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bookladyreads's review against another edition
3.0
A behind the scenes story of three women on their rise to fame. The book sort of read like a "where are they now" story, but with better storytelling. Much of what these women endured while trying to make it was kind of heartbreaking, and you wanted so much for these to be respected and supported. It was a detailed look at what starlets back in those days had to put up with from the industry as well as other women in the business who were also trying to make it and sustain.
whipcreamsucks's review against another edition
5.0
At a party in Berlin, 1928, Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong and Leni Riefenstahl pose for a photo at a party. The rest is as follows:
This novel is so extravagantly panoramic. It's written and executed so wonderfully, there are bits that leave me breathless and inspired. It's not an easy read, with its non-linear narrative and heavy subject matter ranging from Nazis to Hollywood racism, and follows so many important historical events. And I live for it. This is the best ever fanfic epic I've ever read about history. The skill and knowledge here is so expansive it could literally double as an encyclopedia. And yet, it never once feels like an encyclopedic tome. I really get the feeling of watching lives go by with every turn of the page.
Marlene, Anna May and Leni are all so alive and vividly-portrayed. So are their side characters. I swear to God that Bébé steals every moment she's in; some of the most memorable chapters are hers. Lee Koe said herself that Bébé's the "breakout kid" of the novel when I went to get my copy signed. Their lives are entwined by their similar pursuit of being a female artist in a time where all artists scrutinised femininity heavily. And in the case of Anna May, the first ever Asian-American actress, she's also very much weighed down by racism and stereotyping.
The thing is. I love this. Amanda Lee Koe is a fuckin genius to have mixed such hotfoot devastation with the glitz of vintage cinema with such grace. I was genuinely entertained the whole way. I sincerely, absolutely can't wait to see what she's going to do next.
This novel is so extravagantly panoramic. It's written and executed so wonderfully, there are bits that leave me breathless and inspired. It's not an easy read, with its non-linear narrative and heavy subject matter ranging from Nazis to Hollywood racism, and follows so many important historical events. And I live for it. This is the best ever fanfic epic I've ever read about history. The skill and knowledge here is so expansive it could literally double as an encyclopedia. And yet, it never once feels like an encyclopedic tome. I really get the feeling of watching lives go by with every turn of the page.
Marlene, Anna May and Leni are all so alive and vividly-portrayed. So are their side characters. I swear to God that Bébé steals every moment she's in; some of the most memorable chapters are hers. Lee Koe said herself that Bébé's the "breakout kid" of the novel when I went to get my copy signed. Their lives are entwined by their similar pursuit of being a female artist in a time where all artists scrutinised femininity heavily. And in the case of Anna May, the first ever Asian-American actress, she's also very much weighed down by racism and stereotyping.
The thing is. I love this. Amanda Lee Koe is a fuckin genius to have mixed such hotfoot devastation with the glitz of vintage cinema with such grace. I was genuinely entertained the whole way. I sincerely, absolutely can't wait to see what she's going to do next.
biblio_mom's review against another edition
2.0
I love historical fiction! But this highly ambitious and chaotic at times just fell short. Its a heavy thing to read and digest. I found my thoughts wondering about countless of times reading this. There's no quotation marks for me to be able to differentiate between their thoughts and speech, and the sexy parts isn't sexy. I don't read sexy stuff, but consider this as a don't-expect-anything-spicy kind of early notice.
But If you like the behind-the-scene of female performers lives, specifically about them climbing up the fame ladders kind of story, this might be for you, especially if you're someone from the industry because I can see the potential for the story to be loved by the right "audiences". One strong point for this is, its about women's resilience against discrimination. I always like that in any female-related stories.
But If you like the behind-the-scene of female performers lives, specifically about them climbing up the fame ladders kind of story, this might be for you, especially if you're someone from the industry because I can see the potential for the story to be loved by the right "audiences". One strong point for this is, its about women's resilience against discrimination. I always like that in any female-related stories.
itsmejennigee's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Eh. Quite long, okay story, while trying to keep it somewhat realistic it was also drawn out inefficiently for me
kmvan's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
orlaghgavin's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
sam12345's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
jbrendanshaw's review against another edition
4.0
This book has a distinctive style - blending a kind of chatty historical reportage with more involved character studies. The book takes as its starting point a photograph taken in 1928 of German actress Marlene Dietrich, Chinese American actress Anna May Wong, and infamous German director Leni Riefenstahl. The book unwinds from there moving across the three women's intersecting lives and various figures in their orbit including Walter Benjamin, a Chinese immigrant to France, the crew members of Riefenstahl's film Tiefland, and Josef von Sternberg. The sections on Riefenstahl's inner world were least interesting simply because she is written in such a defensive posture and I imagine most contemporary readers would find this a bit ponderous. The discussion of her failed film shoot is fascinating. The stories of Wong and Dietrich are both utterly compelling. I can see that some readers might find this book a bit tedious as it often tells us about historical and cinematic facts without showing but I found myself swept up as it went along.