I struggled to read this. It was very slow and it took me longer than I hoped to understand what the writer wanted to do. The book sounds very interesting but I think the way that it was written and conveyed wasn't what I wanted it to be. So I may just have been the wrong reader for it.

Finally! A brutally honest, darkly inventive novel that reveals through the spotted lens of its vein characters the connective tissue of all our experience with the ad industry’s marketing schemes

I enjoyed the writing, but this book just wasn’t for me. I struggled to get through it and found it hard to connect with anyone.

I wasn't very drawn into The Virtuous Ones! I love the idea of the plot, but it just didn't capture my attention. I felt myself flipping through pages towards the end, not really caring what happened. I'd be interested to see what Stoddard writes next, though—I might like it better.

*A review copy was provided by NetGalley and ITNA press in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 STARS

warning: abuse, rape, drug use, suicide, prejudice, possibly everything under the sun that could need a warning

Only someone from an agency would write something as wild as this. It’s messy, insane, unbelievable and way too amusing to forget.

I was 22% per cent into this book until I recognised its satire and could not unsee it. Initially, the characters were strange. Familiar, but exaggerated. I didn’t really question it much as I have seen such characters in other books before. It was only when we were introduced to Axel, the eccentric new Chief Creative Officer who introduced a cultish ‘branding process’ for Pure’s new branding that made it clear. Well, it was actually the part where Axel smokes two packs a day that made me realise it was satire, because we all know they vape now, don’t we?

This book is entertaining, fast-paced and very hectic. Still, I enjoyed every moment of it because nothing, absolutely nothing was expected. This book is not meant to be taken seriously, but if you’re down for something entertaining to read, albeit dark at times, try this. There’s absolutely no way I can write a review that will do this justice, but it feels like a constant challenge of “what is the most unexpected scenario that could happen” that drives this book forwards.

From the pandemic to pop culture, society to relationships, this book is a reflection of humanity at its’ extreme. Definitely a read you can’t forget.

I love parallel stories, however, I felt this storyline moved at a snail's pace and there were too many character perspectives to try and keep track of. Most of these individuals are are horrible people which makes you want to see what trouble they bring onto to themselves next. Yes, I did like the drama, but for some readers, the content may be triggering in terms of heavy drug use and sexual assault.

I liked Stoddard's writing-style and the way he calls out privilege and the dark side of performative activism. He doesn't dance around the topics and knows how to pen a depressing narrative to bring it all together.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is excellent. It's a very well done critique of performative activism and progressive branding with a cast of (mostly) awful, decadent characters in the context of an ad agency's collaboration with a celebrity during the onset of the pandemic and the protests following the murder of George Floyd. It wasn't an easy read as it covers many triggering topics (mainly sexual assault and drug use) but I love what it set out to do.

I took me a while to process this book. The story is graphic with violence and sex, but none of it gratuitous. It’s about an industry where people are hedonistic, self centric, and are always seeking immediate gratification. The characters are more than flawed, they are broken and out of control. There is no resolution or redemption for the characters.
Yet this is one of the best pieces of writing I’ve read for a while. The words are powerful, if disturbing. It’s extremely well written and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the human condition.

The Virtuous Ones

I don't really know what to say. I'm literally gobsmacked by this book. I think it's very well-written and a fascinating concept. In this book, reading all of the character's stories and seeing how their lives are so messed up while working on "good works," I found myself feeling very conflicted. Did I feel sorry for them? Did I want them to get what they wanted out of life? Did I even like them?

I think mostly, the answer was no, save for Link. Honestly, I used him as a tether to keep me in the mindset that not everything was horrid, one person was semi-good. I found the storylines interesting but also the stories did take a while to build and weren't in short bursts, like other multiple POV books that I've enjoyed more. I feel like pacing with multiple POVs can be difficult, but I genuinely did enjoy this book, even when my jaw was on the floor and I couldn't believe the character's actions.

