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The Social Circle
When Maggie Tang arrives as a transfer student at UC Berkeley in 2005, she has no idea how her life is about to change. In the hallway of her dingy apartment building, she meets Adam, Charles, Hari, and Priya, the friends with whom she’ll create Circle, the world’s first major social media platform. But navigating her creative ambitions alongside love and friendship isn’t so simple, and when they inevitably collide, Maggie exitsCircle in dramatic fashion.
A decade later, Maggie is struggling with a new venture when she receives an invitation to celebrate Circle’s tenth anniversary on a private European island, everyone back together again. While she’s still bitter about how things ended, her company desperately needs the publicity, and deep down, Maggie can’t resist the handwritten plea at the bottom—Come, please.
Between boat rides and beach days, bit by bit the reunion begins to feel like old times. But the journalist writing a retrospective on Circle is eager for a scoop, which means they can’t tiptoe around the past forever. And when a new truth is revealed about their fallout all those years ago, Maggie will have to decide whether to run again or fight for this second chance with the people she once loved most.
A decade later, Maggie is struggling with a new venture when she receives an invitation to celebrate Circle’s tenth anniversary on a private European island, everyone back together again. While she’s still bitter about how things ended, her company desperately needs the publicity, and deep down, Maggie can’t resist the handwritten plea at the bottom—Come, please.
Between boat rides and beach days, bit by bit the reunion begins to feel like old times. But the journalist writing a retrospective on Circle is eager for a scoop, which means they can’t tiptoe around the past forever. And when a new truth is revealed about their fallout all those years ago, Maggie will have to decide whether to run again or fight for this second chance with the people she once loved most.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2026
About the author
Sophie Wan
2 books210 followersSophie Wan graduated from UC Berkeley and spent too long writing emails before she picked up writing fiction.
As a Bay Area native, she has no choice but to enjoy outdoor activities, but prefers those where her feet remain firmly on the ground. She's currently shivering her way through grad school in Philadelphia.
As a Bay Area native, she has no choice but to enjoy outdoor activities, but prefers those where her feet remain firmly on the ground. She's currently shivering her way through grad school in Philadelphia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
July 19, 2026
“Four friends—united by a vision to change the world. Together, they created something powerful and unforgettable. But not everything is built to last.”
What if the people who created the world’s biggest social media platform were just a bunch of messy twenty somethings trying to figure out life, love, friendship, and ambition?
The Social Circle follows four friends who build something extraordinary together, only to discover that success doesn’t magically solve all the complicated human stuff. Told across two timelines, we watch the rise of their groundbreaking company and then reunite with them years later, when old wounds, buried secrets, and unanswered questions refuse to stay in the past.
I picked this up expecting a story about startups and social media, but what I got was a surprisingly warm, character driven novel about friendship, first love, betrayal, and the cost of chasing your dreams.
Maggie was an easy protagonist to root for, and I loved how the author explored the tension between personal relationships and professional ambition. The tech world backdrop was fascinating, but the real heart of the story was always the people.
If you enjoy novels about complicated friendships, second chances, and watching brilliant people make spectacularly human mistakes, this one is well worth adding to your TBR.
A thoughtful, engaging read that proves every empire is built by people and people are wonderfully and gloriously flawed.
I Highly Recommend.
Thank you Ultimo Press and Sophie Wan for my early readers copy.
Available Now!
What if the people who created the world’s biggest social media platform were just a bunch of messy twenty somethings trying to figure out life, love, friendship, and ambition?
The Social Circle follows four friends who build something extraordinary together, only to discover that success doesn’t magically solve all the complicated human stuff. Told across two timelines, we watch the rise of their groundbreaking company and then reunite with them years later, when old wounds, buried secrets, and unanswered questions refuse to stay in the past.
I picked this up expecting a story about startups and social media, but what I got was a surprisingly warm, character driven novel about friendship, first love, betrayal, and the cost of chasing your dreams.
Maggie was an easy protagonist to root for, and I loved how the author explored the tension between personal relationships and professional ambition. The tech world backdrop was fascinating, but the real heart of the story was always the people.
If you enjoy novels about complicated friendships, second chances, and watching brilliant people make spectacularly human mistakes, this one is well worth adding to your TBR.
A thoughtful, engaging read that proves every empire is built by people and people are wonderfully and gloriously flawed.
I Highly Recommend.
Thank you Ultimo Press and Sophie Wan for my early readers copy.
Available Now!
2026
January 29, 2026ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row
November 14, 2025
Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley in exchange for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm on two minds on this book -- on one hand, it did make me cry like a little baby about the importance of friendship and being connected with other people. In that camp, the squishy emotional bit of my brain is happy to give it five stars. However, there's a part of my brain that a) just watched The Social Network and b) thinks a lot about a tech ethics and that's the bit that's not as big of a fan. I felt weird about how the first half of this book was basically all of the plot beats of The Social Network reworked. Additionally, as we got to the end, I was disconcerted about how quickly everyone forgot about data privacy issues and the potential of media manipulation, especially around forgetting it for the sake of a friendship. While it might be realist for Silicon Valley, it didn't click with the values placed around that question/concern near the start of the book.
And maybe I'm making it too deep, but when you write about the tech industry, you DO need to reckon with that as well!
Anyway, on an emotional level I was charmed, but on a level of logical thinking, it really did fall apart for me.
I'm on two minds on this book -- on one hand, it did make me cry like a little baby about the importance of friendship and being connected with other people. In that camp, the squishy emotional bit of my brain is happy to give it five stars. However, there's a part of my brain that a) just watched The Social Network and b) thinks a lot about a tech ethics and that's the bit that's not as big of a fan. I felt weird about how the first half of this book was basically all of the plot beats of The Social Network reworked. Additionally, as we got to the end, I was disconcerted about how quickly everyone forgot about data privacy issues and the potential of media manipulation, especially around forgetting it for the sake of a friendship. While it might be realist for Silicon Valley, it didn't click with the values placed around that question/concern near the start of the book.
And maybe I'm making it too deep, but when you write about the tech industry, you DO need to reckon with that as well!
Anyway, on an emotional level I was charmed, but on a level of logical thinking, it really did fall apart for me.
July 12, 2026
The prose is inviting, the plot is well-paced and plausible, and there are brilliant moments of humour that relieve the tension. The conceit allowed Wan to truly flex her character development muscles, and that’s where her writing shines.
My full review of The Social Circle is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Social Circle is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
November 29, 2025
3.5 stars (Truly on the border of 3 and 4 here: a true 3.5)
As an undergrad at UC Berkeley, Maggie has a lot of learning to do and confidence to build. She at times notices the absence of her mother in her life through certain things other women are attuned to that are just not part of her daily reality. She's a bit of a late bloomer romantically, so anyone who's been to college or watched _Animal House_ or anything related knows that there will be a whole element of her life that unfurls here and changes her. Also, Maggie doesn't have a close social circle when she arrives. She's in a discipline that is not always particularly open to women or respectful of us, and that was even more prominent at the time when this was all occurring. So, when Maggie connects with a small circle of folks who share similar goals and ideals and they create The Circle together, her life completely and indelibly shifts. That's why when things blow up between all of them, the pain is also so great.
The novel is told in the undergrad timeline and the present day, and this works well. I particularly liked that while I'm certain Wan thoroughly considered the where of the when (as in the placement of past and present sections), there's a less structured feel to that as a reader. So much of this novel - maybe the central focus even - is about processing: understanding what happened to grasp where and who you are NOW. The tinge of stream-of-consciousness that goes into that past/present flow really appealed to me. When the memories surface for Maggie, they surface for readers, too.. That's almost never a linear adventure.
