An entertaining novel that's full of melodrama, sex, intrigue, lifestyles of the rich and famous set in post WWII New York and California, Valley of the Dolls has been a classic soap opera read for the past thirty-plus years. The novel follows three heroines as they try to "make it" - Anne, the classic and sensible one, Neely, the young ingenue with a big voice, and Jennifer, the actress with a fantastic body. Set over the course of 15 years, readers unfortunately see the demands of fame, lost loves and struggles with drugs (the titular "Dolls")that plague each woman. I really enjoyed this one, though the end was a little depressing. The library has the movie adaptation of this, so it'll be fun to compare the two.
For some reason, I felt like it took me forever to finish this one, which is strange because it was a rather cute little story. Truly is a heroine of enormous proportions - she was born big (which ultimately kills her mother and turns her father into an alcoholic) and continues to just grow and grow throughout her life in upstate New York. All of this is compounded by the fact that her older sister, Serena Jane, is beloved by the rest of the town for being little, dainty, beautiful and perfect. Despite all of these hardships, Truly remains a kind figure, if something of an outcast. However, after her sister's untimely demise, Truly must move in to take care of Serena's nefarious husband and child. And this is where things start to get a little...crazy. There's lots more to this story than I'm describing - betrayal, murder, mysticism and true love. The pacing is quick and Baker does a nice job of characterization. Overall, a good read.
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