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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
emotional
fast-paced
I feel compelled to state that I bought SCAMMER on eBay rather than give Caroline Calloway a dime, and that was only after my library declined my purchase request.
I'm not sure why I find her persona so compelling. I haven't had a personal Instagram account in six years, I don't keep up with influencer culture, and I'm likely far outside her target audience. I used to be an embarssingly heavy Twitter user, but I don't recall seeing the thread that went viral outlining her scam artist tendencies years ago.
I'm pretty sure I first learned about Calloway from Natalie Beach's article in The Cut, which I read because I compulsively read every buzzy article regardless of subject matter. I listened to the audiobook for Beach's Adult Drama last year and enjoyed the experience. It was also immediately clear that Beach has moved on from the ghostwriting and media frenzy. Calloway, to a depressing extent, has not.
While I admit there were flashes of true writing talent in SCAMMER, many sections are repeated. I didn't read the collection as a "daybook" as Calloway intends, rather picking up SCAMMER a few separate times over the course of a month, but the repetition of topics and phrases still jumped out to me. I've also read convincing posts suggesting she plagiarized bits and pieces.
But ultimately I rate SCAMMER so low because it is a creation at odds with its premise. Calloway has always wanted to be not just a famous author but a famous memoirist, and memoirs need to be believed to be respected. I cannot believe a single thing Calloway claims — she even contradicts herself within SCAMMER! This would however make an interesting book for a Death of the Author discussion in an undergrad literature class.
I relisted my copy on eBay again.
I'm not sure why I find her persona so compelling. I haven't had a personal Instagram account in six years, I don't keep up with influencer culture, and I'm likely far outside her target audience. I used to be an embarssingly heavy Twitter user, but I don't recall seeing the thread that went viral outlining her scam artist tendencies years ago.
I'm pretty sure I first learned about Calloway from Natalie Beach's article in The Cut, which I read because I compulsively read every buzzy article regardless of subject matter. I listened to the audiobook for Beach's Adult Drama last year and enjoyed the experience. It was also immediately clear that Beach has moved on from the ghostwriting and media frenzy. Calloway, to a depressing extent, has not.
While I admit there were flashes of true writing talent in SCAMMER, many sections are repeated. I didn't read the collection as a "daybook" as Calloway intends, rather picking up SCAMMER a few separate times over the course of a month, but the repetition of topics and phrases still jumped out to me. I've also read convincing posts suggesting she plagiarized bits and pieces.
But ultimately I rate SCAMMER so low because it is a creation at odds with its premise. Calloway has always wanted to be not just a famous author but a famous memoirist, and memoirs need to be believed to be respected. I cannot believe a single thing Calloway claims — she even contradicts herself within SCAMMER! This would however make an interesting book for a Death of the Author discussion in an undergrad literature class.
I relisted my copy on eBay again.
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
This is Caroline Calloway. Her debut book is delightfully idiosyncratic and absolutely captivating. Calloway lets you see her for who she is, warts and all, and yet masterfully leaves you wanting to know even more (including her shameless self promotion of future books within these pages). Calloway provides a heartfelt and enigmatic glance into the mindset of someone who just knew they would be famous, and then created that life. Calloway is bold, and bright, and so intensely human. She is the main character. There are many moments where you wonder if she isn’t lying, or at least exaggerating, but in the end it doesn’t even matter. She’s Caroline Calloway, and she’s a memoirist. Whether we believe her or not, she’ll keep telling her stories, and I can’t wait for more.
funny
fast-paced
I'm a long-time lover of anything Caroline Calloway. I believe that she is beautifully messy in some ways that may deter others but I recognize a chaos in her that I resonate with. Perhaps it's the Sagittarius in us.
fast-paced
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use
What a maniacal rollercoaster. I've never loved a book and despised (but also loved?!) the books author in such equal measure.
3.5 stars
Always rooting for my problematic fave. Been following Caroline’s world, story, misadventures, mistakes, public shaming for so long. Scammer is good. Some really beautiful stream of conscious writing in these pages. Her candidness is kind of shocking and probably not expected by a lot of readers. I appreciate that kind of thing so I welcome it. Especially from a person who has been dehumanized online and presented as a relatively 2 dimensional character. Scammer felt especially on brand in that the eta was 3 months, it arrived in 7 (lol)
Looking forward to whatever else she has coming.
*Pretty big TW mentioned in some other reviews here. Not an issue for me as I have been able to compartmentalize a lot of the most serious things. Tread lightly if triggered by suicidal ideation, drug and alcohol abuse, SA, death of a parent, and probably others I’m forgetting.
Always rooting for my problematic fave. Been following Caroline’s world, story, misadventures, mistakes, public shaming for so long. Scammer is good. Some really beautiful stream of conscious writing in these pages. Her candidness is kind of shocking and probably not expected by a lot of readers. I appreciate that kind of thing so I welcome it. Especially from a person who has been dehumanized online and presented as a relatively 2 dimensional character. Scammer felt especially on brand in that the eta was 3 months, it arrived in 7 (lol)
Looking forward to whatever else she has coming.
*Pretty big TW mentioned in some other reviews here. Not an issue for me as I have been able to compartmentalize a lot of the most serious things. Tread lightly if triggered by suicidal ideation, drug and alcohol abuse, SA, death of a parent, and probably others I’m forgetting.