Here’s why BookTok is already hating on Milly Bobby Brown’s fiction novel Nineteen Steps

By Abby Amoakuh

Published Sep 28, 2023 at 05:46 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

49868

It was like the four horsemen of online cancellation had marched in. First, comment sections were disabled, then posts were completely deleted after the words “shameful” and “disgusting” were thrown around. If you’re not sure what we’re talking about, basically Millie Bobby Brown has been trending all over social media because of her recent book launch. And, before we get into it, let’s just say that every BookTop creator under the sun is not pleased with the Stranger Things actor.

Netizens have formed a scathing opinion of Brown’s debut novel Nineteen Steps before they even read a single page. Why, you ask? Because it was written by ghostwriter Kathleen McGurl. Still confused why this would warrant so much outrage. Let us break it down for you.

What is Nineteen Steps about?

@lottiesaahko

Read the full article on Kathleen McGurl’s blog. 💻 What do you think about this? #ghostwriter #nineteensteps #MillieBobbyBrown #nineteenstepsmilliebobbybrown #kathleenmcgurl #booktokuk

♬ original sound - Lottie Saahko 📚💻☕️

Nineteen Steps is a historical romance novel about the 1943 Bethnal Green tube disaster. After an air-raid warning, many locals raced for cover to the tube station and were subsequently crushed and killed after they became entrapped on the staircase entrance. The tragedy claimed 173 lives, including 62 children, and is considered the largest loss of civilian life in the UK during the Second World War. Brown has stated that her grandmother inspired the story. The book was released on 12 September 2023. 

Why did Millie Bobby Brown use a ghostwriter?

It’s not unusual for celebrities to hire ghostwriters. Especially, if they are working on a memoir. Some of the most well-known examples are Becoming by Michelle Obama, Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton, as well as the infamous Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg.

@theshamelessbookclub

#booktokdrama #booktok #bookcontroversy #booknews #unpopularbookopinions #milliebobbybrown #nineteensteps #ghostwriter

♬ original sound - The Shameless Book Club

After all, public figures usually don’t have the time, discipline, or writing skills to write a book. Ghostwriters are also frequently used for fiction. Does anyone remember Rebels: City of Indra by Kendall and Kylie Jenner?

Why is BookTok so mad about Nineteen Steps?

Well, a major concern for netizens is the lack of credit ghostwriters often get. While this is a very valid concern, Brown has been quite open about the fact that she has not written this story. In an Instagram caption, which was paired with a picture of both Brown and McGurl, the actor stated: “A huge thank you to my collaborator @kathleenmcgurl. I couldn’t have done this without you! #nineteensteps.”

https://twitter.com/clairegcoleman/status/1705606123787845639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1705606123787845639%7Ctwgr%5Eb451140523d713cdc5c3ec516f533292f2eab63e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fmillie-bobby-browns-debut-novel-is-a-bestseller-does-it-matter-that-the-19-year-old-actor-didnt-write-it-214258

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Millie Bobby Brown (@milliebobbybrown)

Furthermore, it did not take long for some pro-Millie BookTokers to smell the misogyny in this heated debate. “Can we please not do the thing where we pin this very complicated social issue on a very young woman, who by all accounts is following all the rules set up by other people? Millie Bobby Brown is properly crediting her ghostwriter,” BookToker Kirby said about the debate.

@kirby.alice12

i know look awful, i just wanted to say this now. i believe in us. #booktok #ghostwriting #milliebobbybrown #greenscreen

♬ original sound - kirby.alice12

The online outrage over Millie Bobby Brown’s debut novel, Nineteen Steps, highlights a common practice of celebrities using ghostwriters, and quickly seeing a vicious backlash. And while some of the questions about the amount of credit they are entitled to remain, it is evident that Brown is neither the cause of the issue nor the keeper of the answer.

Keep On Reading

By Alma Fabiani

Inside the two real-life experiments ‘Stranger Things’ is actually based on

By Mason Berlinka

Woman leaves husband after thinking she was dating Stranger Things actor

By Emma O'Regan-Reidy

Is BookTok ruining reading? Critics seem to think so

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Bad Bunny’s album is a love letter to the iconic white plastic chair at family gatherings

By Abby Amoakuh

One Day actor Leo Woodall speaks about feeling objectified ahead of new Bridget Jones movie

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Is Tate McRae a secret Trump supporter? Fans react to viral speculation

By Charlie Sawyer

Who is Dee Devlin, the fiancée of Conor McGregor who just insulted victims of SA everywhere?

By Abby Amoakuh

A lawyer breaks down Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battles. Here’s the verdict

By Abby Amoakuh

As the Israel-Hamas war worsens, an Israeli and a Palestinian discuss the prospects for peace

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

From immigration to gender identity, Trump’s orders threaten an exclusionary future for the US

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Bonnie Blue breaks world record by sleeping with 1,057 men in just 12 hours. Is this empowerment or exploitation?

By Abby Amoakuh

Bridgerton fans on X accuse show of sidelining Simone Ashley and her character Kate Sharma

By Charlie Sawyer

New study confirms Bacterial Vaginosis can be sexually transmitted, backing what women have long suspected

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

What is the Baby Barnet cold case? TikToker’s AncestryDNA test leads to her grandma’s arrest

By Charlie Sawyer

Donald Trump’s new press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, is the mouthpiece for right-wing Gen Z

By Charlie Sawyer

What is the pink tote lid moment TikTok trend that’s exposing Gen Z’s mothers’ toxic behaviour?

By Abby Amoakuh

Did The Summer I Turned Pretty star Gavin Casalegno cheat on his ex-girlfriend Larsen Thompson?

By Charlie Sawyer

From his beef with Taylor Swift to losing Justin Bieber’s loyalty, here’s why Scooter Braun is in his flop era

By Abby Amoakuh

MrBeast faces new backlash as fans demand refunds for disastrous Las Vegas immersive experience

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

What is going on with Sky News Australia? Conspiracy theories, plagiarism, and Selena Gomez drama explained