In Girl Dinner, Olivie Blake serves up a twisted, razor-sharp take on femininity, power, and the myth of having it all, blending campus gothic with biting social commentary and just the right amount of blood.

The story unfolds through dual perspectives: Nina Kaur, an ambitious sophomore desperate for a fresh start and a shot at influence via the elite sorority known only as The House; and Dr. Sloane Hartley, a struggling academic and new mother who finds herself both repelled and drawn to the cult of womanhood the sorority seems to perfect. Their trajectories mirror each other in fascinating ways, both women clinging to the promise of community and validation, even as the rituals surrounding The House grow more sinister by the day.

Blake’s writing is, as always, rich with existential undercurrents and laced with her signature dry wit. She captures the hollow rituals of upward mobility and womanhood in an age of Instagram perfection with eerie precision. The novel excels in tone,part satire, part horror, part elegy for all the selves women are asked to become and destroy in the name of success.

That said, the book occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambition. Some of the symbolism feels a little on-the-nose, and readers looking for straightforward horror or plot-driven thrills might find the pacing slow in places. But for those who love Blake’s brand of philosophical dread and disillusionment, Girl Dinner is a banquet.

Ultimately, this is a novel about hunger—social, physical, emotional and what it means to feed yourself in a world that’s always asking for a bite. Drenched in style and quietly brutal, Girl Dinner is for readers who prefer their feminism feral and their satire served raw.

I run hot and cold with Olivie Blake; some of her stuff is just fascinating and rich, and some of it reads as self-indulgent and meandering. This one falls somewhere in the middle for me - with some truly dislikable main characters, it's difficult to figure out who to root for. I was hoping more of a "Bunny" vibe, and while "Girl Dinners" skewers MLM and trad wife culture effectively, it was not easy for me to get through. Recommended with the caveat that you've got to have a high tolerance for women behaving very, very badly.

The House is the most exclusive sorority on campus. All the members are both beautiful and successful. Nina, a sophomore, is looking to become a member, and Sloane, a professor who is returning to work after having a child, becomes an adviser for The House.
We follow along with both of them as they navigate through being introduced to the inner workings of the sorority through their first semester within it, and its ritualistic history.
This is a story about wanting, and what ends some may go to have it all.
This is definitely a feminist based story, and it’s not meant to be taken too seriously. The characters are going to the extreme in one way or another either in what they want and/or what they will do to get what they want.
This was like nothing else that I’ve read before, though, to be fair, I haven’t read many horror satires, and I found it quite enjoyable.

I absolutely devoured this book - pun intended! The different layers, the topics, the characters - I'm going to have to go back and reread just to get more from it. When it came to Sloan's character, I felt so seen as a working mom and wife - all the pressures, the outside "noise", the effects of social media and influencers in today's world -- wow! Definitely thought provoking and gave me a feeling of "ick" at times, but I think that's a staple of a well written book. It made me think, it made me feel, it made me question. Just *chef's kiss*!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️.5 / 5

{ Check content warnings before diving into this book. 🍽️ }

My Thoughts: Girl Dinner is a contemporary, satire horror novel set in the world of academia and Greek life. It's told from the point of view of two women: Sloane and Nina.

Sloane is a wife and mother, and for the first 18 months of her daughter Isla's life, she stayed at home. But now she's putting herself back out there and starting as an adjunct professor in Sociology at the same university at which her husband is a tenured professor of Philosophy. Sloane is figuring out who she is as a woman, mother, and wife as she reclaims her career while desperately wanting to be involved in every second of Isla's life as she grows up.

Nina is a sophomore student at the university who is rushing to join a sorority. It's abnormal for sororities to accept sophomores, but Nina truly wants, and believes, that she can find sisters for life within one of the sororities--The House. She quickly falls in love with the lifestyle of The House and The Girls who live in it. When she's accepted, she finds herself infatuated with the president, Fawn, who seems untouchable.

Sloane's and Nina's lives run parallel to each other as Sloane is asked to be an academic liaison for The House. The two don't truly cross paths or speak much, but they are clearly aware of each other and how their lives intersect and how they have, or could, divulge. Sloane sees her past self in Nina--someone who is hungry for success--and Nina sees what her future could tragically be in Sloane--stuck with a husband who doesn't respect her and in a position she didn't want to be in.

