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cryingalot49's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
cindy_f's review against another edition
5.0
Blonde is my introduction to Joyce Carol Oates’ many novels. A fictionalized story of Marilyn Monroe’s life, marriages, and turbulent career has always intrigued me. The author creates a unique atmosphere in this novel as we see how Norma Jeane Baker transforms into the icon that she IS. She had such a broken childhood; raised by a schizophrenic mother, left at an orphanage and later fostered by a married couple who encouraged her to get married at a young age. She was already drawing the attention of men as a teenager and the foster mother perceived her as a threat to her own marriage.
This is a rather long book, so I won’t talk too much about the plot. Norma Jeane was rather naïve, started modeling to make a living, having been photographed at her job as an assembly line worker. She took on an agent, who introduced her to Mr. Z, a movie producer who basically had his way with her, suggesting her start in pictures. Men invented Marilyn Monroe. Throughout the novel she is referred to as the Blonde actress. We get a glimpse into her unhappy marriages to Joe DiMaggio (the ex-athlete) and Arthur Miller (the playwright), as well as a brief affair with JFK (the President).
There are some dark elements, some quite difficult to take in. Norma Jeane fights her many demons, and often has dream-like hallucinations. She never met her father but is obsessed with the idea of him. She is a woman who is looking for love and acceptance, quite a complex character and a victim of exploitation. This is truly an excellent imagining of the inner workings of her mind. It is no wonder that with no positive parental figure, a dependence to various drugs for insomnia and anxiety, a misogynistic world of movie-making that it all eventually contributed to her demise. The writing is magnificent and well researched and reads like a biography.
This is a rather long book, so I won’t talk too much about the plot. Norma Jeane was rather naïve, started modeling to make a living, having been photographed at her job as an assembly line worker. She took on an agent, who introduced her to Mr. Z, a movie producer who basically had his way with her, suggesting her start in pictures. Men invented Marilyn Monroe. Throughout the novel she is referred to as the Blonde actress. We get a glimpse into her unhappy marriages to Joe DiMaggio (the ex-athlete) and Arthur Miller (the playwright), as well as a brief affair with JFK (the President).
There are some dark elements, some quite difficult to take in. Norma Jeane fights her many demons, and often has dream-like hallucinations. She never met her father but is obsessed with the idea of him. She is a woman who is looking for love and acceptance, quite a complex character and a victim of exploitation. This is truly an excellent imagining of the inner workings of her mind. It is no wonder that with no positive parental figure, a dependence to various drugs for insomnia and anxiety, a misogynistic world of movie-making that it all eventually contributed to her demise. The writing is magnificent and well researched and reads like a biography.
literarycrushes's review against another edition
Blonde by Joyce Carol Oats is a lengthy & tragic reimagining of the life of Norma Jeane Baker A.K.A. Marilyn Monroe A.K.A., one of the most widely commented-upon lives in recent history. Her story is fittingly told through the observations of those around her: her mentally ill mother, foster parents, high school teachers, agents, husbands, and lovers.
Blonde is a dazzling portrait of an elusive character that explores the darker side of Monroe’s life in stark contrast to the rose-tinted glass that the media frequently portrayed the so-called ‘sex symbol.’ It was eye-opening to learn about her backstory/life before fame: of her time spent in orphanages or the severe physical and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of nearly all her husbands.
In a short prologue, the author states that her work, though based on famously true events, is purely a work of fiction and not meant to be taken as any sort of biography. And yet, because her life was SO well-documented (though whether even half of what was said of her is true is impossible to say), it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. But JCO does a fantastic job getting the reader to question these ‘facts.’ Her writing style was honestly gorgeous, and though it’s a LONG novel (738 pages!), it never felt repetitive or overly written.
Even in her own story, Norma Jeane is rarely given a voice. She has been taught (by her mother, by strangers, by the films she grew up idolizing) to value herself only in relation to her own desirability at any moment. JCO’s Marilyn doesn’t trust any man who is not completely in love with her, and yet she knew her beauty and “unconscious” proactiveness were also a curse that endangered her to the whims of men (from the age of 14 on). I’m looking forward to watching Netflix’s adaptation (rated NC-17 in a first for Netflix) later this month, staring Ana De Armas and Bobby Cannavale!
Blonde is a dazzling portrait of an elusive character that explores the darker side of Monroe’s life in stark contrast to the rose-tinted glass that the media frequently portrayed the so-called ‘sex symbol.’ It was eye-opening to learn about her backstory/life before fame: of her time spent in orphanages or the severe physical and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of nearly all her husbands.
In a short prologue, the author states that her work, though based on famously true events, is purely a work of fiction and not meant to be taken as any sort of biography. And yet, because her life was SO well-documented (though whether even half of what was said of her is true is impossible to say), it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. But JCO does a fantastic job getting the reader to question these ‘facts.’ Her writing style was honestly gorgeous, and though it’s a LONG novel (738 pages!), it never felt repetitive or overly written.
Even in her own story, Norma Jeane is rarely given a voice. She has been taught (by her mother, by strangers, by the films she grew up idolizing) to value herself only in relation to her own desirability at any moment. JCO’s Marilyn doesn’t trust any man who is not completely in love with her, and yet she knew her beauty and “unconscious” proactiveness were also a curse that endangered her to the whims of men (from the age of 14 on). I’m looking forward to watching Netflix’s adaptation (rated NC-17 in a first for Netflix) later this month, staring Ana De Armas and Bobby Cannavale!
danielafin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
miacoop61's review against another edition
i actually don’t know what to rate this book.
