This book is unlike anything I've read before. Even now that I've finished it, I truly can't decide what I think about it. But the book itself has stayed with me and I've thought about it more than a few times. 

Louise Wilson is just a girl trying to make it in New York City. Insecure and unsure of herself, she works several jobs to get by. One, as an SAT tutor, and this is how she meets Lavinia. Louise is easy to forget. You could pass her in a crowd and not think anything of it. But Lavinia, an actress/student/writer/wealthy kid stands out. And once Lavinia pulls you into her world, it's hard to let go of that lifestyle. This is exactly what happens to Louise. 

The way this story is told was enjoyable for me. You feel like the author is actually telling you the story, and that adds an extra layer of depth. It kept me on edge because initially, we aren't sure how nefarious this story might turn. You really don't know who is bad and who is good. Both Louise and Lavinia are not the most lovable characters. It's a delicate push and pull between them and the author maintains a perfect balance so the story always has just the right amount of tension. 

This story was fascinating. I would stop reading and I found myself sitting and thinking about Louise and Lavinia and what they would do next. What weird person Louise would meet and how she would handle her changing life. What would Lavinia think as Louise starts to branch out on her own with Lavinia's friends? I would absolutely recommend this book. It was easy to read, had the perfect elements to keep me on edge (as I think any good thriller should do), and the ending left me speechless.

Social Creature is receiving hype as one of the best summer reads of 2018. Frankly, I get why. The premise revolves around our obsession with social media and how lives are illustrated (or even fabricated) through pictures, videos, stories and, ultimately, the persona one creates on such platforms.

Louise’s life isn’t glamorous – she lives deep in Brooklyn, works three jobs and still barely has enough money to survive. Cue Lavinia who lives in the upper echelon of society filled with vintage dresses, expensive art and exclusive parties.

Louise and Lavinia become fast friends. However, Lavinia is quickly exposed as highly volatile, narcissistic and oddly lonely. Something just doesn’t seem right. Despite feeling like a pet project, Louise becomes more and more enamored with her new friend’s life – wearing her clothes, makeup, and jewelry. She soon becomes reliant on Lavinia.

The plot is The Talented Mr. Ripley for the social media age. Unfortunately, I was never totally emotionally invested. I admit I may not be the target audience. Despite being the same age as Louise in this novel (29), I don’t have the same inclination or addiction to social media.

My biggest issue was Louise never sufficiently creeped me the f*** out like Tom Ripley (Matt Damon). While she certainly becomes enamored with Lavinia, I never really felt she was dangerously obsessed with her. I wanted to fear what happened on the next page, but I never did.

Jen’s take:

I agree with Pasquale. When the book started out, I was engaged and excited, wondering what would happen next. However, I felt like the book lacked a climax as well as resolution. It built, but there was never a culmination of everything that happened. That being said, it was a fun, easy and quick read.

I really enjoyed the social media aspect of the book, and that it highlighted the cultural shift that often people interact on social media but not in real life. It spotlights the issues of Social Media Obsession and Anxiety, two things that have an increasing prevalence in a world where people rely so heavily on social media. I found Burton’s commentary interesting and important, but the story itself fell flat for me and never got where I wanted it to go.

This book lived up to some of the hype, as it really is a peek into the wealthy elite and a timely commentary on social media. If you are someone who values “Likes”, definitely check out this summer read!

Verdict: Read it 3.5/5 Stars
Length: 278 pages
When: If you value “Likes” or had a taste of the high life and never wanted to leave!
Quote: “There’s a reason people are able to function, in this world, as social creatures, and a good part of that reason is that there are a lot of questions you’re better off not knowing the answer to, and if you’re smart you won’t even ask.”
Also Try: Watching The Talented Mr. Ridley with Matt Damon and Jude Law!

This was a book I admired more than I enjoyed, if that makes any sense. I was delighted by how the author used social media to pull off this Talented Mr. Ripley retelling, and I think she did a great job of portraying how simultaneously shallow and emotionally high-stakes the entire Instagram/Twitter/etc. world is to modern social life. There was an ominous tone sustained throughout that was very effective. But I honestly think the use of present tense kept me from fully engaging with the story- it held me at arms length and was rather grating throughout. Still, I think this book does what it sets out to do with excellence, and I'll be interested to see what the author does next

Reading Social Creature is like getting dropped into the middle of a manic, rich girl's Instagram, a common theme of overindulgent decadence the only uniting factor. Lavinia and Louise move through a cast of characters that behave as though they too graduated from Donna Tartt's Hampden College, their entitled circle as at home at a costume party in an abandoned warehouse as they are at the opening night of the Metropolitan Opera. Lavinia's life of bottomless bank accounts, disposable designer clothes, and wide open days for whatever amusements she desires captivates with its unnaturalness. You don't quite believe that her existence—the one she shares with and uses to manipulate Louise—could be real, even as a part of you wants to join in the fun.

