Kill the Boy Band

February 8, 2016
Moldavsky's debut is a dark-humored, tongue-in-cheek novel with elements of noir. Teenagers Isabel, Apple, Erin, and an unnamed narrator have an intense friendship formed around their shared adoration of a British boy band, the Ruperts. Proud to call themselves "Strepurs" (Ruperts spelled backward), they follow the boys everywhere, hoping to catch a glimpse of them, even reserving a hotel room where they are staying. There, the girls come "to be in possession of very own boy bander," when Apple tackles a Rupert (the "Ugly One") on her way to get ice, knocks him out cold, and drags him into their room. References to fanfiction and "feels" place the story firmly in the present, though boy band mania is far from a new phenomenon. A late revelation throws the circumstances into a different light, yet sympathizing with the protagonists isn't really the point. The story's strength is in its bitingly satirical look at the extremes of fandom and how reality can be an unwelcome intrusion into carefully constructed fantasy worlds. Ages 14âup. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency.

Narrator Barrett Wilbert Weed embodies this nameless 15-year-old protagonist as she spins a story about the time she and three friends went to Manhattan to see their favorite boy band, The Ruperts, and wound up kidnapping a Rupert instead. Weed is full of expression that develops the characters' moods--she pauses when the narrator is feeling vulnerable, adds sardonic chuckles, and occasionally breaks into song. She gives each character a distinct voice that reveals personality and motive, particularly after the kidnapped Rupert dies and the featured character scrambles to figure out if one of her friends is a murderer. This suspenseful exploration of the line between fandom and obsession will appeal to those who enjoy dark comedy and give them plenty to think about. A.F. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine