Hate Follow

A Novel

De: Erin Quinn-Kong

Narrado por: Carolyn Jania

"A rich and witty story with two complicated women at its heart, Hate Follow is a beautiful debut. Quinn-Kong's story of an influencer mom sued by her resentful daughter is of the moment, but its exploration of female power and privilege is timeless."—Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of Lovers and Liars

This riveting, thought-provoking novel pulls back the curtain on influencer culture to reveal a story of a mother and daughter grappling with what they owe one another as they struggle to navigate life in the glaring public eye.

Influencer Whitney Golden has it all: beautiful, photogenic children; a handsome new boyfriend; a gorgeous house; and designer clothes and beauty products that arrive on her doorstep every day. After spending years building her brand as a widowed mother of four (including twins!) to over a million followers, the thirty-seven-year-old is at the peak of her career.

But it all comes to a screeching halt when Mia, her teenaged daughter, announces she’s tired of the social media life. She wants nothing more to do with her mother’s online brand—and demands that not just she, but her siblings and their deceased father be removed from Whitney’s Instagram, blog, and just about everywhere else on the internet.

When Whitney doesn’t agree, Mia does the unthinkable: She sues her mother. What started as a family spat turns into a monumental case about child privacy, individual agency, and modern parenting that shatters Mia and Whitney’s relationship and wreaks havoc on both their lives. As the case ignites a media firestorm and unrelenting online bashing from a Greek chorus of internet snarkers, Whitney has to decide whether she’s willing to risk everything she’s built to win back her daughter.

©2024 Erin Quinn-Kong (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Two sides to social media

I liked that this story made me consider an influencer’s and a child’s right to privacy but I think more of a compromise could have been made to benefit them both. I was mostly annoyed with the daughter’s friend’s parents who overstepped and got involved where they didn’t belong.

A good at modern parenting

I loved this book because I have friends who are Influencers and I’ve often pondered doing it as well. It’s scary what’s out in the world and it’s easy to ignore the dangerous of it. I loved the way the author portrayed a complicated mother/daughter relationship and dove into the core of the main character and how she got to be where she was. Such an enjoyable listen.

Timely topic

A fast paced story that delivers. Mothers and children have so much to navigate in today’s world and Quinn-Kong walks us through the nuances while keeping a tight story and sharing why the motivations are so critical to each character. Well done.

It’s scary how unregulated the Internet is in America

This book is really outside of my normal listening genre. So I was surprised when I found myself unable to turn it off. I finished it in a day. What drew me to it was the social media aspect and how it affects children and people everywhere. The privacy issues, the damage it can do, and the very real dangers out in the real world.
I found the story a good, thought provoking narrative.

The narrator did a very good job and was easy to understand.

I would definitely give this book a try. At the very least, it will make you think about the next thing you post on social media.

Interesting perspective on social media and lovely homage to Austin, TX

This book tackles an interesting perspective on influencers and social media that I have been considering with for the past several years: the unintentional impact that the sharing of photos and personal stories by older generations on social media may have on younger generations. I especially loved the strong family themes as well as the homage paid to Austin, TX, where the story takes place. Anyone who has lived in or visited ATX will appreciate the references woven into the story.

A relevant story in this day and age SPOILERS

After listening to this story, I have completely reconsidered and changed how my last minor child is "displayed" on social media. This was a unique and relevant plot that addresses an issue that few people seem to think about - how influencer families use their children (and affect their futures) for financial gain. SPOILER ALERT: I do wish the author had gone deeper into the potential legal ramifications of the case, and had the characters actually go to trial rather than settle (if you can even call it a settlement). I think had she done some research into privacy law, she could have made a compelling story out of the court case itself. Instead, she took the easy way out and wrapped everything up with a nice neat bow at the end. Maybe John Grisham will take a crack at a story like this and bring it to a climactic ending using their legal expertise.

Not for me

I tried not to let the flaws of the characters bother me, but I just couldn’t get past the grandmother’s extended absence. Not seeing her grandchildren for years after her son’s death? That’s just not realistic at all.