Viral by Helen Fitzgerald.

This novel starts off wonderfully…

I sucked twelve cocks in Magaluf.

So far, twenty-three thousand and ninety-six people have seen me do this. They might include my mother, my father, my little sister, my grandmother, my other grandmother, my grandfather, my boss, my sixth-year biology teacher and my boyfriend of six weeks, James.

...Viral is about how Su, her sister Leah and their mother Ruth deal with a video that was uploaded and went viral around the internet. All the issues are explored and woven into the plot.

I enjoyed reading Viral and I feel it has it’s finger on the pulse of the YouTube generation. The story is told from three points of view, Su, her sister Leah and their mother Ruth, all in separate chapters. Character and plot development is very good. But once video that was taken in a public place is uploaded onto the internet, there is nothing you can do. I found it a GOOD READ as Su, Leah and Ruth try to cope with the video making them famous.

Helen writes really well and puts across the situation that anyone today could suddenly find themselves in. With so many people now using smartphones to shoot and upload photos and videos quickly onto the internet, anyone of us could be snapped in public for the whole world to view. Any mistake filmed in public could become a public record against you with little you can do to stop it’s influence or spread. Viral is a chilling tale that has been told to make you think. I found it an entertaining read that highlights how our society has moved forward with this new technology. I liked this book because it worked on two levels, a regular novel of what happens next plus a look at how our society has become obsessed with video capture and playback. I like Helen’s writing style which I found bright and easy to understand. Viral was a pleasure to read as it was so up to date. I found no dull parts or sections of padding. The editing was good and the balance between her characters was right. Viral gets 4 stars from me, I consider it to be a GOOD READ and look forward to reading other novels from Helen Fitzgerald.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Faber and Faber for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.