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A review by vinreads
Fan Service by Rosie Danan
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's currently 2 am and I'm bawling my eyes out. I've always had an interest in Celebritydom, para social relationships, and people's obsession with their favorite celebs and the characters they portray. I think a lot of people forget that celebrities are people too, and while some are bonafide jerks, some are just.. people. I'm reminded of Josh Sundquist'e dive into celebrity claim to fame and who recognizes actors and actresses and why, and the impact that can have on their lives and careers. He interviews many people including an actress known so often for her face that she became reclusive due to the amount of people always harassing and dehumanizing her trying to get her autograph as the girl from that one show.
I think this book highlights a great importance into how we treat people we have no relationship with whatsoever. We even see it in Alex herself and the way she sort of fangirls throughout the book over Devin the more she gets to know the real him. She still sort of conflates him with his character, so much so that one of his thoughts is that he'll matter to her in whatever way he can, even if it's only as Colby Sutherland, the character in the show she adores.
He lets his past haunt him, because he's stuck in an echo chamber of self deprecating thoughts and the intense need to be what people want him to be most, because no one's ever loved him for who he really is. People take advantage of him over and over because they know he's easy to walk all over, and he's never truly able to heal from that until he gets himself out of that toxic environment that is Hollywood and Celebritydom.
I cried for him at several points because I get how it feels to feel like you're only wanted when you're being who someone wants you to be. He was hurtful as a younger man, and yet he owned up to it, with intents to make up for it much as he could because he knew what he did was wrong no matter the reason for his behavior. Neither he nor Alex really grew as characters until the very end, but I think they both had a lot to work through, him more so than anything.
All serious things aside, this was a love note to all the weird girls out there, to all the monster lovers and fangirls, the ones who spend hours at night on AO3 with their favorite fics and rare pairs. Rosie Danan knocked this one out of the park. She wrote real, raw characters, banging sex scenes, adults who didn't act like they were 12, and a storyline that was equal parts silly and raunchy as it was serious and clearly well cared for and researched into. I took a chance on this one because I wasn't fond of her last, and I don't stay up til 2 am for many books, if that's any indication how much I liked this one. My eyes burn as I write this, but I couldn't be happier to be right here, right now, writing this review to talk about just how much I adore this book. And especially Devin. For sure the tortured sunshine himbo of the year (and possibly my entire life).
I think this book highlights a great importance into how we treat people we have no relationship with whatsoever. We even see it in Alex herself and the way she sort of fangirls throughout the book over Devin the more she gets to know the real him. She still sort of conflates him with his character, so much so that one of his thoughts is that he'll matter to her in whatever way he can, even if it's only as Colby Sutherland, the character in the show she adores.
He lets his past haunt him, because he's stuck in an echo chamber of self deprecating thoughts and the intense need to be what people want him to be most, because no one's ever loved him for who he really is. People take advantage of him over and over because they know he's easy to walk all over, and he's never truly able to heal from that until he gets himself out of that toxic environment that is Hollywood and Celebritydom.
I cried for him at several points because I get how it feels to feel like you're only wanted when you're being who someone wants you to be. He was hurtful as a younger man, and yet he owned up to it, with intents to make up for it much as he could because he knew what he did was wrong no matter the reason for his behavior. Neither he nor Alex really grew as characters until the very end, but I think they both had a lot to work through, him more so than anything.
All serious things aside, this was a love note to all the weird girls out there, to all the monster lovers and fangirls, the ones who spend hours at night on AO3 with their favorite fics and rare pairs. Rosie Danan knocked this one out of the park. She wrote real, raw characters, banging sex scenes, adults who didn't act like they were 12, and a storyline that was equal parts silly and raunchy as it was serious and clearly well cared for and researched into. I took a chance on this one because I wasn't fond of her last, and I don't stay up til 2 am for many books, if that's any indication how much I liked this one. My eyes burn as I write this, but I couldn't be happier to be right here, right now, writing this review to talk about just how much I adore this book. And especially Devin. For sure the tortured sunshine himbo of the year (and possibly my entire life).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail