I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that so perfectly captures what it feels like to be stuck in a toxic friendship group. That strange love-hate, frenemy dynamic is so specific and yet so common, especially when it’s built on nothing more than proximity and history rather than a genuine connection. The Followers absolutely nails that feeling. “The Group” are SO cruel and pretty uncomfortable to read about, but they’re also familiar. Anyone who’s made it through primary school or high school will recognise some version of them, and probably remember exactly how it felt to be on the inside or the outside of that dynamic.

I actually think this would work brilliantly as a YA novel, not because it’s simplistic, but because that’s the audience who will feel this story most viscerally. There’s something very raw and recognisable about the way these relationships are portrayed.

I also really enjoyed the early parts with the marbles. It felt nostalgic, reminding me of those school crazes like yo-yos or Pokémon cards in the 90s, although The Group really take it to another level.

Overall, this is a sharp, uncomfortable, and very real look at group dynamics and the damage they can do.