Viral

by Helen Fitzgerald

So far, twenty-three thousand and ninety six people have seen me online. They 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 James.

When Leah Oliphant-Brotheridge and her adopted sister Su go on holiday together to Magaluf to celebrate their A-levels, only Leah returns home. Her successful, swotty sister remains abroad, humiliated and afraid: there is an online video of her, drunkenly performing a sex act in a nightclub. And everyone has seen it.

Ruth Oliphant-Brotheridge, mother of the girls, successful court judge, is furious. How could this have happened? How can she bring justice to these men who took advantage of her dutiful, virginal daughter? What role has Leah played in all this? And can Ruth find Su and bring her back home when Su doesn't want to be found?

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Contemporary, Audiobook, Mystery, Crime, Young Adult

253 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Helen FitzGerald is the second youngest of thirteen children. She grew up in the small town of Kilmore, Victoria, Australia, and studied English and History at the University of Melbourne. Via India and London, Helen came to Glasgow University where she completed a Diploma and Masters in Social Work. She works part time as a criminal justice social worker in Glasgow. She's married to screenwriter Sergio Casci, and they have two children.

Follow her on twitter @fitzhelen

Reviews

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my....WOW!!

"What if the worst thing you did went viral?"

What a question! I don't want anything I do to go viral.

Heck I don't even know where to start with my review. This was one helluva book!!

****I will try my very best but there may be minor spoilers ahead. Please read with caution***


From the first sentence I was shocked and pulled into this story. I won't tell you what the first sentence was but if you've read the entire book description you probably have an idea.
Actually both the very first sentence and the very last sentence of this book are shocking - but in very different ways.

There are also some situations that may trigger some very emotional responses. At times this was a dark and often disturbing read. However, the author also has an excellent sense of humor that somehow makes you able to get through the book without becoming completely depressed. Honestly I would be horrified one moment and then there were moments I truly was laughing out loud. I felt it was the perfect mix of mystery, suspense and humor.

At the beginning of the book so far 23,096 people have seen Su Jin (or just Su) online performing a sexual act in a nightclub. The people that have seen the video include her mother, her father, her little sister, her grandparents, her boss, her teachers, her boyfriend and thousands more. The numbers are rising very quickly as she watches the video over and over.

Su and her sister and two friends are on holiday to Magaluf to celebrate their A-levels. Only Leah returns home. Her sister Su remains behind. She doesn't want to go home until some other video has gone viral, when another "fresh sorry soul" has replaced her on the first page.

Su was adopted as a baby after being left on the doorstep in Seoul. Attached to the basket was a note from her birth mother in Korean that said "She is Su-Jin. I am 17, please look after her." She was adopted by Ruth Oliphant and Bernard Brotheridge. they adopted her after years of trying to conceive. One month after they brought Su-Jin home, Ruth discovered she was pregnant.

Very close in age Leah and Su got along very well when they were young. However, once puberty hit Leah had no use for Su and treated her quite terribly. Su tried to remain hopeful that they would one day be as close as they once were.

"I am prudish, virginal Su. I'm the one who usually stays at home to study or, if I do go all out the one who distributes water and buys the chips and calls the taxi. I don't feel the need to swear, and I don't like it when others do, unless it is the only accurate way to convey the information".

Su is an excellent student and has wanted to be a doctor since the age of three. After working hard she's accepted to the best medical school in the country, Edinburgh university.

Leah is the wild child. She gets drunk often, does drugs, swears constantly, and according to Su has slept with not just boys but full-grown men.

The girls mother Ruth Oliphant- Brotheridge is a very successful court judge. Happily married to a wonderful man and father Bernard. Ruth often finds it easier to relate to her adoptive daughter than her biological daughter.

When Leah comes home without her sister her mother is extremely angry at her for many reasons. Most of all that she was not looking out for Su. Naturally Ruth is very worried about Su and wants her to come home.

However her anger at the people who took advantage of her daughter continues to grow, threatening to overtake her. She wants to bring justice to all those involved.

We've all watched those viral videos. I prefer to stick to the cute, funny and heartwarming ones. People have become famous because of ONE video going viral. However, it's not always a good thing.

The one moment in your life that is so horrifying that you don't even want to think about? Imagine that moment played out for everyone to see. Where everywhere you go you wonder who saw it. The guy at the grocery store? Your co-workers? Your friends? Virtually anyone. One event can change everything in a persons life. Even if everything is going perfect something can happen and boom! Everything you've known is completely different and you're suddenly someone else altogether.

This is a dark and gripping story that I read in just two sittings. I found the story easy to follow and found the characters to be well-developed. I could feel the love and sometimes the hate between the characters, the fierceness of Ruth wanting to protect and get justice for her daughter really resonated with me. I can't even imagine myself as a mother in this situation.

