The Blonde

by Anna Godbersen

From the  New York Times  bestselling author Anna Godbersen and Alloy Entertainment, a chilling reimagining of the life of Marilyn Monroe that is part biography, part love story, and part thriller.
 
Marilyn Monroe is at the height of her fame, the object of the world’s desire. Attention is her drug, the very definition of who she is. Her own wants and needs have become fleeting at best, as if she sees herself only through others’ eyes. But there is one thing Marilyn still wishes for beyond all else—to meet her real father. That’s the part you already know, the legend—but here’s the part that’s never been told.
 
In Anna Godbersen’s imaginative novel, set at the height of the Cold War, a young, unknown Norma Jean meets a man in Los Angeles—a Soviet agent? A Russian spy?—who transforms her into Marilyn the star. And when she reaches the pinnacle of success, he comes back for his repayment. He shows her a photo of her estranged father and promises to reunite them in exchange for information: Find out something about presidential candidate John F. Kennedy that no one else knows. At first, Marilyn is bored by the prospect of, once again, using a man’s attraction to get what she needs. But when she meets the magnetic Jack Kennedy, she realizes that this isn’t going to be a simple game. What started with the earnest desire to meet her father has grave consequences for her, for the bright young Kennedy, and for the entire nation. The Blonde is a vivid tableau of American celebrity, sex, love, violence, power, and paranoia.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Adult, Romance, Thriller

390 pages, Hardcover

First published May 13, 2014

About the author

Anna Godbersen was born in Berkeley, California, and educated at Barnard College. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

The plot of The Blonde sounds amazing.

What if movie star Marilyn Monroe was secretly working as a KGB asset?

What if her relationship with President John F Kennedy was set up to uncover state secrets?

That book sounds great.

That book is a spy novel with Old Hollywood glamor.

That book ain't this book.

Obviously I've read tons of books about Marilyn Monroe, I've seen all her movies, watched nearly every documentary about her and I'm trying to track down every made for TV movie about her. So I know a little bit more about her than most so I had some trouble with the characterizations of not only Marilyn but also JFK(who I've also read alot about). I didn't recognize the people in this book. But even if you dont know anything about Marilyn Monroe or JFK I think you might have a problem with this book if you go in expecting an Old Hollywood spy novel.

The Blonde is a Romance novel.

There's nothing wrong with Romance novels, I like to occasionally read them but I didn't know that's what I was getting with this book. If you love Romantic Suspense than I think you'll enjoy The Blonde. I can't blame this book completely for my feelings because maybe I brought the wrong expectations to this book. Maybe this book was always meant to be Romantic Suspense and I just didn't do my research.

I did enjoy Anna Gobersen's writing style and would read more books by her. I'll just make sure I know what I'm getting into before I pick them up.

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

”When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I'm already better than them.”- Marilyn Monroe

Setting:Washington D.C; Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and Dallas, Texas; 1950-1996

Coverly Love?:No; there’s a gun pointing in my face people. That’s not particularly attractive to me, thank you very much.

Plot:All her life, Marilyn Monroe has desperately wanted to be accepted and loved by someone. She also wants to be famous. So when a handsome, charismatic man walks up to her one day and offers to give her the big break she’s been craving, she immediately agrees. There’s one catch though; the man who helped her catapult to fame is actually a KGB spy for the Soviet Union, and he wants her to become a spy as well. Bound by this unspoken agreement, she reluctantly agrees. Her first assignment? Get close to the handsome, charismatic Democratic presidential candidate, John F. Kennedy, and get some dirt on him. What she doesn’t expect is to fall in love with him in the process. But as the old saying goes, country before love, and her boss is not very happy with this unexpected development. So when she uncovers a plot to assassinate her lover, will she protect him? Or will she stay loyal to the ones that control her.

