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A Dream Called Marilyn: A Novella
In the summer of 1962, nothing could prepare Dr. Charles Campbell for his first meeting with new client, Marilyn Monroe. A reputable LA psychiatrist, he's been hired by a studio executive to help the troubled star--no matter what it takes. In the days that follow, Charles' world is turned upside-down. Marilyn shares her secrets and threatens to go public with information that could ruin her career and destroy President Kennedy's administration. Saving Marilyn from her self-destructive ways, and from those invested in protecting Kennedy, will mean crossing doctor-patient boundaries--and might cost Charles his life.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 13, 2015
It's the summer of 1962 and psychiatrist Dr. Charles Campbell is preparing to meet a new patient; Marilyn Monroe. He has been hired by the studio to handle and subdue the star. What he didn't expect was how Marilyn would change his world. He can't help not be smitten by the star, but her secrets and her affair with a powerful man makes him realize that her life could be in danger,
Marilyn Monroe's death never seizes to intrigue the world. Was it an accidental overdose, suicide or was she murdered? Mercedes Kings fictional take on Marilyn's death was an interesting version. Of course Dr. Charles Campbell is just a fictional character just like the rest of the story, but I enjoyed this fiction version of the last weeks of Marilyn's life.
It's a short book, it never really gets deep, but I found that Mercedes King has managed to write a really good story, despite the shortness of the book and the ending was a bit surprising must I say. I like that I couldn't predict everything that happened.
Marilyn Monroe has left her mark on the world and after reading this book am I a bit tempted to read some more books about her or perhaps watch a film with her. I just love Some Like it Hot!
I received this copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review!
Review also posted on A Bookaholic Swede and It's a Mad Mad World
Marilyn Monroe's death never seizes to intrigue the world. Was it an accidental overdose, suicide or was she murdered? Mercedes Kings fictional take on Marilyn's death was an interesting version. Of course Dr. Charles Campbell is just a fictional character just like the rest of the story, but I enjoyed this fiction version of the last weeks of Marilyn's life.
It's a short book, it never really gets deep, but I found that Mercedes King has managed to write a really good story, despite the shortness of the book and the ending was a bit surprising must I say. I like that I couldn't predict everything that happened.
Marilyn Monroe has left her mark on the world and after reading this book am I a bit tempted to read some more books about her or perhaps watch a film with her. I just love Some Like it Hot!
I received this copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review!
Review also posted on A Bookaholic Swede and It's a Mad Mad World
January 30, 2015
What's a man to do when he's hired by a studio executive to 'subdue' the world's favorite bombshell? Dr. Charles Campbell faces the greatest challenge of his career--and his life--when he agrees to take on Marilyn Monroe as his new client. After gaining her trust, Charles' world goes into a tailspin. Her secrets, her issues, entrap him in her world, a place where such secrets are dangerous, and may cost Charles his life.
January 30, 2015
What's a man to do, when he's hired to 'subdue' the world's favorite bombshell? Charles Campbell is faced with several challenges when it comes to treating Ms. Monroe, which starts during their first session with Marilyn's admission that she's 'dangerous'. Charles must gain her trust, but that will only entrap him in the sludge of Marilyn's problems--both real and emotional.
June 24, 2024
I was thinking about the real story of Marilyn Monroe the whole time I read this book. It’s only a short story, but it fully consumes you, as the women itself, consumed everyone around her, everyone wanted to know her, every women wanted to be like her, every men wanted to be with her.
It feels like a fewer dream, a fantasy of the regular men, as it’s not the story about the actress so much, but about the effect she had on people, what came into your life with her, changing it forever…
It feels like a fewer dream, a fantasy of the regular men, as it’s not the story about the actress so much, but about the effect she had on people, what came into your life with her, changing it forever…
May 27, 2015
"A dream. A beautiful dream that breaks your heart."
