Abel Miller is on his way to Hollywood, having landed one of the lead roles in a major teen blockbuster series, Sunset High. This is the third reboot of the series which has been cancelled before due to a curse that seems to plague the series. Now, as Able heads to begin filming, not only will he be acting, but he will also be surreptitiously reporting back to Hannah Wilkes at the Daily Eye newspaper for he is determined to expose Omnificent, the film company behind Sunset High, and their treatment of its staff. After meeting Lucky, Ryan and Ella, his co-stars, Abel quickly realises that the beneath the surface of the glamour and glitz of acting, there is a very different, much darker world; one that can be deadly.
Having read and loved Benjamin's MG books (Me, My Dad & The End Of The Rainbow (review here), and The Secret Sunshine Project (review here)), and devoured Benjamin's first YA novel The King Is Dead (review here) on a sunbed last July, I was rather giddy when I saw his upcoming YA, How To Die Famous, on NetGalley. I downloaded it immediately, knowing that a train journey to London would be the perfect opportunity to get lost in the Hollywood hills.
From the very beginning, you know that this is going to be a book full of drama with the prologue ending with the sentence 'One of us is dead.' It gives the reader a sense of anticipation and suspense from the very beginning and this carries through the entire book. Far from the glitz and glamour of the film industry, How To Die Famous shines a spotlight on the darker, controlling side of the film industry which made me shudder on many occasions. I know that the book was based on Benjamin's time as a celebrity reporter and is fictional but it did make me wonder how much of this goes on behind the scenes of the film industry; it's a life that many young people aspire to yet one that the book quickly shows readers isn't all that it seems. When you can't leave your hotel without being mobbed by paparazzi; when you can't be yourself and have to live the life you are instructed to, and when you aren't given the time to grieve, all in the name of building audience excitement for the show, it makes you realise that the glitzy outward appearance hides a much darker side; one that is showcased chillingly in this book.
The four main characters are very different from each other and I liked the four person perspective of the narrative. Lucky has recently lost his mother and is finding it difficult to come to terms with this, which results in him backing bad choices, especially in terms of drink. Ryan is a young black actor who is only too aware that this life could end at any moment, and Ella is the girl Omnificent want to be their new leading lady - on the surface she has everything anybody could possibly want but there is much behind the scenes that is making her miserable. Then there is Ryan, the young English actor heading towards his big break, but why is he determined to expose the world he is about to enter?
How To Die Famous is a deliciously thrilling book full of twists, stalkers, curses and suspense that will have you on the edge of your seat. In fact, not only did I read it on the train without pausing, but I also found myself reading it on the tube in London and even whilst at dinner as the book was compelling and utterly unputdownable.
Publishing on the 20th July, How To Die Famous is the perfect summer YA read and I predict that it will be seen around many a poolside this summer.
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