Another element of the settings I enjoyed is the use of place (along with the timelines). I love Berkeley and spend as much time there as possible, and there's a certain quality beyond college town that's specific to the area. The locations, the way parties happen there, the way students experience the campus...it all adds to the authenticity of Maggie's experience. Also, the beauty, isolation, and harshness of the cold in the present day location really highlight a lot of the motifs that ground the novel across timelines. I very much appreciated the aesthetic quality of this book for these and more reasons.
Where I struggled with this book was in the pacing. This is a very slow burn. These characters - Maggie but not only her - are really trying to come to grips with some complicated past relationships, mutual explosions and disappointments, and current possibilities. That takes time. No one suggested a quick lunch to catch up; there's a reason they all need to go into seclusion on the opposite side of the world to even scratch the surface. Their processing requires their patience, and I felt that pull and responsibility as a reader, too. I expect that when I do recommend this book - and there are some folks I know will love it - part of my pitch will include something along the lines of 'you need to be patient and focused and ready for more relationship and self-exploration than fireworks and action.'
This is not an easy book, and I do think the pacing will not gel with some folks. However, I really enjoyed the experience and will recommend this one to the right readers with a couple of notes.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
As an undergrad at UC Berkeley, Maggie has a lot of learning to do and confidence to build. She at times notices the absence of her mother in her life through certain things other women are attuned to that are just not part of her daily reality. She's a bit of a late bloomer romantically, so anyone who's been to college or watched _Animal House_ or anything related knows that there will be a whole element of her life that unfurls here and changes her. Also, Maggie doesn't have a close social circle when she arrives. She's in a discipline that is not always particularly open to women or respectful of us, and that was even more prominent at the time when this was all occurring. So, when Maggie connects with a small circle of folks who share similar goals and ideals and they create The Circle together, her life completely and indelibly shifts. That's why when things blow up between all of them, the pain is also so great.
The novel is told in the undergrad timeline and the present day, and this works well. I particularly liked that while I'm certain Wan thoroughly considered the where of the when (as in the placement of past and present sections), there's a less structured feel to that as a reader. So much of this novel - maybe the central focus even - is about processing: understanding what happened to grasp where and who you are NOW. The tinge of stream-of-consciousness that goes into that past/present flow really appealed to me. When the memories surface for Maggie, they surface for readers, too.. That's almost never a linear adventure.
Another element of the settings I enjoyed is the use of place (along with the timelines). I love Berkeley and spend as much time there as possible, and there's a certain quality beyond college town that's specific to the area. The locations, the way parties happen there, the way students experience the campus...it all adds to the authenticity of Maggie's experience. Also, the beauty, isolation, and harshness of the cold in the present day location really highlight a lot of the motifs that ground the novel across timelines. I very much appreciated the aesthetic quality of this book for these and more reasons.
Where I struggled with this book was in the pacing. This is a very slow burn. These characters - Maggie but not only her - are really trying to come to grips with some complicated past relationships, mutual explosions and disappointments, and current possibilities. That takes time. No one suggested a quick lunch to catch up; there's a reason they all need to go into seclusion on the opposite side of the world to even scratch the surface. Their processing requires their patience, and I felt that pull and responsibility as a reader, too. I expect that when I do recommend this book - and there are some folks I know will love it - part of my pitch will include something along the lines of 'you need to be patient and focused and ready for more relationship and self-exploration than fireworks and action.'
This is not an easy book, and I do think the pacing will not gel with some folks. However, I really enjoyed the experience and will recommend this one to the right readers with a couple of notes.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
February 9, 2026
I was drawn in by the cute cover. The first few chapters made me suspicious. I worried I was reading a Social Network or Facebook retelling. Then it quietly became something closer to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.
I was surprised by how addictive this book is. Wan weaves past and present so smoothly. The writing flows. I kept reading because I needed to know what happened.
I appreciated the romance subplot, the reflections on parenthood, and the weight of Chinese cultural expectations. But at its core, this is a story about friendship.
Can true friendship really survive everything. This book made me miss my uni days. It stirred a small regret about not holding onto those relationships more tightly.
A quick and enjoyable read. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.
I was surprised by how addictive this book is. Wan weaves past and present so smoothly. The writing flows. I kept reading because I needed to know what happened.
I appreciated the romance subplot, the reflections on parenthood, and the weight of Chinese cultural expectations. But at its core, this is a story about friendship.
Can true friendship really survive everything. This book made me miss my uni days. It stirred a small regret about not holding onto those relationships more tightly.
A quick and enjoyable read. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.
March 13, 2026
I liked this book, but it’s very much a slow burn, and that might simply not be my style. I was expecting a bit more action, but the story unfolds quite slowly. It’s not meant to be a fast-paced thriller, so the slower pace makes sense to a degree, but at times it felt a little too detailed. At the same time, I can understand why the author chose that approach. The slower pace helps develop the character dynamics and the friendships between them, and stories built around these kinds of emotional relationships can be difficult to make convincing for the reader. That might have been the intention. Still, the pacing made it harder for me to stay fully engaged. It wasn’t a book I felt compelled to race through, but I did finish it because I genuinely like this type of theme.
July 14, 2026
Big thanks to Ultimo Press for sending us a copy to read and review.
An app that connects people, events and places was created by four University friends just as the technology boom commenced.
An exploration of how relationships change for both the better and worse, how egos shine and talent shrinks and how the future is shaped.
A world where people are hungry for the latest and the greatest minds busily satisfy the cravings.
An invitation to a reunion to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Circle brings trepidation and excitement as they all convene on a remote Island off Norway. Has friendship survived the rigours of business acumen and the wealth that generated?
Maggie has history that impedes complete happiness about the event and a personal plea to come cements her decision.
A journalist covering the reunion manages to find cracks and exploits the group into revealing demons from a buried past.
The relationship component really made this an enjoyable and interesting read.
We all know that young guns created platforms we use daily and they reap the dollars accordingly.
The mix of characters and the emotional layers completed the circle for me.
An app that connects people, events and places was created by four University friends just as the technology boom commenced.
An exploration of how relationships change for both the better and worse, how egos shine and talent shrinks and how the future is shaped.
A world where people are hungry for the latest and the greatest minds busily satisfy the cravings.
An invitation to a reunion to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Circle brings trepidation and excitement as they all convene on a remote Island off Norway. Has friendship survived the rigours of business acumen and the wealth that generated?
Maggie has history that impedes complete happiness about the event and a personal plea to come cements her decision.
A journalist covering the reunion manages to find cracks and exploits the group into revealing demons from a buried past.
The relationship component really made this an enjoyable and interesting read.
We all know that young guns created platforms we use daily and they reap the dollars accordingly.
The mix of characters and the emotional layers completed the circle for me.
February 28, 2026
I really wasn’t expecting to get so emotional while reading this book! A story of friendship that grows, evolves and eventually breaks down as four college students create and develop their own social media app. The two timelines were done SO WELL here. I loved seeing Maggie and the guys become so close during the past timeline and then seeing the reservations and hurts that came through in the present. I also really loved the tension between Maggie, Charles and Adam. Hari was such a fun character and I enjoyed him so much. I thought the book handled the topic of social media and tech ethics really well. If you like The Social Network, dual timelines and complicated friendships, The Social Circle will be right up your alley!
Thank you to HTP Hive for the digital reader’s copy!
