Absolutely fascinating!

Cléo is a French-American child prodigy with an insatiable drive for fame, encapsulating everything required to climb the treacherous ladder to stardom. Every detail of her life is calculated: her movements, her songs, her outfits, and even her relationships. Make Me Famous by Maud Ventura is a captivating exploration of ambition and the cost of chasing celebrity, told with precision and dark undertones that linger long after the final page.

Written in an intimate first-person narrative, Ventura pulls readers into Cléo’s mind, giving us a front-row seat to her meteoric rise. From the innocent beginnings of a young girl with dreams to the razor-sharp focus of a woman willing to sacrifice everything, Cléo’s transformation is as thrilling as it is unsettling. Ventura masterfully unpacks the price of fame, laying bare the vulnerabilities, manipulations, and compromises required to stay in the spotlight.

What sets this book apart is Ventura’s ability to infuse the narrative with deeply personal and sometimes chilling moments. As Cléo’s journey unfolds, we see not only the public persona she carefully crafts but also the private toll of her decisions. Dark twists punctuate the story.

Make Me Famous is both a cautionary tale and a gripping character study. Ventura’s writing is sharp and unflinching, seamlessly blending the glitz of celebrity with the shadows that lurk behind the scenes. Cléo’s story is a comet trajectory—dazzling and destructive—and readers will find themselves unable to look away.

A must-read for fans of psychological depth, fame-centered dramas, and richly layered storytelling.
Translated by Gretchen Schmid
#HarperVia #MakeMeFamous #MaudVentura #gretchenschmid

Make Me Famous by Maud Ventura, translated by Gretchen Schmid, is a gripping, sharp character study of Cléo Louvent. The daughter of two academics living in Paris, Cléo knows from childhood that she is destined to be a famous singer. The novel follows two timelines, one of Cléo’s early life and rise to fame, and one years later, in which she has achieved soaring stardom and has escaped for a three-week solo vacation on an isolated Pacific island, an elite escape for the world’s biggest celebrities. We follow her transformation from a nameless young woman, obsessed with becoming famous, to a rising star obsessed with her image, to a world-famous celebrity who has reached a breaking point. Her rise to fame did not come without a price, and she finds that she must be ruthless in the competitive world of stardom, and that becoming a public figure is an isolating experience. The entire book, Cléo hurtles toward a breaking point, where she makes a potentially life-altering decision that could up-end her life.

Told from the first-person perspective, we spend this entire book inside of Cléo’s head. It is clear that she has sociopathic tendencies, which are expressed through her thoughts and actions throughout the book. Self-obsessed and lacking any ability to feel sympathy, she holds scathing opinions of every single person around her. Although she is objectively a bad person, readers can understand her thought process, because the author is so effective at portraying her as a real person. The character development in this novel is meticulous, and although we know Cléo is a horrible person, we can’t look away, and we can almost understand her cynical, selfish understanding of the world. Despite the character-forward focus of the book, there was no lack of plot, with a solid storyline propelling Cléo’s self-image, desires, and fame toward her breaking point. Maud Ventura has written an incredible, extremely hashed-out character study of an unlikeable, manipulative, selfish narrator, but I still fell in love.

This book touched heavily on how artists often compromise their art in favor of commercial success, and the commodification of the self (especially for women) in the entertainment industry. Cléo refuses to compromise her artistic process of self-writing her music, but she must constantly sell herself as a branded persona. Multiple times, she comments on how she is the reason anyone around her has a job (her manager, her assistant, etc.), seeing herself as a money-making business more than a person. What makes her perspective interesting is her self-awareness; she knows that she is commodifying herself and her art, but her obsession with becoming and staying famous is worth that to her.

My only complaint about this novel is the abruptness with the ending; the book reaches a tipping point, then immediately shifts to the epilogue. Although I feel satisfied with how Cléo’s character arc and plot line ends, I wish we could have seen more aftermath. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the awful, selfish mind of Cléo Louvent. This book sucked me in and did not let me go; the prose was propulsive and meticulous. Major props to Gretchen Schmid, the translator, for her work in bringing this story to English-language readers. Thank you to HarperCollins for providing an advanced copy of this book – I am so excited to share this recommendation!

Maud Ventura’s Make Me Famous (available in English 5/13/25) is a captivating, raw exploration of fame, self-destruction, and the price of artistic integrity. Following the success of her debut novel, Ventura proves once again that she has a remarkable ability to dive deep into the complexities of her characters, and Make Me Famous is no exception.

