4 out of 4 stars
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My Friend Marilyn is a novel by Christopher Lentz. It is one of his novels in The Great American Destination Series. It is a historical-fiction story with a dose of romance. The story revolves around the life of Marilyn Monroe in Hotel Coronado during the production of Some Like It Hot.
The book consists of 82 chapters. At the beginning of every chapter, the author gives details of where and when the events in the chapter happen. I liked this aspect of the book.
When I first saw the title of the book, I thought that Marilyn would be the main character of the story. However, the book proved otherwise. Penny Parker takes the lead in the story. She is a plus-size girl who got lucky and was chosen to be one of Marilyn Monroe’s assistants during the shooting of the film. Her encounter with the beautiful actress changed her life forever.
The author’s creativity kept me wanting to know more about the story. The introduction of new characters did not alter the flow of the story. Frankie, Penny’s favorite man, enables the reader to connect with her in a deeper manner. Both of them have been victims of bullying and dysfunctional families. Penny left her parents' home to escape the emotional wounds that come with a broken family. She finds a haven in Trudy’s house. It was while at Trudy’s that she was lucky to get an invitation to work for the famous actress. The events that happened after the invitation changed her life for the best.
I liked many aspects of the book. The author’s style of writing is simple and easy to understand. He has masterfully developed the characters. I loved how the author used real-life events to create a historical fiction piece that is nothing short of excellent. His ability to paint scenes and events with words made me feel like I was watching a movie. In some instances, the author goes poetic to deliver his message to the reader. In addition, the transitions between chapters are smooth.
My Friend Marilyn is really an absorbing piece. However, I felt that the author gave it a quick ending. I would have loved to know more about the lives of Frankie, Penny, and Chip, the new addition to their “family”. Nevertheless, it is a professionally written book with an incredible story and a brilliant plot. It deserves a perfect score. Thus, I give it 4 out of 4 stars. The few errors that I came across while reading the book did not distract me from enjoying the story. Therefore, I would not give it a lower rating. I recommend it to everyone who is interested in reading a good piece of historical fiction packed with a mild dose of mystery and romance.
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My Friend Marilyn
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