Lavinia encapsulates the "poor little rich girl" stereotype, yet as the novel unfolds her mood swings and guilt trips read less as undesirable character traits and more as symptoms of a deeper problem. Her manipulative tactics trigger warning bells from the start; Louise appears so susceptible, so hungry for the fantasy life dreamed of when she first moved to New York that she makes easy prey for the lonely heiress. Yet as secrets begin piling up between the two women and the power dynamics shift because of them, the question of who is taking advantage of whom enters into play.

One may wonder why Louise doesn't take one of her available escape routes from Lavinia's emotional exploitation. The lure of wealth and exclusivity is a powerful one, despite the risks to Louise's independence. At first, when she starts skimming funds off the top of her friend's bloated checking account, Louise almost seems justified. But one person's obliviousness does not excuse another deliberately taking advantage, and by the time the women's relationship has descended into a self-sustaining mutual toxicity, it's impossible to excuse the actions of either of them.

Burton deploys a squirmy mix of condescension and desperate adoration towards the idle rich that populate Social Creature. Told through Louise's outsider perspective, the lifestyle of well-funded unemployment, heavy drinking, and an endless string of unhinged parties takes on a hallucinogenic patina. Burton's prose continues the dream-like sensation, simultaneously casting Louise as a grounded every(wo)man and a victim of the same rot at the center of her patrician friends.

The cover copy may reveal one major development in Social Creature, but readers shouldn't fret over a lack of surprises after Lavinia departs the narrative. The circumstances of her death force Louise into an increasingly paranoid spiral that refocuses the hectic energy of raves and all-night benders into a gradual psychotic break. In this way Social Creature works well as a portrait of toxic female friendship and the ways in which a desperate need to belong can corrupt even the well-intentioned beyond repair.

Note: I reviewed an early copy of this book on Netgalley.

I tore through this book so fast and loved every minute of it. Sometimes I cringed and sometimes I wanted to cry at these characters who are, as other reviewers have mentioned, unlikable in so many ways. However, I find it refreshing to read about female characters this complex and dynamic. Usually it is the male characters who get this kind of story--wild nights, dark secrets, and interests that have nothing to do with the opposite sex. One review I read mentioned Bret Easton Ellis which seems like a fair comparison in terms of content, but I would venture to say that Tara Isabella Burton's writing is so much stronger.

In terms of structure, what I loved most was that what I thought would happen at the end, happened at the midpoint. The book went in a completely different direction than I expected. And the ending is completely satisfying given the tone of the rest of the book. I would read this again and again just to figure out how the writer managed to create such a horrible/fantastic/realistic world.

I'll say one thing about this book. It would make one hell of a movie.

This book is referred to as "A Talented Mr. Ripley for the digital age". Well, I never read that book. Or saw that movie. I have a basic understanding of what the plot is, but I didn't go into this with any expectations for what would happen, other than what is told in the summary.

Louise is poor. Lavinia is rich. Louise has nothing. Lavinia has everything. Lavinia takes Louise under her wing, with shouts of MORE POETRY and promises of parties and dancing and drinking and all the excess one could ever want.

And Louise gets dragged under, into this world that is part Hipster, part Club Kids, all magic and butterflies. Imagine Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's height of power, but in the social media era. Louise would be...Kim Kardashian, without the famous family and the sex tape. Someone no one knew about, but whose star rises because she's in the same spotlight as someone more powerful.

You're told straight from the jump that Lavinia is going to die, so no spoiler warning here. Once you know, you're just waiting to see what happens.

This is both a good read and an obnoxious read. Obnoxious because every single character is terrible and unlikeable. Good because every single character is terrible and unlikeable. There's so many layers to the story, though I feel like there could've been a few more moments of "woah". I'm normally one to complain about too many twists, but I feel like this story is absolutely begging for a twist. It's like a fantastic soup that is just in dire need of one pinch of salt.

I don't know if the cover is affecting my thoughts, but this story really does remind me of the movie Black Swan. Louise's deteriorating mental state, the frantic atmosphere, the entire unreality of her life after Lavinia's untimely demise. You feel the tension, you feel this "when is she going to be found out" atmosphere, and it is heavy.

The ending was not as satisfying as I would've liked, but it's not bad. It's just there. The story just ends.

Also, it is intensely disturbing that this book makes the point that, in this digital age, it would be really, really easy to kill someone without anyone knowing they're gone.

That's not going to keep me up at night. Nope.

Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton is an addictive novel. Louise and Lavinia are NYC party girls and live for the next good time. Lavinia is wealthy and Louise is not. Louise narrates the story and she admits that she is not who she appears to be. Lavinia is possessive and cloying and Louise willingly clings to her. Until she doesn't.
A must read for any fan of the creepy girl book genre.

{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 likeable. While likeability 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-

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

"For readers of Gillian Flynn and Donna Tartt, a dark, propulsive and addictive debut thriller, splashed with all the glitz and glitter of New York City.

They go through both bottles of champagne right there on the High Line, with nothing but the stars over them... They drink and Lavinia tells Louise about all the places they will go together, when they finish their stories, when they are both great writers-to Paris and to Rome and to Trieste...

Lavinia will never go. She is going to die soon.

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."

Lets hope more Donna Tartt and Patricia Highsmith...

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This book is completely bizarre and twisted and I couldn't put it down. As the blurb already states, it is a modern day Talented Mr. Ripley. A "loser" of a girl is taken under the wing of a popular, wealthy, eccentric socialite. The book is about what happens when her obsession goes too far. The writing took a bit for me to get used to and I can't pinpoint exactly why. The language and descriptions are very romanticized why makes it seem too far fetched at first, but as the story progresses you realize it is relevant to the plot. I couldn't imagine how the author would end this book and while the ending was simple, it made sense. This book would only be suitable for the reader that likes very DARK reading!

This book was twisted, but I did find myself wanting to finish after almost giving up a few times. Not my favorite writing but not bad either.

“Chop chop, Cinderella.”

Here it is, a story of our time. Lavinia is spoiled and wealthy; Louise is newly arrived in New York City, and apart from her rent-stabilized apartment and a handful of part time jobs, she has nothing. Wealth and want collide and as Louise is swept up into Lavinia’s world—not to mention her Facebook and Instagram pages—the tension mounts. We know that Lavinia is going to die soon, but we don’t know how or why, and of course we wonder what will become of Louise once that happens. Burton’s story unfolds with sass and swagger, and you want to read this book, which is for sale today. Get it. My thanks go to Net Galley and Doubleday for the review copy, which I read free in exchange for this honest review.

More than anything, Louise wants to become a writer. She has tremendous talent, but between three part time jobs and Lavinia’s endless and unreasonable demands, she has no time for it. Lavinia wants to party, and she’s generous at times, furnishing Louise with expensive dresses, high-end trips to the beauty salon, and eventually, housing. In exchange, she more or less owns Louise.

Louise moves in with Lavinia, but Lavinia has the only key.

Perhaps even more alluring to Louise are Lavinia’s seemingly endless connections to the literary movers and shakers in New York. Lavinia, you see, has had time to write a book, and she’s done it. It’s terrible, but Louise cannot say as much. She has too damn much to lose.

Burton’s voice is like no one I have ever read, and in some ways the comparisons that have been made to well known writers are unfortunate, because her work is wholly original. The thing I love best about this story is that nothing is overstated. The narrative takes off hell-bent-for-leather, and the reader has to follow closely to find out the basic ground-level information about both both women. It’s as if we have landed as invisible companions in the middle of a party, and we have to hit the ground running, exactly as Louise has had to do.

This is risky writing. The first half has very little plot and little action; its success hinges entirely upon its characters. Burton carries it off brilliantly, with genius pacing and the disciplined use of repetition as a literary device. This is a novel that should take all of us by storm, but failing that, it has all the makings of an amazing cult classic.

This is cutting edge fiction, written by the most unlikely of theologians. I highly recommend it, even if you have to pay full jacket price.

I am glad I didn’t give up on this book. It took a little time to find it’s footing but then it really took off. I loved the Highsmith-esque atmosphere and plot machinations. The satire of the socialite world added a fun element to a very dark story.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the first line of the publisher's summary, "They go through both bottles of champagne right there on the High Line, with nothing but the stars over them." I have recently fallen in love with New York City and its High Line so this line alone sold me on the fact that I needed to read this book. I had some problems with the story when I first started reading and very seriously considered giving up on it because I was too overwhelmed by the character of Lavinia. She exhausted me. I had to set aside the book for a while and decide if I wanted to come back to it. That usually means...I don't come back to it. But I did pick it back up a couple weeks later and read it straight through. I found it edgy but problematic. Some scenes needed more detail while others were too detailed. The fragmented storyline kept me guessing and I can see how the author did that to mirror the whirlwind of action around Louise and Lavinia. This book didn't shock or "wow" me, but it is memorable.