Thank you to HTP Hive for the digital reader’s copy!
April 29, 2026
A very classic fun/easy read. 3.25 stars. Gets the job done. Was in the mood for something fun and interesting and this book gave me that. A very solid average read if you know what I mean
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to The Hive for the advanced listener copy of The Social Circle by Sophie Wan. The narration was clear and easy to understand. It is a single narrator.
The story focuses on a group of college students who create a social app that they spin into a tech start up. The company eventually causes a rift in their friendship and the novel focuses on that rift in dual timelines. The author uses these friendships to show how ambition, greed and insecurities can ruin relationships.
While there was drama, I was really expecting much more drama out of this plot line. It felt very tame for the amount of money involved.
Overall it was a quick enjoyable read, but nothing that made me say wow I wanna read more by this author. 🤷♀️
The story focuses on a group of college students who create a social app that they spin into a tech start up. The company eventually causes a rift in their friendship and the novel focuses on that rift in dual timelines. The author uses these friendships to show how ambition, greed and insecurities can ruin relationships.
While there was drama, I was really expecting much more drama out of this plot line. It felt very tame for the amount of money involved.
Overall it was a quick enjoyable read, but nothing that made me say wow I wanna read more by this author. 🤷♀️
March 7, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Park Row for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review
10 years ago Maggie transferred to Berkeley, meet Adam and Charles who gave her no choice but to be their friend and started a social media platform with them. In the early days hair joined the team and between the 4 of them they grew it from campus use to a world wide platform. 8 years ago Maggie was voted out of the company by the other 3 because her vision did not match the growth Circle was meant to have. 2 years ago Maggie started a new social media platform called OurSpot on her own following the vision she was pushing Circle to follow years ago. Now all 4 of them are on an island in Norway celebrating the 10th anniversary of Circle with a reporter writing a story on them. Adam wants to pretend everything is fine between them when in reality Maggie hasn’t seen or spoken to any of them in 8 years and being all together again will force them all to confront the mistakes they made that lead to everything between them falling apart.
This book was right up my alley, I loved it so so so so much. The choice to tell the story in 2 timelines felt so seamless. The characters were all so dynamic and relatable. The pacing was spot on and I didn’t want to put it down. Friendship is really the core of this story and how greed and the influence of others can destroy relationships between people. I have immediately put the authors debut novel on my TBR and will read any book they put out in the future.
10 years ago Maggie transferred to Berkeley, meet Adam and Charles who gave her no choice but to be their friend and started a social media platform with them. In the early days hair joined the team and between the 4 of them they grew it from campus use to a world wide platform. 8 years ago Maggie was voted out of the company by the other 3 because her vision did not match the growth Circle was meant to have. 2 years ago Maggie started a new social media platform called OurSpot on her own following the vision she was pushing Circle to follow years ago. Now all 4 of them are on an island in Norway celebrating the 10th anniversary of Circle with a reporter writing a story on them. Adam wants to pretend everything is fine between them when in reality Maggie hasn’t seen or spoken to any of them in 8 years and being all together again will force them all to confront the mistakes they made that lead to everything between them falling apart.
This book was right up my alley, I loved it so so so so much. The choice to tell the story in 2 timelines felt so seamless. The characters were all so dynamic and relatable. The pacing was spot on and I didn’t want to put it down. Friendship is really the core of this story and how greed and the influence of others can destroy relationships between people. I have immediately put the authors debut novel on my TBR and will read any book they put out in the future.
May 1, 2026
Imagine the social network but make it kind of wholesome. While at points this book felt a little too cheesy or unrealistic, I really liked how strong the characterization was and found myself getting attached to all the characters
June 8, 2026
I'm surprised at the reviews that say this novel was slow. I thought the pace was just right to develop the characters, which Wan did very well. I felt like I knew each character personally and love some and wanted to strangle some others. Altogether a good read.
August 2, 2026
i read the blurb wrong so had no idea what was happening. bit of a nerdy read about an app being made
March 4, 2026
As a millennial who has grown up with Facebook and social media being such a prominent part of my life, I really enjoyed this story. Listening to Maggie and the gang come up with the idea of Circle was exactly how I imagine Facebook came to be. Their success was amazing. The drama was expected but still disappointing because I just wanted them to treat each other right the whole time. The story did feel slow in some parts, but overall I really enjoyed it.
Natalie Naudus was a great narrator that made Maggie’s story come to life.
Thank you Sophie Wan and Harlequin Audio for a gifted copy of the audiobook!
Natalie Naudus was a great narrator that made Maggie’s story come to life.
Thank you Sophie Wan and Harlequin Audio for a gifted copy of the audiobook!
March 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, author Sophie Wan, and Park Row for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This was a nice read! It parallels greatly the creation of Facebook with a fictionalized group of friends and their journey together. I thought the dual timelines worked well to tell the story, and as a whole I was invested in Maggie, Adam, Charles, and Hari. The first half of the book had really drawn me in, but personally, it struggled a bit to keep my attention as the story went. I think it became a bit too predictable for me in terms of the "twist" why they fell out, and I was also a bit annoyed by Maggie totally accepting them as friends again once in person after so many years. I also could have done without any romance elements in the story. I think if you like friendship stories and stories about social media creation, it's worth a read, but it's not one that will personally stick with me.
This was a nice read! It parallels greatly the creation of Facebook with a fictionalized group of friends and their journey together. I thought the dual timelines worked well to tell the story, and as a whole I was invested in Maggie, Adam, Charles, and Hari. The first half of the book had really drawn me in, but personally, it struggled a bit to keep my attention as the story went. I think it became a bit too predictable for me in terms of the "twist" why they fell out, and I was also a bit annoyed by Maggie totally accepting them as friends again once in person after so many years. I also could have done without any romance elements in the story. I think if you like friendship stories and stories about social media creation, it's worth a read, but it's not one that will personally stick with me.
April 17, 2026
this was definitely a fun and entertaining book. i was never bored, i love a story about a group of college friends it’s a classic. but, i guess i have some complaints
first, almost like no character growth shown in maggie. college maggie and adult maggie are the same person making the same mistakes.
drop out of college with only two semesters left just to pursue your start up?? what the hell??
and then reject adam’s offer to buy ourspot when she finally could have had financial stability with her company?? she’s spent 8 years working on her own company. it’s made to seem like she’s going broke and her employees hate her, yet when she’s given the option to get bought by circle and get some stability, she turns it down. then, magically, ourspot is successful. some movie magic right there
honorable mention: fall in love with both of her male friends? all within the same year basically back to back? girl pick one you can’t keep switching. even into her adult years she couldn’t decide (between the man who kicked her off her own company and the man who stood by and let it happen lmfao)
i understand that college maggie was deeply insecure, but adult maggie did not seem any different.
second, maggie and her friends seemed very close. all the boys cared very much about her and it was shown many times. i really liked this, i thought it was nice that she found a group of people who she could be real with. so why the hell did they kick her off the company (which she created) behind her back? i get it’s supposed to be hank’s idea, but no way could he have swayed the vote that much. that was the utmost of shitty things for them to do to maggie, and i would have never forgiven them for that. i think it was completely out of character. also, this day was talked about for the entire book, then the actual scene was a couple pages long with no real explanation as to why she had to be kicked off? i get she was busy with school so she was being a bad boss, but once she quit school she didn’t fix this? or nobody tried to help her before they fired her? i would’ve liked some more back story on that decision, just adds to my point that it didn’t make sense for the characters to do.