I thought I knew how the book was going to end but I ended up being surprised and I am quite happy with how it all came together.

I have read one of this author's other books "The Cry" and really enjoyed it. I am certainly looking forward to more from Helen Fitzgerald.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viral is a book that made me think. It made me think about the incredible power of the internet and social media to bring something positive or negative into our homes, minds and hearts and how desensitised so many of us are to it now, especially teens and young adults. It's a freaking minefield.

Su is a sensible, intelligent and practical girl who lives a stable life with her adopted parents. Su is Korean by birth and was adopted as a tiny newborn baby. She does not think she is anything special or a beautiful person on the outside. Su's sister Leah is a party girl, popular with boys, loves to giggle and gaggle with her girlfriends and is more volatile and impulsive than Su. Pretty much chalk and cheese in personalities and looks.

Su gets talked into (dragged along) on a holiday to Maguluf with Leah and her friends and Leah is determined that Sue is not going to be sitting in reading a book or drinking anything healthy. Nope - Leah and her bouncy girlfriends are determined that they are going to initiate Su into their version of having a good time.

Lots of alcohol later and a moment in time becomes a viral event buzzing around the world on social media and Su's life will never be the same again...

What struck me about this novel is that it could so easily have been a true story. I see all the time the TV documentaries showing young adults partying in popular holiday spots like Magaluf and Ibiza and the general idea seems to be to cram in as much alcohol, dancing and sex as possible, as if a drought of all of the three is going to hit the world tomorrow. Personally it sounds like my idea of hell on earth but thousands of young adults do it every year.

The ripple effect of events on the holiday quickly become more like a tsunami and nobody is untouched by it. After all the entire world seems to know now what Su got up to on holiday. It's a powerful book that really portrays the impact of negativity on social media having the power to destroy lives. Ruin careers. End friendships. Give you a new label forever.

I thought Helen Fitzgerald wrote a really interesting plot, her characters are very real and "pop" off the pages and I often fluctuated between feelings of like/love/hate with many of them, constantly changing viewpoints. This really kept me on my toes as a reader. Once I started reading Viral I could not put it down and my Kindle went wherever I went until the book was finished. I had read a mix of good and bad reviews so was hugely surprised to find it was a really good book, well written with a very powerful message behind it.

Decisions continue to be made throughout the book that alter life directions and there is nothing predictable on the way. I loved the way the author surprised me with how far she stretched the characters into arenas way outside of their comfort zones. Human nature on full display in technicolour. This book really was food for thought for me and I like books that do that.

I followed the story with ease and was eager to see where events landed everybody at the finale of the book. The overall pace of the book is quite steady with moments where the tension peaks and certainly the last third of the book is moving along with a load of interesting twists and turns to keep us entertained. An enjoyable book that tackles a difficult subject matter in a realistic way. I really can't decide on a 4 or 5 star rating for this one, so am giving it a 4.5. I liked this one a lot.

Many thanks to Faber and Faber for my copy of Viral to read and review.

For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, and author Q&A events come to: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...

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[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viral is a very modern day story with a great plot, is fast paced, sometimes tense, and often thought provoking.

Gone are the days when teenagers are encouraged to read Go Ask Alice to put them off making the same mistakes. Teenagers seem much wiser and clued up on sex and drugs these days. Now is the time for parents to be placing a copy of Viral in amongst their Christmas stocking fillers, in the hope they will realise what goes on the internet doesn’t just go away. It may not be fun if whatever has been posted is at their expense, and could have very serious consequences on themselves and those around them.

Reading this book made me realise quite how scary the impact one action can have on many lives, thanks to the power and influence of the internet. I often comment that I wouldn’t want to be a teenager these days, due to the whole mobile phone and internet obsession. Imagine being attached to a mobile phone all day instead of going out and doing things. Then there is the whole cyber bullying side of our improved technology. I shudder at the thought of what videos would have been posted online of me during my school days of being bullied.

The main characters are well developed and believable. Covering the love a mother has for her daughters, along with sibling rivalry, this can at times be rather an emotional read. I found my views of each character changing slightly as the story progressed too.

This book can be enjoyed by both adults and teenagers. I think it carries an important message for teenagers, and as an adult myself, I was glued to my Kindle screen absorbing every word of this story.