August of 1962. The beautiful Marilyn Monroe will be leaving us soon. Her death will forever be a mysterious conspiracy to some and inevitable suicide, according to the coroner's final report. Will the truth ever be known? Is there someone out there, still alive, concealing the actual facts? Did the red diary ever exist? Could the outcome have been a different one if Monroe would have had a different doctor, one that limited her narcotic intake instead of arming the actress with lethal doses? Or were there sinister plots set in motion to keep Marilyn from talking and exposing those she was rumored to be involved with? And, what DID Marilyn want to say, if this conspiracy is to be believed? Mercedes King's fictional account visits the last week's of Marilyn's life and King puts an interesting spin on things.
Dr. Charles Campbell, psychiatrist, can't believe his good fortune. THE Marilyn Monroe will be in his office for a scheduled appointment. Twentieth Century Fox and studio execs have hired him to get a handle on the out-of-control actress. The studio needs Monroe in a manageable condition. Fuming that Marilyn missed filming to attend a very public birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden, Fox fires Marilyn from the set of Some Like it Hot. Under obligation to complete her contract, studio execs need her in working form and they don't care who or how it gets done. Enter the good doctor.
Dr. Campbell is already fantasizing when Marilyn Monroe enters his office. Although he's coached himself to remain calm and professional, he is completely smitten upon her arrival. Like a dream she enters his world. Like a nightmare, she will leave it.
O.k. Obviously, most of us know every little spec on MM. I know I do. I'm a MAJOR MM fan. Nothing you can tell me that I don't already know. So, I like when new fictional accounts are written about this mesmerizing beauty. For me, she comes alive again once more. While this book covers nothing new about Marilyn, King examines new and fictional possibilities. Hey! It coulda happened. Either way, it's an interesting plot.
* Thanks to NetGalley for approving and sharing a digital review copy in exchange for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August of 1962. The beautiful Marilyn Monroe will be leaving us soon. Her death will forever be a mysterious conspiracy to some and inevitable suicide, according to the coroner's final report. Will the truth ever be known? Is there someone out there, still alive, concealing the actual facts? Did the red diary ever exist? Could the outcome have been a different one if Monroe would have had a different doctor, one that limited her narcotic intake instead of arming the actress with lethal doses? Or were there sinister plots set in motion to keep Marilyn from talking and exposing those she was rumored to be involved with? And, what DID Marilyn want to say, if this conspiracy is to be believed? Mercedes King's fictional account visits the last week's of Marilyn's life and King puts an interesting spin on things.
Dr. Charles Campbell, psychiatrist, can't believe his good fortune. THE Marilyn Monroe will be in his office for a scheduled appointment. Twentieth Century Fox and studio execs have hired him to get a handle on the out-of-control actress. The studio needs Monroe in a manageable condition. Fuming that Marilyn missed filming to attend a very public birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden, Fox fires Marilyn from the set of Some Like it Hot. Under obligation to complete her contract, studio execs need her in working form and they don't care who or how it gets done. Enter the good doctor.
Dr. Campbell is already fantasizing when Marilyn Monroe enters his office. Although he's coached himself to remain calm and professional, he is completely smitten upon her arrival. Like a dream she enters his world. Like a nightmare, she will leave it.
O.k. Obviously, most of us know every little spec on MM. I know I do. I'm a MAJOR MM fan. Nothing you can tell me that I don't already know. So, I like when new fictional accounts are written about this mesmerizing beauty. For me, she comes alive again once more. While this book covers nothing new about Marilyn, King examines new and fictional possibilities. Hey! It coulda happened. Either way, it's an interesting plot.
* Thanks to NetGalley for approving and sharing a digital review copy in exchange for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 25, 2015
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
With the mystery surrounding the enigma that was Marilyn Monroe and the conspiracy theories that still abound years after her death, a fictional novel based around her final days is always likely to intrigue and this story by Mercedes King doesn't disappoint.
Told through the eyes of psychiatrist Dr Charles Campbell, enlisted by Fox Studio to bring Marilyn under control so she is fit to resume filming, the reader is taken on a journey as he wrestles not only with the difficulties of maintaining a professional relationship with a Hollywood icon, but also the complexities of his own personal life.
