Pitchforks: 2.5/5
Living big, famous and in Los Angeles, might be every aspiring writer's dream, but for Vinny, there are several pros and cons. Constantly surrounded by paparazzi and desperate fans wanting autographs, he enjoys the pleasures his status gives him but, like everyone else, also faces insecurities.
Written by ASU alumnus, Darian Lane, "Flashy Fiction" reads like a short story made up of many segments of the life of the main character Vincent, or as he likes to be called, Vinny.
The chapters in the book follow Vinny's life but do not have a true sequence. It feels more like a memoir. Vinny is actually, beneath all the glam and a wealth, an insecure human being trying to find his true self. Readers are taken through his various relationships, starting when he was very young and not really liked by his peers. The readers sees him face rejection from his high school crush, the source of his low self-esteem, and later being wanted by almost all his fans. The chapters are cleverly titled and at times comical. The manuscript is truly "flashy" and depicts the carefree, L.A. party scene, with Vinny being a womanizer. Countless parties, bar scenes and nightly encounters make the chapters entertaining, and it feels like the audience is reading a scene from a movie versus pages from a book.
"Flashy Fiction" is written for young adults. The prose is enjoyable, but it has no real substance. The plot lacks momentum, but the details make up for this; it almost feels like reading someone's diary.
The reader is taken through a trip of fast-paced lifestyle in L.A. and the relationships that come about. A detailed snapshot of a "day in the life" of a celebrity is accurately shown.
Readers who enjoy short stories, but are looking for something more atypical without all the literary elements, will definitely enjoy "Flashy Fiction." If you are the type of reader that truly enjoys well formed sentences, a plot line with loops and twists, then this is probably not the type of story for you.
Reach reporter at rlopez20@asu.edu or follow on Twitter @RosieLopez14
