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Fake Accounts
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
24 posts | 30 read | 25 to read
A wry, provocative and very funny debut novel about identity, authenticity and the self in the age of the internet, fakery and illusion
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review
Tonybh37
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
Mehso-so

This book is all voice and no story but the voice was often good company. Oyler is a very good writer but not much of a novelist; her style is better suited to the essay. Fake Accounts has some compelling things to say about the way social media has wholly reconfigured human subjectivity but it just…drifts. The novel has little architecture and the closing reveal didn‘t carry the kind of complicated moral heft it was seemingly designed to.

review
Kazzie
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
Pickpick

This was strange. At times I was so irritated by the protagonist, but she admits we should be. She creates different personas for herself, and lies constantly - perhaps to inhabit the mind of her ex boyfriend. So much about Berlin felt true. Good account of a long millennial

blurb
Oryx
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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My little book haul today. And my hat, because it matched the colour scheme.

Megabooks I loved fake accounts! 2y
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quote
beccamayo
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler

But a careless little bitch who didn‘t know what she was talking about is not as bad as what I actually was: someone who would rather other people think of her as a careless little bitch who didn‘t know what she was talking about than not think of her at all.

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Hooked_on_books
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Mehso-so

I‘m not sure what to say about this one because I‘m not sure what it‘s trying to say. Is it that online spaces are often performative and shallow because people already are that way? Or that these aspects of online life can bleed over into reality and make us be this way? I don‘t know. Plus, it ends bizarrely and abruptly. It just didn‘t quite come together for me.

Megabooks I loved this, but it was a miss for @BarbaraBB too. 3y
BarbaraBB Yeah I was underwhelmed too! 3y
43 likes2 comments
review
Jessicareadingwala
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
Pickpick

Whatever one thinks of the plot, the writing is very good. I usually find authors attempts to use, or weave in, digital tools fail, but Oyler has a flair for a self-referential critique of our modern ways through literature. Does this age create more narcissism or simple display it more ruthlessly? I liked the book, but felt a little befuddled at the end, wondering if maybe I didn‘t fully get it? Maybe that was part of the point.

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Smartypants
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Panpan

How was this book you ask?? Horrible. The premise seems interesting but this book lacks a solid plot. Unless you have a fascinating interest in the Berlin online dating scene. AVOID this book. RUN fast and far!

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AlizaApp
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Pickpick

Right after the 2016 election, a woman discovers her boyfriend is secretly an online conspiracy theorist. But she misleads also - so whose fakeness is the worse offense? I liked the novel and what it had to say about online performativity. I do get very annoyed when New York writers shit on DC for being boring - begging people to please experience this city beyond Capitol Hill and stop being ignorant. (Rant over!)

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review
Megabooks
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Pickpick

This is another great as an #audiobook novel. Rebecca Lowman is a fantastic narrator, and the tone is conversational.

I love it when the title of a novel carries great meaning. What are fake accounts? Fake social media? Falsified stories? Fake tinder profiles? Lying to gain something of value? When is it art and when is it artifice?

This novel has some interesting answers to these questions. Really thoughtful book!

BarbaraBB You even reread books along with reading those 500 books 🤩 3y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I do count rereads in the total, but I have a tag on the storygraph that tells me how many I‘ve done. 👍🏻 3y
BarbaraBB You‘re right of course to included them!! 3y
77 likes3 stack adds3 comments
review
Pedrocamacho
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Mehso-so

I am still deciding about this book. There were some facets and subplots that lost me and others that gripped me. The self-awareness of the protagonist was both necessary and off putting. Sometimes being puzzled by a book is great and that may the case for this book. I‘m just not sure.

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Shakesteve
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Panpan

Ugh. I can‘t believe I read this whole novel. If the point of this book was to expose the narcissistic qualities of millennials who feel the need to post their every thought, then this book does so by tediously slogging through every thought that goes through this woman‘s mind. I decided I knew how it would end, but then thought, “It can‘t be that predictable!” And then I forced my way to the end and it was! It was that predictable! Ugh.