The style of writing allows Marilyn to come alive in the eyes of the reader. We see her vulnerability, her desire to be truly loved and her insecurities- all the things we have come to associate her with over the years, revealed through her dialogue with Campbell in a way that you can almost picture the scenes and hear her voice.
There is also a much darker side to the book, as both Campbell and Monroe find their lives in danger. For years since her death, many have refused to accept the coroner's suicide verdict, believing that the secrets she carried were too much of a threat to the Kennedy dynasty and that there was a plot to ensure she was kept quiet. This story explores this possibility, although at the end, we are still left in the dark as to the real truth.
A short, yet compelling read.
With the mystery surrounding the enigma that was Marilyn Monroe and the conspiracy theories that still abound years after her death, a fictional novel based around her final days is always likely to intrigue and this story by Mercedes King doesn't disappoint.
Told through the eyes of psychiatrist Dr Charles Campbell, enlisted by Fox Studio to bring Marilyn under control so she is fit to resume filming, the reader is taken on a journey as he wrestles not only with the difficulties of maintaining a professional relationship with a Hollywood icon, but also the complexities of his own personal life.
The style of writing allows Marilyn to come alive in the eyes of the reader. We see her vulnerability, her desire to be truly loved and her insecurities- all the things we have come to associate her with over the years, revealed through her dialogue with Campbell in a way that you can almost picture the scenes and hear her voice.
There is also a much darker side to the book, as both Campbell and Monroe find their lives in danger. For years since her death, many have refused to accept the coroner's suicide verdict, believing that the secrets she carried were too much of a threat to the Kennedy dynasty and that there was a plot to ensure she was kept quiet. This story explores this possibility, although at the end, we are still left in the dark as to the real truth.
A short, yet compelling read.
March 29, 2015
Chasing the Dream of Marilyn
Decades after her death, Marilyn Monroe still inspires and intrigues us. A Dream Called Marilyn by Mercedes King gives readers a glimpse into Monroe’s final days through her psychoanalyst Dr.Charles Campbell.
King’s prose portrays Monroe as a woman still trying to find her authentic self while navigating the Hollywood facade and the Kennedy political intrigue. Her story resonates a complexity that has kept the world guessing and wondering what she could have accomplished had she not died so soon.
While Monroe’s story has it’s unanswered questions regarding both her life and death, I found Dr. Campbell’s story just as compelling. Campbell is a man trapped in his life just as his newest patient albeit for different reasons. While trying to remain professional , he falls victim to Monroe’s charms and vulnerability. Campbell provides a satisfying frame story that aids in personalizing Monroe’s situation.
A Dream Called Marilyn gives the reader a chance to be an eyewitness into Monroe’s last days through the eyes of Dr. Campbell.
Decades after her death, Marilyn Monroe still inspires and intrigues us. A Dream Called Marilyn by Mercedes King gives readers a glimpse into Monroe’s final days through her psychoanalyst Dr.Charles Campbell.
King’s prose portrays Monroe as a woman still trying to find her authentic self while navigating the Hollywood facade and the Kennedy political intrigue. Her story resonates a complexity that has kept the world guessing and wondering what she could have accomplished had she not died so soon.
While Monroe’s story has it’s unanswered questions regarding both her life and death, I found Dr. Campbell’s story just as compelling. Campbell is a man trapped in his life just as his newest patient albeit for different reasons. While trying to remain professional , he falls victim to Monroe’s charms and vulnerability. Campbell provides a satisfying frame story that aids in personalizing Monroe’s situation.
A Dream Called Marilyn gives the reader a chance to be an eyewitness into Monroe’s last days through the eyes of Dr. Campbell.
April 30, 2015
Dr Campbell is hired to treat Marilyn Monroe. He declares to himself that he will not let anything keep him from being professional. The problem is that he needs her to trust him, which means he has to step over the line. Things just keep spiraling and lives become at risk.
