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Im a Fan
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
26 posts | 26 read | 11 to read
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review
Chelsea.Poole
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Mehso-so

This was a quick read but I found it to be one-note and repetitive. I understand why: the MC is completely obsessive over a married man who has multiple affairs. One specific other-other woman is an Instagram influencer and our MC becomes obsessed with her too. Some great great one liners though! Commentary on class, wealth, race, and icky men.

ChaoticMissAdventures I agree, I was really into obsessed women last year and also found this so-so, but absolutely loved 5mo
Chelsea.Poole @ChaoticMissAdventures you had an obsessive women obsession perhaps? 😂 I agree, I preferred My Husband over this as well. 5mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @Chelsea.Poole right? I love being obsessed with obsession! It is fascinating. 5mo
77 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
JMPemberton
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Panpan

What can I say? I‘m not a fan! This was a hard pan from me. I skim read the second half. Very repetitive, NO character growth or plot progression. What was the point of it? There was some nice prose. I was sick of the characters racism and generalisations and constant whinging…ugh. I had been looking forward to this book for ages because the premise sounded great. It could have been so much better.

review
Megabooks
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

I‘ve been meaning to read this #roll100 since last year‘s Women‘s Prize announcement, so I‘m glad I finally got to it, especially because I love a novel about a woman obsessed!

The MC has become fixated on a married man, whom she‘s slept with several times. He juggles many affairs including an American he just can‘t get to love him, so the MC becomes obsessed with her too. The tighter she holds on the more he slips away.

BarbaraBB I liked this one too. 9mo
Megabooks @BarbaraBB A solid debut for sure! 9mo
sarahbarnes Great review! I may have to add this one to my list. 9mo
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 9mo
80 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
RaeLovesToRead
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

I'm a fan was interesting.

The MC is infatuated with an (awful) man who openly admits he isn't interested in a relationship with her, & she becomes obsessed with changing his mind.

Alongside this tale of poisonous obsession, opinion pieces in poetic essay form are scattered throughout.

The insightful social commentary doesn't always sit right coming from the (intentionally) unhinged MC's narrative voice, but is still fascinating.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BarbaraBB Great review. Agree with your “verdict” 😀 11mo
The_Book_Ninja Well done for getting through this. I found it harrowing. Interestingly, I didn‘t see her as unhinged but traumatised. White privilege pervades through her social and creative life and is destructive. Probably the most thought proving book I read last year 10mo
RaeLovesToRead @The_Book_Ninja I've found it really interesting reading interviews with the author. They're definitely worth looking up. It sounds like she found writing the character cathartic, but deliberately made her controversial. 10mo
73 likes3 comments
quote
RaeLovesToRead
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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This chapter title... ?

*Sigh* I'm only a few chapters in and already I'm wanting to bop the MC on the nose with a copy of "he's just not that into you".

I'm getting "by Grand Central station I sat down and wept" vibes, but with more social media stalking.

I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of pining for an unavailable, unsuitable, and totally unworthy love interest... RUN AWAY, unnamed protagonist! Run away!!!

vivastory I'm watching your video on Brainwyrms & the blurb from Joe Hill is top tier “Alison is like the twisted daughter of Clive Barker & Shirley Jackson“ SOLD 11mo
RaeLovesToRead @vivastory Oh cool, thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy it. I'm probably going to order her first novel, which I've heard is good if a little ambitious. That reminds me... should make a post to say I've uploaded it... 11mo
batsy That chapter heading 😆 11mo
See All 7 Comments
The_Book_Ninja If I read the book right, the guy is a representation of white supremacy. He only has photos taken with her when it suits his image. Otherwise, she is excluded from his world. 11mo
RaeLovesToRead @batsy Good isn't it? 😄 11mo
RaeLovesToRead @The_Book_Ninja Very interesting. I'm not very far into the book yet. If there are layers of allegory and social commentary then that's brilliant. Whether he's a metaphor or not, the guy is already making me angry!! 11mo
The_Book_Ninja @RaeLovesToRead well we all read books differently. I‘ll look forward to your review 11mo
59 likes7 comments
review
mija333
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
Pickpick

Amazing! It‘s either this or Big Swiss for 2023

review
Hooked_on_books
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Mehso-so

On one hand, this is a very well executed portrait of obsession fueled by influencer culture. On the other, there‘s zero arc to either the story or the main character, who is the real focus of the book. That left me feeling like something was missing.

