Review by Lisa Matthewson
Disney-Hyperion, 2024
416 pages, Paperback, $25.99 CAD, 9781368094733
Young Adult, ages 12-18
Fiction, Contemporary Realism
SWANA
“What death scare?” Lou asks, dramatically placing a hand on her hip as she gives me one of her patented eye rolls. “Josie, I know how much you miss your mom, especially today. But the last thing Sharzad would have wanted is for you to spend your eighteenth birthday cooped up in the apartment worrying yourself to death because you had three sips of one Vibe Tea.”
Lou’s right. I can practically hear my mom saying, “Josie Joonam, chillax,” her faint Farsi accent making it come out more as cheelax.
What a morning! One minute, Josie’s biggest concerns are only missing her mom and an unrequited crush on her math partner Isaac. Her life is fine but not that eventful: she has her best friend Lou, a supportive stepdad, and plans to attend Stanford next year. Then, she gets the bombshell: It turns out that the biological father Josie never knew was Ali Mashad, patriarch of the world’s most famous reality TV family. Suddenly, Josie has a whole new set of relatives and the promise of wealth beyond her wildest imaginings. But how will she navigate her new lifestyle as part of the Mashad clan while staying true to herself? Why is Ali’s widow, Mary, being so nice? And will Lou ever be able to persuade Josie that Isaac is a low-life weasel who doesn’t deserve her?
There is so much to love about this novel, a YA debut for author Candice Jalili. The plot is deliciously fun with lively and humorous writing, eliciting many chuckles and some actual laughs out loud. There are lots of quirky characters worth rooting for, several strong female friendships, and themes of diversity, feminism, sexuality and grief, embedded naturally without a hint of preachiness.
Josie’s character is authentic, and she is massively likeable. She is shy, anxious, loyal and honest. She is free of body shame – a welcome touch – and she knows she’s smart, but she is still learning her true value when it comes to relationships with boys. Her friendship with her best friend forever Lou is one for the ages. Lou’s rock-solid support of Josie – often expressed in ALL CAPS – is a heartwarming antidote to stereotypes about superficial or toxic female relationships.
Sometimes when YA novels embrace societal issues such as cultural diversity or the sexuality spectrum, it can come across as self-righteous or as forced into the plot to convey a message. Finding Famous is the opposite of that. Josie is simply Iranian-American, and Farsi words and Iranian foods and traditions are naturally woven into the narrative. Her new sister Meesha is gay – or is she? Do labels matter? – and the discussion of Josie’s parents’ flaws, including their infidelities, is brilliantly nuanced and compassionate.
Finding Famous is advertised by its publisher as “The Princess Diaries‘ meets reality television.” While there are some superficial plot parallels between the two works, I strongly believe this comparison does a disservice to Finding Famous. Mia of The Princess Diaries book can come across as whiny and immature, has a troubled relationship with her female best friend, and often fixates on hating her body. In many ways, Josie is the opposite. Trust me, you’ll feel happier and more uplifted after reading Finding Famous. And you’ll learn something about Iranian culture while you’re at it.
Lisa Matthewson is a sixth-generation New Zealander and a first-generation Canadian. She teaches Linguistics at the University of British Columbia, and hopes to one day bring parts of New Zealand history to life in fiction for middle-grade readers.
YOUNG ADULTING 