Melanie Lange has disappeared. Her father, Sir Peter Lange, says she is a danger to herself and has been admitted to a private mental health clinic. Her ex-husband, Finn, and best friend, Nell, say she has been kidnapped. The media will say whichever gets the most views. But whose side are you on? #SaveMelanie or #Help Peter?
Sound familiar? Author L.C. North was inspired by the toxic culture around her, including Britney Spears’ conservatorship, of which The Ugly Truth almost reads like retelling. It’s not, but it’s hard not to think about this throughout. It contains many similarities including a father in control and desperately missing her two sons… only Melanie is not a mega pop star, she is merely famous for being an heiress, much like Paris Hilton. Paris is another celebrity in which the book draws similarities too, including the Troubled Teen Industry.
The Ugly Truth is described as a thriller, but I think it can be better labelled as comtemporary fiction. Told through mixed media, the book explores the toxicity of social media and the reality of being a modern celebrity… the dark side of fame. The story unfolds through transcripts from YouTube videos, audio recordings, Netflix documentaries, headlines and social media, which makes for a (mostly) fast paced read (sometimes it’s just like… get on with it, you know?) and thus an easy read overall. That’s not to say that the content is a breeze, as the book deals with many heavy themes.
The book effectively explores the complexeties of family, but especially a father-daughter relationship. North has you guessing throughout. Is Sir Peter overly protective, with his heart in the right place, or is he more concerned about his business empire? It’s almost negligible that he has another daughter. But she is older than Melanie. It also effectively explores the toxicity of social media and fanbases; how easily people are swayed, how gossip is reported and believed, and how what’s going on in reality is often far from what’s in the headlines or on the fingertips of Tweeters/Xers.
I occasionally wished the narrative provided more depth and insight into Melanie’s mind, but the idea was to detach from Melanie so we’re on the outside questioning, just like everyone else. We have access to the same information the public does. We are them, they are us. “Whose side are you on” in the advertising is the whole point of the book. It means we’re not left with concrete answers, but instead a message that sometimes we may never know the truth and that’s life… but we often form our own opinions based on the information we’re exposed to whether we like it or not. It’s an unfair system, but it’s just human nature.
The Ugly Truth certainly could’ve been a stronger read as it occasionally dips, often becoming a bit boring and slow-paced, but it’s entertaining for fans of celebrity culture and North achieves her goal.
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