BarbaraBB Same! 12mo
squirrelbrain Same here too! 12mo
38 likes2 comments
review
The_Book_Ninja
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

I read this because my wife felt aspects of this book put into words her own experiences as a WOC. Think pieces interrupt a fictional story(but never the flow) & read like open wounds festering on an author/protagonist‘s already bruised skin.Thus,smart critique weaves into a harrowing tale of obsession. The myth of equality & Neoliberalism is dismantled via Critical Social Justice ideology & paralleled with a WOC‘s exploration of intersectionality

review
Kazzie
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
Mehso-so

This was hard to read. Well written, but I found it challenging to hear about this woman and her thoughts and behaviours in a toxic affair. Difficult because it was so real and true, but very hard to watch someone obsess and spiral and hurt themselves.

review
Maeve1
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Mehso-so

20th Sept 23

review
Night_Reader
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

4/5 🌟

Sheena Patel has just won a new fan and follower on Instagram! At first, I was hesitant about the book due to the unlikable main character and my inability to relate to her life choices, but the engaging and clever writing, along with the thought-provoking themes explored within each vignette chapter, compelled me to keep reading and I'm glad I did! What a powerful debut novel! Definitely going to go and stalk SP now. 🕵️‍♀️

review
Emilymdxn
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
Pickpick

I‘m almost done with my second ever masters essay and emerging from my cocoon a bit! Making time for studying, a full time job and reading is HARD guys 🫠

Still working on the women‘s prize list though and while I went back and forth on this one a bunch, i wound up liking it. I see why it‘s dividing opinion but I love really twisted lyrical deep dives into jealous horrible people.

Itchyfeetreader Congrats on the essay! 2y
BookLineNSinker I'm right there with you! It's so much to juggle. Try audiobooks lol but seriously, I play them in my car during my commute and sometimes while working on homework for grad school. It's convenient even if solid books are more my thing. 14mo
39 likes2 comments
review
jlhammar
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Bailedbailed

A quarter of the way through and calling it quits. Very short, but I am not enjoying this even a little bit. The blurbs say “addictive, exhilarating, spellbinding,” but I am finding it all pathetic, immature and annoying. Oh well, on to the next. #WomensPrize

ChaoticMissAdventures I didn't enjoy this either, and I think bailing is a good call. The main character has zero growth which I found really annoying. 2y
BarbaraBB It‘s so unpredictable how we react to books! I really did like this one although it‘s not really memorable 2y
80 likes2 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

A young woman is obsessed with “the man I want to be with” and a white and wealthy woman with “a perfectly manicured Instagram grid”.
The man is serially unfaithful. He‘s married and has an affair with the woman she is obsessed with. He holds her at arm‘s length, far enough for her to observe and interpret the toxicity of the situation. She recognizes structures in gender, race and power dynamics that are brilliant described. #womensprizelonglist

rmaclean4 Does it make your personal short list? 2y
BarbaraBB @rmaclean4 It‘s the first I read 🤦🏻‍♀️ 2y
See All 11 Comments
Cinfhen Hmmmmm, confusing but interesting - hope I can #BorrowNotBuy from one of my subscription services 🙏🏻 2y
squirrelbrain Great review Barbara! I think I appreciated this rather than loved it! 2y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Yes me too! Is it on your shortlist? 2y
sarahbarnes Great review! I‘ve been on the fence about this one. Glad to see you liked it! 2y
squirrelbrain No, not on my personal one but I wouldn‘t mind it making it as it‘s very clever. I posted my list yesterday, but didn‘t tag you, sorry! 2y
batsy Nice review! 💜 2y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain No need, I somehow missed it but will check it now! 2y
Librarybelle This sounds a bit confusing! Great review! 2y
84 likes11 comments
quote
BarbaraBB
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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I feel like I‘m reading two books at one. One part is about a woman obsessed with another woman, one part is political essays and statements like these. I enjoy them both.
#womensprizelonglist

CarolynM She makes some good points😠 2y
batsy Sounds super interesting! 2y
BarbaraBB @CarolynM @batsy It is very interesting indeed, the weird mix of essay-ish parts and the young woman obsessed by other people on social media and in real life. 2y
61 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
ChaoticMissAdventures
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Mehso-so

I'm not really. I see what Patel is trying to do with this, and I think she is successful. I just personally didn't enjoy it.
The narrator is unnamed, which I always find interesting, then there are mostly unnamed characters "the man I want to be with", "his wife", "the woman I am obsessed with" these phrases are repeated over and over and it became quite annoying.
??
#womensprizelonglist.