ok so i’m sorry that i’m a hater, i really did enjoy the book. i just had some things that were bothering me, maybe i just didn’t like maggie or adam. i kept picturing adam as jeremiah from TSITP bc his name is adam fink and jeremiah’s dad is adam finch
first, almost like no character growth shown in maggie. college maggie and adult maggie are the same person making the same mistakes.
drop out of college with only two semesters left just to pursue your start up?? what the hell??
and then reject adam’s offer to buy ourspot when she finally could have had financial stability with her company?? she’s spent 8 years working on her own company. it’s made to seem like she’s going broke and her employees hate her, yet when she’s given the option to get bought by circle and get some stability, she turns it down. then, magically, ourspot is successful. some movie magic right there
honorable mention: fall in love with both of her male friends? all within the same year basically back to back? girl pick one you can’t keep switching. even into her adult years she couldn’t decide (between the man who kicked her off her own company and the man who stood by and let it happen lmfao)
i understand that college maggie was deeply insecure, but adult maggie did not seem any different.
second, maggie and her friends seemed very close. all the boys cared very much about her and it was shown many times. i really liked this, i thought it was nice that she found a group of people who she could be real with. so why the hell did they kick her off the company (which she created) behind her back? i get it’s supposed to be hank’s idea, but no way could he have swayed the vote that much. that was the utmost of shitty things for them to do to maggie, and i would have never forgiven them for that. i think it was completely out of character. also, this day was talked about for the entire book, then the actual scene was a couple pages long with no real explanation as to why she had to be kicked off? i get she was busy with school so she was being a bad boss, but once she quit school she didn’t fix this? or nobody tried to help her before they fired her? i would’ve liked some more back story on that decision, just adds to my point that it didn’t make sense for the characters to do.
ok so i’m sorry that i’m a hater, i really did enjoy the book. i just had some things that were bothering me, maybe i just didn’t like maggie or adam. i kept picturing adam as jeremiah from TSITP bc his name is adam fink and jeremiah’s dad is adam finch
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2026
I don’t love this book. I don’t even like this book, but I want to finish it in the hopes that something will actually be revealed about the characters. The writing is…fine, if not a bit basic. Storyline is…fine, but so predictable. I’m like 2/3 done and what’s really bugging me are the inconsistencies in the plot and descriptions. Why is the reporter wearing a puffy jacket if it’s warm on the island? Priya also shows up wearing something fur-lined. It’s confusing and distracting. I love the idea that these men were “outraged” when their investor grabs their female colleague’s leg, but I can’t begin to explain how unrealistic that is in real life. It would just never happen. There are other little plot holes that a bothering me I can’t recall right now. Also a few typos. It feels like the editor on this book didn’t do their part to help the writer make it great. It’s just…okay. I know the writer is great, so I plan to try out her other, more popular, book next and see if it strikes my fancy any more. Anyway, like many of the other reviews, I’m left a bit blank and confused by this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2026
Girl stand up
May 24, 2026
When I started reading this, I LOVED it, because I love Wan's writing. Sinking into the story was effortless. She writes in that way that allows me to forget I'm reading, and I just become part of the story, watching the characters.
I was sure this was going to be a five star read for me, but gradually I became more and more annoyed with various plot developments and character choices, and by the time I finished this was a two star read.
At first the characters were interesting enough: Maggie and Charles writing the code that created "Circle" (an obvious stand-in for Facebook) and designing the interface, Adam cheering them on, Hari joining them later to make a foursome, and Hari's girlfriend Priya always on the sidelines, all five of them students at Berkeley. But gradually I started to feel antsy. And I guess Maggie's idealism was also realistic, plenty of college students view life like that, I see them all on reddit claiming that they want to abolish capitalism.
Once I started to feel annoyed, everything bugged me. The ludicrous island in Norway with its opulent cabins and invisible servants annoyed me. I did not feel this way when I read Wan's first book, Women of Good Fortune, but maybe that's because it was set in Shanghai, where I'm not familiar with the culture so I might not have noticed things that wouldn't make sense, and it was meant to be a slightly ridiculous heist story, so I accepted their over-the-top hijinks.
Hank was so obviously a villain, he had no nuance at all, it was boring. And I think we were supposed to like (or sympathize) with Adam, but he was a villain, too. Why did Maggie and Charles and Hari like Adam so much? I didn't understand that.
Maggie is so righteously dead set on creating a platform that benefits the user, which is great, but she continues to reject plans to make money from it. And yet she wants to draw a salary. If this is going to be her sole job, she'd better figure out how to make money from it.
At its heart, this story is about friendship, and how friendship means more than anything else, and is more powerful than anything else. It was the strong college friendship between Maggie, Adam, Charles, and Hari that was meant to be so important, but I just didn't see it. And poor Priya, always in the story but always in the margins, never a person on her own. I'm not really sure what Wan meant to do with Priya. Perhaps it's ironic that in a story about how women are often marginalized in tech, the only other woman in this story was marginalized. Priya's function seemed to be as a girlfriend and wife to Hari and a mother to Jaya. I don't even know what her major was at Berkley.
This is a dual-timeline story, switching back and forth between college years in mid 2000s and current day about ten-fifteen years later. I think this story was also meant to be about growing up, how you see the world differently ten or fifteen years down the road. But I did not see any character growth in any of the characters. And it really REALLY bugged me that Adam and Maggie both dropped out of college in their last year. All of the issues they had back in college are still cropping up in the present day, so all of the issues that caused problems in their friendships are still present, which means all of the bonding they supposedly did in the present day is going to fall apart all over again, because they've learned nothing.
The final line of this book, "Multiple people are typing," feels like a direct call-out to the book Several People Are Typing, but I don't think Wan intended that at all. I'm surprised the editors let that one go. Also, and this is very much an "ONLY ME" issue, the name "Circle" for their program kept reminding me of my daughter's imaginary friend, "Circle" when she was a preschooler.
words I looked up:
RIB - rigid inflatable boat
I was sure this was going to be a five star read for me, but gradually I became more and more annoyed with various plot developments and character choices, and by the time I finished this was a two star read.
At first the characters were interesting enough: Maggie and Charles writing the code that created "Circle" (an obvious stand-in for Facebook) and designing the interface, Adam cheering them on, Hari joining them later to make a foursome, and Hari's girlfriend Priya always on the sidelines, all five of them students at Berkeley. But gradually I started to feel antsy. And I guess Maggie's idealism was also realistic, plenty of college students view life like that, I see them all on reddit claiming that they want to abolish capitalism.
Once I started to feel annoyed, everything bugged me. The ludicrous island in Norway with its opulent cabins and invisible servants annoyed me. I did not feel this way when I read Wan's first book, Women of Good Fortune, but maybe that's because it was set in Shanghai, where I'm not familiar with the culture so I might not have noticed things that wouldn't make sense, and it was meant to be a slightly ridiculous heist story, so I accepted their over-the-top hijinks.
Hank was so obviously a villain, he had no nuance at all, it was boring. And I think we were supposed to like (or sympathize) with Adam, but he was a villain, too. Why did Maggie and Charles and Hari like Adam so much? I didn't understand that.
Maggie is so righteously dead set on creating a platform that benefits the user, which is great, but she continues to reject plans to make money from it. And yet she wants to draw a salary. If this is going to be her sole job, she'd better figure out how to make money from it.