Louise barely making it in NYC meets Lavina who makes everything happen. For reasons unknown, Lavina "adopts" Louise and introduces her to the world of NYC only available to the young rich and fabulous. And Louise can have access to this world only if she does exactly.what.Lavina.wants.ALL..THE.TIME. When Louise makes a real connection with Lavina's first love Rex things take a dark turn.

If young rich people in NYC really party like described in this book - all I have to say is WOW. It was very interesting to read about some of the places they go in NYC - specifically the "MacIntyre Hotel" which sounds like it is based off the "McKittrick Hotel" and the immersive experience Sleep No More. And since I just visited the bar at the Carlyle I could totally get a great picture of those scenes in my head.

I loved this peek into the inner world of NYC that very few have access in the look at how much we let social media shape ideas of what is happening in other people's lives.

OMG I LOVED THIS BOOK! Dark, it was very dark and completely unexpected. I couldn’t put it down.

At first I kept being reminded that it is a modern day book every time I’d read, “let’s take a selfie”. There was something about it that made me feel like it was written about an earlier time.

Lavinia is a wealthy New York party girl and Louise is a poor girl from New Hampshire that’s just trying to get by working a bartending job, tutoring SAT students, and hoping to be a writer.

They become very close friends and then the story takes off and the twist and are amazing.

I’ve never read a book like this before. I would give it more than five stars if I could.

Filled with all the glitz and glamour of New York City, “Social Creature” follows wealthy party girl Lavinia Williams and her newest bestie Louise Wilson, an aspiring writer living on the margins. As they travel from one decadent, outrageous, and extravagant party to the next Louise becomes infatuated with Lavinia and her lifestyle. Lavinia and her friends are obsessed with social media and the decisions they make about their lives seem to be driven solely by how exotic, exciting, and enviable their Facebook posts will be and how many “ Likes” they will get.

The book is advertised as a thriller and there were some surprising twists to the plot. To my mind, “Social Creature” was really an indictment of social media and a character study of the relationship between sophisticated Lavinia and insecure Louise, the fraying of their relationship, and the lengths Louise will go to in order to preserve it. While portions of the book were interesting, there were other sections that failed to engage me or made me want to keep reading. None of the characters were even remotely likable and their shallow, hedonistic, self-absorbed behavior became tedious to read about. As for whether I would recommend this book, I think it would depend on the reader. It wasn’t the book for me but that could have been because I’m not in the targeted audience or maybe I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind. So I encourage potential readers to look at a lot of reviews before deciding if it’s a book they want to read.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 6/3/18.

I’d like to thank the publisher and Net Galley for an advance digital copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book within a day. It spoke to my inner twenty something, NYC socialite soul! I loved the characters and the storyline, set amongst the glitz and glamour of New York City night life. The story was suspenseful and dramatic.

I have always loved film and television with New York as a setting, but for some reason I’ve neglected to read stories such as this one. I’ll be seeking out more books like this in the future!

There's a lot to live up to when names such as Donna Tartt and Gillian Flynn as tossed around, and this....this doesn't do it for me. This is basically a female, modern "The Talented Mr. Ripley" - WHICH THEY TELL YOU IN THE DESCRIPTION. Two characters from different walks of life meet and the 'poor' girl is taken in by the 'rich' girl and gets blinded by the money and glitz and glam of New York party girl life.

This book was exhausting. From one party to another to this vintage dress to that fur coat. UGH. Lavinia is ....annoying at best. Her need for attention and ridiculous lifestyle made her so unlikeable to me, the reader, that I couldn't understand what Louise found so desirable - but maybe I'm not Louise - an immature and easy target for a manipulator.

It....just wasn't fun.

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

4 enthralling trainwreck stars to Social Creature!

Social Creature is a total trainwreck of a read, and I mean this in the best possible way. Yes, it is absolutely addictive, and because of that, I could not stop reading. More on that in a bit.

Louise is quiet, introverted, and mousy. When she meets over-the-top socialite and party animal, Lavinia, her life takes an intense and even toxic turn. The two become fast friends, and the story turns dark really, really fast.

The less you know about the rest of the story before reading, the better, because a big part of this story is its shock value. That’s where the trainwreck comes back into play. You just cannot stop reading.

Please be warned: if you need likable characters, you will not find them here. If you need an uplifting read, this is most definitely not it. For this one, you need to have the want to be entertained, and a completely open mind, while also not being afraid of “dark.” Not dark in the scary way, but dark in the gritty, shock value way.

For me, I consider this an escape read because I was completely transported to this dark place and totally forgot about what was happening around me. It was that absorbing.

Social Creature would make an excellent movie. I would love to see this bizarre tale unfold visually, and if matches how my mind imagined it.

Thank you to Tara Isabella Burton, Doubleday, and Netgalley for the ARC. Social Creature will be published on June 5, 2018.