I think this book is supposed to be satirical but it's not as biting or witty as I expect satire to be. It's about the sad, banal days and nights of a depressed young woman with a useless college degree, a stupid job , and no direction in life. If you like dialogue that reads like/ is about social media posts, this is the book for you. I would not recommend to anyone over about 35 years old. .

If you think you know how this book is going to turn out, think again. Elinor has a horrible boyfriend and is unemployed. Then she finds a job that she finds herself being good at but her relationship with her boyfriend starts to fray. Now going in, I thought I had a idea of what was going to happen. Instead something more realistic happened instead. That was a pleasant surprise. At one point I had a hard time putting down the book. There is a good chance that not everyone is going to like it. While I was reading it, I kept thinking that this is going to be a decisive book,

Elinor has a crappy boyfriend and a crappy apartment. She has a good education but lives in a competitive city in a world where its hard to get a break. The plot of this book has so much potential but I feel the story didn't go far enough. It was just shy of being a funny look at the digital world we live in today and how a lot of people get their news. I wanted it to be a little bit more funny and I wanted a few good things to happen to Elinor.

I am usually a sucker for books that deal with journalists or authors. It’s just one of those topics that will make me automatically want to read something. Unfortunately, it was not enough to save this book for me.

The synopsis describes the tone as “irreverent”, but it fell short on that front for me. There were a few humorous moments, but I felt like things should have been a little more exaggerated. I get what the author was trying to do in poking fun at Millennial culture and could appreciate the effort, but it didn’t take it nearly far enough to make any sort of impact. Elinor just ended up coming across as insufferable and not in a funny way. All of the other characters were just as unlikable, especially her boyfriend Mike. No one really grew and there wasn’t really anyone I wanted to root for. JW, the one “real” journalist at Journalism.ly, was the only character I really enjoyed reading about, but we saw less and less of him as the story went on.

There was one thing in the writing style that really bothered me. The story starts out with kind of a 1st Person Plural POV. “It was midway through the party…when we saw Elinor.” and “We were in a small backyard…” (quotes taken from ARC). Then it completely abandons that style and seemingly goes to straight 3rd Person POV, with one exception. “Perhaps, the reader might be questioning…Reader, I don’t even know what to tell you.” (quotes taken from ARC). That is the only short part the reader is addressed and then the narrator uses “I” instead of “We” like in the beginning. If there is a purpose for those style choices, I did not understand it.

Overall, Sociable was just not for me. I think it had a relevant and interesting concept, but it wasn’t executed well. I’m giving it two stars instead of one because it was a quick, easy read and there were a few humorous moments I enjoyed.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 2 Stars

3.5 stars rounded to 4

#notforeveryone #readitanyway

There is alway a gravitational pull that steers me towards books about social communication. And Sociable provides a juxtaposition of journalism and the social media platform.

The story is about a twenty something couple Mike and Elinor struggling in the world of journalistic unemployment. They met in a communications class during their undergraduate, and have forged a path of poverty and unfulfilling jobs. Both of them through connections receive jobs in their field, and it feels like things may turn around. While Mike is writing unappreciated scholastic essays of pertinent issues, Elinor is excelling at writing about viral subjects such as coffee, Vans sneakers, celebrities. Mike makes a break from Elinor as she climbs the social media train. As Elinor is negotiating her sadness between tweets, she wonders how and if she will ever find love again.

The novel carries a journalistic style, narrating the story of Elinor and Mike. At first, the third person story-telling was unexpected, but it creates a charming and humorous atmosphere. The novel is a quick, and easy read but it has some shortcomings that may put off the average reader. The first chapter negotiated my interest, and it was a hard sell. But I pushed through and there after the novel flowed more rhythmically. The two main characters themselves were not entirely developed, including their banter, which rendered them seemingly immature and naive. The conversations between characters are self-absorbed rants replete with word debauchery, acronyms, and hashtags. However, at that age twenty years ago, I shared Elinor and Mike's banalities and labile mood, and love of the word "like, " and therefore I found them quite relatable and amusing. In fact, I took a pause from reading to reflect if I was actually like that, #yesIwas and #notanymore? Between the conversations, the narrative is well-written and witty. Elinor did grow on me as she was finding her groove, while Mike just reeked of a neanderthal-ism. Being in your twenties is a time of being industrious in employment and love. It is a time replete with highs and lows, mistakes and tears. Harrington conveys this with humor and grace.

