I loved this book. Told in nearly stream of consciousness vignettes, the unnamed narrator and protagonist weaves a story in which she is romantically involved with a man who is married and also involved with two other women. The protagonist is in a relationship herself. She becomes obsessed with one of the women the man is in a relationship with and follows her on social media. Through the short scenes and musings she shares, Sheena Patel explores how unequal and fraught with power differentials so many relationships are. She includes piercing cultural criticism of white feminism and neoliberalism, especially in a post 2020 world where, as she puts it, "liberal whites have gotten much better at disguising themselves post George Floyd." Our protagonist is far from perfect, and her actions are difficult to read about at times, but the writing visceral and leaves you both angry at her and angry for her.

Thanks to Graywolf Press and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Teetering on spectacle and obsession, Sheena Patel gives an unrelenting glimpse into just how far obsession can take a person infatuated with another person. The cyclical nature of the narrator's thoughts toward a man she wants but can't have never quite feels enlightening to the situation at hand, nor even to our narrator. Despite desire being the focal point of I'm A Fan, its most endearing quality is its investigation of shame. Our narrator seems most preoccupied with wondering how her stance as a woman can affect her capacity to love and be loved, which is what stuck with me most about the story. While a fun romp on its own, it's hard to separate I'm A Fan on the coattails of writers who have come before her, such as Annie Ernaux, writing similar takes on desire. Although, what I think Patel does better, is spotlighting how much of a show it is to be in love, whether at our own will or question the construct of romance in the construct of a novel.

[3.5 stars] A cutting & observant critique of toxic relationships and how society's patriarchal standards favour men regardless of how awful they are. A sickeningly accurate punch in the gut for any woman who's ever been in a relationship where they've been left feeling led on and manipulated. The nameless protagonist makes no secret of being a flawed individual making some questionable decisions, though her feelings of gradually becoming obsessed with things she can't have and feeling relegated to just being a 'fan' will be relatable on some level. Her experiences with the bizarre cult-like following of the white influencer world seem almost like a parody but at the same time too close to reality for comfort.

I felt like some parts seemed unnecessary to the story and trying to be a little too weird and edgy, but overall a fascinating and memorable cultural commentary.

An unhinged messy woman debut for the chronically online.

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Through the lens of a toxic situationship, we get a voyeuristic peak into the mind of an unnamed main character who is ~going through it~. It's a self-sabotaging spiral that's both compelling and hard to watch, knowing our narrator is fully aware of their choices.

Insular, sour, and occasionally witty - our narrator is highly self-aware from the start, turning a scathingly critical eye on herself and the objects of her attention, as well as the systemic institutions that underpin our society—patriarchy, capitalism, and white supremacy.

Told in a series of short chapters (often titled with references to social media trends or contemporary art); the stylistic choices here are intriguing (short, punchy, observant). Very much like reading an Instagram caption or peeking into someone's thoughts in their Notes app.

As you navigate through this book, the structure further creates a sense that this, too, has been curated for an audience, mirroring the very nature of our online lives.

Insightful and exhausting - I think this read will have a divisive reception.

Although I wasn’t gaga for I’m a fan by Sheena Patel I will say it was fast pace and definitely holds your interest. Especially if you’re into books about our obsession with social media, influencers and those who are just obsessive will love this book. It deals with people who are involved with other people who are either married or involved with even other people and some of them now the other side chick and some of them down. It’s the whammy at the end that really brings on the twist and the OG moments and although it’s mostly drama for those who love thrillers in reading about people with low morals will definitely like this book.

I think it’s a lot more fun to read about those who we believe are going to do the right thing, eventually do the wrong thing rather than those we would expect wrong behavior to act wrongly. I still recommend this book for thriller fans because I do believe like me the majority will enjoy it. I want to thank the publisher and Net Galley for my free arc copy. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The unnamed protagonist is having an affair with ‘the man I want to be with,’ but he’s having another affair with a social media influencer referred to as ‘the woman I’m obsessed with.’ With that premise, I knew the characters would be unlikable, but they’re acutely unredeemable and deplorable to the point where I struggled to finish the book. Then, the protagonist intersperses deeper societal observations, reflections, and commentary to deepen the literary experience, which I didn’t find particularly insightful especially given her position.

Netgalley and the publisher provided this book for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.

This book is a perfect read for those who might consider themselves a fan of what TikTok has dubbed "sad girl lit." The unnamed narrator is compulsive and so is the reader's inability to look away from her inevitably disastrous journey. This book is a perfect examination of parasocial relationships and the desire to gain control in a situation where power dynamics make it inherently futile. I couldn't put this book down until the end.

Short and super enjoyable! I was into it after the first couple of pages. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Creative and fun writing.

Have you ever found yourself intrigued by a stranger you see in public and searched them out on the internet? Just me?! Okay…

The premise of this book begins with just that – a woman so intrigued by her lover’s lover that she stalks every social media aspect of her competition. While the first few pages had me intrigued, this book was not what I had thought. At times I struggled to keep going, but the short chapters helped me push through.

I did find myself relating to the narrator at times with some of her astute observations about social media and our culture, but overall, this was hard to digest. I may not be the target audience for this book, which left me feeling restless, frustrated and exhausted from all the confrontation and back-and-forth between the narrator and her lover.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sheena Patel and Graywolf Press for an early copy of this book for an honest review.

