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livres_de_bloss's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
This author’s writing style is excellent. His biography on Gabrielle Chanel was very enjoyable and among my favourites I’ve read this year.
The problem I had with this one was not the writing style or the story but the subject herself. I simply didn’t find Marlene Dietrich to be likeable, sympathetic or endearing.
I enjoyed reading about her early years but I found the America bits boring. There was far too much name-dropping, sex, and Hollywood. It didn’t hold my interest. However, I did enjoy the sections about post-war Berlin.
The style of this story is very different from that of Chanel. This highlights Marlene’s “golden years” as opposed to her whole life story. Though the author did write a synopsis of the remainder of her life in the afterword, I can’t help but feel like Marlene’s story was incomplete compared to Chanel’s.
This author’s writing style is excellent. His biography on Gabrielle Chanel was very enjoyable and among my favourites I’ve read this year.
The problem I had with this one was not the writing style or the story but the subject herself. I simply didn’t find Marlene Dietrich to be likeable, sympathetic or endearing.
I enjoyed reading about her early years but I found the America bits boring. There was far too much name-dropping, sex, and Hollywood. It didn’t hold my interest. However, I did enjoy the sections about post-war Berlin.
The style of this story is very different from that of Chanel. This highlights Marlene’s “golden years” as opposed to her whole life story. Though the author did write a synopsis of the remainder of her life in the afterword, I can’t help but feel like Marlene’s story was incomplete compared to Chanel’s.
kdurham2's review against another edition
4.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
My second C.W. Gortner epic read and I am officially a fan!
This one centers around Marlene Dietrich who had such an epic life. From living in Germany and working in theater there to moving to Hollywood and living the ultimate Hollywood life and even to the USO tour and seeing the front lines of a war that involved her home country, she had an extraordinary life.
Before reading this book, I knew very little of Marlene Dietrich, if anything! Before this book, I read her book on Chanel and I knew much more about her. I actually liked going into this book blind, it was fun to read a story and just enjoy it for the mix of fiction and non fiction that it was.
My second C.W. Gortner epic read and I am officially a fan!
This one centers around Marlene Dietrich who had such an epic life. From living in Germany and working in theater there to moving to Hollywood and living the ultimate Hollywood life and even to the USO tour and seeing the front lines of a war that involved her home country, she had an extraordinary life.
Before reading this book, I knew very little of Marlene Dietrich, if anything! Before this book, I read her book on Chanel and I knew much more about her. I actually liked going into this book blind, it was fun to read a story and just enjoy it for the mix of fiction and non fiction that it was.
reneesmith's review against another edition
3.0
I picked up some great details about Marlene’s larger-than-life persona. I greatly admire her work for the troops during WWII. However, this book delves too much into the seedier side of her many affairs for me.
ashkitty93's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Regardless, I have to thank CW Gortner for giving us such a beautiful portrait of a Golden Age bisexual icon. Happy Pride!
Spoiler
A bit disappointed that this didn't cover more; particularly post-WWII, I would have liked to go into Marlene's later career and see Judgment at Nuremberg mentioned. Would've made a nice follow-up to Marlene's USO tours and vehement condemnation of the Nazi party. Alas, the book seems centered more around the mythical Greta Garbo, whom Marlene only meets on the final page. A nice payoff, but if you want to write about Garbo just do that ;)Regardless, I have to thank CW Gortner for giving us such a beautiful portrait of a Golden Age bisexual icon. Happy Pride!
jessicacarlysinclair's review against another edition
3.0
Good but you could defs tell it was written by a dude. Especially where women discuss their bodies - and the sex scenes lol
kadriliis's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
riseclare's review against another edition
4.0
Gortner wows again. Chanel is still his best, but he brought Marlene to life- a woman, like Chanel, way ahead of her time. I love the man's writing! Keep it up please, Sir! I can't imagine what he'd do with Jackie or Marilyn. Or BOTH.
moirwyn's review against another edition
5.0
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2016/06/01/marlene-by-c-w-gortner-blog-tour-giveaway/
Marlene by C.W. Gortner is a biographical novel about Hollywood icon Marlene Dietrich. Marlene grew up in an aristocratic family that had fallen upon hard times, and her mother pressured her into nurturing her musical talent to become a concert violinist. That was never to happen, and instead Marlene rebelled and used her talent to become part of Germany’s cabaret culture, struggling to be a successful actress. At the time, Germany’s nightlife was wild and free, unchained from both gender and sexual norms.
