With thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of Tara Isabella Burton’s Social Creature in exchange for honest review, I have to say I don’t get what the hype is about. Maybe I’m not the target demographic for this? But really, I found little to like, although I do think the look at how our reliance on digital media to define our lives is impacting society in general and relationships in particular is well done.

Two characters, both young women. Lavinia is sort of Paris Hilton in the 90s. She hires Louise, who is poor and very needy, to prep her younger sister for the SAT exam. Lavinia is an entitled rich girl lacking in common sense or empathy, and she basically overwhelms Louise, immersing her in the rich lifestyle that she and her family lead and Louise aspires to. So, Louise gets to find out just how much she will put up with the keep living that lifestyle.

Seriously, I didn’t care about anyone in this book. I could only assume Lavinia was so popular because she had lots of parasitic “friends,” but still…I just wanted it to be over. I kept thinking of other things (grocery lists, vacation plans, whatever) while reading – oh, and I hated the ending. I’ve read a bit about it that makes me wonder if I am just feeling cranky –clearly I am in the minority in my opinion of this book. Two stars.