I read this in high school... goodness knows why. I didn't particularly enjoy it, though it does keep moving along and kind of holds you in town hoping that eventually things will go right for the characters or that they will have some insight into their lives and take a little responsibility or face up and change eventually... but it never happens. This has got to be one of the most depressing books I've ever read. Unfortunately I can't even really say it presents women in a bad light or unfairly, because I still know women like this. I think this novel is a kind of anti-feminist classic; a kind of cautionary tale that maybe all teen girls should read so they don't ever grow up to be mindless bimbos who - despite their brains and talent and success and friendships with other women - STILL define themselves and their happiness entirely through the eyes and desires of men.

This book is way too long and the characters are dull. Neely O’Hara was the worst if all. I wanted to finish it to say I read it but it was a bit of a chore. ( )

Despite being a classic had I before I got asked if I wanted to participate in the blog tour never read nor seen the movie version of Valley of the Dolls. But, since I'm a daring person when it comes to books did I not hesitate to read it, despite not knowing much about the book. I do not know how big a hit the book was in Sweden when it was published, but I have never really heard that much about the book, could be because I was not born when it was published. So, it was interesting to read a book that so many people seem to like and that seemed to have been an inspiration source for other female writers.

And, the book turned out to be quite good, in the kind of depressing way when you read something that you know will not end on a happy note. And, I was right. Anne, Neely, and Jennifer, they all reach success in their own way, but that doesn't mean that their life will be happy and unhappiness in love, addiction to pills and illness mark their lives. I would say that this book written 50 years ago and taking place over 20 years from the middle of the 40s could just as well has been written today. Not, much has changed in the world and the struggle to get to the top is still a dangerous climb. I mean how many celebrities have not died because of drugs in the last couple of years?

Of all the characters in the book was it Neely that I had the most problems with. Right from the start did I feel that she was annoying and towards the end of the book I really hated her. I really mean that I almost had a throw the book away moment because of her. I get angry just thinking about her while writing the review. Jennifer, I feel sorry for, she is so beautiful, but her mother controlled her life and not even her beauty could make her really happy, or rather her beauty would be the end for her since that was all people saw. And then we have Anne, who only wanted real love, and in the end, she got love, but at a cost.

It's a very tragic book and I do not know if it's a book I would like to read again, but and I'm glad I read the book. Valley of the Dolls is well-written and interesting and it feels timeless.

Thanks to Virago for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! ( )

I read the 50th anniversary version of this book. It had a special intro from Simon Noonan that gave some great background into the author and the storyline and why this was so shocking for its time. It's the classic tale of women wanting to be famous and doing anything to get there.

Personally, I didn't feel like it was very shocking at all but I can imagine it would have been. But, then again, I've been reading trashy romance for a while! ;-) This isn't a trashy romance per se but it still gets trashy. We just see it all on TV and movies these days and get so used to the drugs and sex.

I really can't review it any better than it has already been done here on Goodreads. Read the others ones. Some of them are better than the book.

( )

Fun snapshot of an era. The story kept me interested all the way through. I enjoyed imagining who each female character was modeled after from a real life celebrity. However, the ending disappointed me. ( )