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pretty_little_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Title: Delayed Rays of a Star
Author: Amanda Lee Koe
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publishing date: July 9, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Paperback
Language: English
No. of pages: 389
My review:
Delayed Rays of a Star is an exhilarating read delving into the history and the lives of three women with epic intensity. Spanning from the 1920s to the early 2000s, this novel tells a fictional story of real-life actresses – Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong, and Leni Riefenstahl. Delayed Rays of a Star has been inspired from a photograph of these 3 women, that was clicked at a soiree in 1928 Berlin. Although these three women are the protagonists, you could say, there are a few more secondary characters in the book - Marlene’s caretaker, the lighting staff on Leni’s team, the gay German soldier, etc.
For the most part, this seemingly simple and ambiguous novel reads quite fluidly. There are so many issues that are discussed here. For instance, there is sexism – the most prevalent one, I think. As women, the three protagonists had to go through a lot to be where they are. It is in Leni’s story where it is the most prominent I think. As one of the three protagonists who gets a whole section for her own voice, Leni is a character who has often been judged and misunderstood often.
There is also racism – and no one perhaps experiences this more than Anna May. In all her movies, she is never cast as the lead, always being passed over to make way for white actresses – because she is ‘too’ Chinese.
Another theme is that of sexuality. Marlene was a woman who was famous in her heydays. It is unfathomable to understand how she slept with both men and women and got away with it. the instance in the book where Anna and Marlene are in the washroom, and the aftermath, is a clear indication that Marlene was very comfortable in her own skin. Nonetheless, it is impossible to imagine how she got away with it during those times.
Delayed Rays of a Star is also a very intense read if you truly understand the subtle themes spoken of, here. Divided into three main sections, followed by three sub-divisions each, where each section follows one of the three main characters. The character arcs of these women are commendable. However, I was disappointed that Leni was not very involved with the other two after the party. I had hoped to see more of an interrelationship among the 3 women, apart from their common instances in life.
The question of politics really comes into play with Leni. I did some research and she truly was a director of Nazi propaganda films. As such, a lot of her being is kind of complicated – how can you separate the art from politics and if it should or should not be done; if it was necessary to separate the artist’s political ideologies from his art.
Amanda Le Koe has truly written a definitive work on women’s lives and including these real-life characters along with a few of their real-life actions and beliefs, was a great culmination in Delayed Rays of a Star. Considering that this is her debut novel, I can only imagine the pressure that lies on her shoulders now for any future works.
Verdict:
I rate this book 4/5 stars!
Author: Amanda Lee Koe
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publishing date: July 9, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Paperback
Language: English
No. of pages: 389
My review:
Delayed Rays of a Star is an exhilarating read delving into the history and the lives of three women with epic intensity. Spanning from the 1920s to the early 2000s, this novel tells a fictional story of real-life actresses – Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong, and Leni Riefenstahl. Delayed Rays of a Star has been inspired from a photograph of these 3 women, that was clicked at a soiree in 1928 Berlin. Although these three women are the protagonists, you could say, there are a few more secondary characters in the book - Marlene’s caretaker, the lighting staff on Leni’s team, the gay German soldier, etc.
For the most part, this seemingly simple and ambiguous novel reads quite fluidly. There are so many issues that are discussed here. For instance, there is sexism – the most prevalent one, I think. As women, the three protagonists had to go through a lot to be where they are. It is in Leni’s story where it is the most prominent I think. As one of the three protagonists who gets a whole section for her own voice, Leni is a character who has often been judged and misunderstood often.
There is also racism – and no one perhaps experiences this more than Anna May. In all her movies, she is never cast as the lead, always being passed over to make way for white actresses – because she is ‘too’ Chinese.
Another theme is that of sexuality. Marlene was a woman who was famous in her heydays. It is unfathomable to understand how she slept with both men and women and got away with it. the instance in the book where Anna and Marlene are in the washroom, and the aftermath, is a clear indication that Marlene was very comfortable in her own skin. Nonetheless, it is impossible to imagine how she got away with it during those times.
