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Underbelly
UNDERBELLY
[n.] singular
The soft underside or abdomen of a mammal.
An area vulnerable to attack.
A dark, hidden part of society.
Lo and Dylan are living parallel lives, worlds apart.
Lo is the ultimate middle-class mother, all perfectly polished Instagram posts and armchair activism.
Dylan is just about surviving on a zero-hours telemarketing job from her flat, trying to keep food on the table.
But when they meet at the school gates, they are catapulted into each other's homes and lives - with devastating consequences . . .
Explosive, sharply humorous and unflinchingly honest, Underbelly slices through the filtered surface of modern women's lives to expose the dark truth beneath.
[n.] singular
The soft underside or abdomen of a mammal.
An area vulnerable to attack.
A dark, hidden part of society.
Lo and Dylan are living parallel lives, worlds apart.
Lo is the ultimate middle-class mother, all perfectly polished Instagram posts and armchair activism.
Dylan is just about surviving on a zero-hours telemarketing job from her flat, trying to keep food on the table.
But when they meet at the school gates, they are catapulted into each other's homes and lives - with devastating consequences . . .
Explosive, sharply humorous and unflinchingly honest, Underbelly slices through the filtered surface of modern women's lives to expose the dark truth beneath.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published August 5, 2021
60 people are currently reading
1640 people want to read
About the author
Anna Whitehouse
10 books22 followersAnna is the granddaughter of a Jewish refugee who fled Vienna as a teenagerin 1936. She has loved writing stories ever since she was a young girl and this is her first children's novel.
The Last Santa was inspired by a question asked by Anna's dad when she was ten. "I wonder what would happen if Santa was ever abolished?" You'll have to read the book to find out!
The Last Santa was inspired by a question asked by Anna's dad when she was ten. "I wonder what would happen if Santa was ever abolished?" You'll have to read the book to find out!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
July 14, 2021
20 years (or so) ago, there was a big fashion for books written in emails - a sort of modern epistolary form. Today, those books look as dated as a ra-ra skirt or legwarmers. The current trend has moved on to the lives of Instagram influencers (other social media platforms obviously included) and I've read a handful of such stories in the past year or so. 'Underbelly' is one of the better ones and is rather more thought-provoking than some.
The problem with 'influencer' stories is that, without exception, these books always make me wonder why (ok, it's the money) anybody would put their life 'out there' to such a degree that they put themselves and their families at risk, and go from flavour of the month to the next online dodo in a very short time.
Underbelly follows two women whose children go to school together. One is on the run from an abusive ex-partner and trying to stay off the social media radar screen, the other lives her life permanently in the spotlight, making multiple posts every day, feeling the need to respond to every comment and question posted to her. The clever thing in this book - and I have no idea if such things exist in the real world - is the introduction of 'Influenza', a platform where anonymous people bitch about the influencers, spread rumours and unpleasant gossip, and take delight in slashing at the stems of Instagram's tall poppies.
A lot of things could have happened in this book but didn't. I rather applaud the author's ability to not go down too obvious a route with the storyline about the ex-partner. It's filled with reflections on modern friendship, where an influencer with a gazillion followers still doesn't really have any friends in the so-called real world. I liked the friendship that was developing between the two women.
I work in marketing and have done for 30 years. Businesses today are demanding digital presence on social media and increasingly expecting their social media teams to be online around the clock, answering questions, fending off SM disasters and suchlike. Books like this make me ever more wary to get sucked into that world and to leave social media to somebody else.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy.
The problem with 'influencer' stories is that, without exception, these books always make me wonder why (ok, it's the money) anybody would put their life 'out there' to such a degree that they put themselves and their families at risk, and go from flavour of the month to the next online dodo in a very short time.
Underbelly follows two women whose children go to school together. One is on the run from an abusive ex-partner and trying to stay off the social media radar screen, the other lives her life permanently in the spotlight, making multiple posts every day, feeling the need to respond to every comment and question posted to her. The clever thing in this book - and I have no idea if such things exist in the real world - is the introduction of 'Influenza', a platform where anonymous people bitch about the influencers, spread rumours and unpleasant gossip, and take delight in slashing at the stems of Instagram's tall poppies.
A lot of things could have happened in this book but didn't. I rather applaud the author's ability to not go down too obvious a route with the storyline about the ex-partner. It's filled with reflections on modern friendship, where an influencer with a gazillion followers still doesn't really have any friends in the so-called real world. I liked the friendship that was developing between the two women.
I work in marketing and have done for 30 years. Businesses today are demanding digital presence on social media and increasingly expecting their social media teams to be online around the clock, answering questions, fending off SM disasters and suchlike. Books like this make me ever more wary to get sucked into that world and to leave social media to somebody else.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy.
December 20, 2021
Touching on "influencer" & cancel culture, motherhood, emotional abuse through two women struggling to fit in the social media space.
