Blonde: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Yes! I read this book every summer and will continue to...
Review: This is not only a story for those Marilyn Monroe fans, but also for those who just enjoy a good read. Although I haven't always been keen on Joyce Carol Oates' writing, I must admit that this book had me captivated. Oates managed to caputre something so true and pure in this fictional biography of Monroe - her inner being. Oates may have been dead on or completely off in her depiction of Monroe, but that she gives such a clear depiction of who Norma Jean really was (not Marilyn) on the inside even through a third-person narration style - a lost, whimsical girl who just wanted to please and be loved while dealing with a quiet, creeping insanity and depression. The novel moves smoothly through Norma Jean's life. One can easily guess the other characters even though they are never named (her husbands, actresses that she admired, etc...). It makes one want to go rent the movies after reading the other side of the story. It made a true Marilyn addict out of me.