The novel alternates between two timelines: the present, where Cléo, a brash, narcissistic pop star, isolates herself on a desert island for three weeks to write her fourth album, and flashbacks to her rise to fame. Cléo is the daughter of two academics, but her singular ambition has always been to become famous. She is simultaneously hard-working, sociopathic, and fiercely dedicated to her craft, even if it means sacrificing her personal life and her authenticity in the process.

Cléo is an unlikable protagonist—cynical, self-absorbed, and unapologetically ruthless—but Ventura makes her fascinating. I found myself rooting for her despite her flaws, often agreeing with her brutally honest commentary. The novel reads like a documentary of a starlet’s journey, enhanced by Cléo’s internal monologue, where her self-awareness about her objectification as a celebrity both fuels and complicates her drive. Her pursuit of fame becomes not just about success, but about defining her identity in a world that demands she sell herself to stay relevant. This tension is further explored in the way the entertainment industry turns women into branded commodities, and Cléo’s insistence on maintaining artistic integrity while being a product for public consumption adds layers of complexity to her character. In her eyes, her fame sustains the people around her, and she wields that power without hesitation.

Just as My Husband, Make Me Famous has a very unexpected and abrupt ending. As this is an ARC, I’m left with a sense of unfinished business, and I cannot wait for this to release to the public so I can discuss my theories with others!

Make Me Famous is a fascinating dive into the psyche of a celebrity, and Ventura’s keen observations on the commodification of art and identity are both timely and thought-provoking. If you enjoyed her debut or are intrigued by complex, morally gray characters, this book is definitely worth the read.

Merci beaucoup NetGalley and HarperVia for the advance copy!

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

(4.5 rated up) I absolutely ate up Maud Ventura’s “My Husband” & was extremely excited to read her next novel. Ventura sure can write a hell of an ending. This story follows Cléo, one of the biggest stars in the world, and splits into two narratives - one being her rise to stardom, a rise that only she could see coming and the other taking place in the present, with Cléo on an isolated vacation with a lot of time to think about her life. The author writes so, so well within the first-person perspective. Cléo is pretty awful - selfish and ruthless, but I really enjoyed being inside her head - unlikable, unreliable narrator at it’s finest (in my opinion). The book has a lot to say about fame and ambition and what it takes to make it in a cuthroat business, but my favorite part of the book was following the voice of Cléo.

I’m obsessed with everything Maud Ventura writes. She is truly a master at the “unhinged women” subgenre that has taken social media by storm, and this book is no different.

Make Me Famous is a novel that shows that just because you get everything you’ve ever dreamed of, it doesn’t necessarily mean happily ever after. Cléo, the fame-hungry musician at the center of this story, is a raging narcissist, but her rise and fall is very entertaining to read.

Like Ventura’s first novel, the epilogue packs quite the punch. Definitely had me shocked at the ending. Overall the book was a very juicy, powerful reading experience.

Unhinged women is my favorite genre and Maud Ventura hits it right on the mark EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. This is probably the most interesting view on fame and celebrity that I have read in a book in a long time. I can't get enough of Maud Ventura's writing, I become so involved and so absorbed into the story. I'm always sad when it ends, Definitely will be recommending this book for months to come.

What an ending! I loved My Husband but I think I love this book even more. Maud has a way of making her characters so incredibly unlikable but you’re still siding with them at the end. I really enjoyed her showing Cleo getting everything she wants but the dirty underbelly of fame and how you no longer belong to yourself. This was gripping from beginning to end and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future

This is an incredible book - delicious, fun, and twisty. It is tantalizing to be inside the mind of the main character - Cleo. I have enjoyed reading about unwell women and this is one of them.

I'm so glad Maud has written another novel. I enjoy her writing style. Make Me Famous features glamourous settings and a character study of a very interesting female main character. I was lost in the pages in a good way. Meaning, I couldn't put the book down. The story is insightful, and it was like taking space in the character's head. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow….this scratched an ITCH!!!! If you like weird, self absorbed female characters who are unreliable narrators and say the most out pocket shit….you’ll Love this. Think the vapid nature of Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn, the blasé feeling of Eve Babitz, and the attitude of Magnolia Parks. Our main protagonist is deeply unlikable and because of that…I loved her????? This writing was quick and witty and so good. 5 stars EASILY 💋💋💋

Also: Maud Ventura!!!!!! HELLO??? What was that ending!!!