Billed as the Mad Men of the 21st Century I strapped in for a ride. I loved Mad Men. The industry. The female struggle. The clothes. The actors. The glamour. I also spent lots of my working life at ad agencies & was inspired by the passion, the madness, the people & the pace of it all.

The World has changed as this book shows. We are now in a new order where social media reigns. Enter the “wokest” PR agency you can find full of neurotic, drug dependent, money & label driven cast of characters. Stoddard’s very ironic titular virtuous ones.

A short book, it nevertheless packs a punch. Full of satire & beautifully written prose. It plays a little too much to the crowd I think. We are all shades of good & bad. It is more possible to be both than this book suggests. You can be messed up but produce excellent work. You can have a social conscience & still want to be a celebrity hanger on.

This book hits the mark more by highlighting the #metoo movement & the close ally that personal insecurity is to the whole social media evolution exploding in our lives.

As a satire it works but in delivering a cast of characters you identify with, root for or even hate but are invested in - it does this less well.

Would recommend

DNF at 33%
I love the concept of satirizing the shallowness and ridicule of the advertisement industry, this is a very solid take on ultra-capitalism and I appreciate the intention behind it, especially as someone who works on the field. But an important part of satire, for me, is that even when critiquing it should still be entertaining. This wasn't entertaining.

The writing is too on the nose, too heavy-handed. I completely understand that it's the point, that these people ARE supposed to be annoying, but there should be a balance to help me care about what I was reading.

I think a more solid plot would've done wonders here, instead of just following scene after scene of characters being extremely obnoxious and out of touch just for the sake of showing they were obnoxious and out of touch. (Secret History comes to mind: completely unlikable characters but the mistery keeps you interested).

It's not a bad book necessarily, it just really didn't work for me. I can't decide if someone completely disconnected from this reality would be able to enjoy the freak show, loke a zoo experiment, or just be confused by the references to advertisment in-works every other sentence.

The Virtuous Ones by Christopher Stoddard is a very modern tale of a PR agency full of PR agents who would rather have their own PR agents than be doing PR for others. It's being billed as the "Mad Men of the 21st Century', but reads more of the annoying social media personalities obsessed with money, sex, drugs and labels.

Basically....just go on Reddit, look at "NYCInfluencerSnark' and read the vitriol from some of those posters and you'll get the hate that these people and typing at their desks.

It's good, but as someone who's day job MIGHT have something to do with this industry.....let's just say....that's not how it works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book was quick and entertaining for me who worked in PR & digital media for years. It did take me a minute to get used to the writing style but once I did it was actually really addicting - it’s blunt and forthright yet the satire is subtle. The characters are also realistically written in my opinion. I actually liked The Virtuous Ones a lot more than I thought I would!

Shocking at times and full of vapid, unlikeable characters, this short book packs a bit of a punch.
It’s a very quick read, but it has good prose and a plot that moved along quickly, and is just filled with subtle, satirical humor.
Not my favorite read of the year but it was entertaining nonetheless and I enjoyed reading it.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Christopher Stoddard for giving this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. This story really gained momentum as it unfolded, and I found the second half really page-turning. It is a satire of celebrity culture, the advertising world, the multiple ways in which society is decaying. In some ways I found it nihilistic and sad, the toxic choices made by many of the characters and the sense that whatever they did they couldn’t win. The most positive outcome arrives later in the story with Ella, who delivers sweet justice to a particularly noxious character. The narrative refers to the #MeToo movement, the long-term effects on people from trauma and abuse, and the deep insecurity driving performative social media and attention seeking. I was also amused to see a tongue-in-cheek reference to Rachel Dolezal in the story. Many thanks to NetGalley and ITNA Press for the review copy.

