This was an engrossing read. Main character Gerald was featured in a reality nanny show (think Supernanny) when he was five, where he became famous for his outbursts. Now in high school, he still can't escape people recognizing him and judging him for his behavior on the show.
Of course, there's a great gaping gulf between reality and reality television, and King explores the truth of Gerald's home life, how the famous scenes from the show played out during filming, and how the editing has negatively impacted Gerald's life. It's something I've wondered about reality stars, especially children who've become famous on reality TV. Alana Thompson, for example, is never going to escape being Honey Boo Boo, and how many of us would really like to be permanently locked in to a persona we wore when we were six?
Gerald has an awful home life and few friends. His oldest sister is abusive, and neither of his parents stand up to her, and his mother actively enables her. Of course, Gerald meets a girl, but Hannah is a fully-fledged character with problems of her own, and she avoids falling into any sort of savior role (in my opinion). Every minor character, in fact, was well realized and integral to Gerald's emotional journey.
This book was a bit darker and more emotional than I'd expected, but I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended. A.
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