Sociable makes a commentary about Millenials and the trend of social media as a form of investigative "BuzzFeed" reporting. In our current mobile society, information is on a text alert basis, scrolling, and swiping right or left The author highlights our obsession with electronic communication as a vehicle to convey our deepest sentiments. And the physical and emotional reactions to the brevities: What did it mean? Why did he or she text? How many likes did I get? All those words are just floating out there randomly waiting to fall into a two-dimensional bubble. And when people are face to face, the art of conversation is lost.

Sociable is not the most sophisticated of stories, but it was a fun read and poignant. The novel almost reminds me of watching a television situation comedy with recurring characters involved in amusing situations. And you find yourself curious about the fate of Elinor. If you want a break from something heavy, I would recommend this book but with the above caveat.

I am a sucker for books with Digital Age plot!

I'm attracted to novels that reference social media, texting, the Internet... anything online. Why? Because it's relatable. We are all addicted to Facebook, Twitter, texting, and the Internet. We rely on technology for many aspects of our life. And I love books that are associated with things that I can identify with, but hopefully with a more glamourous perspective.

Elinor Tomlinson moved to New York City with a degree in journalism and big dreams of successful career, but ends up being a nanny and sleeping on a foam pad in a basement apartment that she shares with her college boyfriend Mike. She is offered a job at Journalism.ly, a digital media publisher, and discovers her gift of writing catchy sharable content. She becomes an overnight viral sensation. This is the story of Elinor on her quest for happiness and her inside look at life in the wild world of Internet media.

What I liked:
1.The book was based in New York City - my favorite city ever!
2.I felt that the book was poking fun at millenials because they actually act in the way that these characters do! It was very entertaining. Ironically, all of the characters in this book were NOT likeable. They are social media obsessed, hashtag obsessed, self absorbed and feeling entitled. Their personalities reflect a lot of twentysomethings today, and it perpetuates the stereotype. Hilarious!
3.The story gives the reader a sneak peak into contemporary journalism and how writing and creating digital media is SO different from traditional content. You get to see the inner workings of a firm like Journalism.ly. I'm pretty sure that it's based on a company like Buzzfeed.
4.Elinor's essay that went viral. It was thoughtful and had a good perspective on her relationship with Mike. There were many points that I could identify with, especially the feelings of heartache and being dumped.
5.The humor sprinkled throughout the book.

What I didn't like:
1.Elinor is passive, pathetic, a people pleaser, and lacked personality.
2.Elinor's boyfriend Mike. He never seemed to like Elinor. I don't see how they ended up together in the first place.
3.There was not enough character development for the time that I spent reading this book. I wanted more transformation in Elinor by the end.
4.The premise had a lot of potential that unfortunately didn't come through in the end.

Overall, I give this one 3 of 5 stars. It's a light entertaining read for social media and twentysomething fans.

Thank you to Netgalley, Doubleday Books, and Rebecca Harrington for the opportunity to read this book.

"She wanted people to see her as beautiful and moral, warmhearted and historically correct, extremely tolerant but able to call out wrongdoing when she saw it, aware of all possible holes in her thinking, not defensive except when provoked, mildly irreverent but then unexpectedly sincere about the possibility of the American experiment. In short, she wanted to be perceived how everyone else wanted to be perceived in her small circle of digital friends. Luckily, this is one of the easier personalities in the world to pretend that you have."


When one reads a comedy of manners from days past, it is easy to sit on the outside and laugh at the conventions of yesteryear. It is another sensation entirely when one experiences the vague, unsettling discomfort of reading such a comedy about the contemporary moment. But Sociable inspires that feeling. Rebecca Harrington’s clinical gaze gets to the core of precisely what behaviors recur almost pathologically and offers some compelling explanations as to why. Of course, the social commentary is just a side-effect of the genuine hilarity Harrington captures. Though as I laughed I occasionally found myself uncomfortably wondering, “is this me…?” Harrington’s near-naturalism shows neither contempt nor love for her subjects. They are treated tenderly, but their faults are exposed clearly for the reader’s own enjoyment and, perhaps, introspection.

Harrington goes beyond incisive commentary on modern friendship and romance. She demonstrates an unparalleled prescience about the state of journalism. Harrington's fictional Memo Points Daily and Journalism.ly capture the spirit of MTV News's restructuring. The beginning scene of the novel, with the closing of the (also fictional) Newr Report, echoed social media sentiments after the infamous "pivot to video." This clear vision grants credibility and verisimilitude to Harrington's novel.

