The List by Yomi Adegoke is incredibly topical and makes the reader contemplate society's actions and reactions on and towards social media.
The book follows the lives of Ola Olajide, a journalist at feminist magazine Womxxxn, and up and coming presenter Michael Koranteng, Ola's fiancé.
The List navigates through the days until their wedding day. At first all seems great, until a list appears online accusing men in the media and entertainment industry with allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct, with Michael’s name ending up on that list
As we follow Ola’s quest to discover whether Michael is innocent or not and as we go through Michael’s own journey to prove he has mistakenly been placed on the list, issues around power, abuse, gender, trust, friendships, judgement, perception, belief, the influence of social media, cancel culture, toxic masculinity, the difference between an image projected and a life lived, all come to the fore, highlighted through the characters lives and story.
Ola’s own journalistic work is known for the similar story she now finds herself in. The novel follows her struggle between her love for Michael and trust towards him, and her principles, beliefs, loyalty and duty towards her readers, women and society.
Michael struggles with the allegations and living through his life changing in how he is perceived and what life is or should be about.
Thus as the reader, we are witness to the the couple at first being perceived as “couple goals’ to being tormented online. Both characters beliefs are unravelled throughout the novel.
Contemporary London, engaged characters and current and topical issues make this debut novel a page turner.
Provoking us as a society to think about how much social media plays in our lives, and about the notions of judgement and perception, about the power of abuse women face and what as a society, as a world can be done to change that.
The List by Yomi Adegoke published by https://www.4thestate.co.uk/products/the-list-yomi-adegoke-9780008544492/