Trapped By Our Own DeVices: The Echo Chamber by John Boyne

I am keenly aware of exactly how much time I spend online.

More than that, knowing that my Apple devices don’t take into consideration the time spent on my work-issued laptop, I am also aware the vast majority of the time my devices like to tag with me with each Sunday is time spent on social channels.

“You averaged 28 hours, 34 minutes daily on this device last week.”

It’s honestly pretty gross.

Social media addiction is but one of several vices that conspire to bring the Cleverley clan to its proverbial knees in John Boyne’s “The Echo Chamber.” The upper-crust-of-society British family of five — George, Beverley, Nelson, Elizabeth and Achilles — take but a week to spiral out of control, with only their narcissism, greed, arrogance and a total void of self-awareness to blame.

What at first glance feels like a commitment to a long novel (coming in at just over 500 pages in paperback) instead is a whirlwind of a read, thanks to compelling character development and what can only be described as a two degrees of Kevin Bacon-like separation between each family member and the characters that reside within their distinctly different plot journeys. It’s a cornucopia of “Wait a minute, isn’t that … noooooo!” from start to finish, in the very best way.

Who’s got the best storyline? Each wildly funny and desperate, it’s hard to say. There’s …

George, a well-respected-in-his-own-mind BBC-ish host, celeb and family patriarch, whose talk show future is uncertain thanks to his dalliance with Angela that leads to a visit to his counsel that leads to an inappropriate social media post that blows up to thanks to …

Elizabeth, the Cleverleys’ only daughter and self-styled social influencer determined to make a living making the lives of others difficult, in spite of her overly woke and underbathed boyfriend, Wilkes. Then there’s ….

Nelson, the Cleverelys’ oldest, most awkward son, that is having a heck of a time being true to himself, which may be because he cos plays his life as a different profession every day. His younger brother,

Achilles, is barely 17 but likes to treat Nelson like the kid on the family — and it’s that overconfidence paired with an insane level of griftiness and immaturity that gets him in trouble when he finally falls in love. Not even his mother …

Beverley, an acclaimed “concept of an idea” romance novelist can save Achilles, Nelson or Elizabeth from their foibles. She’s got enough on her hands trying to corral a sassy ghostwriter and her lover Pylyp’s tortoise.

Ah, Pylyp. Pure comic relief.

If only Elizabeth could see the forest through the trees when it comes to social media and its real influence. If only George could have stepped into the present century and understood there are things you don’t just say out loud. If only Achilles had done a little more research. If Nelson had gotten over his insecurities. If Beverley had, well … kept the dinner mints to herself.

I love John Boyne’s work — no matter the book, his character development is so thorough and relatable. The storytelling moves at a perfect clip, and the twists and turns in this novel make it all the more enjoyable. I enjoyed the Cleverleys in spite of themselves and their atrocious behavior, and sometimes even wish for myself the ending they received. Idyllic.

Is it a book club read? Absolutely, provided you give everyone a fair warning that it’ll take more than a couple of days to get through, likely, and spoilers cannot be avoided if you come to book club unprepared. You’ve been forewarned.