Mewing, by Chloe Spencer

I’ve seen a lot of books appear recently that focus on female influencers: the power they have, their obsessions, their selfishness and vanity. ‘Mewing’ takes those and leaves them in the dust.

What would you do to get ‘in’ to the best clique on social media? Would you dye your hair, change your diet, move house and disconnect from everything you know? Pfft, of course! Vixen is looking to go so much further…

This novella moves fast, taking Faustian social commentary into the potentials of a not-too-distant future. Dreams of wealth, status and beauty twinkle in the eyes of so many, it’s easy to be caught up in the ride - and before you blink, it’s too late. You’re lost.

It’s no secret that this is going to go badly for Vixen, and the satire on youth trends is clear from the start. What makes this book stand out is the stellar writing, capturing the teen paranoia of not being ‘relevant’, the fear of being left behind at what should be the beginning of adulthood, the confusion of one’s place in the world. I remember those feelings when I first saw ‘Heathers’, in a time way before Tiktok, but which seems pervasive in the online world of today.

Worse still, each of the Bleach Babes seem to sense what’s happening, working to suppress that fear for the sake of their dreams, even after they realize the truth is far worse than they could’ve guessed. These are still inexperienced, naive children, prime targets for the forces that take advantage. The reader is left wondering: would you still go willingly, or turn away? Is it really worth everything to be a star?

Oh, and I never realized that ‘mewing’ had a name. I’d been aware of it for years. That sent a shudder down my spine when I found out.

I loved this, and have been enjoying Chloe’s other books since. Definitely an author to keep an eye on.