This book may be called 'The Virtuous Ones' but the characters in it are anything but. Stoddard shines light on the implications power has on people and it was quite an interesting read. The book revolves around the impending collaboration with rap star Markus and Pure Creative, a PR firm. I quite enjoyed the pacing of the novel in beginning and how each chapter is about one character and all the skeletons in their closet. However, near the middle the pacing fell flat for me; some things were explained in just 2 lines and others took a whole chapter to explain, and it felt a bit odd considering how this book dealt with so many important topics. Overall, though, this was an interesting read.

The Virtuous Ones is a satirical book about the hidden lives of those seeking fame, notoriety, and money. It is satirical but not in a comedic way
It's a very quick read but I did struggle with the pacing and time changes of the first few chapters as some situations felt glossed over. But it is still worth the read

While this book is billed as Mad Men for the social media age, I almost want to compare it more closely to Succession because of the total insufferableness (in a fabulously written way) of the characters. The people in this book are corrupt, cruel, and messy. This is a great read for those who want their stories cynical and biting. Stoddard writes with a bit of a contempt for our contemporary narcissism, which I GET, but I wish there had been almost more empathy or nuance to some of the storylines. Still, this is an entertaining read that pinpoints and deconstructs many of the quirks and failures of a seemingly self-obsessed world.

Thank you Christopher Stoddard, ITNA Press, and NetGalley for this ARC!

If you enjoy satire that criticizes the age of social media and performative activism, this book is definitely for you.

Deemed as “the Mad Men of the 21st century,” this satirical work delves into the corrupt lives of the creative leaders working for Pure Creative, an ad-agency focused on social justice and ethical branding. The work follows these creators through their tumultuous “Holy War” collaboration with a famous rapper, later meeting its chaotic demise as the rapper comes under fire with several rape allegations. They also experience the emotional ups and downs of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests. Harsh upbringings, drug addiction, and sexual scandals avail as we find out just how terrible these “pure” people are and the mindsets that drive these insane narratives.

This book is a great critique on using progressive branding and activism for profit. I enjoyed the subtlety of the satire and how believable the characters were. Stoddard does an excellent job weaving in contemporary brands and trends to make these characters and scenarios come to life. The “wokeness” and self-pity oozed off the pages with characters like Link and Lexi, while others showed incredible mental resilience through tragic events, such as Ella and Brandon. Ella was my favorite character because she went through so much and had the best revenge plot in the book. The book was also really fast-paced which I enjoyed a lot. So many events transpired that left my jaw on the floor, especially when it came to Ella, and I was addicted to reading more.

This book also covers very tough topics, such as sexual assault, so I definitely advise reading with caution. It was hard to read the POVs of Markus and Lexi, but in a way, they were necessary to show how shallow power gets into people’s heads nowadays. I really wish more conclusion was given for Ella and Brandon because they definitely deserved it.

I’m excited to read this author’s other pieces!

The Virtuous Ones - the satire begins right there in the title; the characters and events depicted in this novel are far from virtuous. In fact, they're terrible people doing awful things in the pursuit of fame, fortune, notoriety, and advancing up the corporate ladder. The plot is loosely centred around the potential collaboration between seedy rap star Markus, and the employees of PR firm Pure Creative in the hopes of creating a 'do-good', charity-based branded content documentary to bolster the public image of all involved. Each chapter focuses on an individual player in this media circus, revealing the less-than-angelic reality behind their shiny public, and corporate, personas. The blunt, matter-of-fact writing style is very much in keeping with the darker satire of the novel - it is not laugh-out-loud, but subtler, allowing the reader to reflect on their own perceptions of the of-the-minute commentary surrounding the Me Too Movement, BLM protests, celebrity and social media. I did, at times, find the pacing to be a little off - there were certain moments that were portrayed in great detail, sometimes over the course of a full chapter, where other parts seemed to gloss over a character's thoughts or actions within a few sentences - particularly when a significant shift in time has occurred. Overall, I did enjoy this shorter read, and would be interested in seeking out the author's previous work.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Christopher Stoddard for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Trigger Warnings: Rape, Sexual Violence, Death, Drug Use