At its heart, this story is about friendship, and how friendship means more than anything else, and is more powerful than anything else. It was the strong college friendship between Maggie, Adam, Charles, and Hari that was meant to be so important, but I just didn't see it. And poor Priya, always in the story but always in the margins, never a person on her own. I'm not really sure what Wan meant to do with Priya. Perhaps it's ironic that in a story about how women are often marginalized in tech, the only other woman in this story was marginalized. Priya's function seemed to be as a girlfriend and wife to Hari and a mother to Jaya. I don't even know what her major was at Berkley.
This is a dual-timeline story, switching back and forth between college years in mid 2000s and current day about ten-fifteen years later. I think this story was also meant to be about growing up, how you see the world differently ten or fifteen years down the road. But I did not see any character growth in any of the characters. And it really REALLY bugged me that Adam and Maggie both dropped out of college in their last year. All of the issues they had back in college are still cropping up in the present day, so all of the issues that caused problems in their friendships are still present, which means all of the bonding they supposedly did in the present day is going to fall apart all over again, because they've learned nothing.
The final line of this book, "Multiple people are typing," feels like a direct call-out to the book Several People Are Typing, but I don't think Wan intended that at all. I'm surprised the editors let that one go. Also, and this is very much an "ONLY ME" issue, the name "Circle" for their program kept reminding me of my daughter's imaginary friend, "Circle" when she was a preschooler.
words I looked up:
RIB - rigid inflatable boat
March 12, 2026
"Life has exerted its own pressure on her, molding her into who she is now. She has learned to ride the current alone, but just because she is capable of bearing loneliness, doesn't mean she is better this way."
Sophie Wan, it's always a pleasure reading your stories. Women of Good Fortune struck a balance between its thrilling Ocean's 8 plot and three complex love stories, resulting in the perfect chick lit read, but The Social Circle feels much more whole, touching on the real-life worries and obstacles in friendships, self-love and becoming a young adult, a path I resonate with all too well. Because Maggie circles around her college years with Adam, Charles and Hari and unintentionally builds a start-up in social media, the realistic setting felt reachable--easy to imagine and easier to feel. Everyone seems like real people I would encounter; settings so practical and vivid that I was reminiscing university and empty classrooms; situations and troubles too painful and experienced that I wanted to reach in and give Maggie a hug. As Charles puts it, "Simple is beautiful" and it seems that Wan takes her own words and translates them into the stories she crafts and how she writes.
The ensemble has the typical blend of weird, ambitious and unique individuals: Maggie, the girl genius; Adam, the golden boy; Charles, the designer; and Hari, the optimist (though I'm unsure if I would characterize Charles and Hari as such). These cookie cutter molds would usually throw me off, but I was pleasantly surprised at how complex they were, especially our protagonist. To fill the void left by her mother, a reserved father and a fascination for nerdy hobbies that didn't interest her peers as a child, Maggie seeks friendship and validation from the first two guys to take her under their wing at UC Berkeley. Unfortunately, her insecurities only fester as she opts for inclusion and belonging despite the risk towards her agency and self-respect. Maggie's people pleasing was so difficult to witness, but it's so painfully clear why she caves in; you can't help but empathize with someone like her, wanting the bare minimum only to not realize the harm it could do. As much as I quietly pleaded for her to make better decisions, to walk away with her head held high or be firm, I understood that she would only grow by making those mistakes. It's a relief to know what her future looks like following the last chapter. I'm almost certain that any reader can visualize these realistic people and places, and find parts of their past and current selves in Maggie.
I had many self-deliberations about my opinions of Adam. He reminds me of a pathetic, desperate version of Logan Huntzberger from Gilmore girls, and I say this as a compliment (people know how much I despise Logan, so). Adam checks off every item on the list of the typical Mr. Popular with the exception that he's not a douche bag or a gross womanizer. His drive to excel and bring his vision with Circle to life adds dimension, and I appreciate how consistent Wan writes in his desire to leave a legacy and speak romantically of the shortness of life: "This river is going to be flowing long after we're gone. We're so insignificant to the world, we might as well try to make our mark while we can!" As much as I didn't want Adam brought out the confidence and competitiveness in Maggie, and I suppose that's why I eventually appreciated his character more and disliked him less by the end.
Charles, my love, you are everything. Since his introduction in Chapter Three, I knew I would like Charles. While the guys were silly and a little reckless in their college years, I managed to like Charles throughout. Not only are he and Maggie like-minded often dancing in sync, but his calm, cool energy slips off the page seamlessly. Comfortable in his masculinity, composed on all fronts, but quietly paying attention, noting details and caring for Maggie, Charles is probably one of my favourite realistic portrayals of a good friend, man and person. Contrasting to Adam's view of Circle, I like how Charles attempts to separate himself as an individual and his relationships from the start-up. His interest in art, how he slowly drinks it in, aligns with who he is as a designer and paints a great contrast to the company they've created, one so full, fast-paced and overwhelming like the social media we have today. He isn't attached to it, not nearly as he is to the people around him. And Charles is Charles, with or without Circle; I find his perspective insightful and comforting.
I have little to say about Hari. He was funny though nothing about him really stood out. If anything, I found his obliviousness a bit annoying. He had a few nice moments with Maggie. That being said, I really liked Priya's character and wish we got a little more of her, it's rare to see South Asian representation that speaks to me <3
My only real criticism is the cover though that's a personal preference. I understands it's simple and fits the genre (a genre I've never explored until now, which was fun!), I just found it a bit too plain and Canva-esque.
Overall, what a relaxing, light read with good pacing, great complex characters and a familiar story just with new Hows and Whys. It's just what I needed, and I appreciate Wan for taking simple stories and giving them meaning, depth and relatability. I can't wait to see what she writes up next!
Sophie Wan, it's always a pleasure reading your stories. Women of Good Fortune struck a balance between its thrilling Ocean's 8 plot and three complex love stories, resulting in the perfect chick lit read, but The Social Circle feels much more whole, touching on the real-life worries and obstacles in friendships, self-love and becoming a young adult, a path I resonate with all too well. Because Maggie circles around her college years with Adam, Charles and Hari and unintentionally builds a start-up in social media, the realistic setting felt reachable--easy to imagine and easier to feel. Everyone seems like real people I would encounter; settings so practical and vivid that I was reminiscing university and empty classrooms; situations and troubles too painful and experienced that I wanted to reach in and give Maggie a hug. As Charles puts it, "Simple is beautiful" and it seems that Wan takes her own words and translates them into the stories she crafts and how she writes.
The ensemble has the typical blend of weird, ambitious and unique individuals: Maggie, the girl genius; Adam, the golden boy; Charles, the designer; and Hari, the optimist (though I'm unsure if I would characterize Charles and Hari as such). These cookie cutter molds would usually throw me off, but I was pleasantly surprised at how complex they were, especially our protagonist. To fill the void left by her mother, a reserved father and a fascination for nerdy hobbies that didn't interest her peers as a child, Maggie seeks friendship and validation from the first two guys to take her under their wing at UC Berkeley. Unfortunately, her insecurities only fester as she opts for inclusion and belonging despite the risk towards her agency and self-respect. Maggie's people pleasing was so difficult to witness, but it's so painfully clear why she caves in; you can't help but empathize with someone like her, wanting the bare minimum only to not realize the harm it could do. As much as I quietly pleaded for her to make better decisions, to walk away with her head held high or be firm, I understood that she would only grow by making those mistakes. It's a relief to know what her future looks like following the last chapter. I'm almost certain that any reader can visualize these realistic people and places, and find parts of their past and current selves in Maggie.
