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Linda Z. (Melville, NY)
An Intriguing and Captivating Novel
Lindsay Lynch, the author of "Do Tell," has written an intriguing and captivating novel. The timeline for this novel is just before World War Two and takes place in Hollywood. The genres for this novel are Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction, and Fiction. The author vividly describes the entertainment business's costume scenery, glitz, and glamour. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex, complicated, superficial, and flawed. I appreciate that Lindsay Lynch has a front page with a list of characters. There are many characters, which was somewhat confusing initially, and the list was quite helpful.
…more The protagonist, Edie O'Dare, is a mediocre actress whose contract expires. On the side, she is paid to give a gossip columnist news about the actors from the studio. Once Edie no longer works as an actress, she writes a column, "Do Tell," providing the secrets, gossip, and scandals, with little thought to the consequences. All this information equals money. Edie has a particular talent for sensing and seeing things others don't.
I found it interesting how powerful a "Gossip Columnist" and the Movie Industry could be, as well as controlling. There also were politics. This was a novel idea, and the characters seemed to have "real lives" that reminded me of a Soap Opera. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel. (less)This was not an easy book to rate/review. Its storyline seemed a bit disjointed. Since I really enjoy tales of classic Hollywood, the golden days of cinema, with its descriptions of designer gowns, beautiful actors/actresses and extravagant movie premiers. I was excited to get this book for review.
It is a story of Edie O'Dare, a blossoming gossip columnist, (era of Louella
Parsons and Hedda Hopper) in Hollywood. As an actress, Edie finds she has a knack for getting the gossip on the studios, its actors, and their behaviors and
misadventures. As her acting career fizzles, she turns to becoming a formidable
…more columnist. The story is told by Edie as she looks back on her career with its many dark times. Her involvement in the case of a young, raped starlet has haunted her throughout her career. It was a time when everyone hid their sexual preferences, being sure to keep it quiet for fear of being blackballed.
The author writes well and brings her reader into old Hollywood, however, the one thing that really bothered me was its countless number of characters. I found myself trying to guess which legends her characters were based on. Even though the author provides a character glossary at the book's front to use while you're reading, trying to remember who everyone is and having to go back to look can be a bit irritating. (less)I found "Do Tell", a debut book by Lindsay Lynch, to be light and fluffy just like sand on a beach. Summer is synonymous with a good beach read and if this is what you're craving, this book is for you. I am intrigued as many are of the Hollywood in its Golden days…the 1930s and 40s, but I'm afraid this book just lacked substance for me. It did prompt me to dig somewhat into the stars and starlets of that era. I wish the author luck in her emerging writing career!
Catherine O. (Altavista, VA)
Gossip of the Golden Age
This novel relies on a single narrator who over the course of decades uses her insider information to make or break Hollywood careers. We never get to really understand the characters that Edie reports about. I wanted to learn more about the many interesting characters that populate this novel. If you are a reader who enjoys reading about scandals, intrigue, and general bad behavior this well researched novel is for you. It certainly seems that not many things in Hollywood have changed!
Sandra C. (Rensselaer, NY)
Hollywood in the past
The author gave us a view into the old Hollywood where gossip columnists such as Hedda Hopper wrote titillating tidbits about the industry. One would wonder if any of the characters were based on real movie stars of old. Some of the issues presented continue to the present. There is a price to pay for "glamor".
Lesley F. (San Diego, CA)
Gossip Columnist Gossips
Interesting gossip could make a great page-turner. This book is written in the first person - one gossip columnist working in old Hollywood - like Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper. The information shared about actors, directors, who was with whom, and so on, is great fun to read - but the character telling the story is not likeable. I was very upset by some things she did and did not do, to and for others, whether printing gossip or giving "advice" to friends and family, because at the end all she said was, "Oh well" and her story was finished. It seemed to me that she was at fault for many of the sad things
…more that happened and that "Oh well" was not pleasant. Maybe it is not necessary to like the character telling the story, and I am old fashioned. Maybe it is much closer to the truth than not, and is just a case of, "Oh well". (less)The book rehashes old Hollywood scandals that have been thrown together and mixed up and written into a mishmash in which no actual scandal is left clearly. Even the purported author of the book, Edie O'Dare is a conglomeration of Louella Parsons ( Poppy?, although LP was the most feared woman in Hollywood at the time ) and Hedda Hopper--known for her extravagant hats, less than stellar movie career and being the mother of Perry Mason's assistant in the old TV show. A touch of Sheila Graham, another though lesser gossip columnist of the era, has been added to O'Dare's character. Graham's drunken screenwriter was
…more her lover, F.Scott Fitzgerald not her brother, however.
It is to the point, that I, an 80 year old, would even be able to make these connections. And because these and other similarities to the real Hollywood characters of the pre-War and post-War era that it would seem the book is aimed to me and my generation. But, it is all old hat, old news and just boring--not even worth stopping to try to ID the real cast. As to the relationship between Charles and Hal, in today's world it would not even cause a second look. And, in today's world, I doubt the generations younger than mine would care about a book that really just reads like ancient gossip columns.
The characters are superficial and don't elicit any feelings in the reader at all--but then, Hollywood is and always was superficial and the public's real knowledge of any personal life of the members of the Biz has never changed. We know what will induce us to pay money to see the stars and anyone who doesn't toe the line finds that the publicity is less than career enhancing. (less)This should have been my kind of book.Old Hollywood, gossip, stars being bad and hiding secrets but this didn’t do it. I was never pulled into the story. Too many characters and they weren’t fleshed out. It felt choppy and off balanced and I found myself not wanting to pick it up. This wasn’t a win for me.
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