The Love Song of Jonny Valentine

Starred review from December 3, 2012
A coming-of-age tale with a modern context, this sharply written novel from the Whiting Writers’ Award-winning author of Kapitoil pulls back the curtain on the 21st-century fame machine. Not unlike a certain fever-inducing pop star, ‘tween sensation Jonny Valentine went from YouTube to Madison Square Garden with bubblegum hits like “Guys vs. Girls” and “U R Kewt.” Now each decision on his national tour is choreographed for mass appeal, from what team to feature on his baseball hat, to the femme pop star with whom his label stages a date. Along for the ride is his mom Jane, micromanaging his image, scheduling weekly weigh-ins, and generally fending off normalcy to keep a good thing going. But through an intimate first-person characterization masterfully executed by Wayne, we see fame through Jonny’s complicated point of view. Beneath the rote catechism of his overmanaged career (“Jane says we’re in the business of making fat girls feel like they’re pretty for a few hours”) are the wholehearted yearnings of a conflicted 11-year-old: his obsession with getting a successful erection, a desire to be like his musical idols, and most of all a quest to reconnect with his father. The smart skewering of the media, both highbrow and low, is wickedly on target. And a mock New Yorker article is a memorable literary lampoon. But the real accomplishment is the unforgettable voice of Jonny. If this impressive novel, both entertaining and tragically insightful, were a song, it would have a Michael Jackson beat with Morrissey lyrics. Agent: Jim Rutman, Sterling Lord Literistic.

July 1, 2013

Veteran reader Kirby Heyborne captures beautifully the voice of the titular 11-year-old pop star. Jonny Valentine is managed by his mother, who loves him but treats him like a product. He's hugely talented and hardworking but lonely, with no friends his own age. With Jonny's sophisticated knowledge of the music business one can forget how young he is, but since the story is told from Jonny's point of view, listeners are frequently reminded of the preoccupations and conflicts of an average tween. But Jonny is also trying to find his missing father, understand his mother's complicated problems, and be aware of child predators and others who would use him. Tentatively, slowly, he begins taking some control over his own career and life. VERDICT A fine coming-of-age story, heartbreaking in many ways but authentic. Recommended. ["This is ultimately a satire with a heart, capturing the sadness, longing, and confusion beneath the celebrity veneer.... A top-of-the-charts tale," read the starred review of the Free Pr: S. & S. hc, LJ 2/15/13.--Ed.]--Judy Murray, Monroe Cty. P. L., MI

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