In the book How to Be a Girl (which I reviewed a few years ago) we met one singular character, Johanna Morrigan who prefers to go by her pen name, Dolly Wilde. Dolly has a really great gig writing for the British music publication Disc and Music Echo (D and ME), which is a feather in her teenage chapeau. She’s still living with her family yet desires to move to London where everything is happening. She also has a mad crush on John Kite, a musician on the verge of fame.
Now Dolly is back in Caitlin Moran’s sequel How to Be Famous. Dolly has moved out and is living in a flat in London. She’s still writing for Disc and Music Echo and is having a made flirtation with John Kite. Kite has hit the big time. His songs are climbing the charts and he’s playing sold out concerts. Dolly is young and despite her success she’s still trying to figure things out. But of course, she’s 19. This is understandable.
Now de-virginized, Dolly sees herself as a bit of bon vivant and a “Lady Sex Adventurer,” proud of being a sexual being and ready for anything. Anything, unfortunately, turns out to be a night of nookie with a stand up comic named Jerry Sharpe. Dolly should feel honored to hook up with Jerry. Comics are the rock stars of the 1990s don’t you know. Unfortunately, Jerry is less than gentlemanly, and he video tapes their shagging session.
Other than sex, Dolly is fully immersed in the local music scene. Her friend Zee has a fledgling music label and Dolly gets to know one of his label’s new bands The Branks. At the helm of The Branks is the brash and over the top lead singer, Suzanne Banks who comes across like a British Courtney Love. And when it comes to her family, her father is trying to take up permanent residence in her flat. Dolly is not pleased with this.
When it comes to her writing, Dolly gets a really a job writing for The Face, one of Britain’s premier magazines. Dolly is thrilled with this opportunity and loves being in the world of famous people, but often feels like a total outsider.
And then things get quite complicated for Dolly. The little sex tape that comic Jerry Sharped filmed gets out there and is seen by far too many people. Even though this is in the mid 1990s in a time before everyone was on the internet. Things like sex tapes didn’t exactly go viral but they did get released. Remember the infamous sex tape of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee?
Dolly is absolutely mortified about this is turn of events. Sure, Jerry Sharpe is a massive sleaze and douchebag, but she’s the disgraced fallen woman. Will her amazing life in London end just as it’s beginning? And what about her budding romance with John Kite?
Through the support of her new friend Suzanne, Dolly is able to stand up for herself and hold her head high during one highlight during the book. Dolly may be down, but no way is she out. And before she knows it, things heat up with John Kite, and she travels with him on his tour of America.
Though I did think How to Be Famous had it’s high points, I still felt like something was missing. Dolly is a fun and interesting character. I admire her gumption and willing to give everything whether her love life or her career, her all. Yet, some aspects veered to close to the #MeToo movement 20 years too soon, and her relationship with John Kite seemed a bit too unbelievable. Still, How to Be Famous is an entertaining read with lots of 1990s references certainly to make readers misty-eyed with memories. Apparently, How to Be Famous is second in the series. I think it will be quite a ride once Dolly gets older and faces new adventures and challenges as she approaches the 21st century.
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