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A review by literarycrushes
Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
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!