The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin

genre: historical fiction

It's hard to imagine a time before Hollywood was itself - that glittering town where dreams are made, but The Girls in the Picture does just that, transports us back to the very beginning of what came to be known as "movies."  Mary Pickford is a young and firey actress, determined to make her mark and Frances Marion (TWICE divorced!) knows only that she wants to be a part of the art world somehow.  How these two make an acquaintance, which turns in a powerful friendship and partnership, is at the crux of this novel.  Mary and Frances, two women afloat in a sea of men, become legendary figures in the chronology of film production. 

There was much to enjoy in this novel.  So many familiar names (Charlie Chaplin!  Douglas Fairbanks! Cecil B DeMille!), so much cultural and pop history throughout the story.  We see with our own eyes the creation of celebrity - individuals whose lives in some ways, fall out of their control as society makes its demands of them.  Mary and Frances are both stubborn and complex women and I appreciated that we got to see the story from both of their points of view.  It went on a bit long for me and a few secondary characters were a bit caricatured.  Occasionally both women would drive me a bit crazy with their internal dialogue but I really enjoyed, especially, learning about the early days of movies.  So many times I would put the book down and go on YouTube and search up Mary's latest film that I was learning about.  Fascinating, to watch those movies with a bit more context under my belt.  The last thing I want to mention is how important it is to remember how hard it was for women to make their way in a men's world in the early 20th century - the book certainly brings home how challenging it was Mary and Frances and other women like them to get not just equitable pay but respect among their male peers. 

If you are a history buff or appreciate books about complicated relationships between strong women, I'd recommend Girls in the Picture.

note: I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes only, all thoughts are my own.