ChaoticMissAdventures The entire book is written in, often disjointed, vignettes. The flow of the story is not linear - which one of these elements at a time I like but all together was just a bit too much. 2y
jlhammar Darn. At least it‘s a short one! 2y
CollapsingLibrary I get why that‘d be a turn off but honestly your review made me want to read it even more now 😂 2y
ChaoticMissAdventures @jlhammar yep, super short and by the end I was skimming through. So it went quickly. Oh well. 2y
ChaoticMissAdventures @CollapsingLibrary lots of people are loving it! The main character is super immature and I am just over that, and after homesick which is similar structure but meatier this was just not for me. Hope you enjoy it I can understand why people do. 2y
37 likes1 stack add5 comments
quote
ChaoticMissAdventures
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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"First of all I didn't miss the red flags I looked at them and thought yeah that's sexy"

I am struggling a bit with this, but cannot deny there are some quotable (awful ?) lines.

blurb
Moll
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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A must visit next time @Emilymdxn & I hang out!

quote
ChaoticMissAdventures
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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"I stalk a woman on the internet who is sleeping with the same man as I am "

#womensprizelonglist
#firstlinefriday
@ShyBookOwl

CoverToCoverGirl That‘s quite the first line! 😲 2y
18 likes1 comment
review
squirrelbrain
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

I went into this #womensprize long listed book fully expecting not to like it, as I just don‘t get the ‘influencer‘ world, but actually I rather enjoyed it.

It did take a while to get into but, at around 40% in, like @Leniverse , I really started to appreciate the essay-like sections on social media, politics and race, more than the actual ‘storyline‘.

It won‘t make my personal favourites but it‘s clever enough to make the shortlist, I think.

Leniverse Right? I would never in a million years have read this if not for the women's prize. I don't know yet if it will make my personal shortlist, but I can see it make the official shortlist. 2y
Caroline2 I have this on my kindle and I‘m really curious where I‘ll sit as it seems a bit marmite. I need to move it up the list!! 2y
69 likes4 stack adds2 comments
review
Leniverse
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

The characters are horrid, the plot is a combination of cringe and completely outside of my area of interest. But the rage against patriarchy, Capitalism, and white hegemony is magnificent. Would 💯% read an essay collection by this author. It took a lot of thought and reading reviews for me to work out why the book's protagonist is made so unlikeable, but in short I figure it's so she doesn't get the role of victim, and to show that while ⤵️

Leniverse ➡️ she is as bad as the man she wants to be with, he gets away with that behaviour because he is white and male and she is less successful because she is neither of those things. 2y
TrishB You‘ve actually made me want to read. 2y
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Leniverse @TrishB I'm hesitant to recommend it, as I think it's a bit of a marmite book. But it's short, so not much to lose! 2y
TrishB It‘s short and I got it for 99p so it won‘t be the end of the world! 2y
batsy Great review! I very much want to read this. 2y
squirrelbrain Great review! I‘m just about finished…. 2y
36 likes7 comments
review
AnneCecilie
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick

Our protagonist is stalking a woman on the internet. This woman has an affair with the same man. Both our protagonist and the man are in other relationships.

A book about how easy it is to stalk someone online who posts a lot about themselves and how easy it is for social media to take over your life.

I liked this one, but I didn‘t love.

#WomansPrizeLonglist
6th book for #MarchMadness @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 2y
53 likes1 comment
blurb
jlhammar
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Friday #bookmail! A few more from the #WomensPrize longlist. I much prefer this UK edition of Demon. So pretty and bonus, has cool endpapers and a ribbon bookmark. I need to get reading!!!

Aimeesue I just returned my copy of the US edition on Atwood‘s latest because I loved the endpapers in the UK edition and ordered that one to replace it. 😂😂😂 2y
jlhammar @Aimeesue 😂 Love it! 2y
64 likes2 comments
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AnneCecilie
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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She buys Wagya beef and will demonstrate how she will wrap it in a dishcloth soaked with salt, red wine and herbs and roast it over a fire. The comments under the post all express urgent, alarmed concern for the sacrificed dishcloth and I think white people are wild for how they will have an acute empathy for anything bar actual melanated human beings.

review
Cazxxx
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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Pickpick


This follows an unnamed narrator who is having an affair with an unnamed married man who is also having affairs with multiple other women while she herself has a long term boyfriend
A look at toxic relationships, obsession, patriarchy, power, race, class, narcissism and social media which felt very fresh and modern while being short and readable
Quite a frustrating read as all the characters are awful but I think that‘s the point
3 ⭐️

43 likes1 stack add
blurb
Oryx
Im a Fan | Sheena Patel
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This was my little London book haul from last week's trip. Three of them were new to me, so let's hope I picked wisely.

bnp I just started The employees. It's a weird but compelling read. And one I think will reward rereading. 2y
squirrelbrain Ooh, all of these look good! 2y
Oryx @bnp it is really weird, but strangely readable. 2y
53 likes1 stack add3 comments