A Tough Pill to Swallow: My Take on Big Name Fan by Ruthie Knox and
As a self-professed lover of all things fandom—fic, celebrity gossip, and amateur sleuthing—I was over the moon when I learned about Big Name Fan, co-authored by the charming Ruthie Knox. A promising blend of these interests felt like the perfect recipe for a delightful read. Alas, diving into this book became a lesson in expectations versus reality, and my heart aches to say that it just didn’t hit the high notes I’d been anticipating.
At its core, Big Name Fan tries to explore the dynamics of fandom through the eyes of Bex Simon, a theater kid entangled in a complex web of social media, celebrity, and the intricate world of fan fiction. Yet, despite its vibrant premise, the characters fell flat for me—particularly Bex, whose personality rarely strayed beyond the confines of dullness. How is it possible that she, a supposed theater kid, exudes all the charisma of a cardboard cutout? I mean, come on! Give me some spark, some depth! Instead, I found myself perplexed by the blandness of her character, struggling to reconcile her “theater kid” title with her spiritless demeanor.
Bex’s counterpart, Sam, didn’t fare much better, presenting as a near-invisible presence in the narrative. I wish I could say their chemistry simmered with intensity, but I’ve encountered more tension in a bowl of lukewarm soup. The narrative leans heavily on the promise of sizzling romantic undertones—echoing why a fic reader would be invested in the characters—but without any compelling emotional pull between Bex and Sam, it felt more like a forced pairing. Given their supposed off-screen allure, the disconnect was just too jarring for me.
One of the overarching themes of the book revolves around the intersection of real-world dynamics and the fictional narratives created by fandom. This could’ve been an intriguing exploration, but instead, the storytelling felt mired in a swamp of exposition that was bogging down my reading experience. A recent passage I read could have come straight out of a lecture on character development; while the intent may have been to build a rich context, it often felt more like an info dump. The pacing suffered as a result, leading me to wonder if the authors had set themselves an impossibly difficult task.
While I deeply respect the authors’ admiration for fandom culture, the characters painted in this world lacked the multi-dimensionality necessary to make their fictional existence bloom. The insights into their lives needed more interaction, more resonance, to truly land with readers. Instead of enjoying a fictional journey filled with relatable highs and lows, I felt adrift in a sea of character sketches without the shades and hues that make a story vibrant.
That said, I recognize that every reader approaches a book with a unique lens. Those who may not be deep into fan communities could find a different kind of appeal here. Perhaps, for someone unfamiliar with the intricacies of fic, Bex and Sam might seem like endearing protagonists.
In the end, while Big Name Fan might not have served the warm slice of fiction I was craving, it does call forth an interesting conversation about the nature of representation in genre writing. If nothing else, I’m grateful for the chance to explore this world, even if it left me more disappointed than fulfilled. If you’re a die-hard fandom fan like me, the yearning to dive into the stories might not be satisfied here, but it might just be a journey worth taking for others giving a new genre a try.
I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and while this experience may not have gone as I hoped, it proves that not every book is meant to resonate with every reader. Onward to the next read!