The List

Social media becomes a double-edged sword for a young Black British couple in journalist Adegoke’s admirable debut. Magazine writer and feminist Ola Olajide and podcaster Michael’s wedding is only a month away when Michael’s name appears on a list of alleged sexual predators that’s making the rounds on social media. The anonymously crowdsourced document rounds up men in the entertainment industry by name and job with allegations against them ranging from gross sexual misconduct to sexual assault. Michael is alleged to have committed assault and harassment, but he says he’s innocent. Ola has barely had time to think about the implications when her boss assigns her to write an exposé about the list. Narrators Sheila Atim and Arinzé Kene’s various accents build the world of Ola, Michael, and their friends. Atim’s Ola speaks with poise and then with uncertainty as the list gains momentum and begins to have real-world consequences. Kene achieves a conversational timbre for the dialogue between Michael and his male friends, making obvious the men’s yearslong camaraderie. But Michael’s bravado turns to vulnerability when he’s alone and trying to figure out who accused him.