I would like to thank the publisher, Faber and Faber Ltd for allowing me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well with an opening line like that I was not quite sure what I was in for, don't let this put you off as it is a good book. The story enforces the perils of social media and how the youth of today can be totally unaware of the damage that can be done, and the end result can be devastating to all involved. Once placed there, it cannot be removed and will linger on the net for years to come. I don't want to say to much more as do not want to give the plot away. Helen FitzGerald tells a good tale, this is a fast, compelling, and thought provoking read. I would highly recommend it.
Thank you to Netgally, the publisher and author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[greta · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book is the one that made me get into reading slump ONCE AGAIN lmao. halfway through the story, i just couldn't read more than several pages, but i managed to find curiousness in me about how the story was gonna end so yday i picked it up again. i'm not impressed. the writing style is simple and i might say i haven't really connected w the characters. felt like a regular person trying to write a story with not much effort put in. the book says it's most about a girl named Su-Jin going viral after her sex tape was published in youtube but i might say it's a lot about relationships between family members, revenge, culture and fight. i gave this 2/5 ⭐

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well the opening line was quite a hook. I won't spoil the surprise though.

It was a really interesting read for two reasons: the plot was pacey and the subject matter was topical.

The idea of a video going viral is part of modern consciousness, people share content like this every day without a thought. It was fascinating to look at the experience from the side of the person who was the 'star' of the show, how it affected them and those around them. The filming of a sex act in public, the consent (or lack thereof) of a girl in an advanced state of inebriation, the uploading of the video to the internet, people watching it, sharing it... This is one of the society's moral issues. What would you do? Would you have intervened in the bar? Would you have looked up the video? Would you have shown others? It often seems like being part of a crowd removes the sense of responsibility from individuals. Fitzgerald really made me wonder what kind of person I would be.

On the other hand, the characters seemed to act in rather strange ways and I wasn't entirely convinced by them. While the viral video was plausible, the people stretched the boundaries of believability and I didn't enjoy the book quite as much because of it.

Many thanks to Helen Fitzgerald, Faber and Faber Ltd, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rossy · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars
I expected A LOT more than I got, based on the first pages and GR reviews.
I struggled to finish it, I must admit.
The plot was promising, but I ended up feeling so bored and I didn't understand most of the characters' reactions at all, especially the incident involving Bernie, the father.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant novel - Helen Fitzgerald has a really REALLY good eye for characters and this is a socially relevant storyline that is really quite scary if you think too much about it. Killer opening line followed by a killer tale this is highly recommended. Hoping to have Helen on the blog on release to talk about some of this stuff so full review will follow then.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew when I went in to this book that there was going to be a lot of controversy surrounding it. It starts of with a 'killer' line which is meant to hook the reader in straightaway, and it does. However, I think I'm going to be in the minority when I say that I didn't love this book as much as I was hoping to.

Viral is a prime example of how a word has taken on a new meaning. Instead of something infectious we now tend to think of something going 'viral' online with phenomenal speed. A sign of our times now it looks at how a young girl's life is turned upside down by an act of inebriated stupidity. One flawed moment being spread around the world in seconds; to be judged and condemned upon by clicks of buttons. It's quite scary stuff but very relevant which makes it all the more realistic. The story itself is pretty good, but what didn't work for me was some of the plausibility. Especially the actions of the mother. I can understand a mother wanting to do her utmost to try and rectify and undo the harm done to her own daughter but I couldn't get my head around some of the actions made. It felt too much in parts and at times I questioned how many parents would go to such lengths.

I don't doubt that this will be a highly read, liked and successful book but maybe as a mother of three daughters, it was perhaps too close to home for me and an area I don't want to entertain. However, it's a read I do recommend to see how you would react under such circumstances. Definitely a book worthy of much discussion.

My thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

The caption on the cover sums this novel up quite nicely.

A twenty-something adopted daughter is filmed in a tavern committing an act that goes viral when an unsavory man uploads the recording to the internet.

The novel follows as the young woman deals with becoming worldly notorious almost over night, while explaining her ongoing turmoil with her sister and powerful, steely mother.

As the novel unfolds, each main character is followed, with the tale detailing their own reactions to the viral video how their lives are changed and what they will do in response to the video and to those involved in the making and distribution of the video.

It's an interesting novel and good for killing some time.....

[Vera (Estante da Vera) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

This is a good book, a fast and easy read (I finished it in under 24 hours), the curiosity of what would happen, what the characters would do propelled me to keep going.

There's a good amount of foul language and some explicit descriptions in the book, more than I'm used to, but way less than in a rap lyrics, for example.

The premise of Viral is an interesting and current one: what would you do if the most embarrassing/humiliating moment of your life was caught on camera, posted on Youtube and gone viral?

Su, the teenage 'star' or the viral video, did what I considered the most expected thing - she ran and hid. And that's how the story starts.

I don't know if the author did it on purpose or not, but almost all the characters seemed mercurial to me, and I reached the ending not really knowing who they were. The only exception was the father, Bernie. He was consistent throughout the story and very likable. Su, Ruth (the mother), and Leah (the sister) are still a mystery to me.