I always thought there was more to Marilyn than the dumb blonde persona she’s generally associated with, so when I heard that this book would reinvent her as a Soviet spy, I literally squealed with excitement. Marilyn Monroe? As a KGB spy? Heck yes, I want to read this!!!!

And then I read it. And I wanted nothing more than to throw it in the trash and pretend I never read it at all. Because it was horrible.

The KGB plotline? Yeah, that went nowhere. Her assignment is supposed to be getting information out of JFK (spoiler: she fails miserably), but we’re never told what kind of information they want. How many packs of cigarettes he smokes each day? What he eats for breakfast? Does he wear boxers or briefs? What do they want from the man?!! And don’t even get me started on the horrible portrayals of JFK and Marilyn. The author completely tarnished their reputations.

Characters:When most people think of Marilyn Monroe, they think “dumb blonde”. All looks and no brains, the ditzy lady who was constantly tardy to her movie sets and never had her lines memorized.

But she was so much more than a pretty face.

Marilyn Monroe was an extremely active reader and writer. She had a library of over 400 books in her home, and her favorite was James Joyce’s Ulysses. While I’ve never read that particular book, I do know that it’s not some light-hearted chick lit novel. It’s a serious work of literature. What I’m trying to say is that Marilyn was probably more intelligent than we credit her for.

I was seriously hoping that this book would portray Marilyn as a smart woman who took no prisoners and what not, since she was supposed to be a KGB spy. And what I got… was the ditzy, dumb blond Marilyn we’ve all come to expect. What a huge disappointment. And kind of pathetic, really. Her entire adult life she wanted to be taken seriously as both an actor and a person, but she never got the chance to. And to be honest, I don’t think she ever will be, which is sad. Though the KGB spy business didn’t work out for her in this book, because she ended up falling in love with the man she was supposed to be spying on. Speaking of which, the man she’s supposed to be spying on just so happens to be…

John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

35th President of the United States. Leader of the Space Race. Winner of a Purple Heart, and countless other military awards. Winner of a Pulitzer Prize. Consistently ranked as one of the top ten most popular presidents by the general public.

And this book portrays him as nothing more than a horny d***. What the actual fuck.

He might have been, for all I know. Did he have his faults? Oh yeah, he probably did. But what the book portrayed him to be is not only atrocious, it’s offensive. The entirety of this novel, all he does is have sex with Marilyn. That’s it. Oh sure, there’s a little talk of politics, and how Daddy Dearest Joe Kennedy and the Irish Mafia rigged the election so he would win. All he cares about is his precious Marilyn. The only time poor Jackie comes into the conversation is when he (or other people) are badmouthing her. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

Alexei is Marilyn’s KGB boss and the one that helps her hit it big in Hollywood. He expects a little repayment for the strings he’s pulled for her though, and that means becoming involved with the KGB and discovering some inside intel on the American government. If he was meant to be the evil Russian bad guy in all of this, he failed in the evil department. He honestly just wasn’t all that scary.

Then there was this Douglass Walls dude, who was an American agent (?) who was spying on Marilyn… who was a spy herself…. I honestly didn’t know what purpose the guy served in this novel. Other than to confuse me, which seems to happen a lot lately.

Pros:When the book ended. XD

Cons:Pretty much everything, to be honest. This was my first atrocious read of 2015, and I wish I could get all those hours back I spent reading this. The character portrayals of Marilyn and JFK were downright offensive, the plotline with the KGB went absolutely nowhere, and the entire book was just one big long train wreck.

Love Triangle?:In the beginning; Arthur Miller vs. Marilyn vs. JFK. Arthur and Marilyn are already on the rocks when the book starts, so the marriage ends pretty quick into the plot.

Instalove?:Yep; A serious case of instalust brews between Marilyn and JFK.