Delayed Rays of a Star is also a very intense read if you truly understand the subtle themes spoken of, here. Divided into three main sections, followed by three sub-divisions each, where each section follows one of the three main characters. The character arcs of these women are commendable. However, I was disappointed that Leni was not very involved with the other two after the party. I had hoped to see more of an interrelationship among the 3 women, apart from their common instances in life.
The question of politics really comes into play with Leni. I did some research and she truly was a director of Nazi propaganda films. As such, a lot of her being is kind of complicated – how can you separate the art from politics and if it should or should not be done; if it was necessary to separate the artist’s political ideologies from his art.
Amanda Le Koe has truly written a definitive work on women’s lives and including these real-life characters along with a few of their real-life actions and beliefs, was a great culmination in Delayed Rays of a Star. Considering that this is her debut novel, I can only imagine the pressure that lies on her shoulders now for any future works.
Verdict:
I rate this book 4/5 stars!
haoyang's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
steeped in cultural history
fascinating figures - the three larger-than-life protagonists and the side characters
- brilliantly depicted, excellent characterisation
fascinating figures - the three larger-than-life protagonists and the side characters
- brilliantly depicted, excellent characterisation
p0stc4rds's review against another edition
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
its one of those singlit books that walks u through stories it just felt like walking with a grandma with a cane who was telling a really good story
yapxinyi's review against another edition
4.0
A common thread among reviewers, I saw, was that it was a dense and heavy read.
Well, there were many characters, but it never felt like I didn't know who was speaking at any one time. For one, the writing was mostly focused on what was happening and their thoughts. Interestingly, I found the lack of quotation marks immersive because what they were saying sounded to be like their thoughts.
This book centers its story around three main protagonists: famous Marlene Dietrich, struggling Anna May Wong, and determined Leni Riefenstahl at different points of their lives – at Marlene's deathbed (this was a striking beginning), when they met (aka The Photograph), as they tried to pursue their dreams, near the end of their lives. The book also explores the narratives of Marlene's weekly maid Bébé, Marlene's director/ex-lover Josef von Sternberg, Marlin's intriguing caller Ibrahim, Anna May Wong's penpal Walter Benjamin, Leni Riefenstahl's gaffer Haas Haas, as we follow their lives for a few chapters. The stories were spread out rather cleverly, I thought.
I was highly impressed with the extensive research that must've gone into writing this, because the details are way too specific to be entirely thought of out her head. Given the author's deep admiration for Marlene Dietrich, I'm sure that it was written with all the years of collected facts and stories. That's a lot of dedication.
Surprisingly, I didn't really like Leni Riefenstahl by the time I was halfway through her monologue of sorts (it seemed like an excerpt from an interview, without the questions). At the same time, I found it difficult to hate her because I'd read what she'd been through. I didn't quite enjoy the read during this chapters as I began to question if she was being unreliable in these chapters (because everyone knew she hated Marlene Dietrich for stealing a role from under her nose); she painted Marlene in a really questionable light when she talked about how Marlene scratched her armpit on camera and the director had to stop her – but this was in fact confirmed as a real happenstance from Marlene's POV (apparently to stop Leni from asking questions. Sneaky. Totally cattish behaviour I could envision from Marlene, actually).
Marlene was a diva but here you could see the small moments why she is a diva. I questioned her behaviour in the last chapter but I guess loneliness might drive people to questionable actions.
I didn't love Anna May Wong, but she was interesting enough for me to care about her story. Even the sad part about I read with a tinge of oh well, it was a pity. Not with any sort of loud wish that things had been different, as you do with characters you end up caring a lot about.
Also, on a side note, there was a fantastical long sentence in one of Ibrahim's chapters which made me go, wow, this author really has a unique writing style and isn't afraid that her readers might be dumb enough to not follow it. (I feel like some confusion or lack of understanding on the reader's part challenges them to really engage and follow the story, y'know? But it also adds some meaning for the reader, I feel.) I estimate at least a hundred words in this sentence. You can go read and find it. ;)
Something that impressed me: the author included Rilke's poems from German with her translation and interpretation. The thing about Singapore is (the author grew up in Singapore for most of her youth), we're taught our mother tongue (in her case, Mandarin) and English from young, so German is a language she must've loved and learned on her own. Amanda Lee Koe is so smart and sharp and sure it highkey intimidates me. (I might or might not have stalked her Instagram captions, and you can tell that the writing style is...wow. Out of this world. I would love to write like her. I am in awe. Awe.)