Make Me Famous tackles morality in the depths of the spotlight and what it means to be motivated by self-image alone.

When a world really does revolve around you, can you make a misstep without your whole world crumbling? Or must you deny deny deny and play the role of the likable person you have never been and will never be?

Cleo is spelled U N LI K A B L E. Making this book an extremely gripping tale of mind games and manipulation. Manifesting the worst sides of devotion and determination. Passion becomes poison. Lies become life.

Highly recommend for those who enjoy character studies. This one will not let you down.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an eARC of Make Me Famous in exchange for my honest opinions.

Maud’s mind is such a glorious place to visit. I loved My Husband and although seemingly quite different, I did love Make Me Famous as well. Cleo was insufferable from the very first page (which I love). We follow her on her quest to find fame and onward. I have always said it takes a certain kind of mental illness to desire to be in the spotlight and this was the perfect manifestation of those thoughts. I loved the tiny tidbits we got into her relationship with her parents. Very fitting.
The ending??? I have so many questions but in the same breath I adored it.

Wow. After being enthralled with “My Husband” I didn’t know if anything could top it. I was pleasantly surprised. The level of detail and careful consideration was everywhere in this book. It feels like a modern depiction of classic writing, seamlessly intertwining modern literary, musical, and cinematic references with word choices and writing style you would find in a classic novel. I truly felt as though I was in the mind of the main character, I felt connected and close to her while I was reading. At the same time though, it made me question not only her but also myself and my understanding of who she was. This has been my top read of the year so far and it honestly just leaves me anxiously waiting Ventura’s next release. This book goes by so fast yet leaves a lingering of deeper thought, self reflection and curiosity.

Make Me Famous by Maud Ventura is a darkly satirical, psychologically rich exploration of ambition and fame. Cléo’s obsessive rise to stardom is both mesmerizing and unsettling, capturing the hollowness of celebrity culture with razor-sharp wit. Ventura’s immersive writing makes Cléo’s descent gripping, though the story occasionally lags. Fans of unhinged protagonists and social critique will love this twisted, thought-provoking read. A bold, compelling novel.

I absolutely loved Maud Ventura’s first book, My Husband, and I was thrilled when I received an e-ARC of her second, MAKE ME FAMOUS. Although it’s very different than My Husband, I enjoyed it just as much.

This story follows Cléo, who is in self-imposed exile on a remote island, completely cut off from the world. While there, she recounts her ascension from dreaming of fame during her girlhood in Paris to eventually becoming one of the most famous singers in the world.

Cléo is not a likeable narrator - at all (honestly, that’s putting it lightly). At one point in the book, she googles herself to see if she meets the definition of a sociopath because of her lack of feeling.

But even though Cléo is truly reprehensible at times, I kept coming back to something Michael Hobbes said on the You’re Wrong About podcast: fame is abuse. I’m not surprised that the author cites the Taylor Swift documentary Miss Americana as one of her reference points. I often think about how trapped someone with that level of fame must feel. You can’t go anywhere without being “on,” because someone is always watching. People always thinking you owe them something - a favor, a selfie, a kind interaction. Cléo behaves horribly, but also: the world is sort of awful to her. It’s no excuse for her behavior, but I hope this book will make make some people re-examine their relationship with celebrities.

I loved this! It read like a thriller (and there is one twist!) but also made me think. Five stars!

I ATE THIS UP!!!!!!!! I also read My Husband by Maud Ventura and I absolutely love this author. If 'Good for her' is a genre you enjoy then this is exactly the book for you. It follows a 33 year old fame driven superstar named Cleo and all the craziness that comes with fame but also all the wild stuff she did to get there. Highly recommend if any of that, or this author sounds interesting to you!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Maud Ventura and HarperVia Publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Make Me Famous is a dark comedy that gives us a glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous. You will love watching Chloe climb to the top of the music industry and the lives of the people she steps over to get there. I loved the book and will be recommending it to my Bookclubs. I think it will spark lots of interesting conversation. The translator did a fantastic job bringing this book to life, it feels like it was written by a native English speaker.

I haven't read Maud Ventura's previous novel but I am RUNNING to read it after this.

Cléo is such a memorable protagonist because she's an absolutely terrible person. She's a narcissist, she's mean, she's petty, has an insane superiority complex and zero empathy. And yet, I was captivated by her. (And according to Cléo, why wouldn't I be? She's the best, of course I'd be captivated.)

