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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
Unfortunately this was too formulaic and repetitive to be anything outstanding. The author has a good understanding of popular culture (or at least the way it was in the early 2000s) but I didn't see anything new here expressing his thoughts on it that wasn't captured in the last book of his I read (Dead Famous).
There was nothing surprising, it just progressed at a standard pace until the conclusion was reached. The only surprising part of the whole book, the very minor twist at the end, would have been so much better had he not chickened out and opted for the PG version of events.
The characters being based on real celebrities was amusing at first, but got dull really quickly, and the repetitiveness of the speech really started to grate after a while.
Disappointing and dull.
There was nothing surprising, it just progressed at a standard pace until the conclusion was reached. The only surprising part of the whole book, the very minor twist at the end, would have been so much better had he not chickened out and opted for the PG version of events.
The characters being based on real celebrities was amusing at first, but got dull really quickly, and the repetitiveness of the speech really started to grate after a while.
Disappointing and dull.
As per usual I never really know where I’m going to end up when reading Ben Elton there is always a twist! I did enjoy seeing the ins and outs and behind the scenes of ‘Chart Throb’ and how realistically callous some people can be.
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Love how this takes the mick out of X Factor and similar shows and the unfairness of them. I've read it at least three times.
Set around a reality show singing competetion, Chart Throb delivers figures recognizable to the British viewing public. The competition, Chart Throb, features three judges: harsh, bullying producer Calvin Simms, who loves a challenge; former rocker male-to-female transsexual Beryl Blenheim, a one-note character with an obsession with "mothering"; and Rodney Root, a two-bit "manager" who is more or less the butt of all jokes. They stand in for Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh of X-Factor fame. Though The X-Factor and it's judges are mentioned in the book by name, it is clear that Ben Elton didn't care much about hiding who the characters were supposed to be.
I sped through the book quickly, despite the pages numbering above 400. The reason for that is, unfortunately, the complete lack of plot. The point of the novel seemed to be that reality television is scripted down to the last second, the contestants are coached and every decision is made to manipulate the viewing audience; a fair point to be sure, however, it wears thin after only a few pages of constant malicious manipulation. The same jokes and lines are repeated over and over, highlighting not only the repetitiveness of Chart Throb (and likewise The X Factor, Pop Idol, American Idol, Britain's Got Talent, etc) but the sheer pointlessness of the novel.
Elton doesn't actually deliver anything but a straightforward, bare bones "behind the scenes" look at the show until page 350, which I found to rather late to attempt to insert some sort of drama or plot. The characters were at best one-note and two dimensional and what I think was the "final twist" was not only lame but completely lacking in sense. Elton seemed less interested in fleshing out characters and providing actual plot than in showing ad nauseum how unblinkingly cruel these types of television shows are.
A fun quick read if you're not looking for a character to care about and a novel you'll forget within five minutes.
I sped through the book quickly, despite the pages numbering above 400. The reason for that is, unfortunately, the complete lack of plot. The point of the novel seemed to be that reality television is scripted down to the last second, the contestants are coached and every decision is made to manipulate the viewing audience; a fair point to be sure, however, it wears thin after only a few pages of constant malicious manipulation. The same jokes and lines are repeated over and over, highlighting not only the repetitiveness of Chart Throb (and likewise The X Factor, Pop Idol, American Idol, Britain's Got Talent, etc) but the sheer pointlessness of the novel.
Elton doesn't actually deliver anything but a straightforward, bare bones "behind the scenes" look at the show until page 350, which I found to rather late to attempt to insert some sort of drama or plot. The characters were at best one-note and two dimensional and what I think was the "final twist" was not only lame but completely lacking in sense. Elton seemed less interested in fleshing out characters and providing actual plot than in showing ad nauseum how unblinkingly cruel these types of television shows are.
A fun quick read if you're not looking for a character to care about and a novel you'll forget within five minutes.
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’ve always enjoyed Ben Elton, but this book has not held up well. The transphobic tone in particular was just grating.
Essentially a behind-the-scenes at X-Factor story. It's an interesting premise - that these programmes are largely fictional and manipulative. And it's quite persuasive - I'll certainly look at X Factor et al in a different light now.
Unlike a fine wine, this book did not age well. How was it written only 15 years ago!? Racist, misogynist, questionable trans character, wanton disregard for mental health.
Chart Throb was such an entertaining book. Anyone obsessed with a reality TV talent show needs to read this book; it brings into the light all of the falseness about those kinds of programs. Not only does Elton expose TV talent shows, but he produces these ridiculously interesting characters that come off as shallow at first but grow into multidimensional people. Really well-written.