Beyond that, Harrington shows a close attention to literary form. Her references to Madame Bovary and Virginia Woolf do more than demonstrate her literary bonafides. They establish Sociable and its characters firmly in a literary tradition of social commentary without judgment. And Harrington earns the comparisons! Her authorial interventions are brilliant. The sparse narrator who addresses the reader in a Victorian fashion ("dear reader...") is the most likable character in the novel. The voice of the narrator captures the essence of the novel in a brief monologue about Elinor's breakup, "Rapidly, the whole thing had dissolved into boring societal and symbolic forces that went well beyond Mike, but somehow applied to him, like most affairs of the heart."

But, luckily for Harrington, this is a story one can love without a single likable (or even dynamic) character in the bunch. While Mike is clearly contemptible, the reader is invited to identify with Elinor even as Harrington lays bare Elinor's worst nature. Harrington cleverly uses social types to play out something bigger with an eye for unfiltered inner-monologue. This is a story that feels real, genuinely in touch with the culture and identity of young people today. But above and beyond all that, it manages to be hilarious.

I tried to read this novel but I have come to the decision that I am now too old (at age 45) to appreciate anything with a millenial as the main character. Her constant use of a question mark with every thing she said, her wishy-washy self absorbed boyfriend, the job where she wasn't really interviewed since Peter only wanted to hear himself talk... If this is life for my daughter I weep for the future.

I enjoyed reading this book and was able to get through it pretty quickly. However, I am not sure I really understand the overarching point the author was trying to make. The main character, Elinor, was so lost in her breakup, and, well, whiny, that the points about viral content, our obsession with media, and feminism got somewhat lost along the way. However, I do believe that this book makes some very accurate observations about what it is like to be a 20-something today.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I only read one chapter of this.. It was not my kind of book. Bratty Millennial Instagrammers whining about online journalism.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book. The main character is vapid, shockingly immature even for 26 years old, and judgmental. At first, I thought this book would be about her turnaround and what she learned through writing viral content, but there was hardly any turnaround at the end and not much of her writing really seemed to go viral. She did redeem her friendship at the end and very briefly acknowledge that MAYBE feminism isn't being judgmental but supporting other women to do what makes them happen - but she doesn't appear to learn anything self-reflective from her past relationship. She doesn't even realize that her coworker stopped talking to her because she was rude to her and her friends when they met.

Without any character development, this book just meanders along and doesn't go anywhere.

Sociable by Rebecca Harrington would get a 2.5 rating from me, if that was possible. I kept waiting for this book to actually mean something, but it just didn't. Maybe I was the wrong audience for this, but it left me wondering what happened to the rest of the book. Maybe it's set up to be a series and it just leaves off like this to segue into the next book? If so, I wish I'd known because I usually don't read books that do that.

The primary character, Elinor, and her "friends" were very shallow and completely concerned with ridiculousness. It felt like high school in a way - Should I hook up with him? Did he think that was dumb? Should I text him now?

I must have missed the point completely because even her "job" at Journalism.ly was similar. This guy's mentoring her, that guy is mentoring her, no one tells her what to do....it's just pointless.

The best part for me were the social media updates at the beginning of the chapters.

If someone else gets this book please explain to me how I so completely missed it. Thanks!
Netgalley, the publishers and the author - thanks for allowing me to read an ARC. I just wish I'd enjoyed it and could leave a better review.

This book attempts to satire the social media/journalism culture, but it didn't work for me. The heroine/occasional narrator is the inarticulate, awkward, slothful Elinor.
I found it hard to believe that someone who can barely answer a question is seeking a career in social media. She is hopeless in work and social situations. When she has an opportunity to go on a news show, she makes no sense. I really understood why her boyfriend jumped ship, who would want to stay?

There is no character development and I could not find a single character who was not one-dimensional. In fact, there are many characters scattered in the novel, none of whom were developed.
I thought I could relate to millennial angst, but honestly I found nothing relatable or intelligent about any characters in this novel.

I hope that I was not the right audience, but I think this book is missing a heart and certainly lacking closure.

REVIEW

In a timely novel, Rebecca Harrington’s Sociable explores themes of the role of social media in our lives, as well as what is considered “news” and the role of the journalist.

Millenial Elinor Tomlinson finds herself navigating post-college life in New York City with her boyfriend, but things are not exactly as she thought they would be. Instead of landing a dream job in journalism, she instead ends up finding herself underemployed as a nanny.

Elinor finally makes her break into the world of journalism at a digital media company called Journalism.ly. While this company’s goal is to disrupt journalism, its content is similar to other competing sites.

What elevates this book is the biting wit of Harrington’s writing style and the questions it causes the reader to ask about the role of social media in our lives. This one is one to watch for when it hits the shelves in March 2018.

