Cait Corrain review bombing controversy
{{Short description|2023 literature controversy}}
In late 2023, aspiring fantasy author Cait Corrain created multiple fake accounts on Goodreads to review bomb other authors. Del Rey Books and agent Rebecca Podos canceled their contracts with Corrain.
Events
On December 5, 2023, author Xiran Jay Zhao posted on Twitter, "If you as a debut author are going to make a bunch of fake Goodreads accounts one-star-bombing fellow debuts you're threatened by can you at least not make it so obvious".{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Conor |date=2023-12-13 |title=Author Cait Corrain Loses Book Deal For 'Review Bombing' On Goodreads—Here's Why It's A Longstanding Problem For The Platform |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/12/13/author-cait-corrain-loses-book-deal-for-review-bombing-on-goodreads-heres-why-its-a-longstanding-problem-for-the-platform/ |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=Forbes |language=en}} After Internet speculation on the author's identity, Xiran named the author as Cait Corrain and shared a Google Doc showing screenshots of low ratings from accounts allegedly owned by Corrain.{{Cite magazine |last=Zornosa |first=Laura |date=2023-12-13 |title=An Author Review Bombed Books on Goodreads. Then Her Debut Book Was Dropped |url=https://time.com/6397305/cait-corrain-goodreads-review-bomb-authors/ |access-date=2023-12-18 |magazine=Time |language=en}}
The fantasy novel Crown of Starlight was scheduled to be Cait Corrain's debut title, scheduled to be published on May 14, 2024 through Del Rey, a science fiction and fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House.{{cite news |author= |date=December 13, 2023 |title=Writer admits to 'review bombing' other authors' books, then has own novel cancelled |agency=Associated Press |location= |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/world/novelists-book-canceled-after-review-bombs |access-date=December 13, 2023}} As of December 12, Corrain was no longer represented by agent Rebecca Podos. Del Rey and UK publisher Daphne Press also cancelled their contracts with Corrain.
While Corrain initially described the negative reviews as left by a friend and provided screenshots of a Discord conversation between themself and the friend, it was later said that the friend had been "non-existent", confirming that Corrain had faked the conversation.{{Cite web |last=Lowe |first=Lindsay |date=2023-12-15 |title=Cait Corrain, 'review bombing' and the controversy rollicking Goodreads, explained |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/books/cait-corrain-goodreads-review-bombing-controversy-rcna129964 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=www.today.com |language=en}} Internet users also commented that the list of targeted authors included people of color.{{Cite web |last=Haile |first=Nardos |date=2023-12-13 |title="Review bombing" and lost book deals: The Goodreads scandal explained |url=https://www.salon.com/2023/12/13/review-bombing-and-lost-book-deals-the-goodreads-scandal-explained/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Salon |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Yang|first=Angela |date=December 13, 2023 |title=A first-time author lost a book deal after they were accused of trying to sabotage reviews of other authors |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/author-cait-corrain-goodreads-review-bombing-allegations-fallout-rcna129134 |work=NBC News|location= |access-date=December 13, 2023}}
Corrain later issued an apology, saying that they had recently "suffered a complete psychological breakdown" after "fighting a losing battle against depression, alcoholism and substance abuse".{{cite news |last=Creamer |first=Ella |date=December 13, 2023 |title=Publisher drops author for using fake accounts to 'review-bomb' peers |work=Guardian |location= |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/dec/13/cait-corrain-publisher-drops-author-fake-accounts-review-bomb |access-date=December 18, 2023}} They deactivated social media and entered an "intensive psychiatric care" facility on December 12, 2023.{{cite news |last=Gelt |first=Jessica |date=December 12, 2023 |title=Cait Corrain apologizes, checks into rehab after Goodreads 'review bombing' rival authors |newspaper=LA Times |location= |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-12-12/author-cait-corrain-apologizes-and-checks-into-rehab-after-losing-book-deal-for-review-bombing-on-goodreads |access-date=December 18, 2023}}
The controversy was cited by industry professionals{{Who|date=September 2024}} as an example of abuse issues on Goodreads.{{cite news |last=Alter |first=Alexandra |date=December 13, 2023 |title=She 'Review Bombed' Other Writers. Then Her Book Got Pulled. |work=New York Times |location= |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/books/cait-corrain-goodreads-reviews.html |access-date=December 13, 2023}}
A February 2024 interview with The Daily Beast gave Corrain's side of the controversy. Corrain blamed the controversy on drug abuse, alcoholism, and ADHD medication, denying that racism played a factor, and confirming their intention to stay out of the spotlight.{{cite news |last=Howard |first=Brooke Leigh |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Author Who Review-Bombed Writers of Color: ‘I'm Not Racist’. |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/author-cait-corrain-who-review-bombed-writers-of-color-im-not-racist/ |access-date=March 4, 2025}}
As of 2024, Crown of Starlight has not been published.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}