Also, I LOVED the type font and cover. I'm the type who may just refuse to read a book if the font is ugly (too wide, too big, too un-serious) even if the book might be good. Unfortunately, I am a firm believer that the font lends credibility and mood to the book you're reading, so I'm a tad picky and had to point out the fact that the font of this book really suited the writing style – I don't know if I'm making sense anymore, but the font gave me the stylish, classic, classy, edgy, timeless, poetic, serious, I-know-what-I'm-doing vibes.
I noted how the author just went ahead and put in Chinese characters, German/French words (even a sentence, once or twice) without explaining or translating. I don't particularly have anything against it (bonus if you read and understand it, because often these sentences carry more weight and meaning in their native languages and cultures; however I did note that the part about a photograph capturing a bit of your soul was written in English, probably because it was for better contextual comprehension? I'm not sure if that belief was only a Chinese thing, or across various cultures).
P.S. Can I talk about how proud I am (as a Singaporean) that we get to see such a complex but beautifully written book produced? Our literary scene is only just beginning to flourish as a young nation, so it gives me so much hope and inspiration to see works that can stand their weight against international scrutiny, thereby being recognised. I think Singlit (aka Singapore literature) hasn't really been defined yet (unlike great and renowned American novels e.g. The Great Gatsby, To Kill A Mockingbird) so it's really interesting to see such stylistic works bursting onto the scene. I look forward to more!! In the meantime, I will work on my own writing and read Amanda Lee Koe's first book, [b:Ministry of Moral Panic|17238889|Ministry of Moral Panic|Amanda Lee Koe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470024658l/17238889._SY75_.jpg|23765412].
P.P.S. This must've been one of my longest reviews. I picked up this book because I was intrigued by her voice in her Instagram captions, the way she wrote, and of course, the pretty cover and font. I admit that I struggled to finish it because of how thick it was (383 pages; I borrowed from the library) and the many narratives I had to follow through made me question at times, why am I continuing to read this? Truthfully, I am thankful the writing flowed for me so it wasn't that hard to read, but you did have to focus for every single sentence – I'm not a skimmer; even though I was tempted to skim some parts, the essence of this book called me not to skim. We're visiting past lives across time, across seas, across memories. Why skim when you picked up this book to follow the delayed rays of a star and when it touched the lives of these women?
The blurb put that "And the real question is, how much has anything changed?" I'm not too sure if this is the best question that captures what the whole book is, but it does leave you wondering after you've finished the book, how much has anything changed? Is that a question worth pondering over?
You have to read this to find out. :D
Well, there were many characters, but it never felt like I didn't know who was speaking at any one time. For one, the writing was mostly focused on what was happening and their thoughts. Interestingly, I found the lack of quotation marks immersive because what they were saying sounded to be like their thoughts.
This book centers its story around three main protagonists: famous Marlene Dietrich, struggling Anna May Wong, and determined Leni Riefenstahl at different points of their lives – at Marlene's deathbed (this was a striking beginning), when they met (aka The Photograph), as they tried to pursue their dreams, near the end of their lives. The book also explores the narratives of Marlene's weekly maid Bébé, Marlene's director/ex-lover Josef von Sternberg, Marlin's intriguing caller Ibrahim, Anna May Wong's penpal Walter Benjamin, Leni Riefenstahl's gaffer Haas Haas, as we follow their lives for a few chapters. The stories were spread out rather cleverly, I thought.
I was highly impressed with the extensive research that must've gone into writing this, because the details are way too specific to be entirely thought of out her head. Given the author's deep admiration for Marlene Dietrich, I'm sure that it was written with all the years of collected facts and stories. That's a lot of dedication.