Lo ( a full-time social media influencer struggling with a recent miscarriage) sparks a connection with Dylan ( a single mom hiding from an emotionally abusive partner, coping by writing about her experience)
After their kids form a special bond their lives get entangled and we see how enclosed they are in their spaces both real life and social media. Venturing into the nuances of how we present ourselves to a wider audience and the mental strain that comes with the performative nature.
The writing didn't move me but the subject matter held my attention, definitely one you should check out if the topic speaks to you.
Lo ( a full-time social media influencer struggling with a recent miscarriage) sparks a connection with Dylan ( a single mom hiding from an emotionally abusive partner, coping by writing about her experience)
After their kids form a special bond their lives get entangled and we see how enclosed they are in their spaces both real life and social media. Venturing into the nuances of how we present ourselves to a wider audience and the mental strain that comes with the performative nature.
The writing didn't move me but the subject matter held my attention, definitely one you should check out if the topic speaks to you.
January 10, 2025
Cancel culture en de donkere/toxic kant van social media in een boek. Bijna oncomfortabel om te lezen soms, maar wel een afspiegeling van hoe het in het echt ook kan gaan. Mensen oordelen op basis van een klein deel dat ze van iemand zien, en zo kan de waarheid (onder andere door roddels) makkelijk verdraaid worden.
Boven verwachting en wilde steeds weten hoe het verder ging!
3,5⭐️
Boven verwachting en wilde steeds weten hoe het verder ging!
3,5⭐️
August 6, 2021
⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️
Underbelly is a well written, interesting read; one that really makes you think about the toxic side of social media.
In this character driven story we learn in detail about the lives of the two main characters, Lois and Dylan:
Lois - a highly successful ‘mumfluencer’ on Instagram; to the onlooker her life is seemingly perfect, but appearances can be deceptive; we never know what’s really going on behind closed doors.
Dylan - a single mum desperately trying to make ends meet to support her young son, with dreams of becoming a writer.
Underbelly dives into the deep, dark depths of social media, predominantly the noxious, murky, shark-infested side. It shows how gossip sites (such as Tattle) can cause devastating emotional harm; how hurtful words and lies from online trolls can tear a person’s reputation and mental health to shreds, usually through misinformation and jealousy.
Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable, eye-opening read, highlighting one of the most important messages: be kind, you never know what someone’s going though - kindness costs nothing but can mean absolutely everything.
Many thanks to the publisher for the proof copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Underbelly is a well written, interesting read; one that really makes you think about the toxic side of social media.
In this character driven story we learn in detail about the lives of the two main characters, Lois and Dylan:
Lois - a highly successful ‘mumfluencer’ on Instagram; to the onlooker her life is seemingly perfect, but appearances can be deceptive; we never know what’s really going on behind closed doors.
Dylan - a single mum desperately trying to make ends meet to support her young son, with dreams of becoming a writer.
Underbelly dives into the deep, dark depths of social media, predominantly the noxious, murky, shark-infested side. It shows how gossip sites (such as Tattle) can cause devastating emotional harm; how hurtful words and lies from online trolls can tear a person’s reputation and mental health to shreds, usually through misinformation and jealousy.
Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable, eye-opening read, highlighting one of the most important messages: be kind, you never know what someone’s going though - kindness costs nothing but can mean absolutely everything.
Many thanks to the publisher for the proof copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 16, 2021
I received a copy of this book from Orion Publishing Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the fiction debut from Mother Pukka & her husband, writing as Anna Whitehouse. I was attracted to the book due to the striking pink cover & the description of … “parallel lives, worlds apart” – and how these parallel lives are introduced in first few chapters is really clever.
“Lo is the ultimate middle-class mother, all perfectly polished Instagram posts and armchair activism.
Dylan is just about surviving on a zero-hours telemarketing job from her flat, trying to keep food on the table.
But when they meet at the school gates, they are catapulted into each other's homes and lives - with devastating consequences . . .”
I really like the play on words that “Underbelly” evokes too, because within the book there are descriptions of caesarean scars and soft bellies of mothers that fall to the bed when laying on your side, but Underbelly here also means “A dark, hidden part of society”, apparently chosen due to the dark, anonymous side of the internet where faceless avatars judge & comment - and this book seeks to expose the damaging effects this can have.
It was obvious that I was going to imagine Lo as the picture of Mother Pukka herself that I have seen online; and Dyl conjured up visions of Jack Monroe for me, possibly because of the cropped hair & wonderful cheap filling “pommes de terre de toms” meal she makes for her little boy Noah, with little money.
I enjoyed reading the book – it was eye-opening & thought provoking (#bekind) and both main characters were well developed enough to be believable. Its not a comfortable book, and that’s deliberate. It makes you question your own beliefs & (online) behaviours whilst shining an unflattering mirror up to a society that judges (mainly other women) via a square box on a social media feed. The book deals with self-harm, baby loss & domestic violence and I wanted to raise this to ensure anyone potentially affected goes in with their eyes wide open. They’re brave topics that are handled sensitively & not gratuitously through the book.
There are some “loose ends” & open questions that aren’t quite tied up by the end of the book – I don’t know if this is deliberate to leave it open for a sequel, or deliberate because life doesn’t have neat endings.
