Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake — Genre’d Podcast Episode 11

This week on Genre’d, Elyse and Katy dive into Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake — a genre-bending campus satire that skewers ambition, motherhood, sisterhood, and the chaotic contradictions of modern womanhood. Part dark comedy, part social commentary, part “wait, what the hell did I just read?” — we definitely had things to say.

If you’re searching for a Girl Dinner review, book discussion, or in-depth podcast breakdown, this episode gives you all of that and more.

💥 Spoiler Warning: First ~20 minutes are spoiler-free; full spoilers after.

🚨 Content Warnings: cannibalism (substantial discussion), sexual assault (referenced), violence, graphic content, motherhood anxiety, academic power dynamics.

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What we cover in this episode

🎓 Satire, camp, and the thin line between “too real” and “too absurd.”

We break down why this book reads like a Ryan Murphy fever dream crossed with sorority recruitment TikTok — and how the satire hits almost too close to home.

🍽️ Girlhood, feminism & the pressure to “have it all.”

Nina’s desperate attempt to reinvent herself & Sloane’s motherhood-identity spiral give us plenty to unpack about ambition, safety, and the myth of perfection.

🏛️ Academia, power, and why Max is the worst.

From adjunct life to spousal hires to the politics of tenure, Elyse gives a small TED Talk on why Olivie Blake’s depiction of academia felt painfully accurate.

👯‍♀️ The House: sorority culture, sisterhood & the dark side of belonging.

Why this fictional sorority feels like a mix of the Heathers, a wellness MLM, and a “support women” Instagram infographic gone wrong.

🔪 The twist (yes, that twist).

We discuss when the book veers into horror, what the “ritual” represents, and that wild final turn — including the Jas vs. Nina ending and how different readers interpreted it.

🧠 Themes we loved (and struggled with):

• Female rage

• Motherhood identity crisis

• Wellness as status

• Performative feminism

• Power, privilege, and who gets to feel safe

• Unlikable characters: feature or bug?

📚 Who this book is and isn’t for.

Is this a good book-club pick? Yes.

Is this a book we’d hand to our mom? Absolutely not.

⭐ Our final ratings:

A true “fun to discuss more than fun to read” book — but one that kept us talking long after we closed it.

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Books & Shows Mentioned in This Episode

• We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter (Book)

• The Secret History by Donna Tartt (Book)

• Scream Queens (TV)

• Tell Me Lies (TV/book)

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Join the conversation

Have thoughts on Girl Dinner? Did you catch the twist early? Do you read satire easily, or did this one get a little too real? Drop your reactions in the comments, or tag us on social — we want to know which character you’d trust (if any).

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Fast Facts: Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake

Do I need to read Olivie Blake books in order?

Nope — Girl Dinner is completely standalone.

Is this really horror?

Lightly. It’s more satire + camp with horror elements, not jump-scare horror. Think “Scream Queens” meets “Tell Me Lies” with a literary filter.

Who would enjoy this book?

Readers who love:

• dark academia

• biting social commentary

• unlikable characters

• satire about gender, power, and the performance of success

• campus mysteries with an edge

Where should I start if I want more Olivie Blake?

Try The Atlas Six for dark academia with magic, or Masters of Death if you want something more tongue-in-cheek.

What’s next on Genre’d?

We’re reading Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber — a much-needed return to fantasy after this chaotic detour.

If you found this Girl Dinner review, podcast discussion, or book summary helpful, explore more of our Genre’d episodes for deep dives into fantasy, thriller, dark academia, and romantasy reads.