An Unhinged Roller Coaster Ride: A Guest Post by Iman Hariri-Kia
Iman Hariri-Kia, author of our former Fiction Monthly Pick A Hundred Other Girls, remembers exactly what was happening in the world when the idea for her latest novel came to her — and you might too. Read on to discover the real-life inspiration behind The Most Famous Girl in the World and what Hariri-Kia hopes readers take away from her novel.
Paperback $16.99
The Most Famous Girl in the World: A Novel
The Most Famous Girl in the World: A Novel
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Paperback $16.99
Celebrity worship and obsession drive this novel, perfect for readers of Sheena Patel’s I’m a Fan.
Celebrity worship and obsession drive this novel, perfect for readers of Sheena Patel’s I’m a Fan.
Where were you when you first heard the rumor that the President of The United States had allegedly promised to pardon “Tiger King,” who was serving time for attempted murder-for-hire, by sending a limousine to pick him up from prison? I was at dinner with my friends and fiancé, discussing the convicted reality star’s #1 Netflix show, PEOPLE magazine spread, and simulation-style antics. My partner turned to me and asked, “Can you imagine if the most famous person in the world was an actual murderer, and people just didn’t care? The wheels in my brain immediately started turning.
Days later, the concept for The Most Famous Girl In The World was born.
My sophomore novel follows Rose, a first-generation Middle Eastern American reporter and functional trainwreck, as she embarks on an epic quest to prove that the subject of her most viral article, a socialite grifter named Poppy, is killing off her sources in plain sight. Two years ago, Rose wrote an investigative exposé that proved Poppy’s criminal activities but simultaneously turned her into a niche internet celebrity — leading Rose to have a very public meltdown. While Poppy has served her time for defrauding the rich and powerful, Rose knows that she is capable of much more nefarious deeds. There’s just one problem: No one believes her. Except for a suspiciously handsome FBI agent gone rogue.
Now that Poppy is out of good behavior and her star is on the rise, Rose quickly descends back into a downward spiral of guilt and obsession. She’s responsible for Poppy’s fame, so it’s on Rose to reveal what a monster she truly is. But it’s not going to be easy to take down the most famous girl in the world.
An ode to bandwagon-jumping, online conspiracy, and celebrity culture, The Most Famous Girl In the World is a hilarious, unhinged roller coaster ride that explores the reason why society chooses to hyperfixate on people who are so bad, they make us feel good.
In the years since I began working on this novel, the question that inspired the text has only grown more relevant. Anna Delvey literally has her own house-arrest reality show and Netflix adaptation. Elizabeth Holmes was given a redemption New York Times profile and rebranded as “Liz.” More than ever, America seems fascinated by anti-heroes, women’s wrongs, the conspiracy and lore behind people’s ill-fated decisions. How far would a charming celebrity con have to go to turn public opinion against them? That’s what Rose, myself, and this campy satire of a story would love to find out.
This is my second novel to center a Middle Eastern American protagonist, although the first-generation experience of my latest protagonist is vastly different. Through Rose’s story, I hope to underline that Middle Eastern women do not exist in a monolith and that how they interact with their identity is ever-evolving, depending entirely on the individual. I believe that women of color in fiction are rarely given the grace to be complex and flawed on page, and I am proud that Rose is being allowed to make (many) mistakes – and learn from them. As a first-generation Middle Eastern American woman myself, I know that most of us are just trying our best and taking it day by day. And I wish I had been exposed to more messy brown girl representation when I was coming of age.