Marlene’s love life was fascinating, and progressive even by modern standards. She was bi long before it was something people talked about, having a multitude of affairs with men and women alike. And although Marlene Dietrich did marry and have a child, her marriage is much more in line with today’s poly movement. Marlene wanted to love freely and without constraint, and didn’t see her involvement with one person as taking away from her relationship with another. Marlene never felt drawn to the domestic life, and instead chose to focus on her career. As Marlene and her husband Rudi drifted apart over time, he had a mistress as well, and Tamara and Marlene were good friends.
Marlene’s film career began in Germany, but soon she accepted a contract in Hollywood. America and Germany were very different, but Marlene quickly took to her new home. Marlene became increasingly famous both in America and overseas, but in the meantime, Hitler rose to power in Germany, and Marlene found herself doing everything she could to protect her family. And as her career came to a lull, she joined the USO and performed for America’s servicemen and women.
When I began reading Marlene, I didn’t know much about Marlene Dietrich’s life. I had seen pictures, of course, and knew of her fame, but never really understood her outside of that. As in Mademoiselle Chanel, Gortner once again succeeded in capturing a vivid glimpse into the life of a remarkable woman who defied the odds and the social norms of her time in order to become a star. I was inspired by Marlene Dietrich’s story, and would highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in old Hollywood, cross-dressing heroines, and women who don’t take no for an answer.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2016/06/01/marlene-by-c-w-gortner-blog-tour-giveaway/
Marlene by C.W. Gortner is a biographical novel about Hollywood icon Marlene Dietrich. Marlene grew up in an aristocratic family that had fallen upon hard times, and her mother pressured her into nurturing her musical talent to become a concert violinist. That was never to happen, and instead Marlene rebelled and used her talent to become part of Germany’s cabaret culture, struggling to be a successful actress. At the time, Germany’s nightlife was wild and free, unchained from both gender and sexual norms.
Marlene’s love life was fascinating, and progressive even by modern standards. She was bi long before it was something people talked about, having a multitude of affairs with men and women alike. And although Marlene Dietrich did marry and have a child, her marriage is much more in line with today’s poly movement. Marlene wanted to love freely and without constraint, and didn’t see her involvement with one person as taking away from her relationship with another. Marlene never felt drawn to the domestic life, and instead chose to focus on her career. As Marlene and her husband Rudi drifted apart over time, he had a mistress as well, and Tamara and Marlene were good friends.
Marlene’s film career began in Germany, but soon she accepted a contract in Hollywood. America and Germany were very different, but Marlene quickly took to her new home. Marlene became increasingly famous both in America and overseas, but in the meantime, Hitler rose to power in Germany, and Marlene found herself doing everything she could to protect her family. And as her career came to a lull, she joined the USO and performed for America’s servicemen and women.
When I began reading Marlene, I didn’t know much about Marlene Dietrich’s life. I had seen pictures, of course, and knew of her fame, but never really understood her outside of that. As in Mademoiselle Chanel, Gortner once again succeeded in capturing a vivid glimpse into the life of a remarkable woman who defied the odds and the social norms of her time in order to become a star. I was inspired by Marlene Dietrich’s story, and would highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in old Hollywood, cross-dressing heroines, and women who don’t take no for an answer.
acrosstheskyinstars's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5
This was a great read for those of us who love Weimar Germany and the cabaret scenes of the past. Marlene Dietrich exudes a sense of old Hollywood glamor that everyone finds captivating, which really shined through in this book. The author was able to write a compelling (although fictionalized) account of her life. I must also admit that I'm a sucker for anything involving Berlin. In this case, I loved the symbolism that Berlin provided in Marlene's life. Beyond those who love Germany's decadent past, I'd recommend this to anyone who loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. While not 100% identical, this gave me Evelyn Hugo vibes in the best way possible.