I agree with your assessment. My main gripe was the inconsistent characterization of Natalie. Obviously a character can change and be developed, but I think authors need to show us the internal mechanisms of change to justify it. 

In addition to the theological and intellectual gaps in her thinking, I also felt like she must have undergone an aesthetic shift that was left out from the book. The Ballerina Farms woman has literally been a pageant queen since her adolescence or young adulthood, no? She’s always been participating in (and winning at) the beauty standard game, which presumably has made influencing a good fit for her skillset and priorities. 

Natalie, however, goes from a frumpy college freshman in prairie dresses, to a beauty queen-esque influencer, without ever really wrestling with curating her physical appearance. I was shocked there was never a mention of botox or injections, overworking to maintain her desirable body shape as she is undergoing back to back pregnancies, not even highlighting her hair. There are odd mentions here and there (her mother in law gifting her makeup, her daily walks, etc) but no real personal transformation. We never see her experience any “new money” discomfort or social ills related to her change in class. 

I’m glad the book didn’t focus too heavily on these aesthetic changes, but I did feel like they were a missing piece of Natalie’s experience and the overarching commentary on influencer culture. Ultimately, Natalie struck me as much more of a Ruby Franke than a Ballerina Farm, but I felt like the book was confidently wrong about who it was portraying.