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BarbaraBB
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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#BookReport 22/20

I can‘t remember when was the last time I only read one book in a week. I hope to do better next week!

TrishB Had a week like that in lockdown! Felt weird. Hope you get some more time next week. 3y
Cathythoughts I usually read one book in a week ... and that‘s good !! I‘m very happy with that 😁... you guys are in another league ! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💕💕 3y
BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts I used to be happy with a book a week too but since the pandemic I‘ve been reading much more! I guess it‘s a sign of going back to normal! 3y
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Cathythoughts Going back to normal would be a good thing .... I‘d love to up my reading game though ... 🙄😂we‘ll see ... I imagine your a fast reader 👍🏻❤️ 3y
Cinfhen Did you like it?? 3y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I did like it but not love it! 3y
BarbaraBB @TrishB Thanks! Hope so too! 3y
Cinfhen Got your email, will respond tomorrow 🧡 3y
Megabooks Boo! Sorry you‘re in a slump. It‘s hard for me to type now, but I will write back soon! 💜💜 3y
Graywacke For what it‘s worth, I admire that you can say that. But i wish you reading peace or whatever it that let‘s you read as you like. 3y
71 likes10 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Mehso-so

The Guardian states in a review of this book: ‘This is a self-involved novel, for self-involved readers in a self-involved age.‘ That is so true, and it‘s funny as well as tiresome. Starting out strong with a lot of social media, and the women‘s march folllowing Trump‘s inauguration. Then however the sharp observations make place for random meetings in Berlin that don‘t add much to the story- because the narrator is ultimately just self-involved

BarbaraBB @Megabooks Still glad I read it Meg, some parts are brilliant! 3y
rockpools Hm. Kind of intriguing... 3y
Cinfhen I like your edition but im not feeling this one 🤷🏼‍♀️ 3y
Megabooks I can see this review and how the self-involved parts would‘ve been magnified for me in print. In retrospect, I think certain things (like stream of consciousness and self-centered characters) work better for me on audio. Plus Rebecca Lowman was a great author/narrator match for this. 3y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks I can imagine it works better on audio- especially the stream of conscience (edited) 3y
81 likes5 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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I have had way too little time to read this week, mostly because my daughter asked if I wanted to watch #Lost with her - a series which I loved but have watched twice already. Yet I couldn‘t refuse 😀🤷🏻‍♀️so we‘re binging again, only taking a break to watch the #FriendsReunion ❤️

The pic shows one of my favorite scenes #TeamKateAndSawyerAlways😍

Kalalalatja Yes to Kate and Sawyer! 🙌 3y
emilyhaldi Oh man it‘s been so long since I first watched Lost!! Might be time for a rewatch for me 🤔 3y
Megabooks I don‘t know how anyone could ever think Jack and Kate belong together. Definitely count me as team Kate and Sawyer as well!!! 3y
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Megabooks And also I fell down the rabbit hole of final season sideways jumps explanations a couple of weeks ago. Occasionally I‘ll still get lost (pardon the pun) in the show‘s Wiki!! I hope you like Fake Accounts and that I didn‘t steer you incorrectly. 😬 (edited) 3y
Ruthiella I only watched the first couple seasons but definitely shipped Kate and Sawyer too. How was the Friends reunion? I loved the show but am ambivalent about “reunions” for old 📺 shows. 3y
BarbaraBB @Kalalalatja @Megabooks @Ruthiella love that you‘re rooting for Kate and Sawyer too!! Really!! (edited) 3y
BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi It‘s just as good. I am binging as if I‘ve never seen it before! 3y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks A couple of weeks ago? That is such a coincidence! The show‘s wiki is great! I follow Kate and Sawyer on Instagram 🤷🏻‍♀️😀. I do like Fake Accounts. It‘s a lot/ dense (?) but I can relate to her even though I‘m no millennial 😉 3y
BarbaraBB @Ruthiella I‘m a sucker for reunions so I might no be objective but I did like it. Nothing too special but it was fun and there were some really enjoyable moments. 3y
Suet624 Ummm... I‘m just a first season watcher. Now I feel left behind. 3y
BarbaraBB @Suet624 I loved it the first time and am surprised I still do. I‘m not much of a series watcher, but for me this series is so engaging and surprising. Unlike anything else! 3y
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blurb
BarbaraBB
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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#WeeklyForecast 21/21