I originally picked it up, thinking of it as challenge but I didn’t realise how long it would take me to finish this book. Some chapters I felt one needed and it felt as if this book was trying to reach a goal of amount of words written.
I found this quite challenging to read, as it was written in an older style of language. I watched the film before reading a book, and the book contains a lot of information which you wouldn’t have seen in the film.
I don’t know if I would recommend this book as I struggled with it I would have not finished it but I was determined to get it over and done with.
This book made me like obsess in a way over Norma Jean Baker. Her story told in a man manipulated way makes you want to realise the whole story, and it is captivating you see her on the TV is perfect symbol of the 50s and 40s however it doesn’t go into detail about how hard her life was, and even though this book isn’t essentially based on a real story, I felt like I understood more of Norma Jean Baker and not Marilyn Monroe .
I originally picked it up, thinking of it as challenge but I didn’t realise how long it would take me to finish this book. Some chapters I felt one needed and it felt as if this book was trying to reach a goal of amount of words written.
I found this quite challenging to read, as it was written in an older style of language. I watched the film before reading a book, and the book contains a lot of information which you wouldn’t have seen in the film.
I don’t know if I would recommend this book as I struggled with it I would have not finished it but I was determined to get it over and done with.
This book made me like obsess in a way over Norma Jean Baker. Her story told in a man manipulated way makes you want to realise the whole story, and it is captivating you see her on the TV is perfect symbol of the 50s and 40s however it doesn’t go into detail about how hard her life was, and even though this book isn’t essentially based on a real story, I felt like I understood more of Norma Jean Baker and not Marilyn Monroe .
britanicadramatica's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have incredibly conflicting feelings about this book. It is incredibly well-written, yet it is very slow-paced. There were several times where I picked up the book and felt like I had been reading for hours, only to have read about 20 pages. What causes me conflict, is that it is a fictional "exploration" of the life of Marilyn Monroe - so a lot is to be taken with a grain of salt.
However, It was reflective and provided an incredible insight on femininity. Especially, what it's like to be a woman who is sought after, never taken seriously, and increasingly objectified, no matter how hard she tries to love and be loved. I felt several moments of sadness and empathy. As a woman, a lot of the content made me feel seen.
This book emphasizes a duality of women. How we see ourselves, how we long to know ourselves, how we long to share ourselves with others; and the juxtaposition of how we are perceived by others, especially men. Over and over again in this book, we see Norma Jean/Marilyn Monroe treated much better by women than men. Additionally, how she internalizes the horrific things that are said and done to her, and how they crop up throughout her life.
I truly appreciated the introduction by Elaine Showalter.
However, It was reflective and provided an incredible insight on femininity. Especially, what it's like to be a woman who is sought after, never taken seriously, and increasingly objectified, no matter how hard she tries to love and be loved. I felt several moments of sadness and empathy. As a woman, a lot of the content made me feel seen.
This book emphasizes a duality of women. How we see ourselves, how we long to know ourselves, how we long to share ourselves with others; and the juxtaposition of how we are perceived by others, especially men. Over and over again in this book, we see Norma Jean/Marilyn Monroe treated much better by women than men. Additionally, how she internalizes the horrific things that are said and done to her, and how they crop up throughout her life.
I truly appreciated the introduction by Elaine Showalter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, Abortion, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use
fkshg8465's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The whole time I was reading this book, I kept wondering why I was reading it and why it was written and how or why it was nominated for a Pulitzer. Of course Marilyn Monroe is forever an icon, but if any of what was written here was true, then it was a very sad life she had. That’s all I can say about the book. It wasn’t fun to read or enriching to my life. It was much less than I expected of her, based on her other works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Abortion, Addiction, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and War
djr100's review against another edition
5.0
Read this, read this, read this!
Fantastic writing. JCO brought Norma Jean/Marilyn to life is this factionalized version of her tumultuous life. I knew the major story lines of her life; her movie career, her short marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller and her dalliances with President Kennedy and RFK. I learned so much more about her life and her relationships. There were some interesting twists on what I knew to be her life, like her relationship to Cass Chaplin and Eddy G. Robinson Jr......not sure how much of this was true but what a story line.
JCO's writing was beautiful. This is a long book at 700+ pages it doesn't bog down. This one slipped under my radar for a long time, but thanks to Goodreads (Fabian in particular), this was brought to my attention and so glad it was.
Fantastic writing. JCO brought Norma Jean/Marilyn to life is this factionalized version of her tumultuous life. I knew the major story lines of her life; her movie career, her short marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller and her dalliances with President Kennedy and RFK. I learned so much more about her life and her relationships. There were some interesting twists on what I knew to be her life, like her relationship to Cass Chaplin and Eddy G. Robinson Jr......not sure how much of this was true but what a story line.
JCO's writing was beautiful. This is a long book at 700+ pages it doesn't bog down. This one slipped under my radar for a long time, but thanks to Goodreads (Fabian in particular), this was brought to my attention and so glad it was.