I love historical books. This was a short book but still packed with an amazing story. I always love reading about historical thrillers. I haven't read much about Marilyn, so this was definitely interesting. This story drew you in until the very last page.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love historical books. This was a short book but still packed with an amazing story. I always love reading about historical thrillers. I haven't read much about Marilyn, so this was definitely interesting. This story drew you in until the very last page.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2023
Thank you so much Mercedes King for providing me with the arc of this book!
4/5 🌟
Nothing could have prepared Dr. Charles Campbell for his first session with Marilyn Monroe. He had been hired by a studio executive, who said that she was unpredictable and needed management. Charles felt that he was the ideal man for the job, having helped numerous celebrities before with their problems. When he meets her, he has to force himself to ignore his obvious attraction towards her. When he begins to earn her trust, secrets leak. Secrets that could destroy President Kennedy’s administration, and even cause a nuclear war with Russia. But Charles is more worried about Marilyn. He plans to rescue her from the dangers surrounding her, but will he be too late?
I loved this novella! I have always wondered about Marilyn Monroe’s life but have never really put much thought into it. Reading this has made me so much more interested in her life’s story. This book was completely out of my comfort zone, having not read much historical fiction or books based off of real people before. But it was a real page turner! I couldn’t get enough! I loved Mercedes King’s writing style, she is able to write interesting stories that are also realistic. Overall, this book is a lovely short-read, perfect to get you out of a slump.
4/5 🌟
Nothing could have prepared Dr. Charles Campbell for his first session with Marilyn Monroe. He had been hired by a studio executive, who said that she was unpredictable and needed management. Charles felt that he was the ideal man for the job, having helped numerous celebrities before with their problems. When he meets her, he has to force himself to ignore his obvious attraction towards her. When he begins to earn her trust, secrets leak. Secrets that could destroy President Kennedy’s administration, and even cause a nuclear war with Russia. But Charles is more worried about Marilyn. He plans to rescue her from the dangers surrounding her, but will he be too late?
I loved this novella! I have always wondered about Marilyn Monroe’s life but have never really put much thought into it. Reading this has made me so much more interested in her life’s story. This book was completely out of my comfort zone, having not read much historical fiction or books based off of real people before. But it was a real page turner! I couldn’t get enough! I loved Mercedes King’s writing style, she is able to write interesting stories that are also realistic. Overall, this book is a lovely short-read, perfect to get you out of a slump.
December 21, 2023
I am not a big fan of Marilyn Monroe; however, I was intrigued by the concept of this story. This novella is told from the perspective of Dr. Charles King, a psychiatrist that is hired to help Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn had a history of suicide attempts, and holding up filming projects she was involved in. Charles was tasked with keeping her mentally healthy.
During the course of treatment, Charles learns Marilyn's secret of being involved with President Kennedy. He also hears rumors of a diary that can destroy the President. Due to the rumors, he becomes the target of those that are attempting to find and steal the diary.
Overall, this was a quick read, and it was very entertaining. While not the biggest fan of Marilyn Monroe, it was interesting to learn a little more about her, and the impact she can have on those around her. There was enough intrigue created regarding the diary, and the allusion to President Kennedy to keep me reading and wanting more.
The ending was a little far fetched, though. While not predictable, I felt it could have ended differently. It was just too much for my liking, and even more unbelievable than the story itself.
During the course of treatment, Charles learns Marilyn's secret of being involved with President Kennedy. He also hears rumors of a diary that can destroy the President. Due to the rumors, he becomes the target of those that are attempting to find and steal the diary.
Overall, this was a quick read, and it was very entertaining. While not the biggest fan of Marilyn Monroe, it was interesting to learn a little more about her, and the impact she can have on those around her. There was enough intrigue created regarding the diary, and the allusion to President Kennedy to keep me reading and wanting more.
The ending was a little far fetched, though. While not predictable, I felt it could have ended differently. It was just too much for my liking, and even more unbelievable than the story itself.
January 15, 2025
I'm trying to read more books from my Kindle library...this was one of them.
