FICTION

The Love Song of Jonny Valentine

Free Pr.: S. & S. Feb. 2013. 304p. ISBN 9781476705859. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781476705873. F
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OrangeReviewStarJonny Valentine is a talented tween singing sensation, much like Justin Bieber. This often scathing satire of manufactured celebrity follows the travails of the 11-year-old singer who is both its beneficiary and its victim. The novel centers on an eventful national tour that finds him embroiled in a fake romance for publicity purposes with a young female pop star, making an awkward visit to his hometown of St. Louis, generating bad publicity over a misadventure with the indie rock band opening his concerts, garnering more bad publicity after his mother/manager's cocaine overdose, and finally in a concert at Madison Square Garden where he reconnects with his long-estranged father.
VERDICT Narrated by the young singing sensation himself, the novel rides on the appealing combination of Jonny's innocence and wisdom beyond his years. This is ultimately a satire with a heart, capturing the sadness, longing, and confusion beneath the celebrity veneer as Johnny tries to make sense of the confusing adult world around him and be loved in a way that has nothing to do with star-struck fans. A top-of-the-charts tale.
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