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The Great Pretenders

by Laura Kalpakian

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604438,156 (4)None
"An unforgettable novel from an award-winning author about an ambitious young agent's daring fight to protect blacklisted writers in McCarthy-era Hollywood and her passionate relationship with an African American journalist. Outraged by her grandfather's illicit affair with Empire Pictures' latest femme fatale, Roxanne Granville forsakes her position as Hollywood royalty and rejects the man who raised her, determined to strike out on her own. Backed by little more than the stubborn grit she inherited from her beloved grandmother, Roxanne sets up shop as a low-budget film agent for budding screenwriters. When an old friend, exiled from Hollywood and Empire Pictures by her grandfather for being a Communist sympathizer, begs for her help, Roxanne decides to right the wrongs committed by her family. It's what her grandmother would have wanted. Soon Roxanne finds herself at the helm of a lucrative business, having landed her secret clients a handful of major studio deals through willing frontmen. Her newfound freedom leads her to a passionate relationship with an African American journalist and jazz aficionado. But Hollywood is ruthless when it senses a scandal. How long will it take before all of Roxanne's success comes crumbling down?"--… (more)
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Showing 4 of 4
Historical fiction set in the 50s in Hollywood, that shows how hard it was for women and people of color to get ahead. Interesting characters and story line. A very good read. ( )
  SharleneMartinMoore | Apr 24, 2021 |
I enjoyed this novel, which balanced a fun setting (1950s Hollywood) with more serious themes (Hollywood blacklisting, interracial relations). Roxanne Granville is a young agent representing writers and selling scripts to the Hollywood studios. As the granddaughter of a legendary studio owner, she has the connections to be a success. She also makes a few daring moves when she agrees to sell scripts written by blacklisted Communist writers under the guise of her other clients. To make matters more complicated, she falls in love with a black reporter who is challenging her own view of the film industry. Roxanne's daring to go against the grain of her era makes this novel fun and thoughtful - I enjoyed it and I'm tempted to go find an old movie to watch now. ( )
  wagner.sarah35 | Jun 22, 2019 |
The Great Pretenders is a tale of Old Hollywood, specifically 1950's era. This was a time of complexity and fear. The Red Scare and being Blacklisted were relevant topics in this era. Still, other things were not addressed adequately, including segregation and inequality among others. This story is about a woman with great Hollywood connections who decides to become a Hollywood agent instead of a wife and mother. Then, to add more controversy to her life, she falls in love with a black man. Interracial affairs simply didn't happen and weren't allowed in the 1950's. This story is engaging and very informative about the movie business of the time period. It's quite captivating with the one serious drawback of an overdramatic heroine. I wanted to slap her a few times. Overall, this is a good piece of historical fiction. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review. ( )
  JypsyLynn | Apr 29, 2019 |
This is the story of one woman’s struggle to overcome so much in 1950’s Hollywood. Coming from a rich Hollywood family, she is estranged from her grandfather (a movie mogul) and works for a talent agency. Having had enough of being molested, she starts her own agency and begins to represent writers who were blacklisted. On top of that, she falls in love with a black reporter.

I enjoy reading period pieces and I feel that I was there experiencing what life was like then. I really enjoyed the descriptions, the people, the emotions, and the drama. It certainly was an enjoyable read. ( )
  grumpydan | Mar 21, 2019 |
Showing 4 of 4
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"An unforgettable novel from an award-winning author about an ambitious young agent's daring fight to protect blacklisted writers in McCarthy-era Hollywood and her passionate relationship with an African American journalist. Outraged by her grandfather's illicit affair with Empire Pictures' latest femme fatale, Roxanne Granville forsakes her position as Hollywood royalty and rejects the man who raised her, determined to strike out on her own. Backed by little more than the stubborn grit she inherited from her beloved grandmother, Roxanne sets up shop as a low-budget film agent for budding screenwriters. When an old friend, exiled from Hollywood and Empire Pictures by her grandfather for being a Communist sympathizer, begs for her help, Roxanne decides to right the wrongs committed by her family. It's what her grandmother would have wanted. Soon Roxanne finds herself at the helm of a lucrative business, having landed her secret clients a handful of major studio deals through willing frontmen. Her newfound freedom leads her to a passionate relationship with an African American journalist and jazz aficionado. But Hollywood is ruthless when it senses a scandal. How long will it take before all of Roxanne's success comes crumbling down?"--

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