I wanted to like it. I've enjoyed quite a few fictionalized accounts of Marilyn Monroe. And this one was a novel take... a psychiatrist the studio set up for her to see during the last couple months of her life. However, this was just not done well. It was forced and rushed..zero subtlety...all telling, no showing. And Dr. Campbell was kinda awful. It seemed the author wanted us to Ile him and feel for him. The parallels between his wife and Marilyn. How his wife shirked her motherly duties and he had to fill that role (dinner, bath, bedtime). But then why did he ship his kids away anytime his wife left. And there were so many grammatical and spelling errors. I don't usually post about that in my reviews because I understand that human editors are fallible and it's just part of the process. But the errors in this book were at an almost distracting level.
I wanted to like it. I've enjoyed quite a few fictionalized accounts of Marilyn Monroe. And this one was a novel take... a psychiatrist the studio set up for her to see during the last couple months of her life. However, this was just not done well. It was forced and rushed..zero subtlety...all telling, no showing. And Dr. Campbell was kinda awful. It seemed the author wanted us to Ile him and feel for him. The parallels between his wife and Marilyn. How his wife shirked her motherly duties and he had to fill that role (dinner, bath, bedtime). But then why did he ship his kids away anytime his wife left. And there were so many grammatical and spelling errors. I don't usually post about that in my reviews because I understand that human editors are fallible and it's just part of the process. But the errors in this book were at an almost distracting level.
September 28, 2018
What could have been
One of Marilyn's handlers came to see Charlie, a psychologist, asking him to help the studio keep Marilyn in hand so she would be able to finish the picture she was working on. She was a handful. Charlie was having problems at home. His wife, Helen, wanted to go back to singing, which she did before she got married and had two daughters. Helen's breaking point was when she went to Charlie's office and found Marilyn lying on his lap. She left Charlie. Charlie thought that Marilyn would run away with him, however, she said she was pregnant with Kennedy's baby. The story continues until Marilyn's death, or was it murder?
One of Marilyn's handlers came to see Charlie, a psychologist, asking him to help the studio keep Marilyn in hand so she would be able to finish the picture she was working on. She was a handful. Charlie was having problems at home. His wife, Helen, wanted to go back to singing, which she did before she got married and had two daughters. Helen's breaking point was when she went to Charlie's office and found Marilyn lying on his lap. She left Charlie. Charlie thought that Marilyn would run away with him, however, she said she was pregnant with Kennedy's baby. The story continues until Marilyn's death, or was it murder?
December 9, 2023
A Dream Called Marilyn is a fast paced quick read. I always enjoy fictional tales with hints of historical reality. Although fictional, the way the story is told has you thinking of the effects Marilyn must’ve had on all the people that came into contact with her, the turmoil she went thru and stirs up all the conspiracy theories surrounding her death. Without a spoiler, I will simply say that I absolutely loved the shocking ending! Just wished it went on a bit longer with the lives of the characters afterwards …
November 17, 2024
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only. This was a nice short story about Marilyn Monroe. I don't know much about her so cannot comment on how accurate it is, but I did enjoy the story. The pace was just right as the story progressed but didn't feel rushed which can happen with shorter books. There are some questionable choices that the characters make throughout but that does help to move the story forward. It was good to see this book from the perspective of the doctor rather than someone very close to Marilyn. Overall an enjoyable little read.
June 22, 2025
This novella was captivating! I enjoyed that the main character wasn’t Marilyn Monroe at all but a fictional psychiatrist who observes Marylin’s life from a distance. It makes the story less predictable, thus generating greater suspense. My only criticism is the many typos, misspellings, and grammar mistakes. For instance, “Sophia Loren” is misspelled as “Sophia Lauren”. The TV show title “The Twilight Zone” isn’t italicized as it should be. This book is badly in need of an editor, as there were many typos that occasionally took me out of the story. However, other than that, this novella is well worth reading, as it captures a ghost-like feel, living up to the mystical “dream” implied in the title.