I’ve heard that the book has already been picked up by a production company to be developed as a TV series and I can absolute envisage this as a CH4 program – modern, dark, sometimes funny, grittily realistic, with a strong female empowerment message. Fans of Motherland would appreciate it I’m sure, but really there’s nothing else I can think of to compare this book to and that in itself means you should take a read of this unique insight into 21st Century western women’s struggles.
This book is the fiction debut from Mother Pukka & her husband, writing as Anna Whitehouse. I was attracted to the book due to the striking pink cover & the description of … “parallel lives, worlds apart” – and how these parallel lives are introduced in first few chapters is really clever.
“Lo is the ultimate middle-class mother, all perfectly polished Instagram posts and armchair activism.
Dylan is just about surviving on a zero-hours telemarketing job from her flat, trying to keep food on the table.
But when they meet at the school gates, they are catapulted into each other's homes and lives - with devastating consequences . . .”
I really like the play on words that “Underbelly” evokes too, because within the book there are descriptions of caesarean scars and soft bellies of mothers that fall to the bed when laying on your side, but Underbelly here also means “A dark, hidden part of society”, apparently chosen due to the dark, anonymous side of the internet where faceless avatars judge & comment - and this book seeks to expose the damaging effects this can have.
It was obvious that I was going to imagine Lo as the picture of Mother Pukka herself that I have seen online; and Dyl conjured up visions of Jack Monroe for me, possibly because of the cropped hair & wonderful cheap filling “pommes de terre de toms” meal she makes for her little boy Noah, with little money.
I enjoyed reading the book – it was eye-opening & thought provoking (#bekind) and both main characters were well developed enough to be believable. Its not a comfortable book, and that’s deliberate. It makes you question your own beliefs & (online) behaviours whilst shining an unflattering mirror up to a society that judges (mainly other women) via a square box on a social media feed. The book deals with self-harm, baby loss & domestic violence and I wanted to raise this to ensure anyone potentially affected goes in with their eyes wide open. They’re brave topics that are handled sensitively & not gratuitously through the book.
There are some “loose ends” & open questions that aren’t quite tied up by the end of the book – I don’t know if this is deliberate to leave it open for a sequel, or deliberate because life doesn’t have neat endings.
I’ve heard that the book has already been picked up by a production company to be developed as a TV series and I can absolute envisage this as a CH4 program – modern, dark, sometimes funny, grittily realistic, with a strong female empowerment message. Fans of Motherland would appreciate it I’m sure, but really there’s nothing else I can think of to compare this book to and that in itself means you should take a read of this unique insight into 21st Century western women’s struggles.
August 11, 2021
Nothing interesting happens in this book. Absolutely nothing. I’d hardly say the women are “catapulted” into each others lives with “devastating consequences”. The description sounds exciting, promising even - but this book completely misses the mark.
January 2, 2022
First book of 2022. Fast paced which I liked although the writing did feel slightly immature at times. Was still a good engaging story and an easy read.
August 10, 2021
Whats your relationship like with social media and in particular Instagram? I ask this question because I think the enjoyment you’ll get from this novel will be affected by your answer. I have a love/hate relationship - loving the connections you can make and hating the influencers that one minute preach about sustainability but two posts later are flogging clothes from fast fashion companies; with absolutely no self-awareness whatsoever. So as soon as I read the blurb, I thought this book is for me. There are two protagonists, firstly, Lois an Instagram influencer on the rise; she campaigns online for women’s rights and has a loyal following who believe she can do no wrong. She has a young daughter Scout and an enviable lifestyle living in an Insta perfect home. She even has a tomato subscription! She has suffered several miscarriages and is desperate to get pregnant and have a second child. At Scout’s school she meets Dylan, mother of Noah. Dylan has escaped from an abusive relationship and is bringing up Noah singlehandedly in a rundown flat, working in telesales and existing on very little money. She dreams of being able to give up work to fulfil her ambition of being a writer, but lives in fear of her ex finding her. They are both strong and flawed women. Due to Scout and Noah’s friendship at school, Lois and Dylan form an unlikely friendship. This friendship suffers from misunderstandings, mis-communication and assumptions made by both parties which ultimately threatens to destabilise their relationship and lives in unforeseen ways.
I found both Lois and Dylan to be depicted particularly well in terms of their emotions and fears. The novel covers such topics as miscarriage, self harm, suicide and coercive behaviour but they are handled sensitively and well balanced with plenty of humour. Lois and Dylan’s increasing obsession with ‘Influenza” is fascinating to observe as they both fall victim to a following that turns against them. What I particularly enjoyed was the depiction of the relationship Lois had with her agent and her constant striving to increase her following and get that engagement rate up; whilst balancing the demands of her home life. What I found so interesting was that a lot of the problems Lois and Dylan experienced could have been solved simply by them speaking to each other. It seems that whilst social media is seen as a tool for communication their reliance on their smartphones seemed to make good old fashioned talking redundant. The author does have an Instagram account with a large following so clearly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to the rise of ‘Influenza’ type sites and trolls. The Author Note at the end of the book is particularly interesting where she states “that we don’t need to tear each other down’ - unfortunately while there is online anonymity, I don’t see this changing any time soon.
