The Other Profile
A brilliant and darkly funny story of a friendship and its unraveling, and a powerful examination on the disruptive impact of social media on our lives
Once an ambitious and promising student at an elite university in Paris, Maia is now 26, living in Milan, and stuck in a dead-end job at a cafe and a dysfunctional relationship with an older man. Until one day her life seems to change: thanks to a friend's recommendation, and despite not knowing anything about social media, she is hired to work for Gloria, an 18-year-old influencer with millions of followers.
Slowly, Maia understands that her disdain for the world of influencers is precisely why she was chosen for the job: as an outsider, Maia can keep Gloria grounded, tethered to reality--remind her that the image she projects online is only an illusion.
As the two women weave a complex and intense relationship, however, it is Maia's life that starts to unravel. Exposed to the tricks and hypocrisy of social media, Maia is increasingly unable to avoid confronting the lies she's been telling herself. The closer she gets to Gloria, the more porous the boundary between their feelings and identities becomes, in a dangerous game of mirrors that threatens Maia's very sense of self.
Sharp, wry, and absorbing, The Other Profile is a revealing exploration of the light and dark of human relationships in the digital age.
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliate
"A cross between Ingmar Bergman's Persona and Ottessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest and Relaxation, this book shows what happens when an influencer is influenced--by someone with nothing left to lose."--Kirkus Reviews
"Graziosi's witty and unsettling debut shines an uncompromising light on European influencers...tartly amusing, full of acid one-liners...as glossy and entertaining as it is perceptive."--Publishers Weekly
"Ms. Graziosi is a shrewd and funny chronicler of social-media and influencer culture."--Wall Street Journal
"Her novel...is at its most nimble when Maia observes influencer culture. A mandate issued by Gloria's manager about her client still haunts me: 'You have to give her a personality'."--New York Times Book Review
"From Maia's initial disdain for Gloria, the novel tracks their relationship against the exploitative wilderness of the algorithm and builds to a culmination of multiple reckless, explosive episodes. A racy Gen. Z take on female friendships bearing the influences of My Brilliant Friend."--Electric Literature
"I appreciated the bird's eye view into the younger set's trials and tribulations which at their core, are actually ageless and universal."--SRQ Magazine
"The Other Profile delivers a thought-provoking commentary on influencer culture and the prevalent facade within the realms of social media, offering a short yet sombre and Black Mirror-esque reading."--India Munday, BUZZ Magazine
"A solid and succinct novel that's focus on social media proves darkly illuminating."--Chris Haigh, Set the Tape
"A true gem."--Grazia
"Addresses body image, wealth, education, consumerism and mental health all while keeping me riveted to the plot...an edgy, dark commentary."--Ravalli Republic
![The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen [A Cookbook]](https://images-us.bookshop.org/ingram/9781984860002.jpg?height=250&v=v2-7400cb3badc696c5c26291bab7b06b47)
