Described as a satirical look into the literary world and its relationship with the various social media platforms, this book inspires many thoughts to explore. Told from the perspective of Juniper Hayward (known as June) this book started with the sudden death of a friend, Athena Liu, who she has a very conflicted relationship with. June watches Athena die in front of her and is unsuccessful to get help quick enough to save her. June isn’t overly concerned about Athena’s death, in fact it seems more like relief since she no longer has to compare herself to the “perfect” Athena. June finds herself facing a unique opportunity, prior to Athena dying she, Athena, reveals to June her latest manuscript for a book which will undoubtedly succeed. June’s overwhelming desire for stardom prompts her to take the manuscript and rework it to publish under her own name. The attention and fame that comes from the success goes straight to June’s head. She’s finally famous and has people wanting to talk to her, know her, celebrate her. In her attempt to follow in Athena’s narcissistic footsteps she shows her own narcissistic desires. She squashes anyone who gets in her way and makes sure people know she is someone worth worshipping.
“Everybody lies”, a statement repeated often by Gregory House in the long running TV show, “House”. He’s not far wrong. An innate part of our sinful make-up includes lying, deceiving people about our perceived innocence and trying to weasel our way out of consequences when we’ve genuinely been in the wrong. This book is a fascinating look into the universal human mind, and if we look deep enough into our own hearts we will find, in varying degrees, exactly the same thoughts as June Hayward with her jealousy, need to feel special and going to any length to make herself look innocent when people call her out etc. She is completely narcissistic in her outlook, only ever concerned about herself, and no one else.
It’s also an interesting look into another part of the human condition. Fame and how people attach themselves to anyone considered famous, until they fall in some way, then they are abused, shunned and crushed. I have no doubt this has been the case since the beginning of time (since the fall that is) yet social media have heightened these responses in an extremely toxic manner. God’s grace is always on offer to everyone at times when we are “found out” for our transgressions and when we consider the Lord’s Prayer we remember the words “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. When we truly know our own deep failures and the humility of accepting God’s unwavering and complete forgiveness then we can also be free to graciously allow others their own failures and hope they will find the freedom that can only come through God’s grace and overwhelming kindness.
This book gives a unique insight into the ups and downs of the literary world but far deeper than that it gives us insight into the human soul which oozes with every type of selfish intent. Paraphrasing an old quote “For every look at me, I take 10 looks at Christ”. He is the only One worth looking to, and He has taken our every mess, every sin, every ugliness upon Himself and washed us clean- so God will only ever see us like the purest of snow because of Christ’s sacrifice for us.
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