I had many self-deliberations about my opinions of Adam. He reminds me of a pathetic, desperate version of Logan Huntzberger from Gilmore girls, and I say this as a compliment (people know how much I despise Logan, so). Adam checks off every item on the list of the typical Mr. Popular with the exception that he's not a douche bag or a gross womanizer. His drive to excel and bring his vision with Circle to life adds dimension, and I appreciate how consistent Wan writes in his desire to leave a legacy and speak romantically of the shortness of life: "This river is going to be flowing long after we're gone. We're so insignificant to the world, we might as well try to make our mark while we can!" As much as I didn't want Adam brought out the confidence and competitiveness in Maggie, and I suppose that's why I eventually appreciated his character more and disliked him less by the end.
Charles, my love, you are everything. Since his introduction in Chapter Three, I knew I would like Charles. While the guys were silly and a little reckless in their college years, I managed to like Charles throughout. Not only are he and Maggie like-minded often dancing in sync, but his calm, cool energy slips off the page seamlessly. Comfortable in his masculinity, composed on all fronts, but quietly paying attention, noting details and caring for Maggie, Charles is probably one of my favourite realistic portrayals of a good friend, man and person. Contrasting to Adam's view of Circle, I like how Charles attempts to separate himself as an individual and his relationships from the start-up. His interest in art, how he slowly drinks it in, aligns with who he is as a designer and paints a great contrast to the company they've created, one so full, fast-paced and overwhelming like the social media we have today. He isn't attached to it, not nearly as he is to the people around him. And Charles is Charles, with or without Circle; I find his perspective insightful and comforting.
I have little to say about Hari. He was funny though nothing about him really stood out. If anything, I found his obliviousness a bit annoying. He had a few nice moments with Maggie. That being said, I really liked Priya's character and wish we got a little more of her, it's rare to see South Asian representation that speaks to me <3
My only real criticism is the cover though that's a personal preference. I understands it's simple and fits the genre (a genre I've never explored until now, which was fun!), I just found it a bit too plain and Canva-esque.
Overall, what a relaxing, light read with good pacing, great complex characters and a familiar story just with new Hows and Whys. It's just what I needed, and I appreciate Wan for taking simple stories and giving them meaning, depth and relatability. I can't wait to see what she writes up next!
November 12, 2025
⭐️3.5⭐️
Three guys and a girl create F*cebook and although I love a good tech start up story, this one just didn’t land for me. It was well written enough, and the flashbacks served its purpose to showcase how these close friends quietly fell apart prior to their insta reunion after a decade. Maggie was obviously the most fleshed out character while the three other men just came off as…awful? A hidden romantic infatuation wasn’t enough to make me swoon because when it mattered most, Maggie was pushed out of the business she created by the family she also created. I kept waiting for a big emotional punch, but it just never came.
Three guys and a girl create F*cebook and although I love a good tech start up story, this one just didn’t land for me. It was well written enough, and the flashbacks served its purpose to showcase how these close friends quietly fell apart prior to their insta reunion after a decade. Maggie was obviously the most fleshed out character while the three other men just came off as…awful? A hidden romantic infatuation wasn’t enough to make me swoon because when it mattered most, Maggie was pushed out of the business she created by the family she also created. I kept waiting for a big emotional punch, but it just never came.
April 9, 2026
So bad that I checked—twice—to make sure it wasn’t YA. Not that I’d subject this derivative, deeply boring book to any young adult. It’s simply awful. Just don’t.
April 27, 2026
2.5⭐️
Bland, boring, and anticlimactic. But the audio made it a bit more listenable.
Bland, boring, and anticlimactic. But the audio made it a bit more listenable.
May 24, 2026
None of the characters are likable. And Maggie is only happy when she has a boyfriend? Ugh.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
On Circle, a fictional social network created by friends Maggie, Adam, Hari and Charles, users can “circle” -in purple digital ink - content that is high-quality and engaging which will then be promoted on other’s feeds. I’m torn wether I would circle this novel - on one hand, as a millennial tech worker in the Bay Area, this content speaks to me and I enjoyed Wan’s ability and understanding of Berkeley, start-ups and tech bro culture. On the other hand the premise and plot are unoriginal and has been adapted before and in other mediums (Silicon Valley, The Social Network and The Circle predominantly come to mind) and the flashback plot and timelines are not interesting or unique enough to differentiate it from its peers.
At the heart of the novel and technology aside, is the friendship between Maggie Tang and her three friends Adam, Hari, and Charles. Maggie starts as a loner but through happenstance and the all to familiar Silicon Valley start-up story of building a company in a dorm room, she bonds with the charismatic Adam, the bombastic Hari, and the intelligent Charles. Through a falling out after 8 years, Maggie finds herself working on her own company, OurSpot before a sudden invitation to a Norwegian Island brings the 4 friends together.
Having made many friends who went to UC Berkeley, I totally understand the cutthroat nature of school clubs there which grounds the origin of “Circle” in reality. In fact, I’ve heard rumors where joining a club at Berkeley is actually harder than getting into Berkeley itself! Although her setting is well researched, I did find Wan’s prose a little lacking describing both the plot and the technical aspects of building a start-up. I appreciated that through Maggie we can see the struggles of being a female co-founder in a male dominated industry, but other than a meeting and negative interaction with an Elon Musk-esque Venture Capitalist, her struggles are relegated to more advancing the plot rather than exploring the internality and psyche of her character. Speaking of internality, unlike the brilliant Social Network where we can see the maliciousness grow over-time of Jess Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg, we don’t really see into the thoughts or have sufficient evidence that the characters are drifting apart due to the power-hungry nature of Adam. I wish more build-up was spent on Adam, as the new CEO of Circle, and his rise and the slow deterioration with his relationship with Maggie. The falling-out feels very sudden and didn’t have as much of a punchy, emotional weight that a scene like that would have created.
Wan includes a love triangle in this story which was believable and did have an emotional pay-off based on interactions in the earlier timeline once the confession actualizes itself in the future timeline.
The ending did feel rushed to me and the impetus for the sudden invitation for Maggie to join Adam and the others on the island is revealed but isn’t built up as well as I would have liked. Apologies and the rebuilding of friendships didn’t really feel authentic and the climax of the novel wasn’t strong enough to cause realistic change in the characters which makes the falling action of them having changed for the better and still be friends a bit of a stretch.
At the end of the day would I circle this novel? It was an enjoyable read and If you’re into looking at start-up and techbro type books I’m sure you’ll enjoy it - but I was hoping for so much more and for some of its concepts to be explored in more detail. Perhaps I will draw a very small circle around this book.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this advanced review copy for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
At the heart of the novel and technology aside, is the friendship between Maggie Tang and her three friends Adam, Hari, and Charles. Maggie starts as a loner but through happenstance and the all to familiar Silicon Valley start-up story of building a company in a dorm room, she bonds with the charismatic Adam, the bombastic Hari, and the intelligent Charles. Through a falling out after 8 years, Maggie finds herself working on her own company, OurSpot before a sudden invitation to a Norwegian Island brings the 4 friends together.