November 23, 2025
A Dream Called Marilyn (Paperback)
by Mercedes King
I may not be a devoted fan of Marilyn Monroe, but the concept of this novella is definitely compelling. Told from the perspective of Dr Charles King, a psychiatrist tasked with helping Marilyn, the narrative provides a unique insight into her life. The book is short, as expected from a novella, but it delivers an engaging experience. I found it entertaining and appreciate the way it brings another perspective on the mystery of Marilyn's life.
by Mercedes King
I may not be a devoted fan of Marilyn Monroe, but the concept of this novella is definitely compelling. Told from the perspective of Dr Charles King, a psychiatrist tasked with helping Marilyn, the narrative provides a unique insight into her life. The book is short, as expected from a novella, but it delivers an engaging experience. I found it entertaining and appreciate the way it brings another perspective on the mystery of Marilyn's life.
June 25, 2024
"Who knows how this all will sound, coming from an old man, but Marilyn Monroe almost ran away with me."
With that being one of the beginning sentences in this book, how could you not be intrigued? It certainly pulled me in. I liked Dr Charlie, I didn't like Helen and I could hear Marilyn's sultry voice as I was reading. I found this a fun, entertaining story. I also found it sad. I've always felt sad for Marilyn Monroe. She had the world's attention and look where it got her. If you want to get lost in the past and spend a few hours with a troubled movie star and a caring if love struck doctor, this is the book for you.
Thank you to the author and Voracious Reader's Only for a copy to read and honestly review.
With that being one of the beginning sentences in this book, how could you not be intrigued? It certainly pulled me in. I liked Dr Charlie, I didn't like Helen and I could hear Marilyn's sultry voice as I was reading. I found this a fun, entertaining story. I also found it sad. I've always felt sad for Marilyn Monroe. She had the world's attention and look where it got her. If you want to get lost in the past and spend a few hours with a troubled movie star and a caring if love struck doctor, this is the book for you.
Thank you to the author and Voracious Reader's Only for a copy to read and honestly review.
August 20, 2023
From the offset I found this tale sad, her desperation upset me. Saying that I enjoyed the novel and can't help but wonder what if things had been different for her. It moves at a steady pace and is an interesting read. The author has other books about Jackie Kennedy, which I will definitely be looking into, I enjoyed her writing style.
April 23, 2024
This story was a great work of fiction using non fictional characters, well written that could convince you it was a real story. Even though I knew what the outcome would be it was still exciting to read to find out what happens next with Marilyn and Charles.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
May 14, 2025
I was provided a review copy of this book.
I generally find historical fiction quite difficult to read but I didn’t mind this one. At time I did find the main character’s rapid mindset change to be a bit far fetched. If you like fictional takes on famous historical people from the Golden Hollywood this book is for you
I generally find historical fiction quite difficult to read but I didn’t mind this one. At time I did find the main character’s rapid mindset change to be a bit far fetched. If you like fictional takes on famous historical people from the Golden Hollywood this book is for you
May 14, 2023
I've always been fascinated by the sad, desperate life Marilyn Monroe lived. This novella tells a story that is beautiful and captivating and heartbreaking!
August 14, 2023
Great voice, characters, dialog, and plot. A fascinating novel about Marilyn Monroe!
Read
November 17, 2023I received a copy of this book from Voracious Readers and found it thought provoking into Marilyn's life. I found this story an entertaining read with scenarios we will never know the truth of.
April 12, 2024
Wonderful book reading all in one night . Really enjoyed.
May 1, 2024
I was close to finishing this book and then the email must have been deleted and I can't find the download or free book, but what I read was very good even though I didn't finish it.
July 21, 2025
Great book liked the storyline and Characters wanted to finish book to see what happens and what has to be given up, done.
July 29, 2025
Thought provoking and a different viewpoint of the fascinating Marilyn. If only we knew which story is truly hers.
Thank you Voracious Readers for allowing me to read an ARC for my review.
Thank you Voracious Readers for allowing me to read an ARC for my review.
June 24, 2024
I received a free review copy via Voracious Readers Club
Yet another theory on the life and death of a Hollywood icon. I had a tough time finishing this book. The main characters were mere caricatures, not fully fleshed out. Everything about the book was superficial, including Marilyn. The -lot was weak and not compelling. But given the times and Hollywood milieu, it could well have been true. There’s no doubt she was misused by the studios. Not the most compelling read.
