Exposure

by Mal Peet Narrated by Christopher Lane

Overview

Winner of the 2009 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize

Carnegie Medalist Mal Peet takes a searing look at the world of soccer and pop-celebrity culture-and the lives of three street kids caught in its glare.

When a black South American soccer star signs on to a team in the country's racist south, headlines blare. And when he falls for the sensual Desmerelda, a stunning white pop singer and daughter of a wealthy politician, their sudden and controversial marriage propels the pair to center stage, where they burn in the media spotlight. But celebrity attracts enemies; some very close to home. And its dazzle reaches into the city's hidden corners, exposing a life of grit and desperation the glitterati could never imagine. When a girl is found murdered, reporter Paul Faustino is caught between worlds as he witnesses the power of the media in making-and breaking-lives. Inspired by Shakespeare's Othello, this modern tragedy of desire and betrayal, incisively and compassionately told, is a truly enthralling work of crossover fiction.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Peet's third novel featuring crusty sports reporter Paul Faustino updates Othello in a fictional South American setting. Superstar soccer player Otello is traded to a new club, a move engineered by his greedy agent, Diego, and a sleazy politician named Brabanta. Within weeks, Otello elopes with Brabanta's only daughter, the pop superstar Desmerelda. Their Posh and Becks–style union becomes premium tabloid fodder, the scrutiny intensified by racist undercurrents—he's black and she's white. Unlike Peet's first two Faustino novels, Keeper and The Penalty, soccer action takes a backseat to story lines about celebrity obsession, the plight of the underclass and political corruption. The story is prefaced with a cast list, the narrative divided into acts, and some passages are presented as if they were dialogue from a play. Teens who don't know Shakespeare's version can enjoy this without understanding the many allusions. It'll be more difficult for those familiar with the original to overlook the fact that the motivation for the Iago character's betrayal of the too-good-to-be-true Otello never quite adds up. Ages 14–up. (Oct.)

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—South America's star soccer player, Otello, has just signed a very lucrative contract to play with a team in the southern part of his country. Despite his legendary status as a black northerner, he faces racial discrimination from both the fans and his teammates. His fame is launched to a frenzied level when he marries Desmerelda, the white pop-star daughter of the wealthy and powerful politician who funded his soccer contract. Guided by his self-serving agent, Diego, Otello and Desmerelda become a superstar couple with advertising deals, endorsements, and their own clothing line. Meanwhile, a subplot involving three homeless teenagers climaxes with Otello being accused of inappropriate actions when one of the beautiful and flirtatious teens, Bianca, turns up dead. The plot, characters, and names bear a close resemblance to Shakespeare's masterpiece. While teens will need no familiarity with the original to enjoy Peet's version of the tragedy of betrayal and the isolation of fame, the subplots and entanglements may seem confusing to readers unfamiliar with the play. At 430 pages, the pacing is slow at times, which will deter some teens from reaching the long-awaited ending. However, teachers could add this title to the list of Shakespeare adaptations that can be analyzed in whole or in part by individual students or a small group.—Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD

Kirkus Reviews

In a nameless South American country, soccer reporter Paul Faustino again finds himself in the midst of an unexpected story. Peet drops the magical realism and sense of history displayed in Keeper (2005) and The Penalty (2007) for something more topical and downright Shakespearian. Fame-and diabolical manager Diego-threatens the love between black soccer star Otello and beautiful, white Desmerelda. Meanwhile, street kid Bush tries to keep his lovely, fame-obsessed sister safe from the forces, criminal and not, preying on the poor. Far more than a retelling, this contains a deft study of class played out through the intertwined stories, a reflection on race and a study of how the masses are opiated (with soccer and beauty), linked by Faustino's keen observations. It adds up to a wonderful read. The author employs dramatic devices (a cast of characters; script-formatted dialogue) as homage to Othello. Faustino comes across as an insightful reporter but lacks some of the nuance he showed in his previous adventures; ironically, that might just make this more accessible to teen readers. (Fiction. YA)

From the Publisher

Peet spins a great story, with devilishly well-plotted connections among the characters, a deliciously evil villain in Diego Mendosa, and an unforgiving examination of the cult of celebrity.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Successfully blends sports writing with crime fiction to explore not only race and class divisions in society but also issues of trust, loyalty, and celebrity – with the Shakespeare play providing the structure for it all.
—The Horn Book

School Library Journal - Audio

Gr 9 Up—When the South American soccer team, Rialto, signs Otello, a black northerner, racism rears its ugly head in this compelling novel (Candlewick, 2009) by Mal Peet. Making matters worse, Otello quickly falls in love with Desmerelda, the white pop-star daughter of Senor Brabanta, a right-wing politician and Rialto's powerful board director. Allusions to Shakepeare's tragedy, Othello, include character names and places, acts and scenes, stage directions, and themes. However, the story is fresh and modern, taking on sports stars as commodities, the paparazzi's dogged pursuit of celebrity, poverty, and racism. Otello's trusted manager, Diego (Othello's Iago), plots against his rise to fame and tries to undermine him at every turn. In a parallel plot to Desmerelda (Dezi) and Otello's marriage and career struggles, a beautiful street kid named Bianca is murdered. Her brother, Bush, appeals to a news reporter he knows, Paul Faustino, for help. Faustino's character is reprised from previous Mal Peet novels about soccer and is the neutral narrator and thread that ties the two plots together. Narrator Christopher Lane juggles the myriad of characters flawlessly. Adopting a slight South American accent and tone variation, he deftly captures Brabanta's pompous bravado, Otello's naivety, Faustino's suspicions, and Diego's deviousness. His careful enunciation of dialogue and stage direction underscores the twist on Shakespeare and the changing perspective in the novel, from opulence and fame to the abject poverty of life on the streets. This wonderfully multilayered story lends itself perfectly to this audio production, which will be savored by listeners.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia Jr. Sr. High School, NY

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172696336
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	02/28/2011
Edition description:	Unabridged

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