"Equal parts academic and cheeky, Christine Ma-Kellams' debut novel The Band is the perfect companion for brainy pop culture heads, my people." --Anna Dorn, author of Exalted
"Ma-Kellams takes readers on a gripping exploration of the complexities that accompany fame...This darkly humorous novel examines the more sinister aspects of celebrity and the profound impact it can have on the individuals caught up in global stardom. As K-pop has become a worldwide sensation, this timely book provides a different perspective on societal pressures associated with fame and the dangerous toll they can take on a person's mental health."--Booklist
"This could very well be the first great K-Pop literary phenomenon. Expect a stylized, pop culture romp."--Debutiful, Most Anticipated Books of 2024
"Ma-Kellams is not the first novelist to examine the supposedly poisoned chalice of fame, or, as her narrator puts it, the 'compulsively addictive thinking' that can make an outward success want to die. She may, though, be one of the first to get at these ideas through a roving, time- and perspective-jumping story that links K-pop with classic psychological research. We all face pressure to succeed, and to look good doing it, she implies, famous or not. Some of us nearly work ourselves to death."--New York Times