Famous caught my attention long before I read the first page. The bold cover. Blake Crouch’s name after my experience with Pines. A premise about celebrity obsession that promised something unsettling and unforgettable. Everything about it suggested a psychological thriller that would keep tightening its grip until the final page.
Instead, I kept waiting for that moment to arrive.
This is a book where the cover delivered exactly what it promised, but the story never reached the intensity I expected.
*Spoilers will be hidden and labelled so you can choose to read or skip.
Hype Meter
Goodreads: 3.34 | StoryGraph: 3.34
Overhyped. I was underwhelmed.
Cover Crit
The bold palette of the Famous cover first caught my eye. I noticed that it was by Blake Crouch, whose Pines I recently read, so I had to pick it up and read the description. The premise sounded promising, and it was on clearance, so it came home with me.
Color Story
Magenta and yellow POP! I didn’t even see the whole front cover, just the spine, and I found myself reaching for it.
Typography Notes
Sleek, tall, thin sans serif letters suit the book’s Hollywood vibe. Using the same font with a different spacing treatment sets the title apart from the author’s name. Subtle, but effective.
Genre Signals
The image on the cover of Famous is a portrait, but it is mostly in shadow. This might be a hint as to the mystery or thriller aspects of the book. The fact that it is a person suggests that it might be a psychological thriller.
Hidden Details
No easter eggs here.
Mood Check
Darkness among the glitz and glamour of lights suggests dark undertones.
Beyond the Dust Jacket
The title page art is very cool. It treats the title, Famous, as if it were the Hollywood sign with searchlights and palm trees.
Parts are indicated by location, denoted by a page that matches the title page art. (New York, Los Angeles, Montana).
Chapters are numbered, then followed by what might amount to a “shot list” of scenes in the chapter. Each scene is broken apart by a clapperboard icon.
Ballantine Books includes a note about the book’s typography (which I think is a lovely touch).
Did the design affect whether I bought the book?
The cover design absolutely influenced my decision to buy Famous.
Story Snapshot
In Short
A man goes to terrifying extremes to adopt his celebrity doppelganger’s life.
From the Publisher
A man goes to terrifying extremes to adopt his celebrity doppelganger’s life in this darkly comedic psychological suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter and Upgrade.
The basis for the upcoming A24 film Famous, starring Zac Efron.
“My name is Lancelot Blue Dunkquist, and the best thing about me is, when you doll me up right, I look just like the movie star James Jansen.”
Meet Lance. Thirty-eight years old. Works a meaningless job. Still lives above his parents’ garage. By all accounts, a world-class loser. Save for one glaring exception: He has a million-dollar face.
Lance has been mistaken eighty-seven times for the Oscar-winning movie star James Jansen, and for the last ten years, he’s saved his money and studied Jansen’s films, his moves, his idiosyncrasies—even the way he speaks. Now, after an unceremonious termination from his job, Lance has decided that the time has come to go after his dream of truly becoming Jansen.
From New York’s avant-garde, off-off Broadway scene to the glitter of Los Angeles, Lance embarks on a journey toward becoming James Jansen that will take him closer to the star than even he had dreamed—and to darker lengths than he could’ve possibly imagined.
Shot through with dark humor and building to a truly shocking conclusion, Famous is a scary, surprising, genre-blending thrill ride as only Blake Crouch can deliver.
Characters I Followed Into Battle
Lancelot Blue Dunkquist is a weird dude. He is 38, lives with his parents, doesn’t have any friends, has a good job, but gets fired. Then he sets off on this journey that he indicates is planned, but it sorta feels like he’s winging it. He is not likable.
Lines I Highlighted
Ambitious people admire the hell out of other ambitious people. We’re all in this big secret club.
Writing Style Notes
The writing is very matter-of-fact. Statements. Opinions as facts. Short sentences. There is humor, but it is dark and ironic. Things happen, but leave you wondering: what is the point?
Lines I Highlighted
In a way, if I got knifed or something, it wouldn’t bother me at all.
What Landed For Me
What Worked:
- The story was definitely creepy.
- Lance was clearly having psychological problems throughout.
What Didn’t Fully Click:
- I had a hard time getting invested in the story.
Overall:
Maybe this one was not for me.
Lines I Highlighted
That’s what being famous is really all about–wherever you go, you’re the highlight of everyone’s life.
Intentional Reading Reflection
When I decided to read Famous, I was in the mood for a psychological thriller, and everything about the setup led me to believe that is what I was getting.
Given the premise of Famous and my recent experience reading Pines by Blake Crouch, I expected something more gripping. I wanted to be drawn in. I was expecting something more twisted or compelling. As it was, this felt lukewarm at best.
Lines I Highlighted
Personality in the L.A. scene means you must be able to maintain a conversation that suggests you’re worth hooking up with because you possess all of the required embellishments.
Cover Promise Rating
Did the cover make promises the story actually kept?
The cover doesn’t lie. But I was disappointed in the delivery.
Final Verdict
Read if you like:
- Lightly psychological thrillers with predictable twists.
Skip if you dislike:
- Unlikable characters
- Unreliable narrators
Lines I Highlighted
I think we’re having one of those moments, and I guess the point of life is to have as many of them as you can. This is my second. It feels even better than my first.
Reading Debris
Famous is reportedly being adapted to film by A24 and starring Zac Efron. Maybe Famous will be a rare case where the movie is better than the book?
Your Turn
What is the best film adaptation of a book you have ever seen?
Buy This Book
May your life be as full as your bookshelf and as long as your TBR list.
Happy Reading!
For What The F@!% Moments and Other Things NSFW
“WTF” lined, 120-page, paperback journal.