Plot wise, it was fun, although a little exaggerated. It reminded me of soap operas or Shonda Rhimes crazy Scandal plots.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, Faber and Faber Ltd and author Helen Fitzgerald for providing me with an ARC of Viral in exchange for an honest review.

***

Review now posted on my blog: https://tinyboxofimagination.wordpres...

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, where to start? This sounded like an AMAZING read. Seriously, when I saw it on Amazon, I was dead excited because it sounded great. Not only is it very topical, but it sounded addictive, the kind of novel you devour in one sitting. Which I did, to be honest, but not in a good way. More in an I-want-to-be-finished-with-this-book way.

However Viral was one of those reads I just didn't understand. WHAT WAS GOING ON? Yes, what happened to Su went Viral, and yes that first line is ehhhh interesting to say the least, but none of it was actually illegal, as Su consented to what she did. I mean it was icky times a thousand, and I kind of wished for a different outcome, where what happened to Su was illegal, and all involved could have been punished, but it wasn't.

Not to mention, there's an incident a quarter of the way through and it was as if it came out of nowhere, one minute the character was all fine and dandy, next minute the character was dead, and it was like those involved couldn't have cared less. It was all dealt with so strangely and it just came off as a bit ridiculous really. Almost for shock value, without any shock. Almost as if it was an afterthought, it was bizarre.

So, no, this one wasn't for me. It just didn't go anywhere, and I'm not even sure what kind of genre this book falls into as it certainly wasn't a psychological thriller, which is what I thought it was?

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book with an opening line that is guaranteed to grab your attention. You will start to read and before you know it, you are at The End. I have seen those documentaries about brits behaving badly abroad, and specifically in the local clubs where the PR people entice the youngsters in with cheap drinks and before they know it they are taking part in “sexy games” on the club stage. This is what happens when one of those “games” is filmed and uploaded to Youtube and the fall out that follows, the effect such a video has on the lives of those involved.

It is a quick read, one I couldn’t help racing through with characters who may not always be likeable but were certainly entertaining with a plot that has plenty of twists to it. It is definitely not predictable. As the story develops and a family’s search for justice seems to be turning into a hunt for revenge, some of their behaviour did seem a little strange but, when taking everything into account, this is still a good, entertaining read. Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the review copy.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, Viral is the book with that opening line. The line that the publishers wanted the author to change. The line that will be the deciding factor when the big supermarkets look at it, and think about stocking it on their shelves. The line is a shocker, there is no doubt of that, but it's also an extremely good hook, it's also relevant, and it's also actually not that offensive at all. Compare it to the content of best-selling novels such as Fifty Shades, or to stuff that goes on in computer games, and it's actually quite tame.

But, the line is a conversation piece, and yes, I admit it is the reason why I wanted to read Viral. I wanted to know what the rest of the story was like; the writing, the plot, the characters ... I wanted to know more about it than just the first line. I'm really glad that Helen Fitzgerald stuck to her guns, and continued with that first line, because by God, the other lines in this story are excellent. This is a book that will send shivers down your spine, it's not frightening in the usual sense, but it's bloody scary when you realise that this really could happen to anyone.

Su and Leah, sisters, eighteen years old, just finished their A Levels, going to Magaluf to party. Su and Leah don't really get along. Su wants to love Leah, but Leah is determined to be the biggest bitch possible. Su was adopted as a baby, from North Korea, and Leah came along soon afterwards - the miracle baby; her parent's natural child, the one that they thought would never be born.

Su is bright, studious, wants to be a doctor. Leah is bubbly, popular, rebellious and determined to make Su's life a misery. However, the deal is that if Leah wants to go to Magaluf, then Su has to go too. Their mother Ruth has made that clear from the outset, Su will go, even though she really would prefer to stay at home, and Leah will put up with it.

By the end of the holiday, one of the girls is the star of an online video, watched by thousands, shared by thousands. No, not Leah, the party girl, but quiet, virginal Su. Suddenly she's known everywhere, but not for something to brag about, no the camera captured her sucking twelve cocks in Magaluf, in exchange for one sweet, sickly orange alcoholic drink. Su's life changes, forever.

The ease in which the video goes viral is crazy, it takes no time at all. The impact on Su and her family is absolutely massive, and whilst the video itself is the catalyst, the fallout has obviously been brewing for a long time.

Helen Fitzgerald gets under the skin of her characters and exposes their inner weaknesses so very well. Ruth, the girls mother is one hell of a creation, she's intelligent and well-respected but there is a hidden, dark side to her that is terrifying to observe. Her ruthlessness and determination is quite astounding and her responsive actions give so much away about this family and its dynamics.