The last week of the month and I have some catching up to do with the challenges. So I hope to finish two more prompts for #ReadingAsia2021 as well as #Booked2021. The tagged one I bought solely on @Megabooks review, can‘t wait to find out what it‘s about!

squirrelbrain These all look good! 4y
Megabooks 🤞🏻 You like it! 4y
Kalalalatja Great covers! 4y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Me too! But I probably will! 4y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I hope my Asian books are good 🤞🏽 4y
63 likes5 comments
review
Kimberlone
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Bailedbailed

The opening chapters of this book really sucked me in as the main character gets drawn down the rabbit hole of discovering her boyfriend is a secret right-wing internet troll. For some reason I started to lose momentum once I was about 1/4 through, and then my library loan expired. Even the second time around I couldn‘t muster the interest to finish this book and am calling it DNF as my second loan ends. Oh well 🤷🏽‍♀️

bourne.shell I don't blame you. It was tough to finish it. But it started out so good right? Then it drifted away from thing that hooked you in the first place. I think I finished it out of pure annoyance. Plus I haven't finished a book since, so maybe it ruined me. 4y
Kimberlone @bourne.shell based on your review, I‘m not feeling bad that I quit...I hope you find a way out of your reading slump! 4y
62 likes2 comments
review
MicheleinPhilly
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Bailedbailed

Good grief, this book is exhausting. Throwing in the towel at 23%.

TrishB Wow 😳 there‘s a couple of sentences! 4y
BarbaraBB Wow. @Megabooks loved this book. I am curious to see where I‘ll end up. I will read it soon! 4y
MicheleinPhilly @TrishB That‘s how it is on EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE. I have a wife and a dog and a house and a job. I do not have time for this navel-gazing, pretentious shit! *she said half a dozen times over the span of 70 pages* 🙄 4y
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MicheleinPhilly @BarbaraBB I will be curious to hear what you think of it. I actually read the first 2 sections twice because I was afraid I was just too tired/stressed during my first attempt, but I hated it even more on the 2nd go-around. 😂 4y
MicheleinPhilly @TrishB @BarbaraBB I just wanted her to get to the damn point already. 4y
TrishB 😂😂 I agree with that page! 4y
BarbaraBB I agree on this page. Would drive me nuts too. But the plot sounds great and I do like the role of social media in contemporary fiction. 4y
MicheleinPhilly I can‘t believe you listened to this as an audiobook, Meg. Did it just sound like one, long, rambling, stream of consciousness word salad? @Megabooks 4y
Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly @BarbaraBB maybe it was that I listened as an audiobook because when I tried to read Ducks, Newburyport in print, I couldn‘t, but it made perfect sense as an audiobook. I think I‘m better able to parse certain writing styles/topics on audio. Plus the narrator (who is a fave) is a perfect choice for this type of writing. Sorry you didn‘t like it! 😕 4y
MicheleinPhilly @Megabooks No harm, no foul! It was a library borrow. 4y
47 likes10 comments
review
bourne.shell
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Pickpick

The reviews for this book are divisive. I was hooked for the first 20%. Then it slowly started to change into something else. Not terrible, just different than what I expected. The disconnection from the real you and the online persona that everyone else thinks is you. There is some brilliant commentary about relationships, sex, and power dynamics. And some drab run-ons of unfiltered thought.

