A Gritty, Mixed-Bag Debut
This weekend has been entirely filled with strange little reads, ranging from bizarre horror to this book. Ultimately, I’m really not sure how to feel about it.
The premise sounded incredibly promising: a man moves from Vegas to LA to become a paparazzi, chasing an elusive shot of a famous actor, only for his life to slowly unravel due to his obsession. While it was gritty and inherently depressing, I did enjoy the setting details. Having both Vegas and LA on my bucket list, the descriptions felt vibrant and highly accurate to what I know about both cities.
However, the story ultimately left me underwhelmed. I never truly understood what was driving our main character, Ben. There was a missing puzzle piece in his narrative that kept me from fully connecting with his obsession and subsequent spiral. Spending hundreds of pages with a character who made my skin crawl just wasn’t redeemed by the conclusion.
For a debut, it’s pretty well-written, but the pacing drags heavily in the middle, lingering long after the point has been made. I kept waiting for all that buildup to lead to a worthwhile payoff, but the ending was so abrupt and unsatisfying that I genuinely wondered if my copy was missing a chapter. There were moments that kept me engaged, but the payoff simply didn’t match the investment. A solid 3 stars, but a highly subjective read that won’t be for everyone.
