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A review by justinkhchen
The Band by Christine Ma-Kellams
funny
4.25
A satirical, literary take on the K-pop, idol making industry, The Band pleasantly surprised me because it turns out to be not at all the straightforward drama I was expecting—its characters larger-than-life, the humor brutally dry and self-deprecating, and it really hones in on the objectification of performers (they are replaceable parts, not people), how media scrutiny, industry demand, and pressure from fans result in an individual's emotional crisis.
I can see this being a polarizing read because of its free-form format and metafiction structure. While I find some of the fragmentation to be a little overdone (the footnote doesn't really add much to the core narrative), I greatly appreciate the unfiltered juxtaposition of East (many Korean dialogs/slang are left phonetically transcribed) and West (The humor is VERY American—I get Park and Recreation vibe), the fever dream of a plot, and how it manages to hit me emotionally by the end. I'll also add it is at a near-perfect length just tipping over the 200-page mark.
The Band is unabashedly written for a niche audience, someone with basic knowledge of how the K-pop industry functions (such as trainee debt), who appreciates the pop culture phenomenon but not intentionally shying away from its problems, AND also loves literary fiction. It is a challenging cross section to hit, but I do hope it will find its way to the right audience, as overall I find it to be an atypical, refreshing and sharply written read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
I can see this being a polarizing read because of its free-form format and metafiction structure. While I find some of the fragmentation to be a little overdone (the footnote doesn't really add much to the core narrative), I greatly appreciate the unfiltered juxtaposition of East (many Korean dialogs/slang are left phonetically transcribed) and West (The humor is VERY American—I get Park and Recreation vibe), the fever dream of a plot, and how it manages to hit me emotionally by the end. I'll also add it is at a near-perfect length just tipping over the 200-page mark.
The Band is unabashedly written for a niche audience, someone with basic knowledge of how the K-pop industry functions (such as trainee debt), who appreciates the pop culture phenomenon but not intentionally shying away from its problems, AND also loves literary fiction. It is a challenging cross section to hit, but I do hope it will find its way to the right audience, as overall I find it to be an atypical, refreshing and sharply written read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**