... Objects online are less sexy than they appear

11 likes1 stack add
review
Therewillbebooks
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Pickpick

Did an episode on the new Lauren Oyler book Fake Accounts. I liked it, Peter didn't. We discuss our reasoning and argue about the value of autofiction. We also touch on whether or not aliens built the pyramids.

https://open.spotify.com/show/6A6hXZ7eaOG7BtHOSJpCTI?si=7Uo1v8VzT9ugqtDNapOvxg

QuintusMarcus Thrilled to see Shikasta in the background! You never hear about that series anymore. 4y
QuintusMarcus Did you read all five books in the series? 4y
Therewillbebooks @QuintusMarcus Not yet, unfortunately, they are on my to be read list though 4y
66 likes4 comments
review
QuintusMarcus
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Panpan

Hugely disappointing book: there may have been a fine novel in here, but a complete and total lack of editing kept it hidden. If this book was indeed edited at all, that editor should be thrown into a volcano.

QuintusMarcus The story gets off to a great start with a mystery surrounding a young woman's discovery that her boyfriend is secretly maintaining social media accounts that promote conspiracy theories. The story then comes to a grinding halt as the woman then spends the majority of the book, almost 200 boring pages,  meandering around Berlin.  What a waste--clearly a talented writer, utterly failed by her crappy publisher. 4y
7 likes1 comment
blurb
Kimberlone
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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New book alert 🚨

This cover is just mesmerizing to me...

BarbaraBB I am so looking forward to this one and that cover indeed 😍 4y
Kimberlone I am only 20% in but I am fully immersed in it, super interested in seeing how the book develops 4y
65 likes2 comments
review
Megabooks
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Pickpick

This novel explores what is real and what is fake. It starts with a couple of Americans meeting in Berlin. He fed her false information and lies, yet she is intrigued enough on find him in NYC when he moves there. On the eve of the 2016 election, she finds out he‘s a popular online conspiracy theorist. She ends up back in Berlin descending into lies and more lies. It is an interesting exploration of fakery in the online age. Great debut! 4.25⭐️⬇️

Megabooks ⬆️ Obviously, I‘m still leaving out major plot points for you to discover. This is one of those wonderfully layered literary fiction novels. It was everything I hoped, and I‘ll probably reread because I think there‘s even more to discover that I missed the first time. Rebecca Lowman deftly narrates the #audiobook. (edited) 4y
Cinfhen I like Rebecca Lowman 🧡I‘ll put this on my #BorrowNotBuy list ~ thanks for sharing (edited) 4y
Bookwormjillk Ohhh this sounds good! 4y
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BarbaraBB You were right, this sounds like the perfect book for me! #stacked 4y
Moray_Reads Sounds unsettling, in a good way 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen I think that‘s a good choice for you. 💜😘 (edited) 4y
Megabooks @Bookwormjillk it really was! 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB yes! As I was reading, I kept thinking Barbara would love this! 💜 4y
Megabooks @Moray_Reads it was. It‘s not super dark, but there‘s definitely overtones of unease. 4y
Kalalalatja Ooooh, it sounds kinda intense! #stacked 4y
Megabooks @Kalalalatja I thought you might enjoy it! 😃 4y
Cathythoughts I‘ve taken a screenshot for my audible list 👍🏻 4y
Megabooks @Cathythoughts fantastic!! 💜 4y
Kimberlone I grabbed this when it came available on Libby! Can‘t wait to start reading this weekend :) 4y
Megabooks @Kimberlone great! It should be a good reading weekend! 4y
vivastory Sounds very interesting! Also can't help but think of Red Pill based on your review. Thanks for tagging me 4y
Reviewsbylola I was looking at this one at the bookstore tonight! 4y
Megabooks @vivastory I‘ll have to check out Red Pill. I was waiting to see who won the play in round on tob, but perhaps I shouldn‘t wait in that one. 4y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola it‘s really fascinating. You read a lot of different genres like I do. I think you‘d find this interesting. 4y
vivastory The other two selections in the play-in round “Resisters“ & “Down Days“ are on hold for me at the library. Hope to wrap up pIranesi & read one of them this weekend. I struggled with RP & honestly didn't even know what to make of it until the last 70 pages & then it kind of clicked with a great ending. 4y
102 likes12 stack adds20 comments
blurb
Megabooks
Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler
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Best. Audiobook. Day. Ever!! Two anticipated preorders on left; two hot library new releases on right. #luckylistener

