Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton (debut)
Publisher: Doubleday
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Length: 288
Amazon

{A Bit of Backstory}

Single Sentence Summary

When mousy Louise is taken under vibrant Lavinia’s wing everything about her life changes, and she never, ever wants it to go back.

From the Publisher

“Louise has nothing. Lavinia has everything. After a chance encounter, the two spiral into an intimate, intense, and possibly toxic friendship. A Talented Mr. Ripley for the digital age, this seductive story takes a classic tale of obsession and makes it irresistibly new.”

The Draw

• Debut novel set in NYC.
• Liked the idea of a toxic friendship and obsession.
• Sarah from Sarah’s Bookshelves lured me in with promises of a dark and twisty plot.

{My Thoughts}

What Worked For Me

Foreshadowing Done Right – Burton’s masterful use of foreshadowing kept me hanging on to her story over and over again. From the VERY beginning Louise lets the reader know that Lavinia dies. But how? Why? When? Burton never quite lets you forget, dropping hints again and again. The further I got in Social Creature, the more I had to have my questions answered.

Characters as Caricatures – Without exception, every player in Social Creature is an embodiment of a “type.”

• Lavinia – The wild, rich girl who can and does do exactly what she wants with little thought for others.
• Lousie – The mousy friend, finally experiencing a whole different life, becoming a new person along the way.
• Cordelia – The more responsible, more intelligent younger sister.
• Rex – The ex-boyfriend whom Lavinia never quite got over. He fascinates Louise.
• Plus, there’s a transvestite gold-digger, a thoroughly obnoxious best friend, and a partying priest!

To some this might seem like a negative, but these “types” really worked in Social Creature, especially when their actions went against what you’d come to expect.

Social Media – As the world changes, so too do stories and Burton did a great job with that in Social Creature. Lavinia was obsessed with selfies, Instagram, and Facebook. She was constantly posting, an obsession that didn’t always work in her favor.

That Second Half – Social Creature moves from so-so to WOW, in the second half, as the story finally hits its stride and begins to deliver on the promises made in its first half.

What Didn’t

A Real Stretch – Too many parts of Social Creature felt like a huge stretch, starting with Lavinia herself. She was just so over-the-top that I found that I found her truly difficult to believe. Even when Burton tried to build some context into Lavinia’s actions, I wasn’t convinced. All to often the situations and/or experiences that Lavinia and Louise were involved in again felt contrived. I can suspend disbelief now and again, but in Social Creature it was a constant requirement.

No One to Like – From start to finish, I never cared about a single character in Social Creature. Many were interesting, some were unique, but not a one would I call likable. While likability isn’t a requirement for me, a little would have gone a long way for this book.

{The Final Assessment}

The publisher marketed Social Creature as a thriller, but I would disagree. It’s more of a twisty ride on a dark bumpy road. You know where you’re headed, but you’re not quite sure how you’ll get there. When you finally arrive, you just might find yourself still a little baffled. Have you actually reached your destination, or is this just a stopover? Social Creature might leave you with more questions than answers. Grade: B+

If you liked this book you might also enjoy:

• Based on a True Story by Delphine di Vigan – Another dark, twisty tale. This one involves a blocked writer and the “friend” who’s trying to help her. (my review)
• The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ravatn – A book with only two real characters that will constantly have you wondering, “What’s really going on?” (my review)

Note: I received a copy of this book from the Doubleday (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Associate links included within this post.