PRAISE for HARRINGTON’S PENELOPE

“Penelope is one of those novels that’s more than entertaining enough to take to the beach but can still dazzle you with its wit and razor-sharp intelligence.” —Stephan Lee, Entertainment Weekly

AUTHOR

Rebecca Harrington is the author of the novel Penelope and I’ll Have What She’s Having. Her work has appeared in New York Magazine, The New York Times, Elle, NPR.com, and other publications. She lives in New York City.

As a final note, I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I chose this book because:

So much of my future is uncertain. I’ve been trying to figure out what it is I want to do. Whenever I talk to friends about it, they inevitably bring up my blog and ask whether I’ve considered a job in media and journalism, whether I’ve thought about companies like Buzzfeed and Refinery29. And I say that I have, but I’m not a fan of this fast way of consuming content. And even in the blogosphere, I find myself losing hope when I see more and more blogs that don’t really say anything meaningful, but their content is easy to consume, so they grow and grow and grow. On Instagram, a thoughtless cafe flatlay garners more traction than a truly unique photograph. I wonder about the creative industry, and for this reason, I find the premise of Sociable really interesting.

Upon reading this book:

I was hoping for something very progressive, but it just fell a little flat for me.

I think a big part of why I didn’t enjoy the story was because of the characters. Right off the bat, I was annoyed by Mike and Elinor. They’re both young professionals, yet they bickered like a petty middle school/high school couple. I thought Mike had a short temper and overused the word “fuck,” but I wasn’t invested in him so I didn’t really care. On the other hand, although I wasn’t invested in Elinor either, there were a lot of things about her personality that really turned me off. She is obsessive about what other people think of her, reads too much into what people say and do, and gets defensive too quickly and too often. She spends too much time worrying about what other people think of her to develop her own passion and purpose. She’s into journalism supposedly, but I felt like she was just busy making excuses all the time and/or judging other people. If she really was into journalism, at some point in the story I would have expected her to forget all about that and focus on the work, but I don’t think she ever did. Throughout the story, I don’t think there was any character development. And I’m not sure there was very much happening in the plot either.

I think this story was written in second person, because at the beginning there’s a “we saw Elinor” and later on there was a “the reader should know,” but at all other times the story seemed to be in third person. The second person perspective didn’t add to anything, so I think sticking to third person might have been more effective. Another thing I found confusing was that “#” and abbreviations like “OMG” and “LOL” were used in dialogue, but at other times “hashtag” and “oh my god” were used; so what does it mean to say “#” and “OMG”?

One thing that bugged me was the frequent use of “like,” “literally,” and “basically.” I felt like the characters were really playing into the millennial stereotype, and not only the characters, but the narrator too. Perhaps I could have forgiven the frequent use of “like,” “literally,” and “basically” in dialogue, even if it seemed like all the characters in the story had this annoying tic, but those words were used frequently by the narrator/author in the non-dialogue as well.

Another thing that bugged me was when Elinor’s coworker asked for her socials, which were Instagram, Snapchat, Yik Yak, and Ask.fm. I found it really strange that the narrator explicitly stated all these socials, especially as it only dated the story. Yik Yak and Ask.fm? I’m pretty sure those platforms are dead. And yet, though her coworker asked for all these socials, she didn’t ask for Elinor’s Twitter handle? And then later on in the book Vine was mentioned as something viral, which is also dated. Considering the premise of this story, I expected it to be very modern and up to date. Of course, the tech world is quickly developing, but… Yik Yak, Ask.fm, and Vine… Let’s just say that those probably aren’t the platforms you want to be worrying about if you care about producing viral content.

The last big thing that bugged me was how the word “feminism” was thrown around; the characters’ use of it felt pretty misguided to me. Even in real life, some people misunderstand what feminism is, so that’s why I found it troublesome that it was handled poorly in this book. I’m not sure whether it was supposed to be perceived as progressive, but if that was so, I think that promoting this misguided idea of feminism can be harmful.

All that said, it was a quick, light read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for an e-arc of this title. My true rating would be 3.5. Elinor is part of the new generation that might graduate college with a certain degree, but not be able to work in that field and still make a living. She is aspiring journalist, as is her boyfriend, but what does that look like in today's world? I loved the beginnings of each chapter, where she was giving the updated social media stats for her postings and what they were about. I also got a bit irritated with her at times, but I liked the character. I didn't care for the other characters, but the biggest thing that kept me from giving this a 4 was that there were some questions I felt weren't answered....especially in the end. I literally kept flipping my page back to refresh, thinking I'd missed the ending. Will this be a series? It seems like that's what the end was shooting toward. I just wish I'd known before I stayed up until 2a to finish the book.