Review of MY FRIEND Marilyn

[Veronika Em]

[Following is a volunteer review of "MY FRIEND Marilyn" by Christopher Lentz.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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My friend Marilyn, is a novel set at the Hotel del Coronado during the filming of “Some Like It Hot” starring Marilyn Monroe. Penny, a cashier who becomes an assistant to Marilyn during the filming, lives vicariously through the queens of the cinema and indulges this tendency as often as she can to escape the contrasting drudgery of her life. When Marilyn Monroe comes to town and befriends her the fantasy of cinema and the reality of her life collide and she begins to see her life for what it already has.
The positive aspects of this story is the color that the author, Christopher Lenz, injects into all the characters. This is a story about transformative experiences that open your eyes to really see the people around you. Penny, for the first time in her life, really talks to her parents, and they really open up to her. The author made it believable. It was not forced, surprising but organic. She already saw her friends, people she had chosen to be family, as people that loved and supported her but even she did not know the extent of their deep regard. Penny’s dialogue with Marilyn was easy, and had the believability of two conspiratorial girlfriends. The mannerisms and characteristics of Marilyn that we know from other reported accounts of Marilyn are well reflected here.
Although the first two chapters seem a little overly descriptive, and seem like an effort to flesh out the different characters, including Penny as quickly as possible, there are many details in the first few pages that do not have any function in the overall story. These details, and some of the dialogue didn’t feel necessary to the story and detracted from the likeability of Penny. However, having said that, once past the first two chapters I quickly warmed up to Penny and couldn’t wait for her to meet Marilyn Monroe. I had to get through a third of the novel before Penny eventually met Marilyn, and immediately Penny was again annoying. Happily her silly speech quickly disappeared.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Once you get into it the story keeps you engaged until you finish it.
I would recommend this novel to those interested in Marilyn Monroe and who enjoy movies from the era of the silver screen goddesses. I would also recommend this novel to young females for whom the journey to self-appreciation resonates, and to those who appreciate a romance in their stories.

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MY FRIEND Marilyn
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