Surprisingly, I didn't really like Leni Riefenstahl by the time I was halfway through her monologue of sorts (it seemed like an excerpt from an interview, without the questions). At the same time, I found it difficult to hate her because I'd read what she'd been through. I didn't quite enjoy the read during this chapters as I began to question if she was being unreliable in these chapters (because everyone knew she hated Marlene Dietrich for stealing a role from under her nose); she painted Marlene in a really questionable light when she talked about how Marlene scratched her armpit on camera and the director had to stop her – but this was in fact confirmed as a real happenstance from Marlene's POV (apparently to stop Leni from asking questions. Sneaky. Totally cattish behaviour I could envision from Marlene, actually).
Marlene was a diva but here you could see the small moments why she is a diva. I questioned her behaviour in the last chapter
Spoiler
(was she going mad? batshit crazy? I know she missed Bébé (I miss her too) but it's really heartbreaking to be with a character at their lowest moments ;_;)I didn't love Anna May Wong, but she was interesting enough for me to care about her story. Even the sad part about
Spoiler
her never actually landing a leading role, spiralling into alcoholism, ending her last few years without much recognition from the public and her family, a sort of sorry reunion with MarleneAlso, on a side note, there was a fantastical long sentence in one of Ibrahim's chapters which made me go, wow, this author really has a unique writing style and isn't afraid that her readers might be dumb enough to not follow it. (I feel like some confusion or lack of understanding on the reader's part challenges them to really engage and follow the story, y'know? But it also adds some meaning for the reader, I feel.) I estimate at least a hundred words in this sentence. You can go read and find it. ;)
Something that impressed me: the author included Rilke's poems from German with her translation and interpretation. The thing about Singapore is (the author grew up in Singapore for most of her youth), we're taught our mother tongue (in her case, Mandarin) and English from young, so German is a language she must've loved and learned on her own. Amanda Lee Koe is so smart and sharp and sure it highkey intimidates me. (I might or might not have stalked her Instagram captions, and you can tell that the writing style is...wow. Out of this world. I would love to write like her. I am in awe. Awe.)
Also, I LOVED the type font and cover. I'm the type who may just refuse to read a book if the font is ugly (too wide, too big, too un-serious) even if the book might be good. Unfortunately, I am a firm believer that the font lends credibility and mood to the book you're reading, so I'm a tad picky and had to point out the fact that the font of this book really suited the writing style – I don't know if I'm making sense anymore, but the font gave me the stylish, classic, classy, edgy, timeless, poetic, serious, I-know-what-I'm-doing vibes.
I noted how the author just went ahead and put in Chinese characters, German/French words (even a sentence, once or twice) without explaining or translating. I don't particularly have anything against it (bonus if you read and understand it, because often these sentences carry more weight and meaning in their native languages and cultures; however I did note that the part about a photograph capturing a bit of your soul was written in English, probably because it was for better contextual comprehension? I'm not sure if that belief was only a Chinese thing, or across various cultures).
P.S. Can I talk about how proud I am (as a Singaporean) that we get to see such a complex but beautifully written book produced? Our literary scene is only just beginning to flourish as a young nation, so it gives me so much hope and inspiration to see works that can stand their weight against international scrutiny, thereby being recognised. I think Singlit (aka Singapore literature) hasn't really been defined yet (unlike great and renowned American novels e.g. The Great Gatsby, To Kill A Mockingbird) so it's really interesting to see such stylistic works bursting onto the scene. I look forward to more!! In the meantime, I will work on my own writing and read Amanda Lee Koe's first book, [b:Ministry of Moral Panic|17238889|Ministry of Moral Panic|Amanda Lee Koe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470024658l/17238889._SY75_.jpg|23765412].
P.P.S. This must've been one of my longest reviews. I picked up this book because I was intrigued by her voice in her Instagram captions, the way she wrote, and of course, the pretty cover and font. I admit that I struggled to finish it because of how thick it was (383 pages; I borrowed from the library) and the many narratives I had to follow through made me question at times, why am I continuing to read this? Truthfully, I am thankful the writing flowed for me so it wasn't that hard to read, but you did have to focus for every single sentence – I'm not a skimmer; even though I was tempted to skim some parts, the essence of this book called me not to skim. We're visiting past lives across time, across seas, across memories. Why skim when you picked up this book to follow the delayed rays of a star and when it touched the lives of these women?
