The Circle Summary

Mae Holland, a young professional, finds herself working at a major tech company recognized for its innovation, thanks to her college friend, Annie Allerton. The company, known for its TruYou system that consolidates user's online identities into one trackable account, has quickly grown into a global powerhouse. As Mae integrates into the company's culture of "Passion, Participation, and Transparency," she experiences struggle due to her more reserved nature. Meanwhile, her personal life is marked by her father's multiple sclerosis and her ex-boyfriend Mercer's constant questioning of her job and the company's invasive technology.

Despite the challenges, Mae views her job as a golden opportunity as she becomes an influencer, and more importantly, a lifeline for her parents when she adds them to her company's health insurance plan. She becomes involved with two men at work - Francis, working on a controversial child tracking software, and Kalden, an enigmatic man whom no one seems to know much about. When she gets caught by the company's surveillance cameras while on a stress-relieving kayaking trip, she agrees to wear a 24/7 camera, boosting her visibility and popularity.

As her influence grows, so does her belief in the company's vision, even as it unveils more intrusive programs and aims for something called Completion. This newfound power leads to friction with Annie, who grows wary of the company after uncovering disturbing family history through one of its programs. Mae's belief in technology's power takes a tragic turn when she uses a live tracking system on Mercer, who ends his life in reaction to this extreme invasion of privacy. Despite these incidents, Mae remains loyal to the company, even thwarting a plan by the company's founder, who revealed himself as Kalden, to stop Completion. The story closes with Mae sitting beside an ailing Annie, confident that she saved the company from potential downfall.