This is an entertaining read that I can highly recommend.
Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book ahead of its publication in return for an honest review.
I found both Lois and Dylan to be depicted particularly well in terms of their emotions and fears. The novel covers such topics as miscarriage, self harm, suicide and coercive behaviour but they are handled sensitively and well balanced with plenty of humour. Lois and Dylan’s increasing obsession with ‘Influenza” is fascinating to observe as they both fall victim to a following that turns against them. What I particularly enjoyed was the depiction of the relationship Lois had with her agent and her constant striving to increase her following and get that engagement rate up; whilst balancing the demands of her home life. What I found so interesting was that a lot of the problems Lois and Dylan experienced could have been solved simply by them speaking to each other. It seems that whilst social media is seen as a tool for communication their reliance on their smartphones seemed to make good old fashioned talking redundant. The author does have an Instagram account with a large following so clearly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to the rise of ‘Influenza’ type sites and trolls. The Author Note at the end of the book is particularly interesting where she states “that we don’t need to tear each other down’ - unfortunately while there is online anonymity, I don’t see this changing any time soon.
This is an entertaining read that I can highly recommend.
Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book ahead of its publication in return for an honest review.
August 3, 2021
As someone of an older generation for whom the world of influencers is still a slightly strange concept, I am always intrigued by books that explore the impact of the carefully curated world of social media and Underbelly by does just that, reminding us all of the dark side of the internet, as well as tackling the complicated issue of women learning to combine career and motherhood and the challenges that brings.
Lois and Dylan are two mothers whose lives couldn’t be more different. Lois lives a middle-class life with husband Johno and daughter Scout, and is a successful influencer with tens of thousands of followers on Instagram - but beneath the polished life portrayed on social media lies considerable heartache as she is struggling to conceive. By contrast Dylan is a single mother living hand to mouth, working a zero hours job but with aspirations to be a writer and trying to stay off social media as she is hiding from an abusive ex. When their children start school and become best friends, the unlikely pair find themselves developing a friendship but as they both develop their online presence, so they fall victim to the inevitable criticism and speculation from not only those on Instagram but on a breakout site known in the book as Influenza and risks exposing the side of themselves they are both trying to hide, with potentially devastating consequences.
Underbelly is a fairly gritty book in parts, going beyond the dangers of social media to touch on issues such as parenthood, miscarriage, domestic abuse, mental health and self harm. The book throws a light on the stark difference between followers and friendship, as well as on the complicated nature of female friendship and whether we are always as good at supporting our fellow women as we should be. It is a reminder that motherhood is challenging, and that navigating motherhood and a career with the inevitable mum guilt that comes with it is not easy for anyone - and how we are perceived by others can have a huge impact. Lo and Dylan are both very real characters, flawed and complicated but each likeable nevertheless and seeing their friendship evolve as the book progresses is fascinating. It is a book that manages to combine brutal honesty with real emotion and some genuine humour and I raced through it.
Lois and Dylan are two mothers whose lives couldn’t be more different. Lois lives a middle-class life with husband Johno and daughter Scout, and is a successful influencer with tens of thousands of followers on Instagram - but beneath the polished life portrayed on social media lies considerable heartache as she is struggling to conceive. By contrast Dylan is a single mother living hand to mouth, working a zero hours job but with aspirations to be a writer and trying to stay off social media as she is hiding from an abusive ex. When their children start school and become best friends, the unlikely pair find themselves developing a friendship but as they both develop their online presence, so they fall victim to the inevitable criticism and speculation from not only those on Instagram but on a breakout site known in the book as Influenza and risks exposing the side of themselves they are both trying to hide, with potentially devastating consequences.
Underbelly is a fairly gritty book in parts, going beyond the dangers of social media to touch on issues such as parenthood, miscarriage, domestic abuse, mental health and self harm. The book throws a light on the stark difference between followers and friendship, as well as on the complicated nature of female friendship and whether we are always as good at supporting our fellow women as we should be. It is a reminder that motherhood is challenging, and that navigating motherhood and a career with the inevitable mum guilt that comes with it is not easy for anyone - and how we are perceived by others can have a huge impact. Lo and Dylan are both very real characters, flawed and complicated but each likeable nevertheless and seeing their friendship evolve as the book progresses is fascinating. It is a book that manages to combine brutal honesty with real emotion and some genuine humour and I raced through it.
October 26, 2021
Nothing more sobering than a book that uncovers the toxic side of the digital age.
✅ Cancel culture
✅ Mum influencer
✅ Single mum
✅ Emotional abuse
✅ Miscarriages
A deep insight on the brain of an influencer who lives on likes and comments of their followers is the instant gratification one gets once the post receives positive engagements and on the contrary, finding onself spiraling down the rabbit hole when one is being cancelled. This is how Lo’s life is. When sharing intimate details of her life means blurring the line between her private and online life. How far would one go to market themselves? Does that make selling their children to the public okay?
