My next suggestion is The Echo Chamber by John Boyne. Another Irish writer, but a complete opposite to my previous selection. I’ve read about six of Boyne’s books and no two are alike in style or subject. His best sellers, The Hearts Invisible Furies and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas both disturbed and engaged me, such that I knew I had found an author who would draw me in with every new publication, and there are plenty.
In this book, a well-positioned family of delightfully imperfect and devious people all get caught up in the perils of social media in different and hilarious ways, too outlandish to summarise, but an absolute joy to follow the travails of this over-privileged and extremely politically incorrect group of people. It highlights what dangers lurk for those people who believe that their self-centred and indulged lives are of any interest to anyone else. It strengthened my resolve never to be on Facebook.
This is one of only three novels that have ever made me laugh out loud.
Book: The Echo Chamber
Author: John Boyne
Published: August 5, 2021, by Transworld Publishers Doubleday