Having made many friends who went to UC Berkeley, I totally understand the cutthroat nature of school clubs there which grounds the origin of “Circle” in reality. In fact, I’ve heard rumors where joining a club at Berkeley is actually harder than getting into Berkeley itself! Although her setting is well researched, I did find Wan’s prose a little lacking describing both the plot and the technical aspects of building a start-up. I appreciated that through Maggie we can see the struggles of being a female co-founder in a male dominated industry, but other than a meeting and negative interaction with an Elon Musk-esque Venture Capitalist, her struggles are relegated to more advancing the plot rather than exploring the internality and psyche of her character. Speaking of internality, unlike the brilliant Social Network where we can see the maliciousness grow over-time of Jess Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg, we don’t really see into the thoughts or have sufficient evidence that the characters are drifting apart due to the power-hungry nature of Adam. I wish more build-up was spent on Adam, as the new CEO of Circle, and his rise and the slow deterioration with his relationship with Maggie. The falling-out feels very sudden and didn’t have as much of a punchy, emotional weight that a scene like that would have created.
Wan includes a love triangle in this story which was believable and did have an emotional pay-off based on interactions in the earlier timeline once the confession actualizes itself in the future timeline.
The ending did feel rushed to me and the impetus for the sudden invitation for Maggie to join Adam and the others on the island is revealed but isn’t built up as well as I would have liked. Apologies and the rebuilding of friendships didn’t really feel authentic and the climax of the novel wasn’t strong enough to cause realistic change in the characters which makes the falling action of them having changed for the better and still be friends a bit of a stretch.
At the end of the day would I circle this novel? It was an enjoyable read and If you’re into looking at start-up and techbro type books I’m sure you’ll enjoy it - but I was hoping for so much more and for some of its concepts to be explored in more detail. Perhaps I will draw a very small circle around this book.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this advanced review copy for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
June 27, 2026
Ten years ago, way back in 2005, the Neolithic Age of Silicon Valley, Maggie Tang, the narrator and a twenty-year-old junior college transfer and coding genius, arrived at UC-Berkeley, hoping to become a software engineer. (What? A girl? Do actual software design? Impossible! Yeah, the author is going to have some very pointed things to say about the misogyny of tech bros.) She almost immediately fell in with a couple of guys who were also thoroughgoing geeks, largely they had neighboring crappy apartments in the same decrepit building, the cheapest housing available.
Charles Xu, Chinese-American like Maggie, was an extremely talented designer who could produce computer screen visuals you couldn’t take your eye away from, they were so perfect. Adam Fink, Charles’s best friend, was full of energy, afraid of nothing, a dynamo who could talk to anyone and was willing to attempt anything. And a few months later, they were joined by Hari, a South Indian, with a head for finance, who is hoping to get on with Goldman Sachs so as to nail down his green card.
Around them, Maggie -- who had a very poor self-image and assumed shed would be alone all her life -- became an entirely different person. These guys actually liked her. They even admired her. And so the three of them set about changing the world -- though that wasn’t their intention at first. They were just having fun making things.
But the narrative actually begins in the present day (well, about 2016, actually) with the line “Circle is ten years old today.” Yes, the billion-dollar company Maggie helped found -- she had the basic idea, came up with the name for it, and was their CEO -- has been in existence for a decade and she’s not part of it, on its sprawling campus in Palo Alto. She hasn’t been since the other three threw her out eight years ago. She’s living in a rented refurbished garage now, trying to make a go of it with a new, small media company called OurSpot, attempting to do what she set out to accomplish with Circle, and she may have to start pawning the office equipment to meet the payroll.
But then she gets a note from Adam. He’s hosting a Tenth Anniversary Circle reunion (in Norway, of all places, but you’ll learn all about that later) and he wants her there, too. And he’s insistent. “Come. Please.” At first, she thinks there’s no way in hell. She hasn’t spoken to any of them in eight years and doesn’t intend to start now. But an influential tech journalist will also be there, a woman with a reputation for pursuing the truth and playing no favorites with anyone. Maybe Maggie can nudge her into throwing in some coverage of OurSpot, and which might get her some funding. Okay, she’s still reluctant, but she’d better pack a bag for Norway.
This is the author’s second novel and it’s . . . well, it’s just really, really good. The narrative switches back and forth between the past and the present, with hints in both case of what’s about to happen or what did happen. There are little cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter, and the story kept me engrossed from beginning to end, putting aside chores to find out what happened next in the present, or what had already happened in the past. The author has a great deal to say about what friendship means, and also about family, and how it all changes as you grow up. Because that’s the real theme here: Personal growth and change, and how they affect everything else in your life. And also how growth and change neve stop, now matter how old you are. The writing style is very close to perfect, in my experienced opinion, and that makes the characters come alive in multiple dimensions. And your perception of the them will change, too, as the story progresses. I can’t recommend this one strongly enough.
Charles Xu, Chinese-American like Maggie, was an extremely talented designer who could produce computer screen visuals you couldn’t take your eye away from, they were so perfect. Adam Fink, Charles’s best friend, was full of energy, afraid of nothing, a dynamo who could talk to anyone and was willing to attempt anything. And a few months later, they were joined by Hari, a South Indian, with a head for finance, who is hoping to get on with Goldman Sachs so as to nail down his green card.
Around them, Maggie -- who had a very poor self-image and assumed shed would be alone all her life -- became an entirely different person. These guys actually liked her. They even admired her. And so the three of them set about changing the world -- though that wasn’t their intention at first. They were just having fun making things.
But the narrative actually begins in the present day (well, about 2016, actually) with the line “Circle is ten years old today.” Yes, the billion-dollar company Maggie helped found -- she had the basic idea, came up with the name for it, and was their CEO -- has been in existence for a decade and she’s not part of it, on its sprawling campus in Palo Alto. She hasn’t been since the other three threw her out eight years ago. She’s living in a rented refurbished garage now, trying to make a go of it with a new, small media company called OurSpot, attempting to do what she set out to accomplish with Circle, and she may have to start pawning the office equipment to meet the payroll.
But then she gets a note from Adam. He’s hosting a Tenth Anniversary Circle reunion (in Norway, of all places, but you’ll learn all about that later) and he wants her there, too. And he’s insistent. “Come. Please.” At first, she thinks there’s no way in hell. She hasn’t spoken to any of them in eight years and doesn’t intend to start now. But an influential tech journalist will also be there, a woman with a reputation for pursuing the truth and playing no favorites with anyone. Maybe Maggie can nudge her into throwing in some coverage of OurSpot, and which might get her some funding. Okay, she’s still reluctant, but she’d better pack a bag for Norway.
This is the author’s second novel and it’s . . . well, it’s just really, really good. The narrative switches back and forth between the past and the present, with hints in both case of what’s about to happen or what did happen. There are little cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter, and the story kept me engrossed from beginning to end, putting aside chores to find out what happened next in the present, or what had already happened in the past. The author has a great deal to say about what friendship means, and also about family, and how it all changes as you grow up. Because that’s the real theme here: Personal growth and change, and how they affect everything else in your life. And also how growth and change neve stop, now matter how old you are. The writing style is very close to perfect, in my experienced opinion, and that makes the characters come alive in multiple dimensions. And your perception of the them will change, too, as the story progresses. I can’t recommend this one strongly enough.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Building Empires and Burning Bridges
Set in the mid-2000s, The Social Circle spins the tale of Maggie Tang, freshly arrived at UC Berkeley and on the edge of the rest of her life. She stumbles into a messy, old apartment and meets Adam, Charles, Hari, and Priya, a scrappy band of misfits who quickly become her inner circle and her partners in launching Circle, the internet's first true social media giant. The novel darts between the group's idealistic college days and a tense ten-year reunion, where old wounds are reopened, and the cost of dreams is impossible to ignore.
