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A review by ladybugwrites
Idol, Burning by Rin Usami
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book touches on some themes that are important for idol culture, for the worship fans do when they are obsessed with a public figure, but specificaly idols at that. It definitely understands the thought of an idol being what has you get out of bed, and the impact someone you don't personally know can have on your life, and especially how your world is upended when they catch fire.
There's certainly a story here, but it lacks nuance. It doesn't comment on anything with idol worship in a way I think is beneficial. It isn't a commentary as much as it's a story about someone dedicated to one thing and it's detrimental for the every other part of her life. But that needs commentary that is much more nuanced than this was. I actually think that this book rather proves the ones that hate on idol worship and calls it an 'unhealthy obsession' correct, just because that's kind of what it shows. To some extent, idol worship can be unhealthy, definitely, but that's only one side of it and there's definitely nuance as to how you go about liking an idol, and that lacks in this story.
It's mostly just a book. It's okay, it's half-way fun in the way I understand a lot of what's being mentioned, but it lacks the nuance that a story like this could need. And if it had that nuance, maybe showed how the catalyst for this story affected other types of fans or in general showed other types of fans, or rather showed how you don't really know the people you're hoping to when you're just behind a screen (which it to some extent kind of shows), it would've been a lot better.
I had higher hopes, so honestly, this review is also colored by some mild disappointment.
There's certainly a story here, but it lacks nuance. It doesn't comment on anything with idol worship in a way I think is beneficial. It isn't a commentary as much as it's a story about someone dedicated to one thing and it's detrimental for the every other part of her life. But that needs commentary that is much more nuanced than this was. I actually think that this book rather proves the ones that hate on idol worship and calls it an 'unhealthy obsession' correct, just because that's kind of what it shows. To some extent, idol worship can be unhealthy, definitely, but that's only one side of it and there's definitely nuance as to how you go about liking an idol, and that lacks in this story.
It's mostly just a book. It's okay, it's half-way fun in the way I understand a lot of what's being mentioned, but it lacks the nuance that a story like this could need. And if it had that nuance, maybe showed how the catalyst for this story affected other types of fans or in general showed other types of fans, or rather showed how you don't really know the people you're hoping to when you're just behind a screen (which it to some extent kind of shows), it would've been a lot better.
I had higher hopes, so honestly, this review is also colored by some mild disappointment.