The novel traces Cléo's rise to fame - her humble beginning, her unshakeable belief that she is better than everyone and deserves to be famous - all within the frame narrative of her going on an isolated island retreat. The real draw here is Cléo and her intense desire for fame, and once she gets it, her dissatisfaction with being famous. Watching her plot out every move, calculate her actions, and position herself to her best advantage is honestly impressive. However, Cléo gradually becomes her own worst enemy, and the ending actually made me gasp.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC !

Make Me Famous is a parable about the dangers of seeking happiness outside oneself—of being trapped in a gilded cage, surrounded by gold but consumed by permanent dissatisfaction.

At its core, the lesson is this: happiness can be found—or lost—in any circumstance, depending on how we interpret our lives and define success. (With obvious exceptions, of course.)

At one point, the narrator, Cleo, admits she isn’t inherently a monster—the situation made her one. The story illustrates how money and fame can unravel a person who lacks a strong sense of self, especially when the pursuit of fame overshadows genuine passion or love for one’s craft.

This is Cleo’s reflection on her career, her relationships, and how all of it—especially her relationship with herself—has been unalterably changed by fame.

Because in the end, what does fame matter if you’ve become someone even you don’t recognize?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a fascinating read, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed about this type of book. The plot was everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed the way it was used in the genre. Maud Ventura was able to create a strong storyline and characters that I was looking for and was invested in what was going on. I thought the plot was everything that worked in this genre and am excited to read more from the author.

Ventura is so good at writing characters that you want to get to know while also thinking they are off their rocker.

Cleo is obsessed with fame and actually achieved it. We follow her from her humbler beginnings to her dating of other famous people. The writing is quite sly and you need to read closely to see just how gastly she is! Lots of throw away remarks that really illuminate her personality.

The twist was a lot of fun but the book would have been ok just as a character study of an odious woman.

The way I screamed when I saw Maud Ventura had a new book coming out. Her debut novel My Husband quickly made it to my favorites shelf so her latest Make Me Famous was a quick add to my TBR!

Meet your narrator Cléo who shares with the reader an unfiltered inner monologue on her obsession and rise/fall to fame. The reader will find her narcissistic and unlikeable which Maud writes well. The ending was just as much of a jaw dropper as her first was! I enjoy a celeb vibe and this one read like Cléo’s memoir which really worked for me. I did start out reading this on my ereader and then switched to the audio which I thought was really well done narrated by January LaVoy and highly recommend!

Thank you Harper Via and Harper Audio
Releases 5/13

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I absolutely loved Make Me Famous and was hooked from the very first page. Maud Ventura’s writing is sharp, intimate, and wickedly insightful. While the main character is undeniably unlikeable—obsessive, manipulative, and often delusional—I couldn’t look away. Ventura pulls readers so deeply into her narrator’s spiraling thoughts that I found myself cringing and laughing at the same time, completely immersed in the experience.

What impressed me most was how skillfully the author created a voice that feels both unsettling and magnetic. Even when I disapproved of the narrator’s actions, I still had to know what would happen next. The pacing is tight, the observations are biting, and the emotional tension builds beautifully throughout. And the ending? I truly didn’t see it coming. It was dark, clever, and immensely satisfying.

This book made me squirm in the best way, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I’d highly recommend it to readers who love psychologically rich stories with a strong narrative voice and a slightly sinister edge.

Fascinating view of fame; I was truly hooked, and found myself thinking about this long after I was done. Maud Ventura is one of my favorite discoveries of the last few years. This was fabulous - just dark and twisted enough.

“Make Me Famous” captivated me just as completely as the author’s previous novel, My Husband. From the very first page, I was drawn in, eagerly turning pages and anticipating every twist. I was so eager to get to the epilogue, and it delivered. Immense thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this early. I can’t wait to add the physical copy to my shelf upon its release.

Maud Ventura’s debut My Husband was phenomenal, but Make Me Famous? Absolutely iconic. This is the kind of sharp, addictive, and delightfully unhinged novel I want to force into everyone’s hands.

The story follows Cléo, a world-famous pop star who’s supposed to be relaxing on a remote island, working on her next album. Instead, she’s spiraling—mentally, emotionally, and fabulously. Her inner monologue is chaotic, narcissistic, deeply self-aware (and also... not at all), and completely entertaining. I couldn’t stop reading.

Ventura writes with biting wit and a keen understanding of obsession, fame, and the twisted logic of someone who lives entirely in their own head. I highlighted SO many lines—I already know I need a physical copy just to go wild with sticky tabs.