Maggie starts as the odd one out, but it isn’t long before she’s swept up in the rush of creativity and ruthlessness the tech world demands. The group's tight friendship is equal parts love, loyalty, rivalry, and betrayal, playing out against the backdrop of a start-up growing far bigger and scarier than any of them imagined. Wan nails the double-edged sword of viral success, showing how fame, ambition, and Silicon Valley glamour can remake bonds or destroy them.
Sophie Wan writes with a keen eye for social nuance, lacing warmth and wit through sharply observed relationships. Her characters don’t always get it right, and that’s exactly why they feel so real. Drawing on her own experiences as a Berkeley alum and Bay Area native, Wan sidesteps clichés with honesty and a flair for nailing the small, painful truths that shape both friendships and tech fortunes.
The book’s split timeline is clever, piecing the puzzle of the group’s downfall together with plenty of emotional payoff. It has the addictive rise-and-fall energy of The Social Network, but with the intricate, personal storytelling fans loved in Daisy Jones & The Six.
If there's a knock, it’s that the coding-and-startup scenes sometimes veer close to familiar territory, and a handful of secondary characters could be sharper. But the central cast more than makes up for it, pulling the reader into the beautiful, messy business of ambition, loyalty, and what it means to stick with your people, or walk away.
The Social Circle delivers a smart, moving look at how technology can both bind us together and tear us apart. For anyone eager for smart, contemporary fiction about the price of building something big with people you think you’ll never lose, this one’s absolutely worth your time.
Set in the mid-2000s, The Social Circle spins the tale of Maggie Tang, freshly arrived at UC Berkeley and on the edge of the rest of her life. She stumbles into a messy, old apartment and meets Adam, Charles, Hari, and Priya, a scrappy band of misfits who quickly become her inner circle and her partners in launching Circle, the internet's first true social media giant. The novel darts between the group's idealistic college days and a tense ten-year reunion, where old wounds are reopened, and the cost of dreams is impossible to ignore.
Maggie starts as the odd one out, but it isn’t long before she’s swept up in the rush of creativity and ruthlessness the tech world demands. The group's tight friendship is equal parts love, loyalty, rivalry, and betrayal, playing out against the backdrop of a start-up growing far bigger and scarier than any of them imagined. Wan nails the double-edged sword of viral success, showing how fame, ambition, and Silicon Valley glamour can remake bonds or destroy them.
Sophie Wan writes with a keen eye for social nuance, lacing warmth and wit through sharply observed relationships. Her characters don’t always get it right, and that’s exactly why they feel so real. Drawing on her own experiences as a Berkeley alum and Bay Area native, Wan sidesteps clichés with honesty and a flair for nailing the small, painful truths that shape both friendships and tech fortunes.
The book’s split timeline is clever, piecing the puzzle of the group’s downfall together with plenty of emotional payoff. It has the addictive rise-and-fall energy of The Social Network, but with the intricate, personal storytelling fans loved in Daisy Jones & The Six.
If there's a knock, it’s that the coding-and-startup scenes sometimes veer close to familiar territory, and a handful of secondary characters could be sharper. But the central cast more than makes up for it, pulling the reader into the beautiful, messy business of ambition, loyalty, and what it means to stick with your people, or walk away.
The Social Circle delivers a smart, moving look at how technology can both bind us together and tear us apart. For anyone eager for smart, contemporary fiction about the price of building something big with people you think you’ll never lose, this one’s absolutely worth your time.
June 4, 2026
3.5 stars
Difficult to rate because I did end up really enjoying this in terms of premise and the suspense (to the point that I stayed up until 2 am to finish it...) However, I have some massive grievances with how the major conflict / "elephant in the room" was addressed. #JusticeForMaggie, because that was undeniably a betrayal, but she lowkey just like... let it go?? And the fact that she even went along with creating a facade of their continued friendship on this island... girl stand up!! That made NO sense.
I know the whole thing is that these are the only friends she's ever had (which is something that I also have issues with: Maggie, there is a whole world out there outside of these self-centered, problematic men) (and you should have realized that at this point tbh) but there's something called self-respect... I'm glad she didn't
Reading a book partly set at Berkeley was also so strange yet intriguing at the same time. I read Stay True which is a glimpse into Berkeley in the 90s, so getting a peek into Berkeley in the early 2000s only adds to the story. I can't believe there used to be TVs at the RSF... and a Late Night @ Croads!? Would've killed for that. And, meanwhile, the quality of Unit 3/Cafe 3 and parties at Acacia continues to be disparaged from 2005 to 2026.
Maggie's "not like other girls" mentality in college also exhausted me, but I tried to give her grace given her lonely upbringing and the lack of a substantial female presence in her life. Her prejudice against sorority girls and her one comment about not being desperate for a boy's attention like Priya (which is... also incredibly ironic considering she was only ever seeking approval from the guys around her, either romantically or platonically) really tested me. But there was growth!! So it's okay (mostly).
And a big theme of those college years was Maggie feeling alienated for being a girl that likes Computer Science, which really emphasized how much things have evolved (of course, women still only compose 27-30% of CS majors at Berkeley, but that is a much larger community than Maggie and anyone at that time like her would have been able to benefit from). The toxic, male-dominated CS club that questioned Maggie's credibility also felt unfortunately not too far off the present. I truly would have loved to see her form a female friendship grounded in this shared love at any point in this novel. We got the slightest hint of one, but that character was in... literally a singular scene in the beginning (and mentioned once at the end).
Anyways, overall: I enjoyed and I recommend! If you're okay with being a little rage-baited. And Adam???? can go to hell. Hari too.
Difficult to rate because I did end up really enjoying this in terms of premise and the suspense (to the point that I stayed up until 2 am to finish it...) However, I have some massive grievances with how the major conflict / "elephant in the room" was addressed. #JusticeForMaggie, because that was undeniably a betrayal, but she lowkey just like... let it go?? And the fact that she even went along with creating a facade of their continued friendship on this island... girl stand up!! That made NO sense.
I know the whole thing is that these are the only friends she's ever had (which is something that I also have issues with: Maggie, there is a whole world out there outside of these self-centered, problematic men) (and you should have realized that at this point tbh) but there's something called self-respect... I'm glad she didn't
Reading a book partly set at Berkeley was also so strange yet intriguing at the same time. I read Stay True which is a glimpse into Berkeley in the 90s, so getting a peek into Berkeley in the early 2000s only adds to the story. I can't believe there used to be TVs at the RSF... and a Late Night @ Croads!? Would've killed for that. And, meanwhile, the quality of Unit 3/Cafe 3 and parties at Acacia continues to be disparaged from 2005 to 2026.
Maggie's "not like other girls" mentality in college also exhausted me, but I tried to give her grace given her lonely upbringing and the lack of a substantial female presence in her life. Her prejudice against sorority girls and her one comment about not being desperate for a boy's attention like Priya (which is... also incredibly ironic considering she was only ever seeking approval from the guys around her, either romantically or platonically) really tested me. But there was growth!! So it's okay (mostly).
And a big theme of those college years was Maggie feeling alienated for being a girl that likes Computer Science, which really emphasized how much things have evolved (of course, women still only compose 27-30% of CS majors at Berkeley, but that is a much larger community than Maggie and anyone at that time like her would have been able to benefit from). The toxic, male-dominated CS club that questioned Maggie's credibility also felt unfortunately not too far off the present. I truly would have loved to see her form a female friendship grounded in this shared love at any point in this novel. We got the slightest hint of one, but that character was in... literally a singular scene in the beginning (and mentioned once at the end).
Anyways, overall: I enjoyed and I recommend! If you're okay with being a little rage-baited. And Adam???? can go to hell. Hari too.
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