writing is curated for a British audience, maybe this is how the British audience talk? Otherwise, it’s the clunkiest prose I’ve ever read. This writer did a poor job of weaving in her Nigerian side, very forced and unresearched. She referenced Bracket’s Yori Yori—which came out about a hundred years ago and is a funny song Nigerians just laugh at now?? I cringe badly.
Please don’t take this book as a true representation of Nigerian culture/life.
The MCs weren’t likable at all. Not the main or side characters so I barely even cared about them. The issues mentioned in this book were not treated with respect. I didn’t feel any passion or love for the story from the author in the words. It feels very mechanical.
It also had the longest paragraphs I’ve ever seen a book have? Like entire pages would be one or two paragraphs. Who edited this book?
The message would’ve been strong if the author, agent, and editors actually whipped it into good shape. But it’s a mess. The underlying message is why I give it two stars! The rest of my thoughts are on the reading updates.
I’ve got no idea where to start with the review. Perhaps the writing is curated for a British audience, maybe this is how the British audience talk? Otherwise, it’s the clunkiest prose I’ve ever read. This writer did a poor job of weaving in her Nigerian side, very forced and unresearched. She referenced Bracket’s Yori Yori—which came out about a hundred years ago and is a funny song Nigerians just laugh at now?? I cringe badly.
Please don’t take this book as a true representation of Nigerian culture/life.
The MCs weren’t likable at all. Not the main or side characters so I barely even cared about them. The issues mentioned in this book were not treated with respect. I didn’t feel any passion or love for the story from the author in the words. It feels very mechanical.
It also had the longest paragraphs I’ve ever seen a book have? Like entire pages would be one or two paragraphs. Who edited this book?
The message would’ve been strong if the author, agent, and editors actually whipped it into good shape. But it’s a mess. The underlying message is why I give it two stars! The rest of my thoughts are on the reading updates.
July 9, 2023
SUCH a difficult situation even though social media tells you there's only one position to take. I couldn't put it down.
August 31, 2023
tried to be an ally to every vulnerable minority under the sun and then ended up being centred around a false sexual assault accusation. careless and damaging and even if it wasn’t so performative, it would still be a 1 star review for being so boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2023
the list follows ola, a high profile journalist and influencer (along with her fiancé michael), as she grapples with a list that challenges her relationship and her trust—a crowdsourced list of abusers in the uk media industry that contains michael's name on it.
the premise and writing style is gripping and compelling (although a lot of times the cliffhangers felt like it was written more for a show instead of a book). it was a pretty easy read and very fast paced while also delving into social commentary and issues that are prevalent in today's society. however, the execution of the book fell short and it strayed into a storyline i couldn't really get behind in the end.
thank you william morrow for the arc!
the premise and writing style is gripping and compelling (although a lot of times the cliffhangers felt like it was written more for a show instead of a book). it was a pretty easy read and very fast paced while also delving into social commentary and issues that are prevalent in today's society. however, the execution of the book fell short and it strayed into a storyline i couldn't really get behind in the end.
thank you william morrow for the arc!
July 6, 2024
2.5 stars
You can tell the author thought she was writing a book more profound and nuanced than it really is. Turned out to be a write-by-numbers story ripped from #metoo headlines of a few years ago that hardly made any interesting points. But readable.
You can tell the author thought she was writing a book more profound and nuanced than it really is. Turned out to be a write-by-numbers story ripped from #metoo headlines of a few years ago that hardly made any interesting points. But readable.
July 8, 2023
I loved the premise for this but was a bit nervous about its execution. It's a compulsive read, first and foremost, and makes many very valid points about social media.
I do, however, have some lingering concerns. We're made to assume that Jackie was a 'psycho' when, in actual fact, she was treated appallingly too. What she allegedly did was totally out of order but perhaps we could have been given better insight into her state of mind, as induced by Michael? The narrative spin at the end of the book is infuriating. Michael says, "She f*cked things up with the only woman I've ever loved." Naw, mate. YOU f*cked things up. YOU did that. Nobody else. And because the stupid, selfish dickhead got drunk and walked in front of a car, everybody is supposed to feel sorry for him now. Nah. Then I read the last chapter and felt for Jackie tenfold! 😤
In addition, it's not ideal that the two men we get to hear about that are on The List (Michael and Lewis), have been put there for malicious reasons. This plays into the tired (and incorrect) narrative that women frequently accuse innocent men. I found that quite disappointing, to be honest. Also, we shouldn't only care about abuse if it happens to ourselves, or to those we care about, which is how I felt about Ola's reaction following Celie's disclosure. I think that with more considered editorial work, and some discussion with real victims, this could have been a better book.
Having said that, there is lots that's good about the book. Yomi Adegoke is absolutely spot on about the hypocrisy of all the #BeKind knobs. It's also a decent exploration of how social media can be abused. I think 'The List' would be an excellent book club read because there is LOADS to discuss. I expect it will be a hit.
I do, however, have some lingering concerns. We're made to assume that Jackie was a 'psycho' when, in actual fact, she was treated appallingly too. What she allegedly did was totally out of order but perhaps we could have been given better insight into her state of mind, as induced by Michael? The narrative spin at the end of the book is infuriating. Michael says, "She f*cked things up with the only woman I've ever loved." Naw, mate. YOU f*cked things up. YOU did that. Nobody else. And because the stupid, selfish dickhead got drunk and walked in front of a car, everybody is supposed to feel sorry for him now. Nah. Then I read the last chapter and felt for Jackie tenfold! 😤
In addition, it's not ideal that the two men we get to hear about that are on The List (Michael and Lewis), have been put there for malicious reasons. This plays into the tired (and incorrect) narrative that women frequently accuse innocent men. I found that quite disappointing, to be honest. Also, we shouldn't only care about abuse if it happens to ourselves, or to those we care about, which is how I felt about Ola's reaction following Celie's disclosure. I think that with more considered editorial work, and some discussion with real victims, this could have been a better book.
Having said that, there is lots that's good about the book. Yomi Adegoke is absolutely spot on about the hypocrisy of all the #BeKind knobs. It's also a decent exploration of how social media can be abused. I think 'The List' would be an excellent book club read because there is LOADS to discuss. I expect it will be a hit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2023
An interesting premise, but it wasn’t executed as well as it could have been.
October 7, 2023
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
Two very entitled British celebs are about to get married. Are writers for The Guardian actually famous? The guy is put on a list of #MeToo predators, and that puts stress on their lives and their relationship.
Maybe if the protagonist were more likable, I'd have been more interested.
Two very entitled British celebs are about to get married. Are writers for The Guardian actually famous? The guy is put on a list of #MeToo predators, and that puts stress on their lives and their relationship.
Maybe if the protagonist were more likable, I'd have been more interested.
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