The List: The instant Sunday Times bestselling debut novel – ‘The perfect summer read’ Paula Hawkins

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Ola Olajide, a feminist journalist in London, is preparing for her wedding to Michael Koranteng, a podcaster who’s just landed his dream job, when his name appears on a list of abusers in the media industry. Two very entitled British celebs are about to get married. Are writers for The Guardian actually famous? The guy is put on a list of #MeToo predators, and that puts stress on their lives and their relationship. the premise and writing style is gripping and compelling (although a lot of times the cliffhangers felt like it was written more for a show instead of a book). it was a pretty easy read and very fast paced while also delving into social commentary and issues that are prevalent in today's society. however, the execution of the book fell short and it strayed into a storyline i couldn't really get behind in the end. Topical, heartfelt, provocative and wise, Yomi Adegoke's characters are tenderly realized . . . the entire cast of this ultimate millennial novel springs vividly to life.” - Bernardine Evaristo, Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other

The List is already being adapted for TV with Adegoke as executive producer. The various cliffhangers and twists suggest it was written with this in mind. It occasionally feels as though she is trying to shoehorn too many characters and subplots into one tale, but we remain invested in her main protagonists’ journey. This nuanced exploration of celebrity culture and online toxicity should win Adegoke new fans.

I absolutely loved how Adegoke explored Ola's situation. Does she trust her fiance or an anonymous list? There's always a grain of doubt in one's mind after such an issue blows up. How to deal with being a feminist and being accused of being a pseudo feminist? How to balance her job and personal life? The List is topical, thought-provoking and vital, diving into the grey areas of difficult conversations that both writers and readers tend to avoid. And in the process, opening much needed debates about cancel culture, anonymity and the terrifying power of the internet.”— Marie Claire (UK) There were aspects of this novel I liked; I believed in Ola and Michael's relationship, I cared about Ola, and I thought the choice she makes near the end of the novel is brave, both on the part of the character and the author. However, even this was undercut by a final twist that I felt was a real cop-out, like many a final twist at the end of a thriller (though this book isn't a thriller, at least not up to this point). It offers too neat a solution to the novel's central dilemma, and forecloses some of the interesting questions that it does raise. I think there will (and have already been) better things written on calling out and cancellation. Throughout this book I truly couldn’t figure out if any of these characters were meant to be likeable which I must admit kept taking me out of the flow of the book; the pacing was also off with the story lagging at some points. But most importantly, I found that the book at times teetered on feeding into very harmful rhetorics about women making false accusations for vengeance purposes and that last chapter didn’t help my feelings about this at all! It began as a crowdsourced collection of names and somehow morphed into an anonymous account posting allegations on social media. Ola would usually be the first to support such a list-she'd retweet it, call for the men to be fired, write article after article. Except this time, Michael's name is on it.

Clever and intricately plotted, The List examines the dark side of social media and its influence on even the closest of our personal relationships. Weaving in anonymous allegations and the way they call into question our responsibility and loyalty, this is a book that's just right for our times.”— Harper's Bazaar (UK) Adegoke delivers a thought-provoking account of the power of social media to amplify and to silence, as well as the devastating effects of online pileups that catch innocent bystanders in their wake. This timely novel demands to be discussed.”— Booklist (starred review)The premise of this felt really interesting to me, so I was disappointed when it personally just did not live up to the hype. The reader gets to see how these allegations spectacularly blow up this happy couple’s relationship and the trust between them is shattered. Can Michael prove that he didn’t do the things that put him on the list? Can Ola find the evidence that supports Michael’s innocence? Who’s story do you believe?

The List" by Yomi Adegoke is a contemporary novel that focuses on one of the most insidious aspects of most social media platforms: cancel culture and its dangerous consequences. The List is uncomfortable in the way it bends the beliefs we would otherwise announce with conviction. It is the kind of book to send you in a tailspin, all while being utterly readable and absorbing.

It makes us question where do we draw the boundaries. To what extent is it morally right to reveal things on social media. What happens when intent and results do not match?. I can only describe this book as callous. Geez I’m surprised 11 editors bid for this story. Indeed, publishing is highly subjective. It's a very readable and engaging book. Also I love that novels are exploring our digital lives and how the internet is intertwined in our relationships and bias because of what we consume.