Not for me. Good vocabulary words tossed in every which way, but the story's characters just want to be "somebody" just because the author forces dialogue on them. I should not even review it because I couldn't get past chapter 1, so to be fair I'll give it 3 stars. It's not poorly written but it is written by an experienced tv series writer. It's just not my speed.
Well-written by an author especially skilled in short-story telling. There is often more telling than showing in this book, but the writing is often vivid and observant.
Unfortunately, Laura Lamont feels as if she's just been one of the very lucky and rare individuals in Hollywood's golden era to be spotted by studio mogul Irving Green (a knock off Irving Thalberg, it seemed) and made into a movie star by dying her hair and changing her name from Elsa to Laura. She didn't do much of anything else to deserve - or win - her fame and fortune.
She's often a victim of circumstance including her fame, the Acadamy Award bestowed upon her, her motherhood, her two marriages, etc. She often says "Oh" or "Hi, sweetie", but disappointingly not much more.
I don't believe she would have left her family behind in the midwest only to let 10 years pass before they get graciously flown to LA for her Academy Award nomination to meet the children she had with her first husband. Worse, at this point her mother is mad at her for marrying a man of the Jewish faith? I really thought she'd be ticked off for keeping her grandbabies away from her all the years Laura literally could have had the "studio" do anything for her including fly her family out to her or vice versa.
I almost expected the book to turn out like "A Star is Born" because the main character starts off nearly the same way as Esther Blodgett (a/k/a Vicki Lester). Though, the Door County scenes in the beginning of the book are some show more of my favorites.
The story will take you in and transport you to another place and time, and do so in a refreshing 3rd person voice. show less
Unfortunately, Laura Lamont feels as if she's just been one of the very lucky and rare individuals in Hollywood's golden era to be spotted by studio mogul Irving Green (a knock off Irving Thalberg, it seemed) and made into a movie star by dying her hair and changing her name from Elsa to Laura. She didn't do much of anything else to deserve - or win - her fame and fortune.
She's often a victim of circumstance including her fame, the Acadamy Award bestowed upon her, her motherhood, her two marriages, etc. She often says "Oh" or "Hi, sweetie", but disappointingly not much more.
I don't believe she would have left her family behind in the midwest only to let 10 years pass before they get graciously flown to LA for her Academy Award nomination to meet the children she had with her first husband. Worse, at this point her mother is mad at her for marrying a man of the Jewish faith? I really thought she'd be ticked off for keeping her grandbabies away from her all the years Laura literally could have had the "studio" do anything for her including fly her family out to her or vice versa.
I almost expected the book to turn out like "A Star is Born" because the main character starts off nearly the same way as Esther Blodgett (a/k/a Vicki Lester). Though, the Door County scenes in the beginning of the book are some show more of my favorites.
The story will take you in and transport you to another place and time, and do so in a refreshing 3rd person voice. show less
Great soapy, sudsy stuff straight out of the 1960's. If possible, only read a genuine first edition paperback copy for fullest effect.