This is a book that feels like a retelling of every pop princess story in the 2000s. Every scene in the book has you guessing "Is this Britney's story?" "ls it Christina's?" "Oh this is definitely Jessica Simpson's?". If you love thinking about that (working out the puzzles, then this is a fun book to try to see where Banta was "inspired by". If you don't, I would stay away from this book. What makes this book difficult to read is also what draws you - it's the fantasy of what might have been happening behind the scenes of all the tabloids but it's all done without a clear plot. I felt like I was along for the ride but never really understanding what was the point of it all. Where are we headed and why do we care?
There is unfortunately nothing nuanced about the writing. This feels as if Daisy Jones and the Six was rewritten for the 2000s and ripped of any soul and heart. The main protagonist Amber could have been an interesting character but every passage feels shallow, almost as if we were still reading the tabloids again despite that the author was clearly trying to do. Sadly this Honey is equivalent to what Aunt Jemima is to real maple syrup. It's an easy read so if you want an afternoon of escapism with low standards, this might be for you.
There is unfortunately nothing nuanced about the writing. This feels as if Daisy Jones and the Six was rewritten for the 2000s and ripped of any soul and heart. The main protagonist Amber could have been an interesting character but every passage feels shallow, almost as if we were still reading the tabloids again despite that the author was clearly trying to do. Sadly this Honey is equivalent to what Aunt Jemima is to real maple syrup. It's an easy read so if you want an afternoon of escapism with low standards, this might be for you.