Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reviewed by Julia W., 9th Grade
Rating: 9/10
Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young is a novel that I recommend to teens. This novel has character development, an amazing storyline and never a dull moment. For me, K-pop is a huge part of my life which makes this book all the more exciting for me as it follows the K-pop world. In fact, that was the reason I decided to start reading this novel. If K-pop isn't something you're into, this novel can still be enjoyable; the novel's main focus is simply on how understanding one another can make all the difference in our daily lives.
The novel follows protagonist Alice Choy, a seventeen-year-old Chinese-American. Alice spent her childhood in San Francisco, taking singing lessons on the daily. When Alice's mom moves the family to Seoul, South Korea, Alice has to give up her singing lessons which mean so much to her. The only good thing about living in Seoul is Friday nights. Every Friday night Alice and her younger sister, Olivia, go to a noreabang (karaoke room). It’s the only time Alice can sing her heart out. Olivia loves everything about K-pop, especially idols from Top10 Entertainment. One night after Alice has beautifully sang Lady Gaga's 'Million Reasons', a Top10 Entertainment (K-pop music label) employee stops the two sisters as they are leaving and tells Alice that she would love to have her come to Top10 Entertainment's Star Academy. The academy teaches its trainees how to sing, dance, rap and present themselves, all with the hope that they will become Top10 Entertainment’s next star. While Alice is very hesitant, not knowing if being a K-pop idol is the right thing for her, Olivia excitedly takes the business card on her sister's behalf.
Olivia is like a ball of sunshine and, as a good portion of the novel deals with the struggles that Alice is facing, Olivia's boost of positive energy balances out the overall feeling of the novel. Olivia is a special character to me as she is what some people call a ‘best friend character’. A best friend character isn’t necessarily a best friend (although they can be, and often are) they are just someone who is on good terms with the protagonist and is a secondary character. My friends tell me, more often than one might think, that I am like a ‘best friend character’. Amongst my friends I’m usually not the center of attention, but I am always there for them to lend a hand if they need it and support them. That’s exactly who Olivia is in this novel which let me really connect to her. I love novels where I can connect with the characters.
Alice decides that it's worth becoming a trainee at Top10 Entertainment if it means getting singing lessons again. Plus, Alice has decided that it is her new goal to perform on stage. The only question is - will Alice be ready to perform at Dream Concert, a huge K-pop festival, for fifty thousand people in five months? If an anonymous blogger has their way, Alice will be the farthest thing from the Dream Concert stage.
When Alice first enters the Star Academy she has no sense of urgency to get to classes on time or to even try very hard in them. The only time she gives her all is during vocal lessons. This leads to her fellow trainees never being on good terms with her. It’s almost like they go through the motions of practicing and living together but their hearts aren’t in it. As Alice learns about each of her fellow trainees, her attitude changes showing great character development. Character development is one of the top things I love to see in a novel and was one of the prime reasons I loved this one. To me, there is just something about positive character development that makes the book more relatable.
This novel has an action packed storyline - if you skip a page you are sure to miss a big detail. Over the whole course of the novel readers are left wondering if the mysterious blogger will take down Alice and her members. That wasn’t the only thing to keep me intrigued, though, as this novel is like a rollercoaster. There are several conflicts between characters who don’t see eye to eye but there are also so many moments where characters hug and embrace each other. There is also a bit of romance which we all know can liven up the storyline simply by it being involved.
If you are a teen, this novel may be the perfect read for you! Best of all, it can be found right in the Kinderhook Library's teen/young adult room.