This story highlights the commodification of famous people. That the music industry uses young musicians as currency and therefore they have no right to themselves. These teenagers essentially signed a deal with a record label that completely removed all resemblance of who they were. Then they overworked them, belittled them, endangered them, and imprisoned them. All while espousing it was for the band, their image and their safety. They took advantage of children and made them feel hopeless and useless. They used each member against the other, creating rifts where there used to be friendship. It was infuriating, but so believable. I hated how much sway the record label had over the group, how they took little care of them when it came to alcohol and drug consumption (only dealing with it when it affected their status and sales). In this novel the fans are painted as both too much, believing they own the group because they fund them, but also completely supportive and uplifting. The boy band craze is such an intense phenomenon, there is truly nothing like it. I liked that the fan base was not a villain, even if they were a foil at times. The record company uses the fan base to spur the group to do their bidding, but the fans are never truly the ones hurting the group. In fact, the group continues to adore their fans and are thankful they like their music. I adored the connection between Ruben and Zach. It was so charming to watch their relationship unfold in secret, from best friends to something more. Zach learning to accept who he really is and trust his heart to Ruben. Ruben trying to work past years of veiled criticism to see what true love is. Both boys must work through past pain in order to fully open up to one another. But, they must navigate their relationship in terms of being continuously in the spotlight, being advertised as achievable fantasies for their female fanbase. Their bosses giving them orders to stay silent and never reveal themselves. The record company gives no credit to their fanbase, if you love a band nothing should change your opinion, especially not their love for each other. A powerful and delightful read.
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