It has not aged at all, easily holding its own when 50 years later bonk busters are more risqué yet nothing seems to shock us readers the way they used to. American author Jacqueline Susann became an instant celebrity. It caused quite a stir when first published spending weeks at the top of best seller lists and was one of the most talked about books of the 60s. Valley of the Dolls is as timely today as it was when first published in 1966. It remains one of my all time favourite good reads!
It's very readable and I do recommend it if you haven't come across it before. I'm pleased that Virago have decided to release it again as a "modern classic". It's quite fun to try to guess upon whom the characters were based, but I suspect they were not based on anyone, but were compilations, if you like, of various celebrities of the 50's and 60's. It certainly did not show up Hollywood and show business in a good light. It dealt with sex and drug use in a way that was seen as explicit. In its day it was considered quite shocking. But the main thing about this book is that it is a good story you find yourself rooting for Anne, Neely and Jennifer even if at some points the story you don't especially like them (Neely in particular!). There's a certain feminist slant to it (although I doubt that was the intention when it was written) in that the heroines live their lives on their terms even when their men betray them and let them down.
The characters are well written and the story cracks along at a fair old pace. Husbands and lovers come and go, and all three women end up dependant on prescription drugs / sleeping tablets - the "dolls" of the title. One becomes a big star and a horrendous diva, one becomes a model and makes a lot of money, and one a lesser star who at one stage makes "art films" in Paris. The book chronicles their trials and tribulations over a period of about 15 years. Anne, Jenifer and Neely are three young women who become friends in 1945, in post-war New York.
I still have my original copy from that period, but it is falling apart now - hence I bought a new copy.Īfter all these years, I still love this book, and I think it still holds up as a good read. I first read this book in the 1970's when it was passed round at school.
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