Idol by Louise O’Neill

BANTAM PRESS, £14.99 (EBOOK, £5.99) REVIEW BY PRUDENCE WADE

With conversations around consent, cancel culture and wellness, Idol is a book firmly placed in the now. Samantha Miller is a world-famous wellness guru – but when she publishes an essay about a sexual awakening she had with her teenage best friend, the ex-friend gets in touch to say she doesn’t remember it the same way – threatening to topple everything Samantha has built. It’s a cleverly constructed story, told from Samantha’s perspective, so we’re initially on her side – only to realise how insidious her actions are, and the darkness that lies within. It brings up interesting questions about the cult of wellness but the story meanders in the middle.