Lo lives on acceptance of her followers. And it’s also because of that, it affects her relationship with the people around her. Case in point, keeping her husband in the dark while posting of something personal that she should have shared first and foremost, with her husband just because she needed the immediate attention and comfort from strangers— creating a gap between her and her partner.
On the hand, Dylan has a dark past that makes being seen to the public something that isn’t ideal but she’s an aspiring writer and she could do with some publicity while maintaining anonimity. But when the incessant negative thoughts and online pressures seem to push Dylan to speak up, how far would she go to protect her good name?
3.75/5⭐️ There’s various issues the writer intended to shine light on and I feel it’s because of that, the writing felt like it’s a touch-and-go rather than an introspective one.
✅ Cancel culture
✅ Mum influencer
✅ Single mum
✅ Emotional abuse
✅ Miscarriages
A deep insight on the brain of an influencer who lives on likes and comments of their followers is the instant gratification one gets once the post receives positive engagements and on the contrary, finding onself spiraling down the rabbit hole when one is being cancelled. This is how Lo’s life is. When sharing intimate details of her life means blurring the line between her private and online life. How far would one go to market themselves? Does that make selling their children to the public okay?
Lo lives on acceptance of her followers. And it’s also because of that, it affects her relationship with the people around her. Case in point, keeping her husband in the dark while posting of something personal that she should have shared first and foremost, with her husband just because she needed the immediate attention and comfort from strangers— creating a gap between her and her partner.
On the hand, Dylan has a dark past that makes being seen to the public something that isn’t ideal but she’s an aspiring writer and she could do with some publicity while maintaining anonimity. But when the incessant negative thoughts and online pressures seem to push Dylan to speak up, how far would she go to protect her good name?
3.75/5⭐️ There’s various issues the writer intended to shine light on and I feel it’s because of that, the writing felt like it’s a touch-and-go rather than an introspective one.
July 19, 2021
Originally I was planning to give this book 2 stars. I found it extremely slow and in places quite dull. It felt like a bit of a struggle to get through.
After thinking about it some more, I decided it definitely deserved an extra star. Although it wasn't a book I particularly enjoyed, I can appreciate that it deals with a lot of different sensitive issues quite well. It is essentially a book centered around the dark underbelly of the Internet and the damage that Internet trolls and hateful comments can make. It also deals with pregnancy loss, suicide and domestic violence.
As a warning to any potential readers, as someone who has experienced pregnancy loss, I found this a bit difficult to read in places.
After thinking about it some more, I decided it definitely deserved an extra star. Although it wasn't a book I particularly enjoyed, I can appreciate that it deals with a lot of different sensitive issues quite well. It is essentially a book centered around the dark underbelly of the Internet and the damage that Internet trolls and hateful comments can make. It also deals with pregnancy loss, suicide and domestic violence.
As a warning to any potential readers, as someone who has experienced pregnancy loss, I found this a bit difficult to read in places.
October 14, 2021
A happy sad book that has some great banter and at times highly emotional content.
Lois and Dylan have a school gate relationship, their kids met on the first day of school and are best friends. Both mums have an online presence, Lo is an influencer who is making good money from advertising and Dylan writes about her life of poverty and her abusive ex in a blog.
Both women have deep seated problems that they share online and things go well until a post from Lo undermines their friendship and creates an online storm of anger that will nearly destroy one of them.
please be aware this book contains references to domestic abuse self harm and baby loss.
Lois and Dylan have a school gate relationship, their kids met on the first day of school and are best friends. Both mums have an online presence, Lo is an influencer who is making good money from advertising and Dylan writes about her life of poverty and her abusive ex in a blog.
Both women have deep seated problems that they share online and things go well until a post from Lo undermines their friendship and creates an online storm of anger that will nearly destroy one of them.
please be aware this book contains references to domestic abuse self harm and baby loss.
October 24, 2021
4.5 stars. An thoroughly engrossing and fast-paced read.
March 16, 2024
really gripping! i flew through it which was nice - the crescendo was perfectly timed and paced well, but the end felt quite flat. i still had q’s, but overall a very good read!
July 29, 2021
I really enjoy books that look at this crazy social media soaked world we live in and Underbelly brilliantly combines the scary, dangerous realities (of the hidden side) of a life lived online with an engrossing story and complex characters you feel invested in.
Anna Whitehouse is actually the fiction-writing pseudonym of husband and wife Matt Farquharson and Anna Whitehouse. To add another name to the mix, Anna Whitehouse is also known as Mother Pukka on social media. She’s a journalist, radio presenter and writer and has become an important voice in pushing forward the flexible working cause. I’m a huge fan of what she does, so was interested to see what this novel would be like.
Narrator Lo is mum of 4-year-old Scout, married to Johno and being an Instamum is her main source of income (#ads). She lives a financially comfortable life and although has good intentions, lets herself get swept up in the idea of her social presence – to the detriment of reality.