Girl Dinner focuses on the plights of women and what truly makes a Good Woman. What do we as women have to give up, or accept, to get what we want and to rise above? Every character in this novel is selfish in their own desires and how they go about achieving the results they want to see. I found the different ways each woman interpreted feminism to be intriguing. Who are you willing to sacrifice in order to "make it?" Do you need to have a perfect exterior even when you've completely abandoned your moral compass to get to that place of "perfection?" Olivie Blake poses many questions such as these through a satirical lens.

However, the main subject this novel revolves around is The Dinner. One time a year, The House comes together for a ritualistic Dinner where they can finally eat their fill. <spoiler>The Girls choose someone to sacrifice, literally, and eat.</spoiler> Even within The House, the way The Girls and the alumnae interpret The Dinner is controversial. Is it something that's necessary and betters both The Girls and humanity? Or is it a truly selfish act only meant to make The Girls better? Is the reason anyone who graduates from The House is never sick and is completely successful in whatever they wanted to do mean The Dinner is working?

I could keep waxing poetic about this book and the different ways the characters both complement and foil each other, but the bottom line is this: the world hates women, and there's not much we can do about it. So how do we as women handle that?

I'd recommend Girl Dinner to readers who want feminine rage with a side of tastefully written (pun intended) cannibalism.

I enjoyed reading it, but I was looking forward to the end of the story. I feel like the book was either too long or lacking in content! The plot of the story, in general, and the characters are quite interesting.

These characters are so chaotic. I’m still trying to wrap my head around what I just read.

The only thing I knew about this book was “cannibalistic sorority,” which immediately piqued my interest. The thing is, I expected more cannibalism and for it to first appear sooner than 60% into the book. None of it was written about in a graphic manner, either, which I wanted it to be (maybe that says something concerning about me). Interestingly, though, the first 60% of the book was the more enjoyable part of the book.

I liked getting to know both Nina and Sloane, but the majority of the book really is just about them living their lives and learning their roles: Nina as a potential initiate into The House, and Sloane as a struggling mother and adjunct professor. Their paths don’t cross until more than halfway into the story. The book primarily seems to be an over-the-top narrative (satire) on sorority life. The synopsis promises “wealthy moms and sorority girls practic[ing] a sinister new wellness trend” but that’s really not at all what this book is about. That’s just what the ending is about. Kind of.

Readers who are mothers will have a particular connection to Sloane. So much of her struggles are related to motherhood, and she felt just out of reach for me. I do not have children, and I kept reading her chapters, thinking, particularly at the beginning, “I wonder if I’ll feel like that when I have children” or “I wonder if I’ll do that with my child too.” I liked her character a lot, but I think she’s going to be most relatable to fellow mothers. Olivie Blake is a mother, and I suspect she wrote some of her personal struggles and observations of motherhood into Sloane’s character.

I don’t like that this book insinuates that only alt-right women can be homemakers though. Being a Republican and being a traditional housewife are not mutually exclusive; I can be a stay-at-home-mom while also being politically liberal. Wanting to live a certain lifestyle is not the same as thinking women are suited only for that type of lifestyle. I know this book is a satire but I can’t tell if it’s being serious or not in this regard.

I also didn’t like the egregious amounts of sex and infidelity there was in the latter part of the book. I guess unnecessary mating is part of the satire genre because it’s a book about a sorority and those girls gotta have their dinner. But still. I didn’t need to read all that.

Girl Dinner was interesting because it was an engaging book that I read very quickly and enjoyed for the most part, but at the end I was left feeling like it didn’t accomplish what it set out to accomplish. The ending left me just . . . I don’t know. Underwhelmed? Confused? The character motivations didn’t fully line up with the characters I’d gotten to know over the past 350 pages, but I kind of feel like that was the author’s intention. This book felt like a character study about two seemingly opposite but actually similar women more than an exposé on a cannibalistic sorority, which is really what I was hoping for and what I was advertised. I don’t really know what Olivie Blake was trying to do with this novel.