This book is told in first-person narrative by the namesake “fan.” We are let into her world as she obsesses over a man she’s having an affair with as well as the woman HE is having an affair with. It’s a tangled web of deceit and passion and an interesting take on modern influencer culture and the insecurities that come along with being a young woman.

I enjoyed about 75% of this book, but could have done without the rest. The chapter titles were fun (though sometimes a little too on-the-nose) and certain parts made me laugh (who has never internet stalked someone they kind of hate?!). The timeline of the novel was a bit confusing to me as it randomly jumped back in time and I had to pause and figure out what was going on.

I’m sure there are people out there like the “fan,” but I couldn’t help ultimately feeling sorry for her as she continued to act on impulses and do things that she knew would hurt herself in the long run.

Thank you Graywolf Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There's a grittiness to this book that made it a less pleasant reading experience for me, but it's not a poorly written book. The 'series of mini essays' format was sort of hard to adjust to at first, but I wouldn't say it's a detriment.

Obsession is an interesting theme to delve into, and reading I’m a Fan makes you feel like you have a window into the mind of someone with an obsession that has taken over their every waking thought. That being said, it still felt authentic and believable. Very interesting!

Highly reccomend for people who are fans of the movie INGRID GOES WEST. Fun and quirky read. Was a big fan of Sheena's work.

Honestly it might just be because I’ve read a bunch of books in this “unhappy GORL” genre lately but this was not as good as the others. Maybe I was expecting something else out of the story, or maybe I was expecting a story. To the book’s credit, I did highlight several passages. But “I’m a Fan” feels like a first draft, or a bunch of notes put together into something unfinished and unsatisfying. I’m surprised that it’s nominated for awards, but what do I know?

This read requires patience. It’s definitely one of those “heavier on the vibes than on plot” books about unlikable people. There are NO NAMES for any of the characters, except the narrator, which is mentioned once. There are also unnecessary jumps back and forth through time. This can get confusing.

You will be treated to chapter titles like: “dick from someone who doesn’t care if you live or die.”

The book is mostly written in huge paragraphs with no breaks and very long, rambling sentences. It almost gets into stream of consciousness territory. There ARE interesting literary observations here and there, and I definitely prefer the shorter sections and the ones that stick to the central “plot” over the ones that randomly analyze today’s political landscape, for example. Because at the heart of the story is a basic theme that I am always on board for: one human being stalking another. (Don’t get the wrong idea!)

But here’s the problem: with the exception of one or two chapters, it doesn’t ever get that disturbing. The stalking story takes a backseat to the narrator talking about other things that are far less interesting, and the more you find out about her as a person the less you care. (I’ll give you this tidbit for free: she beats the shit out of her boyfriend and is seemingly remorseless about it.)

Although this was a quick read, it unfortunately didn’t do much for me. The main character was too much of a brat, I wasn’t invested in anything she was talking about, and the topics were all over the place. There’s nothing to grab onto here as far as someone to root for, and there’s no real storyline. It all becomes tiresome rambling. It’s a miss for me.

The way that this one so quickly moved from three stars.. to five stars.. to two stars.. and then solidly stayed at three stars.

I'm a Fan has some great one liners about misogyny, microaggressions, obsession, infatuation, race, and young adulthood.. but you really have to wade through a lot to get them. At times I felt myself just not caring at all; and then other times I was highlighting and enjoying it. I really loved the format of this one and really think there is something great under there. My feelings about this are just so all over the place. I'll gladly try this author again in the future.

3.5 rounded to 3/5

I'm a Fan is scheduled for publication on September 5, 2023. Graywolf Press provided an early galley for review.

Patel is very dialed into the extreme focus of her narrator; the woman's sentiment instantly rings true and is recognizable. The other key cast members - "the woman I am obsessed with" and "the man I want to be with" - are described and portrayed through a very controlled lens. That along with the lack of any names means the reader is left to map them by whatever guidelines they choose. The choice to go this route might be a challenge for some readers, but for the right audience it will connect.

The story is timely and touches upon aspects of modern society, especially those that followed closely by the younger generations. In particular, those individuals who have grown up entirely with the Internet and social media, those who look to "personalities" and "influencers" for determining what is in, cool, and trendy. This is the audience Patel is speaking too with a message, hopefully, they will heed.

The presentation, though, might prove to be the challenge for some readers. The narration is in short bursts (most chapters are a page or two in length), written in a stream-of-consciousness manner. The chapters are also non-linear with the story jumping around in time. These two elements give the story a scattershot aspect, mirroring the way social media can be non-linear and its users wanting that quick fix for those brief moments that they can get to check in on it. I feel readers will be on the extremes because of it - either love it or hate it.

I love an obsessive female narrator, but this story moved very slow for me. Overall I did enjoy it and would recommend it to my friends.

This just did not do it for me. It's stream of consciousness which is so hit or miss, and in this case it just didn't capture my attention. I didn't like any of the characters, which again can sometimes work, but it didn't work here. Not much happens and it's very repetitive.

This is such a fun and easy read. The protagonist is not a good person or at the very least a questionable person, but the author made it so easy to relate to her and her darkest, most stalker-ish thoughts.

I wasn’t a fan of the structure of this one, unfortunately I’m not in the mood for personal essays about more serious and important topics right now and that’s totally a me issue and not an issue with the book. The sections that were more personal, I did enjoy. I may come back to this book and finish it when I’m more in the mood for it, and if so, I will review it with more gusto,

Thank you for the chance to read it!