A Little Romance?:Let’s face it; Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy have been the target of endless speculation about whether or not they had an affair. To be honest, if they did have one it wouldn’t surprise me. John was rumored to be a notorious womanizer, and Marilyn doesn’t have a much better reputation. As my dad likes to joke, the only women that didn’t sleep with JFK during that time period are my mom, my grandmothers and his sister. And the only men who didn’t sleep with Marilyn are himself and my grandfathers. Everyone else is fair game, LOL!!

This book portrays their affair as a very real thing. But if you were expecting a deep emotional connection between these two, you’re going to be severely disappointed. Their relationship is based on sex and sex only. I can count on one hand the number of deep conversations they actually had, and I’d only need one finger on the one hand to do it. There’s no substance, there’s no emotion. Just sex. And they do it everywhere; in the car, in the shower, on the ground, in the bed, on the bathroom counter IN THE WHITE HOUSE… they were like rabbits, I swear.

Conclusion:When I closed this book, I asked myself, “What would Marilyn and JFK think of this?” And to answer their question, I think they would be highly offended, outraged and disgusted over this book. Marilyn wanted to be known as so much more than the sexpot she was portrayed to be, and JFK, while he had his faults, was a good man (or at least he tried). You’d never know it by reading this book however. This book tramples whatever dignity these two had, and portrayed them as to be nothing more than hormonal dumbbells who couldn’t keep it together. And the whole KGB plotline? Laughable. Don’t waste your money on this.

[Ais · Rating 1 out of 5]

edit : Dec 15th 2013
Holy Schmokes look at that COVER! #LOVE


New Anna Godbersen book???? YES PLEASE!


March 2014???

[Tara Chevrestt]

I made it through the first 100 pages and found this so utterly distasteful, I don't care to continue.

After reading this I'd like to know, "Why in the world do people like MM so much?" If she was anything like this character portrays her, she was a weak harlot. Not a strong, amazing woman at all.

Oh, I could feel somewhat sorry for her, especially when she said things like this: "...it's hard, when nobody's ever really loved you, to have the confidence to do a thing right..." but when she'd slept with three men by page 75, I realized this is not a woman I care to know more about or even read about for fun. Her behavior and lack of confidence and whining and preening--yes, preening--is just distasteful.

And Kennedy...wow. Did we really have a president who behaved so atrociously? I remember Clinton being impeached for (I think) one indiscretion. This man just walks up to women, pretty much commands they sleep with him--underage or not--, and they do? He's not even president yet. And to show what kind of ditz MM is in this story. She worries she'll fall in love with him. They've shared all of four flirtatious sentences before he just bangs her quickly in a backseat. You fall in love with that?

Another thing I hated...she's constantly posing. Every time MM moves, she's posing, making sure a curl falls just so, that her shoulder hits her chin...etc. I get it; I do, but doesn't mean it makes good reading.

Is the writing solid? Yes. It's good writing, but the path this story is taking and the unlikable characters make it not for me. I will say the whole, "Spy for us and we'll take you to the father you've always wanted to meet" twist was cool, but that's about all I liked.

I also have to flat-out disagree with reviewers who are saying teenagers should like this. I wouldn't let my teenager read this due to the sexual situations. I'd also hate for this to be my teenager's role model.

What I was expecting was a cool spy story. What I got was a dumb blonde who can't keep her legs closed.

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always held a fascination with Marilyn Monroe’s bright and short-lived life. When I saw this book at the bookstore, I just know that I had to get it. I must admit that I was equal parts skeptical and thrilled. Skeptical on how convincing of a spy she’d be, and thrilled with the prospect of whatever conspiracy theories I would be taking away from this novel.

Little Girl Lost.

When she was a girl on the cusp of adulthood, her father, a travelling salesman, left one morning and didn’t come back. She’d been looking for him ever since. With every men that comes into her life, she creates a perception of what her father might be like.

A Woman Made-up.

When she was a struggling actress trying to make it in Hollywood, a Soviet agent decided she’d make the perfect spy: with her blond tresses, a voice of childlike innocence, and the hourglass figure, no one would know the better. They created this sexual persona that very few men could dare resist. Norma Jean shed her skin, and Marilyn Monroe was born.