Yet another theory on the life and death of a Hollywood icon. I had a tough time finishing this book. The main characters were mere caricatures, not fully fleshed out. Everything about the book was superficial, including Marilyn. The -lot was weak and not compelling. But given the times and Hollywood milieu, it could well have been true. There’s no doubt she was misused by the studios. Not the most compelling read.
May 7, 2024
In A Dream Called Marilyn, Marilyn Monroe is a complex vulnerable and troubled woman and the highlight of this book.
Monroe comes to the attention of Dr. Charles Campbell, psychiatrist to the stars. Monroe has just been fired from what would be her final film, Something's Got to Give and is considered an addict and deeply paranoid. The more Charles talks to her, the more drawn he is to the real woman underneath the glamorous facade. But her sessions begin to reveal some darker secrets about a certain President of the United States, one John F. Kennedy. Charles finds himself the target of some sinister people who want Monroe to keep those secrets to the grave.
By far the most intriguing aspect of the book is Marilyn herself. She embodies the persona of someone who is surrounded by people, is the center of attention, and is still very much alone. She gives off the image of a beautiful bubbly kittenish unattainable goddess-figure but she is more complex and nuanced than her surface shows. The world doesn’t see a woman packed with fragility and insecurities egged on by the pressure of looking glamorous and making appearances. It doesn’t see a once lonely little girl abandoned by her mentally ill mother, deprived of love and security, and looking for them in every bad relationship that comes around.
The world doesn’t see a hopeless romantic who is so enamored with the fantasies that she sells onscreen that she genuinely believes that Kennedy will divorce Jackie and marry her so they will live happily ever after. Charles sees all of that and so does the Reader. She is depicted as a lonely troubled misunderstood soul who needs someone to love her for herself and not the image that she conveys. She stands out in her therapy sessions with Charles to the point of stealing every moment that she is in the book.
She almost takes the spotlight from Charles but he proves to be an intriguing character in his own right. He has plenty of issues that suggest that he could use a few therapy sessions himself. He has a Hero Savior Complex that often pairs him with troubled women: Marilyn and his wife, who has her own mental health issues and a careless attitude towards their children. His fantasies about Marilyn increase the more that he gets to know and definitely violates the doctor-patient relationship.
As Marilyn needs to be cared for, Charles has a need to do the caring despite his marriage, job, and the difficulties that come with being with a public figure. Their relationship puts Charles in some dangerous territory and increases his and Marilyn’s dependence on each other. It is not a healthy relationship and is made even worse by the scrutiny and danger.
If there is one complaint with the characterization it is that it is at the expense of the plot, at least the type of plot that King puts them in. There is a strong implication that Marilyn’s troublemaking persona is manufactured by a studio wary of publicity and she really is the target of potential assassins. That is an interesting angle but King wrote Marilyn with so many personal issues that it becomes hard to believe that her problems stem solely from outside forces and not within herself.
Perhaps King could have written Marilyn as more self assured and stronger, the type of person that would make one think, “Maybe, someone is after her.” Of course sometimes you can be paranoid but actually have someone after you at the same time. Certainly the stress that Marilyn is under would trouble even the hardest of hearts. But in this case, Marilyn seems like someone who may be worried about being poisoned but could just as easily reach for the bottle herself.
The strongest overall tone in this book is wistful and introspective. There is a realization that this represents the end of an era and it does. Charles is looking back on his life as an older man who has seen the Vietnam War, the Millennium, terrorist attacks, economic insecurity, and the inevitable decay of the American Dream. His time with Marilyn marks the last of his golden years and those of the country, a world where Presidential scandals are hidden and assassination is not a by word. Marilyn represents a time gone by as well, the end of the studio system where movie stars were unattainable and where films reflected our dreams more than our reality. Of course this is nostalgia and nostalgia wasn’t freely handed out to everyone. For people like Charles and Marilyn, this was a happy time. For many other people, it wasn’t.
