Book Title: Make Me Famous
Author: Maud Ventura
Publisher: HarperVia
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 978-0063478121
Date Published: Jul. 5, 2025
Price: INR 348
Book Review
Maud Ventura’s “Make Me Famous” offers a gripping and unsettling portrait of the intoxicating and corrosive pursuit of celebrity. The novel centers on Cléo Louvent, a French-American pop star, whose lifelong ambition to achieve fame propels her on a ruthless, self-destructive path. The story unfolds from the perspective of Cléo herself, who, at age 33, isolates on a remote island to work on her latest album and reflect on her turbulent rise to stardom. Ventura brilliantly exposes the emotional toll and moral compromises that underpin celebrity, portraying Cléo as a deeply flawed, narcissistic woman whose craving for attention and power is as fascinating as it is repellent.
Structurally, the novel cleverly charts Cléo’s journey in three parts—Faith, Ascension, and Glory—symbolizing both her rise and unraveling. The author introduces a chilling element early on when Cléo realizes her name means “glory” in Greek, framing her ambition as a dark destiny. Ventura’s sharp, incisive writing delves into the protagonist’s psyche with startling psychological depth. Cléo’s early innocent desire transforms into an obsession so consuming it breeds cruelty and manipulation. From stealing classmates’ belongings to self-harming as punishment for artistic failures, her spiraling behavior is portrayed with a disturbing rationale that elicits uncomfortable empathy despite her atrocious actions.
What makes “Make Me Famous” particularly compelling is Ventura’s skill in rendering Cléo not only as a predator of others but a tormented being caught in a vicious cycle of self-loathing and relentless self-promotion. The narrative highlights the paradox of fame as both a glamorous prize and a corrosive force that deepens isolation rather than fills the internal void. The novel’s biting social commentary lays bare the brutal machinery of the attention economy and the psychological cost of living life as a public spectacle. Readers are challenged to consider what is sacrificed—and what is lost—in the name of celebrity.
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Though Cléo is decidedly unlikeable and the story includes moments of unsettling cruelty, Ventura’s “Make Me Famous” is an addictive read that explores the dark heart of ambition with compelling precision. The novel may not shy away from Cléo’s toxic behavior, but it rewards those who persist with sharp climaxes and provocative insights about identity, power, and the price of glory. Venturing beyond the usual glam veneer, Maud Ventura crafts a trenchant, morally murky character study that will resonate with anyone fascinated by the tangled realities behind the spectacle of fame.
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