Lo meets fellow mum (and fellow narrator) Dylan at the school gates – Dylan’s son Noah is in Scout’s class. It is circumstance rather than similarities that draw them together. Dylan is a single mum making ends meet and is an aspiring author. Her very personal book is about her abusive relationship – something that shadows her every day.
Through the story, both women develop their online presence and this is to be their downfall. Mainly due to the absolute savage nature of people, not only social media but on breakout bitching sites (scathingly called Influenza here) too. This is a very real, very dangerous situation that has real consequences beyond an anonymous, throwaway comment – something both Lo and Dylan soon discover.
I know from following Anna for a little while now on instagram that some of the experiences of Lo and Dylan are rooted in reality. This made reading Underbelly all the more interesting to me as you can feel the authenticity behind the characters. I really liked how Underbelly also looks at the complex, evolving and twisting nature of female friendship and the endless pressure of mum-guilt – relatable topics for so many.
This book was sharp, funny, warm and highly readable, while making some important points – about both people that choose to live any part of their personal life online (and accept money to do that) and the people that feel they have some sort of right to destroy the aforementioned people through gossip and lies.
There’s no doubt social media is an ingrained part of our lives now, so stories like Underbelly that explore this – in all its true murkiness – feel so relevant and necessary right now. An excellent summer read!
Anna Whitehouse is actually the fiction-writing pseudonym of husband and wife Matt Farquharson and Anna Whitehouse. To add another name to the mix, Anna Whitehouse is also known as Mother Pukka on social media. She’s a journalist, radio presenter and writer and has become an important voice in pushing forward the flexible working cause. I’m a huge fan of what she does, so was interested to see what this novel would be like.
Narrator Lo is mum of 4-year-old Scout, married to Johno and being an Instamum is her main source of income (#ads). She lives a financially comfortable life and although has good intentions, lets herself get swept up in the idea of her social presence – to the detriment of reality.
Lo meets fellow mum (and fellow narrator) Dylan at the school gates – Dylan’s son Noah is in Scout’s class. It is circumstance rather than similarities that draw them together. Dylan is a single mum making ends meet and is an aspiring author. Her very personal book is about her abusive relationship – something that shadows her every day.
Through the story, both women develop their online presence and this is to be their downfall. Mainly due to the absolute savage nature of people, not only social media but on breakout bitching sites (scathingly called Influenza here) too. This is a very real, very dangerous situation that has real consequences beyond an anonymous, throwaway comment – something both Lo and Dylan soon discover.
I know from following Anna for a little while now on instagram that some of the experiences of Lo and Dylan are rooted in reality. This made reading Underbelly all the more interesting to me as you can feel the authenticity behind the characters. I really liked how Underbelly also looks at the complex, evolving and twisting nature of female friendship and the endless pressure of mum-guilt – relatable topics for so many.
This book was sharp, funny, warm and highly readable, while making some important points – about both people that choose to live any part of their personal life online (and accept money to do that) and the people that feel they have some sort of right to destroy the aforementioned people through gossip and lies.
There’s no doubt social media is an ingrained part of our lives now, so stories like Underbelly that explore this – in all its true murkiness – feel so relevant and necessary right now. An excellent summer read!
August 23, 2021
I was provided with a free ebook copy of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publishers.
This book follows two mothers who get sucked into the negative side of blogging, social media influencers and online gossip sites.
Lois is a succesful mummy instagrammer who posts lots of content of her child Scout online. Online, she has the perfect life: the kid, the husband, the house. In reality, she feels distant from her husband, doesn't feel like he respects her job and is contantly stressing about what her followers are saying about her on an online gossip from called Influenza.
Dyland is a single mother who writes an anonymous blog about her difficult upbringing. She was raised by her mother after her father committed suicide but ran away from home and ended up in an abusve and controlling relationship. She then got pregnant and ran way from her abusive partner when she felt herself go into labour. She is trying her best to raise her son Noah, but struggles financially and is worried that her ex will hunt them down and try to hurt her again.
Despite being in very unsimilar circumstances, the two women strike up a friendship and begin to enjoy each other's company. Lois even starts directing followers to Dyland's blog and she gets offered a book deal she has always wanted. Things are going well until an ill thought out social media campaign involving Lois sends a lot of online hate both of their ways and their friendship falls apart.
I thought this was an incredibly well written book that really explored the not so positive consequences of sharing your life online. I've read a lot of books where the main characters are bloggers/influencer and I think this may have been the most realistic one I have read thus far. Specifically the sections involving the gossip forums, I have friends who have been on the receiving end of that sort of hate online before and I've seen first hand how damaging it can be.
This book was well written an thoroughly addicitve. I raced through it in only a few hours. I would recommend it, easily one of my top reads of 2021.
This book follows two mothers who get sucked into the negative side of blogging, social media influencers and online gossip sites.
Lois is a succesful mummy instagrammer who posts lots of content of her child Scout online. Online, she has the perfect life: the kid, the husband, the house. In reality, she feels distant from her husband, doesn't feel like he respects her job and is contantly stressing about what her followers are saying about her on an online gossip from called Influenza.