Viral is a roller coaster of a ride. It's a portrait of a family, it's a documentary about the power of social media and it's blisteringly good. Revenge and tragedy, self-discovery, bravado and vulnerabilities, all of these and so much more. I have huge respect for Helen Fitzgerald's writing.

[Tracy Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

With possibly the best opening line ever this story grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go until the end. The sad and painful side of the Internet and how the mistakes we make can now be uploaded and shared with the world! Fascinating characters and a thought provoking tale.

[Figgy · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

Helen FitzGerald starts her stories with a bang, and pulls the reader along as she pieces their world together for us. She doesn’t faff around with the happy life before the storm, but rather throws us right in at the “event” that is going to change these characters’ lives forever and goes back to fill in the details as they’re relevant.

In Viral, the central character is Su Oliphant-Brotheridge, adopted daughter of an American and a Scot, big sister, conscientious student, virgin.

She has mum’s blue eyes and Dad’s dark brown hair but no-one ever says either of those things even though they are all thinking it. Leah has Gran’s mouth and Grandpa’s lips and white skin like every Oliphant and every Brotheridge except me. My skin’s dark but not very, as if my Asian-ness has been left out in the rain all these years, wishy-washy, nothingy-wothingy, not a colour, but not not one either.

The event takes place in Magaluf, in the presence of her younger sister, Leah, and Leah’s two closest friends, when she is so wasted that she gives blow job after blow job to a circle of twelve men. She’s filmed, and the video goes viral, and now she refuses to return home until the next viral video makes the world forget about what they saw her do.

The guy at the fruit stall has his phone in his pocket: ping. You have a new message. Jim has shared a video. You have been tagged in a post. Barcelona is showering pings, and each one is a droplet of my shame. Ping – where’d that come from? Ping – whose inbox did I just arrive in? I’m going crazy, hearing pings. They’re talking to me: you’re disgusting, Su, revolting.

While Su’s on the run, having disposed of her phone and leaving her family no way to get in touch, her mother is doing what she can to bring those involved to justice.

The notion that Xano could be every boy and every man had crossed her mind more than once. Would a nice boy like Su’s James have filmed the scene in the Coconut Lounge? Would a good boy like Frieda’s son Eric have said ‘fucking cow, take it fucking whore?’ Would the boy next door, literally, Barry, have uploaded it? It was too sickening to dwell on, but perhaps Xano’s behaviour did not set him apart from his peers.

Ruth is used to being in control and having people do what she says; she’s a Scottish court Sheriff. So the fact that none of the men who were involved in the Magaluf situation did anything technically against the law just drives her harder in her mission for some kind of justice.

The rest of this review can be found HERE!

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening line is a killer one and does suck you into the story... it started out well but ultimately it ended up being so-so for me.

I saw Figgy reading it and was intrigued by the status updates she posted and by the summary of the book... Added it to my amazon wishlist and waited for it to come down in price, when it finally did I jumped on it right away.

The writing: 3.5 stars
Plot and characters: 2.5-3 stars

I felt like I was on the outside looking in as things unfolded in the story. I felt sympathy for the characters but never felt sorry for them or any strong emotions really. However, I was curious enough to see how things ended so I kept on with it.

Certain things in the story stretched believeability at times, some of the events and things the characters did seemed like fitting a square peg into a round hole.. good intentions but missing the mark. I had a hard time believing the thought processes of everyone at certain points.

More telling than showing, like with Leah's attitude toward Su... the ingredients were all there but nothing mixing well.

Forgive me if I am repeating myself some.

The third person narrative, while the writing was good, felt awkward at times... when it is well done can be compelling but in this case *shrugs*

The ending was a it abrupt and confusing as well

Not a bad book but not something I will be reading again... will be checking out her other work though.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Viral – A Very Modern Story

Helen Fitzgerald has written the story of the modern age with Viral; this book is every parent’s nightmare and could so easily happen to your child. Viral examines what happens when a teenager does something terrible that is recorded and then posted online for the whole world to see and remember. This is a story of doing something so terrible it is meant to define you but at the same time you rediscover your love for your family and those closest.

Leah and Su Oliphant-Brotheridge are going away to Magaluf to celebrate the end of their examinations, and hopefully for Su about to go on to Edinburgh University to study medicine. Su is the adopted sister, and the person who will be the sensible grown up with Leah and her two friends.

Educationally Su is a success, highly intelligent always willing to push and never steps out of line, a real goodie two shoes. Whereas Leah is a little more of a rebel, likes to smoke have fun with boys and generally have a fantastic time of her life. Su is a virgin never had any one go past second base whereas Leah is a little more experienced in that department.

On the last night of their holiday they Su, Leah and her friends are on a mission to have the most amount of fun a person can have. What happens that night goes viral and Su refuse to go home and runs away embarrassed and distraught and no longer knows who or what she can trust.

