Claim to Fame Review

I've been reading...I finished The Endless Forest by Sara Donati for review (can't say much other than...LOVED IT), but it took a while to read (I think I was savoring). Then I went for an entirely off-beat change of pace in the form of Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I've loved Haddix since Among the Hidden because her premises are always unique and captivating, and this one was no different. I do think the story could've used a bit more fleshing out, but overall this was a good, quick read...just what I needed to move me out of the nineteenth century and back into my own.

Next is my review for Amazon Vine--let me know what you think.

Lindsay Scott was famous as a child; she was the youngest actor on a popular comedy called Just Me and the Kids. For five years, she lived a pampered life in front of the cameras...but all that changed on her eleventh birthday. That was the day the voices started and Lindsay's life unraveled. What would you do if you could hear every single thing anyone ever said about you inside your head? What if you were famous and your hit show (which was cancelled right after you started hearing the voices) is in constant reruns all over the world?


The only place Lindsay is alone with her own thoughts is inside the house her father purchased in Springdale, Illinois; it's a haven where the voices can't reach. So for five years, Lindsay stays inside, taking online classes and keeping as much to herself as possible--and always avoiding going outside whenever she knows her show is on in reruns. But all that changes when her father dies unexpectedly and Lindsay's kidnapped by two well-meaning teens (who believe she's being held against her will). Suddenly Lindsay is forced to go beyond her own front door and is confronted with the most shocking revelation of all...she's not alone in hearing the voices.



Margaret Peterson Haddix always has unique storylines, and Claim to Fame is no different. Lindsay, understandably freaked out by her awkward ability, wants to continue living alone but can't hide as a minor. Once she realizes that she's not the only Hearer in the world, she must decide what sort of life she's willing to live by seeing how others' decisions have affected themselves. Lindsay, in most other ways, is a typical teen suffering through the loss of a beloved parent, making friends with people she probably once wouldn't have acknowledged.



The story moved a little slowly at first, but as Lindsay begins to learn more about her "gift", the pages kept turning quickly. I liked that Haddix gives Lindsay much to think about in the future, and I could foresee a possible sequel. I do wish Haddix had given us more information on the actual gift and the town's ancestors, but again, that may be forthcoming. Overall, this is an intriguing story that made me want to know more (and made me thankful I can't hear what others are thinking about me!).
~taminator40