This book was smart, satirical, and wickedly fun. Cléo is one of the most compelling, ridiculous, and unforgettable narrators I’ve read in a long time.

Huge thanks to @NetGalley and @HarperVia for the digital ARC! I devoured this and already can’t wait to see what Maud Ventura does next.

What does it take to become famous? A big dose of sociopathy and narcissism, the confidence of knowing you will become the biggest pop star in the world, and insane talent, of course. At least that’s what worked for Cléo Louvent.

"The answer was that my success didn’t have a single origin but ten thousand–all of which converged at one point: me.”

What does it take to become famous? A big dose of sociopathy and narcissism, the confidence of knowing you will become the biggest pop star in the world, and insane talent, of course. At least that’s what worked for Cléo Louvent.

"The answer was that my success didn’t have a single origin but ten thousand–all of which converged at one point: me.”

At a three-week isolated retreat on a remote island, Cléo looks back on her thirty-three years of life and her career as one of the biggest pop stars the world has ever seen: sold-out arena tours, multiple Grammys, brand deals, three albums, her name on everyone's lips. Slowly, we learn how, at the peak of her career, she ends up far away from everything and everyone, surrounded by blue waters, sandy beaches, and sleepless nights. As she puts it herself: "No one isolates themself on a desert island voluntarily if they don’t have serious issues to work out.”

The second I saw Maud Ventura had a new release, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I read My Husband last year and still think about it. Luckily, Make Me Famous did not disappoint. As someone who loves reading about unlikeable female characters, Ventura always hits the nail on the head. Cléo is not nice: she is obsessive, narcissistic, self-centered, mean. And yet, I found myself rooting for her (I also found myself being eternally grateful for not being a celebrity).

The key to making an unlikeable character work, in my opinion, is the writing. Ventura’s writing is witty, sharp, funny, and sarcastic. You can tell she puts a lot of thought into even the most simple of sentences—I laughed out loud multiple times (favorite quote: “And the miracle that would change everything: bangs”) Huge shout-out to the translator as well, Gretchen Schmid, for masterfully bringing Ventura’s unique voice into English.

Read this book if: you pretended to be a pop star during family gatherings; went to the Eras Tour and left wondering how having your name chanted at you by thousands of people changes you as a person; thought Ed, Ed, and Eddy was unchic.

Thank you to HarperCollins for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Yay!

Absolutely loved this one. It's smart, tense, funny, and probably the best examination of how toxic fame can be that I've ever read. I plan to recommend this to everyone I know.

Maud Ventura dies it again!! She can write an unhinged woman (the very best kind of woman) like no one else can. I loved My Husband, but I think I loved this one a little bit more. And that ending!!

Fame didn’t change her into a cold, cruel, and exacting star- these qualities are precisely what propelled Cleo Louvent to the toppling heights of celebrity. Will they also be responsible for her ultimate downfall?

Make Me Famous consists of an unrelenting monologue from the perspective of one of the most compelling sociopaths I’ve read since The Talented Mr Ripley. I could not stop reading with a sense of dread and fascination until the astonishing last few lines.

This is the second novel by Maud Ventura with a singularly unsympathetic woman as the narrator- I hope this is a trend she continues to build on because it makes for a really unique reading experience.

The story of Cleo’s grueling but inevitable ascent to stardom are interspersed with scenes depicting her stay on a luxury desert island at the apex of her fame- what happened to make her want to retreat so fully? There are a number of allusions to a calamitous event or horrible thing she did, so the narrative is full of tension as to this unknown element. She is paranoid, on edge, tentatively trying to enjoy the island despite what’s on her mind. “If only I’d known,” she thinks. “But we’re never given glimpses into the future.”

Some reviewers are calling Cleo an unreliable narrator, but in my opinion, Cleo is the opposite of an unreliable narrator. She is wide open to the reader, blunt and matter of fact about her disdain for the people around her, the cruelty of her words and actions, her unassailable vision for her destiny. She’s selfish, calculating, ruthlessly rational, and truly unhinged.

She’s on this island to regroup, reflect, rest. A glorious isolation that will be followed by even further success when she returns to her regular life. She’s a brute, but she worked hard for what she has, so she deserves it all, right? The public will only remember her beauty, charm, and talent…right?

I can’t emphasize enough how satisfying I found the conclusion to this novel. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time and potentially rereading it on audio when I get the chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for the opportunity to be an early reader for this fantastic title which is available now!