Solely based on narrators, it‘s likely one of the top two. Ahhhh!! So psyched!!!!

Megabooks Update: I‘m 30% into The Project!! 4y
BarbaraBB Wow! Looking forward to your thoughts on A Year Abroad! 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB it‘s coming soon. 😃 I have so many audiobooks to read for once, and that‘s a great thing! I hope your indiespensable arrives soon!! 4y
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Megabooks @Cinfhen I could not resist the siren song that is Therese Plummer, so I‘m listening to The Project. #favoritenarrator 4y
Cinfhen Ohhhhh, I need to do some research #FoMo 🙌🏻😜💜 4y
BarbaraBB Me too, but I didn‘t get a message yet that is has been shipped so it‘ll probably take a while! 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen all of them but Girl A have been on my radar for MONTHS, so today is 🎉🎉! 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB it just got released this morning, and it‘s still before 7 am on the west coast, so I‘m not surprised. I hope it ships when they come in today, though! 🤞🏻 4y
BarbaraBB Oh really?! I didn‘t know it hadn‘t even been published 😁 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB yeah, the audible preorders come to your app at midnight west coast time, but I‘m guessing it takes humans a bit longer to work on things! 😉😃 4y
Moray_Reads These covers are great and the books sound good too 4y
Megabooks @Moray_Reads thanks! I‘m excited about them! 4y
vivastory My Year Abroad sounds really interesting. I'm curious about Fake Accounts too. Will be looking for your reviews. 4y
Megabooks @vivastory I‘m going to try to read my Libby books with lines first. I just realized I have 14 audiobooks checked out. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ Three or four I‘ll probably end up returning without listening, but I‘m going to try to read the ones with lines. 4y
vivastory I just noticed that MYA is the current Indispensable selection. I've been mulling over buying a subscription for awhile & I just signed up for it. I've bought a few previous selections on ebay & love them 4y
Megabooks @vivastory @BarbaraBB is getting the MYA indiespensable too. I have a previous one @catiewithac sent me, and it‘s gorgeous! 4y
vivastory Nice! Which one? 4y
Megabooks @vivastory This one! I‘m wondering if @BarbaraBB and @Librarybelle will do a reading Africa next year because it would be perfect. 4y
Librarybelle Sweet! I‘m fairly confident #ReadingAfrica2022 will be a challenge next year @BarbaraBB 4y
vivastory Stacked! It sounds fantastic 4y
Megabooks @vivastory yeah, it‘s going to be hard to save it for reading Africa, but I‘m unsure of how difficult it will be to find books for the smaller countries. I hope you enjoy it!! 4y
BarbaraBB I‘d love a #ReadingAfrica2022 @Librarybelle 💜 and I almost feel the need to get this book already just to be sure I don‘t forget about it by then @Megabooks 🤦🏻‍♀️ 4y
BarbaraBB @vivastory That is a coincidence! After years of eyeing #Indiespensable posts on Litsy I subscribed a few weeks ago. I am excited for that first box! 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB glad I could put an interesting book on your radar! 💜 have a great day! 4y
BarbaraBB Thanks! And you go to sleep 💤 💙 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I‘m going to try. 💜💜 4y
vivastory @BarbaraBB They nearly always select books that are high on my TBR or if I haven't heard of them they sound interesting. love the slipcase design for MYA. Really looking forward to receiving it. 4y
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