Customer Reviews

The Fame Game

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This is simply a trashy, enjoyable novel about the entertainment industry, with its preoccupation with money, sex, and drugs. The author tells a cautionary tale about life in the fast lane, and the things that can happen when one falls prey to the call of the fame game.

The characters are diverse, as are the storylines that bind them. I can't say that any one of the characters is particularly compelling or likable, but their stories will most certainly keep the reader turning the pages to see what happens to them. The book is definitely a guilty pleasure. Fans of Jacqueline Susann and Jackie Collins will, undoubtedly, enjoy this book.

I think that Jackie Collins and Rona Jaffe are two of the best writers around since they can create characters who you see so much of yourselves in.

In the Fame Game, you actually thought you were an invisible person actually seeing how people rise to the top and the high price that they pay with sex, drugs, and alcohol. From Sam Leo Libra's brilliant marketing campaigns to the calm efficiency that Gerry Thompson, his secretary provided for the clients, the action never lags.

You sympathized with all the characters from "Bonnie Parker" after being told her career was over as a model to the animosity when Silky Morgan, of Silky and the Satins goes from being the lead singer to the diamond in the rough star much to the anger of her four singing partners, you see that the people who seem to have everything don't always have everything. A fascinating novel.

I found this book in a used book store. My copy was printed in 1970 and apparently had never been touched since, since I found a insert for an advertisement by Rod Serling to send off for a correspondence course with a writing school.

I did read The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe and loved it and have re-read it many times. This book was a huge disappointment in comparison. It was as though she was trying to copy Jackie Susann, almost paraphrasing her at times. And it just did not work.

All the characters were shallow, not credible, and for the most part extremely unlikeable. For instance, Gerri was supposed to be so strong and sure of herself, yet she falls madly in love with a cold, distant jerk who really wants to be with boys, and then becomes engaged to a still-married child-molesting moron. What's so great about these guys is never explained. She's 26, and has 5 years of publicity work in Rome and Paris. Later, it only mentions 2 years (twice). So which is it? Also, Gerri's job as Girl Friday lasts 12 hours a day, however she does get a 2 hour lunch break and 2 hour dinner break - that would make it an 8 hour day, right? Her important tasks include mailing out Christmas cards and calling clients with updated schedules. This is why I can't figure out the ending - it makes no sense at all.

The theme throughout is women with low self-esteem falling in love with undeserving, uninteresting men whom the women are dying to marry. A couple of the women note that it is the man who would have everything to lose and have to give up so much by marrying. Yeah, such as what?

I tried, but just couldn't find any redeeming qualities in this book. Overall very depressing and a waste of time.