29th
Jun
Jun
Today I’m excited to participate in the Blog Tour of ‘Valley
of the Dolls’ by Jacqueline Susann. ‘Valley of the Dolls’ was first published
in 1966, and now ‘Valley of the Dolls’ turns fifty!! To celebrate this
remarkable event, Virago is celebrating its era-defining and record-breaking
brilliance with a special anniversary edition, complete with a brand new cover
and pink-edged pages.
About the Book:
Before Jackie Collins, Candace Bushnell and Lena Dunham, Jacqueline
Susann held the world rapt with her tales of the private passions of Hollywood
starlets, high-powered industrialists and the jet-set.
Susann held the world rapt with her tales of the private passions of Hollywood
starlets, high-powered industrialists and the jet-set.
Valley of the Dolls took the world by storm when it was
first published, fifty years ago. Never had a book been so frank about sex,
drugs and show business. It is often cited as the bestselling novel of all
time.
first published, fifty years ago. Never had a book been so frank about sex,
drugs and show business. It is often cited as the bestselling novel of all
time.
Dolls – red or black; capsules or tablets; washed down
with vodka or swallowed straight. For Anne, Neely and Jennifer, it doesn’t
matter, as long as the pill bottle is within easy reach. These three beautiful
women become best friends when they are young and in New York, struggling to
make their names in the entertainment industry. Only when they reach the peak
of their careers do they find there’s nowhere left to go but down – to the
Valley of the Dolls.
with vodka or swallowed straight. For Anne, Neely and Jennifer, it doesn’t
matter, as long as the pill bottle is within easy reach. These three beautiful
women become best friends when they are young and in New York, struggling to
make their names in the entertainment industry. Only when they reach the peak
of their careers do they find there’s nowhere left to go but down – to the
Valley of the Dolls.
The Facts:
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Publication Date:
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June 2nd, 2016 (special anniversary edition)
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Series:
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–
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Genre:
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Women’s Fiction
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Pages:
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496
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Formats:
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eBook, Paperback, Hardcover, Audio
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Available at:
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My Review:
A view weeks ago I was approached to read the 50th
anniversary celebration book of ‘Valley of the Dolls’. Since I haven’t read
‘Valley of the Dolls’ before, I was intrigued by the idea of a book that seemed
still so successful 50 years after its first publication. Although I didn’t
hear about this book before I received the email, I definitely looked up some
reviews. And I decided I really wanted to read this book.
anniversary celebration book of ‘Valley of the Dolls’. Since I haven’t read
‘Valley of the Dolls’ before, I was intrigued by the idea of a book that seemed
still so successful 50 years after its first publication. Although I didn’t
hear about this book before I received the email, I definitely looked up some
reviews. And I decided I really wanted to read this book.
‘Valley of the Dolls’ is a different book than I first
expected it to be. Through reading all those reviews I expected a Sex & the
City kind of book. Although I get where that idea came from, this book didn’t
gave me a Sex & the City kind of feel at all. Which I suppose could be
expected since it was written more than 50 years ago.
expected it to be. Through reading all those reviews I expected a Sex & the
City kind of book. Although I get where that idea came from, this book didn’t
gave me a Sex & the City kind of feel at all. Which I suppose could be
expected since it was written more than 50 years ago.
The characters were definitely fun to read about, but
especially Anne wasn’t a character I particularly liked. To be honest, I didn’t
like her character at all. The way her supposed fiancé just could walk all over
her irritated me immensely. And since the first half of the book was all about
her character, this was a little hard to make me enthusiastic.
especially Anne wasn’t a character I particularly liked. To be honest, I didn’t
like her character at all. The way her supposed fiancé just could walk all over
her irritated me immensely. And since the first half of the book was all about
her character, this was a little hard to make me enthusiastic.
But I kept going and I definitely liked getting to know
all these different characters. And the three main characters Anne, Neely and
Jennifer are definitely very different from each other. I loved Neely the most,
just because she was so enthusiastic and childlike. She had this innocence
about herself that I really liked. And another character I liked was Helen..
She was a fun character!!
all these different characters. And the three main characters Anne, Neely and
Jennifer are definitely very different from each other. I loved Neely the most,
just because she was so enthusiastic and childlike. She had this innocence
about herself that I really liked. And another character I liked was Helen..
She was a fun character!!
Thinking about this book being published 50 years ago.. I
can totally see why this book was a ‘thing’ back then. Although some parts seem
a little old-fashioned, there were definitely a lot of parts that were probably
‘extreme’ for that time. For example the pills, and the sex.
can totally see why this book was a ‘thing’ back then. Although some parts seem
a little old-fashioned, there were definitely a lot of parts that were probably
‘extreme’ for that time. For example the pills, and the sex.