Dyland is a single mother who writes an anonymous blog about her difficult upbringing. She was raised by her mother after her father committed suicide but ran away from home and ended up in an abusve and controlling relationship. She then got pregnant and ran way from her abusive partner when she felt herself go into labour. She is trying her best to raise her son Noah, but struggles financially and is worried that her ex will hunt them down and try to hurt her again.
Despite being in very unsimilar circumstances, the two women strike up a friendship and begin to enjoy each other's company. Lois even starts directing followers to Dyland's blog and she gets offered a book deal she has always wanted. Things are going well until an ill thought out social media campaign involving Lois sends a lot of online hate both of their ways and their friendship falls apart.
I thought this was an incredibly well written book that really explored the not so positive consequences of sharing your life online. I've read a lot of books where the main characters are bloggers/influencer and I think this may have been the most realistic one I have read thus far. Specifically the sections involving the gossip forums, I have friends who have been on the receiving end of that sort of hate online before and I've seen first hand how damaging it can be.
This book was well written an thoroughly addicitve. I raced through it in only a few hours. I would recommend it, easily one of my top reads of 2021.
January 9, 2022
I wanted to like this, I was looking forward to reading it. I almost didn't finish it as in the first 30 pages I could tell it would be dull and drag on, but persevered as it felt too early in the year to give up on a book. I'm at a loss to explain all the positive reviews to be honest. The best thing about this book is the marketing behind it. The publishers/authors have done a great job creating hype around it, shame it's not a good book. It's poorly edited, the writing is adolescent the story was really predictable and s l o w. Also, I don't understand how Dylan cut her wrist and radial artery presumably around or before 3pm, as this is meant to explain why she wasn't at school pick up, but then she isn't found until after 8pm? Are we meant to believe she was bleeding out for over 5 hours and didn't die? The subject matter had potential, and this book might interest anyone who is really into Instagram and the whole "Mumfluencer" world. Unfortunately the book reads like it was written for people who don't own books and only read social media posts. I'm sure it has an audience but definitely isn't me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2022
The fatphobia, and judgemental comments about the man at the checkout (p24) is horrific, and I’m shocked it has been published. I hope this storyline isn’t carried forward with the tv series planned. Binned.
May 10, 2023
Loved it! Two strong, flawed and fierce women who become intertwined, then ripped apart. I couldn't put it down, or pick a side...a pointed reminder that social media can only ever be two-dimensional.
February 5, 2022
Loved it ! I devoured this in two days. A very dark insight into the risks of profiting off yourself and your family on social media, and the high standards we expect of those who do.
November 16, 2022
I enjoyed this, it’s really shocking how social media can dominate peoples lives
January 29, 2023
Took me a while to get into this book, but I liked the emphasis on online and offline personas, and how our perceptions of others and their motives aren't always as black and white as we think.
October 4, 2022
A contemporary easy-read 😊. Not the most eventful storyline but I really enjoyed the reflections it prompted on social media and the "world" of an influencer.
May 1, 2023
It's an exceptional book that shows the toxic reality of social media and what anonymous judgemental people can do to your mental health. It is fabulously written, gripping, and just a fantastic book that I couldn't put down! Wonderful story of two women and what Internet is capable of. Very much recommend, especially if you're into social media. The authors managed to describe the nature of social media in the most authentic way I've ever seen, presenting how it can be both influential and life changing, as well as a complete nightmare when you become a platform. I left me with so many reflections and I just can't stop thinking about it. LOVED IT
March 16, 2022
Important topics explored however the characters are like caricatures and really lack dimension. A good distraction but not the most well written book
December 3, 2021
Brilliant book! Great for mother's of young children and those who use social media. It was beautiful and scary in equal measure, the scarier side of social media.
July 24, 2021
Genre: General Fiction | Womens Fiction | Adult Fiction
Release Date: Expected 5th August 2021
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
CW; This book contains descriptions Self-Harm, Domestic Abuse and Miscarriage.
Lo lives the perfect life, according to her expertly curated social media anyway. A happily middle-class Mother to a very cute four-year old, she spends her time thinking of the right instagram captions for her adoring followers, drinking very good wine and fighting for the rights of breastfeeding mums from her phone. She has no reason to know Dylan, a single mum just about getting by on a zero hour job and barely able to afford to even feed her son , just trying to continue her life quietly and out of sight.
But a chance meeting at the school entangles their lives together in ways they'd never expect - and threatens to bring everything they're hiding out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
"This one is about women and the dark things we do to each other in the underbelly of the internet. This one isn't about someone else, it's about me."
Underbelly was an exploration into the darker side of the internet and being constantly switched on and reachable - showing us two women who's lives have been changed drastically by the internet but in parallel worlds. The characters were viscerally real and grew on me slowly throughout the story, at first thinking their flaws and failings would keep me at arms length but instead showed me hidden depths to them. We saw Lo and Dyl grow as people page by page as well as how their relationship transformed from strangers to friends to something else entirely.
