Sunday, September 25, 2005

Walk of Fame by Sharon Krum

Well, it has been awhile since I've sat down to write a review. Most of the blame goes to taking a little break from reading (a collective gasp can be heard from my to-be-read shelf on my right…) but not really. Mostly spending my reading time on stuff I get off the net. There is something comforting reading via my computer screen. If more books were electronic, I wonder if I would be more apt to read them. I suppose it would depend a lot on the price. Just the other day I was wondering if environmental concerns will ever cause books to go digital…. This is so not the reason why I'm sitting here right now so I guess I should get on with it…

Walk of Fame by Sharon Krum is next on the review block. Another book borrowed from a friend at work. She told me about it and it sounded like it had an interesting premise so I figured I should read it. I borrow way too many books (another gasp from the right, this time distinctly sarcastic. Oh shuddap!) It is about this guy, who has been hired by a magazine to stage some stunt, all in the hopes of gaining fame, and then write about the experience. The whole idea is that you don't really have to be special to be famous, you just have to do something stupid and the public will eat it up with a spoon. In comes Alexandra West, Hollywood starlet who wants to make over her image. She agrees to date him in order to be seen as someone who can attract a smart man and he gets to become known as Alexandra's boyfriend all in the name of social experiment.

Well, it turns into one big snowball from hell and yes, I know that metaphor makes no sense whatsoever. Basically, from one little date, his life gets taken over by the media machine. Being famous has some perks but mostly a lot of not-so-great moments like how this is affecting his relationship with his best friend since second grade, Jake. Even though he was able to forgive Jake for stealing his wife, Jake can't seem deal well with the situation.

It was an okay book, slow in some parts but entertaining. I guess the whole moral of the story is to be careful what you wish for because while you might not change, if people's perception of you does, look out cause that is what will rock your world. Not sure if I'd recommend it but I thought it would make an interesting movie.