Ruth Oliphant-Brotheridge is a court sheriff, a hard working judge, highly intelligent hardworking and immensely proud of her daughters and especially Su. When Ruth discovers what has happened to her daughter she will do everything she can to find her daughter and more important also bring those people to justice, who have seemingly ruined her life. Ruth somehow also has to persuade Su to come home when she does not want too.

All this will either make or break the family and will help them grow stronger and possibly even closer together in spite of everything that has passes between them. At the same time Su also discovers that there are some scabs that should not be picked but left alone as things never really work out the way you expect.

This is a well written thriller whose prose grabs you from the beginning, especially when you read the first sentence and wonder where this is going, it will certainly grab your attention. This really is a fast paced thriller that at time some of the things Ruth does seem a little farfetched but what happens to Su and Leah is very real.

This is a stunning insight in to what our teenagers get up to, especially when alcohol, Magaluf, lots of sun, sea and sex are involved. Any parent needs to understand that this could be their child and with modern technology could easily star in a film that they would never want someone, especially family to see. We also see the knock on effects of what happens online does not stay online and that can ruin someone, and will be out there forever online.

This really is a modern story for our modern times and will send a chill through any parent’s spine.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book where I have an awful feeling that THAT first line will actually be what defines this novel and I sincerely hope not as I'm sure that wasn't the authors intention here. That said, it is a real killer of a line to get you straight into this story of a video that goes "viral".

When Su and her sister Leah go to Magaluf for a holiday with their girlfriends to celebrate the end of their school days, they can't foresee that it will end in such a horrific way. Before they can even get on the plane home, a video has been uploaded to the internet of Su performing multiple "acts" in a nightclub seemingly in return for an alcoholic drink. As the story unfolds, we delve deeper into Su and her family's circumstances and into the path her mother is prepared to take to stop the spread of the video.

I think this book should be read by all young adults who seem to play out their whole lives on social media nowadays. The fact that a video, once uploaded, will always be out there is a message that needs to be reinforced and although this book takes that to the extreme, I hope will make at least one person rethink what they put out there.

The characters of Su and her mother are played out well here. I love the darkness that Helen Fitzgerald brings to her work in seemingly everyday situations. I can see where she got her inspiration from but she has taken it off to her own tangent where there are several gasp out loud "I can't believe that happened" moments. The way Ruth and Bernie kicked in straight away to try to save their daughters reputation was very admirable and really did make me think "what would I have done?" Because it doesn't matter how well your kids have been brought up as this book shows.

A stunningly insightful look into today's teenagers and social media so a recommended 4* from me.

I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review so many thanks to the publisher.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was something a bit different for me and also an author I hadn't read before.
The blurb was enticing so when it came up to request on netgalley I requested a copy and was lucky enough to be approved.
The start of the book certainly grabs you're attention and from there I was eager to pick up the story at every opportunity to see how the fallout was going to affect each of the characters and whether it would be the making or breaking of the family involved.
It certainly leaves you thinking not only about the effects of videos posted online but also how events in life can make individuals react in very different ways
Good book that I'd recommend and an author I'd read again.

[Amy Norris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had such a relevant and interesting premise. Good girl Su is filmed performing oral sex on 12 men in a nightclub while on holiday. The video goes viral. We follow the aftermath.

I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. I loved Su and really felt for her. The book started out so strong and it took a weird turn. The second half just felt like it lacked direction and a lot of it seemed unlikely or unbelievable. At the end of the day though I still enjoyed reading this and I do think it’s an underrated book, I’m just sad that it didn’t live up to its fullest potential. I am probably being a little generous with my rating but something about the characters endears me to this story.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on www.snazzybooks.com

Viral by Helen Fitzgerald is a shocking and very topical novel that really made me think about the effect that the internet, and today’s ‘instant share’ culture has on society.

The story is fast paced and Fitzgerald creates some brilliant, convincing characters. You really feel for poor Su; although many will see her as naive and stupid (which she was!), she certainly didn’t deserve to have this happen to her, and it made my blood boil reading about the experience she had in Magaluf. I won’t give too much away about the storyline as I don’t want to ruin it for those who don’t know much about it.

Viral certainly doesn’t paint this kind of drinking culture in Magaluf in a positive light- though we all know what goes on there to a certain extent, it’s so shocking that the bar reps encourage this kind of behaviour, and that there are so many young men willing to participate without thinking about what they’re doing at all, it seems. Her sister really fails on looking after her, and it could be easy to blame her for this, but I blame the others involved.

I really enjoyed reading about her determined mother’s efforts to bring the people in the video to justice, and though it all got pretty strange and crazy towards the end I still really enjoyed reading every minute! You feel like you really get to know the family as the novel goes on too, as we read more of their backstory.
I’d really recommend this novel- it’s easy to read and very entertaining. Just try not to think too much about the content because it will hugely sadden/ piss you off!

* Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this novel in return for an honest review. *

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My ratings: 4/5 | 8/10

This was so awesome and the finale is unforgetable!

Review soon, written and on video! :)))

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Helen Fitzgerald I always go someplace new & learn something I’d never thought of before, & now I know the hot place to go in Magaluf & what ‘paddle wire’ is & some fascinating new uses for it (nothing to do with either table tennis or canoeing). Unfortunately, what happens in Magaluf doesn’t stay in Magaluf, as Su, our 18 y/o principal character discovers when she unwittingly stars in a porn video that ‘goes viral’ on the internet, thanks to her sister Leah & her friends who think it amusing to see Su get drunk & get laid whilst on holiday. Su was originally named Su-Ji because she was adopted as an infant-foundling from Korea by the American-Caledonian couple Bernie & Ruth, who are respectively a musician & a sheriff. Unlike the officers here in Iowa who share the same job-title (it was originally ‘reeve of the shire’), in Scotland sheriffs do not lead a rural constabulary but are judges who try criminal cases. Shortly after adopting Su, Ruth totally unexpectedly fell pregnant with Leah, creating a complex sibling rivalry.

In Viral we follow two intertwined plot lines as Su tries to hide from her notoriety by remaining abroad & Ruth launches a parallel quest to exact ‘restorative justice’ from the sleaze-ball who uploaded the video - giving Leah a chance to expiate her complicity in Su’s disgrace by acting as Ruth’s principal agent as well as by using e-banking to keep the missing Su supplied with funds she uses to emplane in quest of her birth-mother. It’s fascinating how in my lifetime such innovations as CCTV, DNA, mobile phones & the internet have rendered many traditional plots (such as mistaken identity & missed communications) obsolete but as here have made commonplace which would previously have required pure magic. (Or @ least an ‘irrevocable letter of credit’ - am I the last person alive who remembers those?) Still, like most of Helen Fitzgerald’s stories, Viral depends on some highly unlikely coincidences & totally unexpected twists. These don’t always work in her books. Donor was a dud; too easy to suss, Amelia O’Donohue is So Not a Virgin beyond credulity, & The Exit impossible & unprofitable in any real care home. But @ her best, she’s brilliant @ sowing her stories with almost unnoticeable little details (including here the afore mentioned paddle wire) that finally & suddenly she brings together with spectacular results. (Altho’ not quite as violent, in this respect Helen Fitzgerald rivals the recently departed master of such special effects, the great Tom Sharpe!). The denouement is beyond expectation yet completely satisfying. Euripides would surely approve.

I’d not rank Viral with The Cry, & perhaps put it slightly below Dead Lovely (lol funny) & The Devil’s Staircase (where I 1st discovered Helen Fitzgerald’s novels thanks to a GR group & whose setting brought back memories of my own summer as a 20-something Yank living in London’s Kangaroo Valley). Still, it’s a solid four-star, equally (as the Roman poet specifies) for the ‘profit & delight’ of YAs embarking on holiday & OAPs travelling vicariously in their lounge chairs.

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this is one opener that can’t be ignored:

So far, twenty-three thousand and ninety-six people have seen me online. They 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 James.

What they have seen is a video of Su Oliphant-Brotheridge on holiday in Magaluf with her sister Leah. Let’s be coy and just say that the uploaded video isn’t something that any of the people listed above would want to see which just goes to illustrate that Helen FitzGerald isn’t one to dodge difficult subjects. But really the video is a launch pad for an exploration of far more than intoxication and seedy holiday destinations!

Even, or especially because of that opener, this may not be the story that you expect although it does of course touch on the infamy on a world-wide stage that the internet has opened up, especially to the younger members of society who used to be able to hide (and forget about?) their youthful transgressions with relative ease. But this book isn’t just about the evils of the internet…

Su was adopted by Ruth and Bernie from South Korea where she lived with them in Scotland where by the time the story opens Ruth is a judge and Bernie is a music teacher, this book is also an exploration of the relationship between Su and her adoptive family. The anguish her family feel when she disappears following the upload of the video is palpable and the different way they react is so authentic, which underlines the prowess of this author to not only come up with a provocative and up-to-the-minute plot but also create characters that you don’t doubt for a minute. A textbook way to encourage the reader to become immersed in the storyline.