The first 60% was 4 stars for me, and the last 40% was 2 stars. That’s funny because when I started this book, I told my husband, “This book is either going to be 2 stars or 4 stars, nothing in between.” And I guess I was right. But I’m averaging my rating for my review. I don’t even know who to recommend this book to. Obviously the Olivie Blake fans are going to eat it up. Her writing is very specific and felt very Gen Z in this book. But other than that . . . hmm. My main takeaways are there was less cannibalism than I was expecting and more social commentary than I was expecting. Do with that what you will.

Thank you so much to netgalley and publishers for this ARC!

I loved the dark, twisty humour of this book. It was such a delight, and once I got into the meat of the story, it was SO hard to put down. The characters were so intriguing and I loved the way the story went. A chomping delight!

Oh, this was so unhinged and so gripping. I loved the dual-POV narration and was totally surprised by the ways the two perspectives collide by the end of the novel—once I hit about 80%, I simply could not put it down. A darkly funny satire on womanhood today, and one of Blake's most enjoyable so far for me! I'll follow her career anywhere!

I will read anything Olivie puts out and Girl Dinner has to be one of my favorites to date. This satire on being a woman in modern day society is unhinged and completely perfect. From college age to motherhood, I found this book so relatable. Olivie is a master of metaphors and her writing is always so poetically done.

A fun cannibalistic romp by Olivie Blake, set in a world of sororities and satire and full of epic discourse that could be shouted from the rooftops.

Girl Dinner asks the question : "What makes a good woman?"

This story is a diabolical look into how far you would go for the sake of feminism and motherhood.

The House represents everything Nina is wanting to obtain - beauty, wealth, and status. When she learns what is at the true heart of this group of women and what it will take to succeed, she has to decide if she wants to keep playing along or succumb.


Dr. Sloane is attempting to juggle motherhood and a career and the feeling of never being good enough at anything.... cooking dinner, sex, teaching, you name it. When she is pulled into the world of The House and their secrets, she has to ask herself if she has what it takes to be a "good woman."

Sloane's slow decent of giving in to the idea of a perfect womanhood for herself and her daughter at the expense of someone else's existence was a wild ride.

At times it felt like a social media picture slideshow of 'how many social statistics can we squeeze into this chapter' and like we were being spoon fed information that we most certainly already know. But it certainly an interesting and twisty story where I didn't see the end coming.

2/5

Okay this one is going to be a tough one for me. On the one hand, the concept is so incredible and I line up for anything Olivie Blake writes, but on the other we have the glaring issue—that the concept just needed more time to bake. Following two characters, a postpartum mother and adjunct teaching at a local college, and a young college student rushing a popular sorority, Girl Dinner promises a depraved look into womanhood, our hungers, and the desires that maybe cannot be ever satiated. I love how much Olivie Blake packs into one novel, especially when it comes to the varying and unifying experiences of womanhood. The questions she poses over the course of this novel are intriguing, and definitely something I would have myself devoured at the height of my university degree, but somehow out of place in a novel that should have placed more of an emphasis on the two women present. Truly so much occurred in this book, the pacing ebbed and flowed with as much regularity as the tide that I could not help but be dragged under completely, lost to what was actually going on. Our characters Sloan and Nina are two fascinating perspectives to tie up in Blake’s query, but much like the pacing, their choices and moments of clarity were sporadic. It’s as if the commentary overshadowed everything else, more a lead for a curious reader to follow—like an academic text—than an actual story. There were times that a situation would occur and characters would spiral into philosophizing the world and their internal monologues would take us so far off course I had no idea what we were even going back to. Plenty of satire, cannibalism, and good for her energy, but I find I was still left unsatiated.

Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake is a mesmerizing, edge-of-your-seat novel that peels back the layers of an elite sorority—and the deadly allure of the pursuit of perfection. The story follows Nina Kaur, whose desperate desire to erase her past mistakes and secure her future lands her in The House, the most sought-after and mysterious sorority on campus. But as she becomes entwined in their secretive rituals, she quickly realizes that this glittering world masks something far darker. At the same time, Dr. Sloane Hartley, a dedicated professor yearning for normalcy and fulfillment in her chaotic life, finds herself drawn into The House’s web of power and influence. Her own quest for belonging and recognition collides with a world that demands a bloody toll from those who seek to ascend. Blake masterfully weaves their stories into a taut, suspenseful narrative full of secrets, betrayals, and chilling twists. The stakes keep rising as both women grapple with how much they’re willing to sacrifice for success—and whether the true cost of living well is worth paying. The novel’s moody atmosphere, combined with its provocative themes, will leave you questioning what lies behind the façade of perfection. If you’re craving a read that’s as thrilling as it is thought-provoking, with plenty of dark surprises along the way, Girl Dinner is a compelling addition to the genre. Just beware—once you’re at the table, there’s no turning back.

one of my top reads of the year!! incredible plot, characterization, and so tongue-in-cheek funny. i can't wait to sell this in october.

I am DNF'ing this - potentially just for now, until some reviewers I trust are able to tell me if it's worthing pushing through.

This is partially on me. I didn't realise that the second POV was a new mum who was leaving her kid at daycare for the first time. This is what I didn't love about Blake's previous book (Gifted and Talented ended up being very toddler/mum focused) and so I was immediately hesitant. However, there was a line in one of the chapters about the character loving the smell of her baby's farts and breath after it breastfeeds... I must respectfully bow out for now.

This will be an important book for a lot of people. A lot of moms will probably find it quite cathartic of a read. Personally, I'm not interested. Again, as a long time Olivie stan, I would give this a try in the future if I hear more good things about it.

Thank you so much to Tor for the e-arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

Girl Dinner
By: Olivie Blake
Release Date: October 21, 2025

This novel is everything you hoped the darker side to the phrase “girl dinner” would be. Dark, sarcastic, and witty- there is an edge to this novel that only a few other books have managed to reach. And Blake does it all perfectly with the glittery bow that is “The House”.
We follow two main characters, Nina and Dr. Sloane, both looking for the social advantage and status the being part of The House will give them. But as they delve deeper into the politics and clever phrases like “girl dinner” used to control and exert the idea of what a woman should be, they both have to decide exactly how far they will go? And though we have all read that phrase before, Blake truly uses it to the full advantage in Girl Dinner, because how far would each of us go to fulfill our dreams? Where is the line for you?
This book is very different from her other series but I enjoyed it. It gave me Grace Year vibes but in a modern day setting. I had a bit of a book hangover after this one. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Publishers for the ARC.

Stars ✨ 4/5

What worked for me (4.25/5):
• Tone & Voice: Blake balances sharp humor and creeping dread beautifully. It’s whip‑sharp, scathing, and deeply satisfying in how it interrogates female rage and social expectations .
• Characters & Themes: Nina Kaur and Dr. Sloane Hartley embody different struggles—ambition, motherhood, identity—drawing you into a morally ambiguous sisterhood where loyalty is bloody and power costs dearly .
• Cultural Relevance: It nails the zeitgeist—explores “white feminism in academia,” social media wellness trends, and toxic sisterhood dynamics .

Why not a full 5 stars:
• Plot Pacing: Some sections lagged a bit around the mid‑book mark, with digressions that didn’t always drive the story forward .
• Tone Intensity: It’s strong on atmosphere and ideas, but fans craving a more visceral or horror‑leaning climax might find it comparatively restrained .

This book was somehow completely bonkers and extremely relatable — it was all over the place, and I loved a lot of it, disliked some of it, and hated the ending.

The points Blake made about feminism and womanhood and motherhood and what a giant mess everything is and how impossible it can be to live in the world were insightful, but the way they were frequently delivered as big blocks of internal monologue pulled me out of the story and made me glaze over a bit. It felt like the satire and heart of the story got lost in too much term paper-y business, which stinks because there was a lot of good stuff being said.

Anyway, this would be a great bookclub pick - lots to discuss - and I hope a lot of people read this!

Dinner by Olivie Blake is a dark deep-dive into ambition, power, and the performative veneer of perfection. With biting commentary and an unflinching eye for the grotesque glamour of institutionalized womanhood, Olivie Blake spins a dual narrative between Nina Kaur, a sophomore clawing her way toward law school redemption, and Dr. Sloane Hartley, a disillusioned academic reeling from postpartum depression and a husband who wrote the definition of weaponized incompetence.