Book Review: The Total Package
The Total Package. Marie St. Jean, Marie St. Jean, Ltd., October 2025, paperback and e-book, 278 pages.
Reviewed by Amy Purcell.
When someone uses “the total package” idiom to describe a person, it typically indicates that the individual has many ideal qualities—great looks, smarts, charm, wealth. Yet, in Marie St. Jean’s novel, The Total Package, musically gifted twins Mitchell and Jon Porter-Kashman, their sporty sister Amy, and motocross phenom Larry Bassett and his brother Leo struggle with their natural talents and the fame that comes along with it.
St. Jean’s seventh novel delves into the complications that come with fame, especially in the age of social media.
Mitchell, whose real name is Joni Mitchell Porter Kashman and her brother Jon are akin to child prodigies, born to Jonathan and Chelsea Porter; Chelsea being a legendary drummer of an acclaimed band who nudges her children into music royalty. Not only does Mitchell write music, she also sings, dances and, after college, owns her own music production company with friend, Jake. Jon is equally talented, yet is more of a renegade who desires all the glittery trappings of fame.
As young children, the twins take to the stage in Chicago under the nurturing guidance of their mother and badgering of their greedy tyrant of a father. After a few violent episodes between Mitchell and her father, he divorces Chelsea and takes Jon away to groom him as a pop star, stage-named Ca$hMan.
Mitchell navigates the ups and downs of a music and dance career far better than Ca$hMan who falls into addictive behaviors, most of which feed the social media machine while also lining his father’s wallet. While the twins excel on stage, they often fail in their relationships and friendships. Meanwhile, Mitchell’s childhood friend, Larry Bassett watches her star rise as his own career in motorcross takes offs. The two have feelings for each other but continue to miss opportunities to connect until the latter half of the novel.
There are numerous characters in the story who take center stage including young Amy Porter and her friend and eventual husband, Leo. There are also plenty of side acts in the form of other musicians and performers, some of whom complicate the plot or make a quick appearance to emphasize the pitfalls of being a celebrity.
Although the narrative follows several major characters, Mitchell emerges as the emotional center of the story, with many of the novel's pivotal moments revolving around her music, family, and relationships.
Mitchell’s poignant lyrics to songs appear adjacent to key plot points or emotional shifts, allowing Mitchell, who tends to be guarded with her feelings, to share them with others. Her opus, “Daredevil” appears several times as Mitchell adds new verses that mirror what’s happening in her life, primarily in her relationship with Larry. As the novel unfolds, Mitchell must make tough decisions about her career and relationships with family and friends, including her twin brother who continues his descent into addiction—both to drugs and to living the life of a celebrity.
The last third of the narrative brings a few unexpected and satisfying twists that wrap the story up nicely.
The novel is set primarily in Chicago, with several chapters unfolding in Los Angeles. At its core, The Total Package explores post-traumatic stress disorder, family dysfunction, identity, the blurred line between good and evil, and the realization that lives which appear glamorous from the outside are often far more complicated behind the scenes.
