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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
I was captured, captivated, and convinced by this novel, which is told entirely in the voice of an 11-year old pop superstar named Jonny Valentine. The voice kept reminding me of [b:Room|7937843|Room|Emma Donoghue|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344265419s/7937843.jpg|9585076] by Emma Donoghue.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It didn't make me a Justin Bieber fan, but it did make me feel sympathy for all the child celebrities out there.
I'm not a huge fan of the schoolboy pop genre. I'm not obsessed with the secret lives of celebrities. I don't aspire to be famous. So what kept me reading this book? What hooked me was the contrast between Jonny's normal 11-year-old thoughts and desires (girls, video games, a later bedtime, etc.) and the worries he had to deal with way too young because of his fame (dieting, child predators, betrayal by management, public persona monitoring, etc.). That juxtaposition was interesting and, at times, horrifying and saddening. I know the story is fictional, but I'm sure there's a lot more truth here than the average person realizes. I also enjoyed the irony of Jonny, an overworked and over-supervised star, being assigned a research project on slavery by his personal tutor. Yes, Jonny's narrative voice is way too advanced for a real 11-year-old, but that's really my only criticism. Overall, the book is exciting, fascinating, and touching.
An interesting look inside a life of superstardom....the tone of the book is spot-on, written in first person with the story being told by Johnny Valentine, the pop star protagonist. Wayne really did his homework with this one; there is plenty of "entertainment industry" jargon and the reader will feel like they are in Johnny's world right along with him.
Anyone looking to study "narrative voice" will find a lot to learn from, and love here. The book's greatest success is telling the story from Jonny's POV, and having it work so well. I believed he was a jaded pre-teen star, comfortable talking about market shares and strategies, but totally lost when it comes to girls, and to reading the more subtle and devious actions of adults.
What brings the book down from four to three stars is the plot, which is a bit creaky, and a few so-obvious-they-hurt metaphors. (In the case of the Slavery Theme, it's not only obvious but borderline offensive?) It is a quick and compelling read, though, with many cogent and funny things to say about the way America loves to hate its celebrities.
What brings the book down from four to three stars is the plot, which is a bit creaky, and a few so-obvious-they-hurt metaphors. (In the case of the Slavery Theme, it's not only obvious but borderline offensive?) It is a quick and compelling read, though, with many cogent and funny things to say about the way America loves to hate its celebrities.
I really enjoyed Kapitoil, so I was looking forward to reading Teddy Wayne's follow-up, even though the title seemed a bit cringey to me. The book did not disappoint, and placed well developed characters in a modern, believable plot. There were times when I felt for the famous young Jonny, or his mother/manager Jane, and then there were times when they did stuff that made me want to write them off because of their superficiality, and because they seemed to put being famous before all else. Their interactions with others, with each other, and with themselves drew out conflicts and doubts, leaving you unsure if you liked or disliked the characters, but at the same time making you think hard and carefully about it, because you're wondering what you would be doing if you were in a situation like Johnny or Jane, or even Al for that matter. I would have preferred the conclusion of the book to be a little more open ended, but it didn't take away anything from what I thought of the book. A solid read, and I'll be looking forward to Teddy Wayne's next book. Since so far he's written in the voice of a socially disadvantaged foreigner and a famous little boy, which at points almost sounded a bit similar, I'll be hoping the next novel is written in the voice of someone sounding completely different. Jonny had good vocal range. Let's see what kind of literary range Teddy has.
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'd give this book 3.5 stars if I could. It's a light, easy read - fun if you are into the world of E and gossip blogs and pop stars. It certainly makes you think more about questioning the produced world we buy into when we consume media. The climax of the book was obvious in a way - stereotypical but not necessarily a given. I enjoyed the point of view from the 11-year-old Justin Bieber type - most of the time. Then again, I was never a hormonal prepubescent boy.
really enjoyed this book. It is written in the voice of a Justin Bieber-esque child pop star, on tour, searching for his biological father while dealing with his overbearing momager (mom who is also his manager for those of you who don't watch anything with the Kardashians) and coming to terms with the beginnings of puberty and the sudden increase in his desire to break the rules. The voice is funny and young (although matured by the experience of being in the limelight) and Wayne's cunning observations concerning the lives of the rich and famous (or not-so-famous), along with his parodic portraits of real musicians, make this worth a fun, lighthearted, but clever read.
2013/Free Press/ 285 pages/ I received a copy from the publisher and another from the library.
2013/Free Press/ 285 pages/ I received a copy from the publisher and another from the library.