LARB Book Club Discussion: "Superstars" by Ann Scott

Join LARB staff and members in conversation about the latest Book Club pick, Ann Scott’s Superstars! One of the premier French cult novels of the last thirty years, Superstars is a carnal portrait of Paris’s queer rave scene in the ‘90s. The conversation will take place on April 29, 2026, at 6 p.m. PT on Zoom. Log in to your account before registering for the discussion here.

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Louise is a woman in her early thirties with a DIY home studio, colorful roommates, and a passionate, volatile relationship with the lesbian community around her. She used to be part of the French rock scene, having dated and collaborated with a man named Nikki who was a crucial figure in that milieu. But she's been out of that world for years now, and she's drifted from rock to techno. Among her crew of fellow ravers, her longest and most combative relationship has been with Alex, another woman who has established herself as a DJ and has recently started seeing a much younger woman named Inès.

One day, Louise receives a life-changing advance from a record label to produce her own electronic music. She struggles to handle the responsibility of professionalizing her lifestyle, one suffused with the omnidirectional drama of the women in her circle. They bar-crawl, watch MTV, go to each other’s sets, hook up, and do copious drugs.

Tension builds as Louise finds herself pulled between multiple paths: forward in her career as a techno producer; backward toward rock’n’roll, Nikki, and the life he represents; toward Alex again; and toward Inès, leading to a dangerous and ultimately devastating affair. With the caustic voice of a born punk, Ann Scott portrays the Paris underground in all its ecstasy, loneliness, and pulpy grandeur. A French literary sensation at the turn of the millenium, Superstars now makes its long-overdue English language debut. 

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“Originally published in 2000, this French cult classic novel chronicles Paris’ queer rave scene in the ‘90s. Think: lesbian DJ love triangles, anticonformists, grainy MTV, and designer drugs. The long-awaited English translation of this pop novel is sure to be spotted on the L train this spring.” —Sophia June, Playboy “Most Anticipated Books of 2026”

“The literary queen of the Paris techno scene, whose cult novel Superstars immortalized the hedonism and rivalry of the sweat-drenched dancefloors and rave parties of 1990s France . . . Scott’s writing contrasts beautiful party people with the fragility of life, the difficulty of being part of a crowd.” —Angelique Chrisafis, The Guardian

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Ann Scott is the author of ten novels. Her most recent novel, Les Insolents, won the Prix Renaudot in France.

Jonathan Woollen is a French-to-English translator originally from North Carolina, currently based in Queens, New York, and working in publishing. Superstars is his first published book-length translation.

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LARB Friend-level members and higher receive a free copy with their membership and access to the discussion. All other members are invited to join the discussion and purchase a copy of Superstars at a bookstore near you, or through our partnership with Bookshop.org. Check out the latest membership newsletter for the 10% off discount code with Bookshop.org, or email us!

If you are not a member, please upgrade or join to access member-only perks, like the LARB Classic Tote, a subscription to our signature print magazine, conversations with LARB editors and members, and more. Join the LARB Book Club and support the work of LARB staff and writers.

If you have questions or thoughts about the book that you want to address during the discussion, please email membership@lareviewofbooks.org before April 29, 2026.