Scan barcode
A review by swimstein
The Band by Christine Ma-Kellams
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Band was a fun read. While it wasn't exactly what I was expecting from a novel set in the K-pop industry, it kept me engaged. After Sang Duri, a member of a BTS-style group called The Band (no relation to Robbie Robertson), is "cancelled" over his latest music video, he disappears from sight. He meets a middle-aged Chinese American woman at an H-Mart in Los Angeles and ends up hiding out with her and her family until the scandal blows over.
Although he doesn't meet this woman until Chapter 7, she is the narrator, which, in itself, is one of the most unique aspects of the novel. The narrator provides backstory and relays concurrent events for The Band members and their producer, whom she only refers to as Pinocchio. As Sang Duri is hiding out with her, his bandmates become the target of threats and violent attacks. She also relates stories about an unnamed girl group Pinocchio managed before The Band.
The assumption is that much of the information the narrator conveys, she either learned from Duri himself or through celebrity gossip sites after the fact. However, since she is the one telling the reader, the point-of-view is almost a first-person omniscient perspective, which is not something I have ever really encountered in a novel - at least not to this degree. The narrator also has a distinct voice which mixes in humour with scientific insights through references to real behavioural studies that apply to different parts of the story. (The narrator, like Ma-Kellams herself, is a psychologist.)
The narration also includes footnotes, which is always an interesting choice in the novel. Here, they are used to highlight Korean text, provide additional information without breaking the flow of the narrative and even to provide actual citations for scientific studies and concepts. This gives book a bit of an academic feel which contrasts nicely with the gossipy tone of the narration.
While the narrator is more of a witness narrator than a protagonist, the scenes where she is present can feel a little slow in comparison to the ones when she's not there. There appears to be a real connection between Duri and the narrator, one she may no longer have with her husband. She and Duri are probably sleeping together, though at times, she acts more like his mother. (Of course, these things aren't mutually exclusive.)
But their relationship tends to get sidelined by the gossip of what's happening with Pinocchio and Duri's bandmates. Granted, I was a little more engaged with the story of the girl band (which was backstory) than Duri's band but that may just be a personal preference. The antics of The Band were still enjoyable to read.
Overall, The Band was a fun, fast-paced, witty novel that should be exciting for K-pop fans or anyone who has ever gone down the celebrity gossip rabbit hole.
(Note: This review is based on an Advanced Reader's Edition I received for free in exchange for an honest review.)
Although he doesn't meet this woman until Chapter 7, she is the narrator, which, in itself, is one of the most unique aspects of the novel. The narrator provides backstory and relays concurrent events for The Band members and their producer, whom she only refers to as Pinocchio. As Sang Duri is hiding out with her, his bandmates become the target of threats and violent attacks. She also relates stories about an unnamed girl group Pinocchio managed before The Band.
The assumption is that much of the information the narrator conveys, she either learned from Duri himself or through celebrity gossip sites after the fact. However, since she is the one telling the reader, the point-of-view is almost a first-person omniscient perspective, which is not something I have ever really encountered in a novel - at least not to this degree. The narrator also has a distinct voice which mixes in humour with scientific insights through references to real behavioural studies that apply to different parts of the story. (The narrator, like Ma-Kellams herself, is a psychologist.)
The narration also includes footnotes, which is always an interesting choice in the novel. Here, they are used to highlight Korean text, provide additional information without breaking the flow of the narrative and even to provide actual citations for scientific studies and concepts. This gives book a bit of an academic feel which contrasts nicely with the gossipy tone of the narration.
While the narrator is more of a witness narrator than a protagonist, the scenes where she is present can feel a little slow in comparison to the ones when she's not there. There appears to be a real connection between Duri and the narrator, one she may no longer have with her husband. She and Duri are probably sleeping together, though at times, she acts more like his mother. (Of course, these things aren't mutually exclusive.)
But their relationship tends to get sidelined by the gossip of what's happening with Pinocchio and Duri's bandmates. Granted, I was a little more engaged with the story of the girl band (which was backstory) than Duri's band but that may just be a personal preference. The antics of The Band were still enjoyable to read.
Overall, The Band was a fun, fast-paced, witty novel that should be exciting for K-pop fans or anyone who has ever gone down the celebrity gossip rabbit hole.
(Note: This review is based on an Advanced Reader's Edition I received for free in exchange for an honest review.)