I’ve read a few Ben Elton books before, including ‘Dead Famous‘ – a comic crime novel set on the set of a ‘Big Brother’ program. “Chart Throb” draws it’s inspiration from reality TV music shows such as ‘Australian Idol‘. The novel is great satire, poking a sharp barb into the glamour of today’s glorified talent quests. Clavin, The show’s machiavellian leader and master judge is revealed as a shallow, manipulative prick. The other judges fair little better, narcissism being their dominant personality trait.
If you love ‘Australian Idol’ and want to stay a fan, do not read this book. If you where always a bit (or a lot) suspicious of the shows credibility, reading this book will definitely confirm all your worst fears, then add in a few extras.
The plot of ‘Chart Throb’ is more distrubing than ‘Dead famous’ becuase it’s more believable – you can imagine everything that the judges and directors do as actually happening, whereas ‘Dead Famous’ was entertaining but not really . . . real.
Ben Elton has done it again – delivering great satire that draws on our current life and times. Excellent.
My Rating: 4 Stars