The blurb put that "And the real question is, how much has anything changed?" I'm not too sure if this is the best question that captures what the whole book is, but it does leave you wondering after you've finished the book, how much has anything changed? Is that a question worth pondering over?
You have to read this to find out. :D
rycher's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
heatherdagger's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
apollosmichioreads's review against another edition
5.0
This is an utterly fascinating, ambitious and epic historical fiction novel about three twentieth-century thespians written in delicate and rich prose by Amanda Lee Koe. Weaving a myriad of themes like film, art, war, ambition, sexuality and more together, she delivers a timeless story that is well-researched, imaginative and truly brilliant. Amanda Lee Koe is officially my favourite author!
beebottoms's review against another edition
4.0
Five stars for the impressive execution of this ambitious, epic novel and for the excellent, beautiful writing. But I docked a star based on my personal reading experience - it's quite a heavy and dense read, such that sometimes I had trouble getting back into the story after putting it down for a while. I also don't really like stories that remove quotation marks from the dialogue because it can get hard to differentiate dialogue from normal narration, and I just don't get the purpose. Is it just a fancy and quirky stylistic choice?
The novel opens in the 1920s, at a party in Berlin where three actresses Anna May Wong, Marlene Dietrich and Leni Riefenstahl met for the first time and pose for a photograph together. Yup, the novel is a historical fiction with real-life famous people as its characters. There's even the two photographs of the three women taken at the party inserted into the book. The reader then follows the three women's lives in the subsequent decades, as they advance their acting (and also, for Leni, directing) careers against the chaotic rise and fall of the Nazi regime. The story is divided into three major segments which are individually split up into three mini-segments, each taking turns to focus on one of the women. Within each mini-segment are a number of chapters that really feel like short stories, because of the way they jump to whole new situations and often even a different character as the chapter's focus. There are lots of side characters, such as Marlene's Chinese maid and the lighting staff on Leni's film production team, and they are vividly developed too. I actually think some of the most memorable chapters come from the side characters.
Anna May, Marlene and Leni turn into strong, memorable characters too. I knew pretty much nothing about all of them - I'll admit it, I'd never even heard of Marlene and Leni before this novel - so getting to know their lives and legacy was fascinating to me. I restrained myself from googling them so I can get to know them from this novel, but after finishing it I did google them and I'm intrigued to see how closely the novel follows their real lives. However, I was expecting more connections between the three of them and their stories, but only Anna May and Marlene were really in each other's lives after they met at the party. So it felt disjointed, reading the three women's chapters together. They shared a common socio-political context and themes about art, being a female artist and fame, but still I had to re-orientate myself a bit when I move between the mini-segments.
Leni's chapters were also the heaviest, and the tone was quite different from Anna May's and Marlene's, although Anna May's chapters also dealt with racism in early 20th century America and the struggle to find home for the Asian American diaspora. Leni's chapters are very heavy because they go quite deep into the political climate of Nazi Germany, with Hitler and Joseph Goebbels both making appearances and even getting dialogue. Leni was also a controversial director of Nazi propaganda films, and this novel explores how aware and intentional she was in creating Nazi propaganda, raising questions about whether we can and should separate art from politics, and art from the artist. It's very bold of the author to tackle such controversial and complex issues in real history, approaching them from different perspectives, and she has the skill and is knowledgeable about them to do so with sensitivity. Even though the writing is a bit dense, I was very engaged in the story most of the time, and I really cared and felt for the characters.
Amanda Lee Koe is definitely one of my favourite Singapore authors now, along with Balli Kaur Jaswal. I'd only ever read one of her short stories from her award-winning collection "Ministry of Moral Panic," but I could tell her writing is really good, and this, her first novel, shows it even more. She's so smart I'd feel intimidated if I ever meet her in real life!!
