Review: BECOMING FAMOUS by Natalie Scott

“My name is Bebe Barkley. I’ve never released a sex tape. I’m not America’s Next Top Model. I didn’t get pregnant at sixteen and I’ve never auditioned for American Idol. In fact I’m holed up at the Waldorf totally depressed. But, even though I don’t know it yet, I’m about to become famous. This is my story and how it all went down.” (9)

Bebe Barkley is a former equestrian rider, who is now in a depressed and lonely slump.

“I just tell him everything. All about King and my brother dying. About hooking up with Luis, a known drug dealer and getting trapped in Puerto Rico. How he almost killed me, and how my father had to rescue me. It just comes pouring out of me—the whole sordid story.” (13)

It just seems like her life is a mess, but she’s trying to turn it around. First, she starts taking boxing lessons from this tough guy named Roccho as she doesn’t want to be this weak, little girl anymore.  Throughout her journey, she encounters several eclectic characters, each with their own story to tell. Like Blue said, they want to escape their pasts, reinvent themselves, and become shinier and brighter than they were.  But, in the end, you can’t outrun yourself.

Honest and clever, this is the story of a young girl just trying to live her life and keep her head above water. Her voice carries strength and vulnerability that many would relate to. Although this is a quick read, story lagged a bit with excessive detail that had little to no relevance to the plot. I mean, how did Bebe become “famous?” Isn’t that what we all want to know? Unfortunately, it does take quite a while to get there. I guess it really doesn’t pick up until she moves from New York to California, where she starts auditioning for commercials and whatnots. So she’s an actress then. This is pretty much the diary of an actress judging by her day-to-day duties and activities.

Overall, this was an okay read—mildly amusing with a touch emotional appeal. 

My rating: 3.5 stars