However, Charles and Marilyn are involved within the field that produces manufactured dreams so people can live idyllic fantastic lives every time they enter a cinema, the field that often contributes to if not outright creates the nostalgia. It is the lie that they sell and they have to, no matter how much it costs them personally. The reality is hidden but the fantasy and the nostalgia remains.
Monroe comes to the attention of Dr. Charles Campbell, psychiatrist to the stars. Monroe has just been fired from what would be her final film, Something's Got to Give and is considered an addict and deeply paranoid. The more Charles talks to her, the more drawn he is to the real woman underneath the glamorous facade. But her sessions begin to reveal some darker secrets about a certain President of the United States, one John F. Kennedy. Charles finds himself the target of some sinister people who want Monroe to keep those secrets to the grave.
By far the most intriguing aspect of the book is Marilyn herself. She embodies the persona of someone who is surrounded by people, is the center of attention, and is still very much alone. She gives off the image of a beautiful bubbly kittenish unattainable goddess-figure but she is more complex and nuanced than her surface shows. The world doesn’t see a woman packed with fragility and insecurities egged on by the pressure of looking glamorous and making appearances. It doesn’t see a once lonely little girl abandoned by her mentally ill mother, deprived of love and security, and looking for them in every bad relationship that comes around.
The world doesn’t see a hopeless romantic who is so enamored with the fantasies that she sells onscreen that she genuinely believes that Kennedy will divorce Jackie and marry her so they will live happily ever after. Charles sees all of that and so does the Reader. She is depicted as a lonely troubled misunderstood soul who needs someone to love her for herself and not the image that she conveys. She stands out in her therapy sessions with Charles to the point of stealing every moment that she is in the book.
She almost takes the spotlight from Charles but he proves to be an intriguing character in his own right. He has plenty of issues that suggest that he could use a few therapy sessions himself. He has a Hero Savior Complex that often pairs him with troubled women: Marilyn and his wife, who has her own mental health issues and a careless attitude towards their children. His fantasies about Marilyn increase the more that he gets to know and definitely violates the doctor-patient relationship.
As Marilyn needs to be cared for, Charles has a need to do the caring despite his marriage, job, and the difficulties that come with being with a public figure. Their relationship puts Charles in some dangerous territory and increases his and Marilyn’s dependence on each other. It is not a healthy relationship and is made even worse by the scrutiny and danger.
If there is one complaint with the characterization it is that it is at the expense of the plot, at least the type of plot that King puts them in. There is a strong implication that Marilyn’s troublemaking persona is manufactured by a studio wary of publicity and she really is the target of potential assassins. That is an interesting angle but King wrote Marilyn with so many personal issues that it becomes hard to believe that her problems stem solely from outside forces and not within herself.
Perhaps King could have written Marilyn as more self assured and stronger, the type of person that would make one think, “Maybe, someone is after her.” Of course sometimes you can be paranoid but actually have someone after you at the same time. Certainly the stress that Marilyn is under would trouble even the hardest of hearts. But in this case, Marilyn seems like someone who may be worried about being poisoned but could just as easily reach for the bottle herself.
The strongest overall tone in this book is wistful and introspective. There is a realization that this represents the end of an era and it does. Charles is looking back on his life as an older man who has seen the Vietnam War, the Millennium, terrorist attacks, economic insecurity, and the inevitable decay of the American Dream. His time with Marilyn marks the last of his golden years and those of the country, a world where Presidential scandals are hidden and assassination is not a by word. Marilyn represents a time gone by as well, the end of the studio system where movie stars were unattainable and where films reflected our dreams more than our reality. Of course this is nostalgia and nostalgia wasn’t freely handed out to everyone. For people like Charles and Marilyn, this was a happy time. For many other people, it wasn’t.
However, Charles and Marilyn are involved within the field that produces manufactured dreams so people can live idyllic fantastic lives every time they enter a cinema, the field that often contributes to if not outright creates the nostalgia. It is the lie that they sell and they have to, no matter how much it costs them personally. The reality is hidden but the fantasy and the nostalgia remains.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this short story. It was very interesting and kept me invested from the start.
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