As well as the fascinating multiple threads in the storyline which concentrates as much on the interplay of relationships in a family, as it does on the rights and wrongs of the act and the people involved in sending it viral, the author also managed to sway my opinion, probably not so much on the wider aspects of the internet, but definitely on the ‘goodness’ or otherwise of many of the characters. Best of all this is served up with more than a sprinkle of humour, the book had me giving fairly regular wry smiles which far from breaking the tension, accurately mirrored the underlying fears of those concerned. It is a pleasure to read books about teenagers that accurately recognise that they are not a different species, the world may be a different place, the nature of inter-generational relationships has shifted but underneath all of that, they are just trying to work their way through the complexity that is growing up.

I want to say a big thank you to Helen FitzGerald for writing another fascinating and highly insightful book that should be enjoyed across the generations as well as to Faber and Faber for allowing me to read a review copy. Viral was published on 4 February 2016.

Helen FitzGerald is fast becoming one of my favourite writers with her excellent execution of varied and compelling storylines.

[Sarah Farmer-Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author wastes absolutely no time in getting the reader hooked with an eye popping, jaw dropping first sentence which neatly, and very succinctly, sums up the whole premise of the story.. Whoa! I wasn't expecting that!
Eighteen year old, Korean born, foundling, Su-Ji is videoed committing a sexual act in public while fuelled by alcohol and drugs, and while being goaded on by onlookers including by her sister and friends. The video is then uploaded onto social media and explodes into viral proportions.
Before too long the devastating ramifications of this become all too evident: on her adoptive mother’s job, her father’s health and on her university and career choice.
Running alongside this main storyline is a sub plot which is revealed as Su-Ji goes into hiding – this thread takes the reader to Seoul as Su tries to find her roots and her birth mother.
Meanwhile Su’s adoptive mother is determined to go to extraordinary lengths to find out who did this and to bring the perpetrators of this viral video to some sort of restorative justice.
A story which highlights the vulnerabilities of women under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the sexual abuse that is committed in some nightclubs whether it be “consensual” or not, the power of social media and its potential capability to wreck havoc on people's lives.
Hard hitting, explosive and very gripping – this book will keep you turning the pages until the end.
Thanks to publishers Faber & Faber Ltd via Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[David Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Leah and her adopted sister eighteen year old Su decide to fly to Magaluf to celebrate the end of A-levels, there are shocking and devastating consequences. A holiday video quickly goes ‘viral’ and Su in her shame feels the need to disappear.

From the memorable first line Viral is gripping and this fast-paced contemporary story is hard to put down. Author Helen Fitzgerald novel is uncompromising and highly entertaining, as she smoothly brings together the side stories and family history to add interest and empathy with the characters involved. The horrified parents, like everyone else, soon get to see the sex act video on-line and the mother, a Judge; Sheriff Ruth Oliphant takes charge of what’s to be done. But it soon spirals out of Ruth’s control and a mother's anger takes over as she turns to plans for revenge. How could this mistake have happened to her studious and virginal daughter Su, and who is to blame? Ruth begins to uncover the truth and she becomes very judgemental…

Highlighting the speed and power of social media to spread information, this shows us a frighteningly real possibility. That reality combined with the author’s very readable and engaging story-line makes this a great fun read that will make you stop and think. Along with the thrills there is dark humour and an unexpected ending, and I imagine many readers will find this book as entertaining as I did. (ARC Received)

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

One hell of an opening line that I won't spoil, but sufficed to say, this isn't for you if you don't appreciate foul language.

I love a good swear, and I like Helen Fitzgerald's writing style, so when I saw that this was a new book, I bought it straight away.

This paragraph from the burb above caught my eye:

"When Leah Oliphant-Brotheridge and her adopted sister Su go on holiday together to Magaluf to celebrate their A-levels, only Leah returns home. Her successful, swotty sister remains abroad, humiliated and afraid: there is an online video of her, drunkenly performing a sex act in a nightclub. And everyone has seen it. "

I expected a kind of Asking For It situation here. A look at what happens when someone is taken advantage of, and what the repurcussions are for their family. This wasn't exactly the case - Leah is a cow, pure and simple. Her friends no better. But Su is ballsy, independent, and brave - and doesn't appear to be all too shaken by the actual incident, more of the fact that people can see it online.

The girls' mother, a judge, is batshit crazy.

This was just too far-fetched for me, especially the part about Su finding out the true identity of her birth mother.

I like the author and I'll read more, but this wasn't as 'shocking' as I expected.

[Kate Heathman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book starts with a compelling story but quickly descends into ludicrous territory. One girl's horrific trial by social media and her mother's fight for justice is an uncomfortable, but involving plot line but it quickly descends into the realms of the unbelievable and by the end I was only persevering to see if there was going to be an even more bonkers ending. Alien abduction doesn't feature but it wouldn't have been out of place. The biggest disappointment of my literary year....

[Joop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik twijfelde tussen 3 en 4 sterren. Goed thema wat aansluit bij de hedendaagse wereld. Mooie afloop.