Thank you to Pansing for sending me copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
The novel opens in the 1920s, at a party in Berlin where three actresses Anna May Wong, Marlene Dietrich and Leni Riefenstahl met for the first time and pose for a photograph together. Yup, the novel is a historical fiction with real-life famous people as its characters. There's even the two photographs of the three women taken at the party inserted into the book. The reader then follows the three women's lives in the subsequent decades, as they advance their acting (and also, for Leni, directing) careers against the chaotic rise and fall of the Nazi regime. The story is divided into three major segments which are individually split up into three mini-segments, each taking turns to focus on one of the women. Within each mini-segment are a number of chapters that really feel like short stories, because of the way they jump to whole new situations and often even a different character as the chapter's focus. There are lots of side characters, such as Marlene's Chinese maid and the lighting staff on Leni's film production team, and they are vividly developed too. I actually think some of the most memorable chapters come from the side characters.
Anna May, Marlene and Leni turn into strong, memorable characters too. I knew pretty much nothing about all of them - I'll admit it, I'd never even heard of Marlene and Leni before this novel - so getting to know their lives and legacy was fascinating to me. I restrained myself from googling them so I can get to know them from this novel, but after finishing it I did google them and I'm intrigued to see how closely the novel follows their real lives. However, I was expecting more connections between the three of them and their stories, but only Anna May and Marlene were really in each other's lives after they met at the party. So it felt disjointed, reading the three women's chapters together. They shared a common socio-political context and themes about art, being a female artist and fame, but still I had to re-orientate myself a bit when I move between the mini-segments.
Leni's chapters were also the heaviest, and the tone was quite different from Anna May's and Marlene's, although Anna May's chapters also dealt with racism in early 20th century America and the struggle to find home for the Asian American diaspora. Leni's chapters are very heavy because they go quite deep into the political climate of Nazi Germany, with Hitler and Joseph Goebbels both making appearances and even getting dialogue. Leni was also a controversial director of Nazi propaganda films, and this novel explores how aware and intentional she was in creating Nazi propaganda, raising questions about whether we can and should separate art from politics, and art from the artist. It's very bold of the author to tackle such controversial and complex issues in real history, approaching them from different perspectives, and she has the skill and is knowledgeable about them to do so with sensitivity. Even though the writing is a bit dense, I was very engaged in the story most of the time, and I really cared and felt for the characters.
Amanda Lee Koe is definitely one of my favourite Singapore authors now, along with Balli Kaur Jaswal. I'd only ever read one of her short stories from her award-winning collection "Ministry of Moral Panic," but I could tell her writing is really good, and this, her first novel, shows it even more. She's so smart I'd feel intimidated if I ever meet her in real life!!
Thank you to Pansing for sending me copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
1w2e3r4a5's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicide, War, Trafficking, and Sexual content
sansksksksk's review against another edition
3.0
it was,, fine
i liked anna may and marlene and have absolutely no idea why i was supposed to care about or sympathise with a nazi actress. maybe im missing the point but i dont sympathise with leni at all? people died bc of hitler and i dont care nearly enough about her idea of ~art~ to be invested in leni.
my favourite lil idea in the book was that an orangutan has the key to the basement of leipzig zoo. i loved that- i thought it was so pretty and painful at once
yea i love glamour historical fiction but this was not it, too much dull not enough glamour and fun and whimsy with a touch of political turmoil for me. i wasnt ever intrigued to read more or keep reading
nevertheless anna may and marlene dietrich as starlets sounds gorgeous and id have preferred if this was about them (though ik leni and marlene are stated to be foils but from a pure enjoyment perspective, big no frm me)
i liked anna may and marlene and have absolutely no idea why i was supposed to care about or sympathise with a nazi actress. maybe im missing the point but i dont sympathise with leni at all? people died bc of hitler and i dont care nearly enough about her idea of ~art~ to be invested in leni.
my favourite lil idea in the book was that an orangutan has the key to the basement of leipzig zoo. i loved that- i thought it was so pretty and painful at once
yea i love glamour historical fiction but this was not it, too much dull not enough glamour and fun and whimsy with a touch of political turmoil for me. i wasnt ever intrigued to read more or keep reading
nevertheless anna may and marlene dietrich as starlets sounds gorgeous and id have preferred if this was about them (though ik leni and marlene are stated to be foils but from a pure enjoyment perspective, big no frm me)