There's a lot of stories now that explore the phenomena of the 'Influencer' - but this one definitely stands out. Raising powerful points about parenthood, mental health, self image and the potential dangers of social media. Whitehouse masterfully showed how life can be convoluted and darker when it's being fed through millions of strangers, and just how fatal rumours can be.
A true page-turner, this was a real slow-burn that suddenly explodes into fire in ways I definitely didn't see coming. Whitehouse is definitely one to watch.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Anna Whitehouse, Orion Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
Release Date: Expected 5th August 2021
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
CW; This book contains descriptions Self-Harm, Domestic Abuse and Miscarriage.
Lo lives the perfect life, according to her expertly curated social media anyway. A happily middle-class Mother to a very cute four-year old, she spends her time thinking of the right instagram captions for her adoring followers, drinking very good wine and fighting for the rights of breastfeeding mums from her phone. She has no reason to know Dylan, a single mum just about getting by on a zero hour job and barely able to afford to even feed her son , just trying to continue her life quietly and out of sight.
But a chance meeting at the school entangles their lives together in ways they'd never expect - and threatens to bring everything they're hiding out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
"This one is about women and the dark things we do to each other in the underbelly of the internet. This one isn't about someone else, it's about me."
Underbelly was an exploration into the darker side of the internet and being constantly switched on and reachable - showing us two women who's lives have been changed drastically by the internet but in parallel worlds. The characters were viscerally real and grew on me slowly throughout the story, at first thinking their flaws and failings would keep me at arms length but instead showed me hidden depths to them. We saw Lo and Dyl grow as people page by page as well as how their relationship transformed from strangers to friends to something else entirely.
There's a lot of stories now that explore the phenomena of the 'Influencer' - but this one definitely stands out. Raising powerful points about parenthood, mental health, self image and the potential dangers of social media. Whitehouse masterfully showed how life can be convoluted and darker when it's being fed through millions of strangers, and just how fatal rumours can be.
A true page-turner, this was a real slow-burn that suddenly explodes into fire in ways I definitely didn't see coming. Whitehouse is definitely one to watch.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Anna Whitehouse, Orion Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
August 2, 2021
I was in a bit of a reading slump before I started Underbelly and this is just what I needed to pull me out of it.
Underbelly is told from the points of view of two women; Lois and Dylan. Lois is a middle class mother to four-year-old Scout and is married to Johno. She boasts an Instagram following of tens of thousands of people and makes a living from ads on social media.
Dylan is a single mother to four-year-old son Noah and in stark contrast to Lois, doesn't share her life online in the same way. She has escaped a violent relationship and is keeping under the radar. She does however, write an anonymous blog about her past.
These two ladies are thrown together after their children start school together and their lives change completely.
I started my "blogging life" as a parent blogger but moved into book blogging when I decided I didn't want to share my children online as much anymore. I still follow a lot of parent bloggers and online influencers so I am well aware of what goes on when it comes to trolls and negative comments.
Lois (and eventually Dylan) fall victim to these online keyboard warriors with devastating consequences, from both comments on their personal posts but also threads about them on a specific message board solely for gossiping about influencers (no prizes for guessing what that is based on!)
Honestly, I could not put this book down and my emotions were all over the place! It does describe the reality of living your life online, how people think that they know every single thing about your life and think that because you put yourself out there, they can say what they like.
I must also add trigger warnings for domestic abuse, baby loss and self harm.
Underbelly is told from the points of view of two women; Lois and Dylan. Lois is a middle class mother to four-year-old Scout and is married to Johno. She boasts an Instagram following of tens of thousands of people and makes a living from ads on social media.
Dylan is a single mother to four-year-old son Noah and in stark contrast to Lois, doesn't share her life online in the same way. She has escaped a violent relationship and is keeping under the radar. She does however, write an anonymous blog about her past.
These two ladies are thrown together after their children start school together and their lives change completely.
I started my "blogging life" as a parent blogger but moved into book blogging when I decided I didn't want to share my children online as much anymore. I still follow a lot of parent bloggers and online influencers so I am well aware of what goes on when it comes to trolls and negative comments.
Lois (and eventually Dylan) fall victim to these online keyboard warriors with devastating consequences, from both comments on their personal posts but also threads about them on a specific message board solely for gossiping about influencers (no prizes for guessing what that is based on!)
Honestly, I could not put this book down and my emotions were all over the place! It does describe the reality of living your life online, how people think that they know every single thing about your life and think that because you put yourself out there, they can say what they like.
I must also add trigger warnings for domestic abuse, baby loss and self harm.
October 26, 2021
I loved this book! I don't want to give a synopsis of the content I'd just highly recommend you read it for yourself. First time I have read anything written by the author Anna Whitehouse but if Underbelly is an indicator of her talent it definitely won't be the last.
October 23, 2021
Amazing
I couldn't put this book down. I haven't read a character that stays with you after the last page in a long while but here there are two.
I couldn't put this book down. I haven't read a character that stays with you after the last page in a long while but here there are two.
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