What impressed me about this book? Well, somehow I kept
reading this book although, at times, I didn’t like it all that much. The
romance is hard to find, the male characters are depressing but still.. This
book kept me wanting to keep on reading because I just had to know what
happened to the characters.
reading this book although, at times, I didn’t like it all that much. The
romance is hard to find, the male characters are depressing but still.. This
book kept me wanting to keep on reading because I just had to know what
happened to the characters.
So.. the end conclusion.. I’m glad I’ve read this book,
and I did enjoy it, especially near the end. But it’s not really my thing. Still..
50th anniversary.. that’s impressive!
and I did enjoy it, especially near the end. But it’s not really my thing. Still..
50th anniversary.. that’s impressive!
My Rating:
Praise for ‘Valley of the Dolls’:
“Valley of the
Dolls is truly a timeless classic . . .Today Neely O’Hara would become a
YouTube sensation, Jennifer North would be an Instagram influencer, and Anne
Welles would be a Snapchat queen. No matter how high-toned people want to be,
there’s nothing more addictive than a juicy, scandal-filled, drama-laced soap
opera!”
Dolls is truly a timeless classic . . .Today Neely O’Hara would become a
YouTube sensation, Jennifer North would be an Instagram influencer, and Anne
Welles would be a Snapchat queen. No matter how high-toned people want to be,
there’s nothing more addictive than a juicy, scandal-filled, drama-laced soap
opera!”
—Mickey Boardman, Paper
Mag
Mag
“Jackie, it seemed, understood by instinct that her readers were ready for the
raw side of love . . . for a franker sexuality and a tougher kind of story—for
romance with tears and oral sex.”
—Michael Korda, New
Yorker
Yorker
“Racing against
time for fame, Susann knew how to give readers what they wanted: a shockingly
contemporary page-turner that went deep into the stuff of taboo, but still
adhered to old scripts of women suffering virtuously in their undying love of
men.”
time for fame, Susann knew how to give readers what they wanted: a shockingly
contemporary page-turner that went deep into the stuff of taboo, but still
adhered to old scripts of women suffering virtuously in their undying love of
men.”
—Tim Murphy, Nation
“I marvel as
always at the raw energy, the detail, and the grim authenticity of the book’s
depiction of New York show biz society in 1945 . . . I grew up as a writer
believing that this kind of bestseller was ‘trash’ . . . But I have learned
from Jackie Susann. I have always respected her power.”
always at the raw energy, the detail, and the grim authenticity of the book’s
depiction of New York show biz society in 1945 . . . I grew up as a writer
believing that this kind of bestseller was ‘trash’ . . . But I have learned
from Jackie Susann. I have always respected her power.”
—Anne Rice
“Susann predicted
the celebrity culture we live in now. Actually, she invented it: fame is as
fame does.”
the celebrity culture we live in now. Actually, she invented it: fame is as
fame does.”
—Letty Pogrebin
“If Jacqueline
Susann was not precisely the ‘voice of the 60s,’ then she was its aching female
heart.”
Susann was not precisely the ‘voice of the 60s,’ then she was its aching female
heart.”
—Amy Fine Collins,
Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair
“Decades ahead of
its time . . . Mesmerizing . . . The equation of emotional dependencies with
drug addiction in one comprehensive personality disorder is, if anything, more
chic today than in Susann’s time.”
its time . . . Mesmerizing . . . The equation of emotional dependencies with
drug addiction in one comprehensive personality disorder is, if anything, more
chic today than in Susann’s time.”
—Mim Udovitch, Village
Voice Literary Supplement
Voice Literary Supplement
About the Author:
Jacqueline Susann is a legend in American publishing.Susann was the first author to have three consecutive #1 books on the New York
Times Bestseller List. She was married to her beloved husband, producer Irving
Mansfield, until her untimely death on September 21, 1974, after a
courageously
fought battle with breast cancer. Susann’s intensely private twelve-year fight
to overcome the disease was not known publicly until after death. She was 56.
For more information about ‘Valley of the Dolls’ please visit the website.
I received this book from the Little, Brown Book Group in exchange for my honest review.
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Maureen is a mom, wife, nurse, and Ravenclaw living in the Netherlands. She spends her days juggling mom-life, reading, blogging, planning date nights with her husband and working as a nurse. Maureen also is a big Anglophile, loves cooking, Gilmore Girls, Bridgerton and Harry Potter.. Always! Facebook | Instagram
This book has been on my to read with so long! I'm a bit lukewarm about reading it now after your review though! I can see what might have been ground breaking 50 years ago isn't so fresh nowadays. Like you said its popularity over the years is impressive though. And so maybe someday I'll finally get to it.
In the end.. I'm definitely glad I read it. But it's not what I expected. Maybe if I read it years ago I would have loved it more. 😉