The Society of Shame follows Kathleen, the wife of a politician who is photographed on one of the worst days of her life. Not only has she bled through her pants on her period, her garage is on fire, and she just caught her husband cheating. Things could hardly get worse, until she goes viral. Kathleen is thrust to the front of a campaign called #YesWeBleed and must decide what to do with her newfound fame. Will she forgive her husband? How will this affect their daughter? Kathleen must decide how she will use the social media power she’s stumbled into. 

The Society of Shame was a quick read for me. The writing doesn’t pull any punches. Roper has a talent for sarcasm and irony. However, I didn’t feel much of a connection to Kathleen (nor am I sure that I was supposed to). At times, the bitterness didn’t quite click with my sense of humor, but I think other readers will love it. I enjoyed Kathleen’s relationship with her daughter Aggie. The Society of Shame was such a unique idea and curated a very interesting collection of people. 

This seems like it would be a great book club book, as there is so much to discuss and think about. Roper raises important points about period stigma, the dual-sided nature of social media, and who we choose to be our heroes. Readers who enjoy sharp satire will devour this book.

Thank you to Jane Roper and Anchor Books for a free book in exchange for an honest review.