Natalie has created a perfect life – or at least this is what is projected on her viral Instagram presence. She is living off the fruit of the land, on a farm in Idaho with her beautiful husband and their many beautiful children, the two of them just living the simple all-American, Christian life. What is off-camera, is her large staff, those who are actually raising her children, homeschooling them, working the farm, and doing the work she is only pictured doing. One shocking day, Natalie wakes up and finds herself on a homestead that appears to be her home. It looks like her farm, but it is without any of the comforts she’s grown accustomed to – more like the farm that would have been present in the 19th century. Even the children are different. Where did her life go? As we hear from the Natalie in current times vs the one who finds herself back in time, we slowly learn how she came to be the person she is. And it’s not pretty…
This is an incredibly creative, sardonic commentary on social media – its influencers and bots and the falsehoods we come to believe. I am inclined to say that this is an extreme example, but I’m not even sure that is true. Natalie embodies the ultimate influencer: she has researched what folks become addicted to and finds her way to employ and monetize it. But she does this at the expense of losing her real life: she misses important moments with her children (except for those that are filmed), she misses moments for herself, and she misses finding a partner in life she actually loves and respects. Her whole life is a show, a photo op, a performance – but none of it is real. And the ones who suffer for it are everyone around her, but particularly her children.
I love the irony created when her husband, Caleb, becomes entrenched in absurd conspiracy theories on his social media sites. Natalie believes he is an idiot for believing any of it even while she is creating content that is similarly misleading. And all of it, Natalie’s and Caleb’s, is in the name of celebrating White, Christian values and preparing for the “big civil war” that is inevitable – even while this hate and this venom eats away at both of them from the inside.
I think this novel is thought-provoking, clever, and innovative – and has a powerful, cautionary message. I can see why it has become so popular and is on so many recommended lists.
kindread spirits 