A Man on the Scope.

John F. Kennedy was a senator whose star was on the rise. When the KGB set their sights on him, Marilyn was tasked to infiltrate the life of a notoriously known womanizer with a brilliant political future. Jack, because of despite his staunch Catholic upbringing, was unable to resist the sensational actress. An affair ensued.

This is not Marilyn Monroe.

We only know of Marilyn’s legendary life through what we’ve been told, heard, seen, and read in the years following her death. We know of the failed marriages, the alleged affairs, and her apparent suicide. Among the number of males linked with her name is one John Fitzgerald Kennedy. A man whose family name is synanymous to royalty in America. This is a fictional account of a different Marilyn Monroe, her illicit love affair with the president, and her role – directly and indirectly – in his assassination.

It is everything you’ve come to expect from a novel whose main character exudes her legendary sexual allure: erotic, exciting, and a visceral depiction of a life lived in the grasp of a powerful organization.

Godbersen perfectly captured the voice of a vulnerable woman in desperate search of a familial love. She was an easy prey to a man who knew her weakness, and knew how to manipulate it to work in his advantage. However, he grievously miscalculated the passion and loyalty of a person in love.

We see an intelligent, cunning, and a strong woman who hid behind the quivering lips, the cloud of silken white hair, and the soft voice meant to enrapture the male audience. Marilyn Monroe behind the public eye, was a different creature altogether. It was difficult to see the demarkation line between fact and the myth; the fiction and the legend; the truth and the imagined.

We also see a different JFK. He is portrayed as a man weak with desire, but whose drive is powered by his political aspirations. I’ve always been curious about the iconic, Happy Birthday song, so I was ecstatic to read the bathroom romp that followed thereafter.

This book perfectly exemplifies Marilyn’s relevance after all these years. Our never-ending curiosity about her fabled life will always spark someone’s creativity to satiate an itch more than seven years in the making. Anna Godbersen allowed her readers to see Marilyn in a different light, while remaining true to the icon that we’ve all come to know.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has such a compelling premise--Marilyn Monroe: RUSSIAN SPY--that I don't understand how it doesn't have ALL THE HYPE.

And this was really interesting and I found it a believable portrayal of Monroe (Russian spy thing aside!). Maybe a little less so of JFK. Or, at least, it was a less full picture of him. I didn't get enough sense of his motivations to become president. Family pressure? His own desire? Both? Something else. This book didn't really tell me.

It did take me a long time to get through. I guess the writing didn't hook me enough. I read a few of Godbersen's 1900's YA books and her writing keeps me at a bit of distance, I guess.

The ending of this left me kind of sad and dissatisfied, but that is history's fault! Oh, but what happened to her dog??? Did the bad guys kill him???? Don't give me a cute dog and then never mention him again!!!

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. "The Blonde" imagines if instead of just being a sexy starlet, Marilyn Monroe was actually a Soviet agent charged with carrying out one of the most confounding crimes ever. This is a departure for Godberson whose other books include YA historical fiction such as "The Luxe" and "Bright, Young Things." This book is most decidedly not young adult fiction but it makes for a nice entry into the world of adult fiction and thrillers. She definitely gave me a lot of things to think about in this one. This book will appeal to mystery lovers who like being at the edge of their seats.

The genre of this book is not my usual fare but oh how I love Marilyn Monroe. I still absolutely love reading about her and find her fascinating. What I liked about this book is that it plays into the idea that Marilyn was merely feigning her sort of ditzy-ness and damsel in distress persona in order to cover for what her true position as spy/agent was. From many of the things that I have read, I do think that much of the damsel persona was an act that Monroe used to get what she wanted so it was interesting to see how Godberson turned her acting that way into a cover, very sneaky indeed.

The pacing of the book was pretty good most of the way through. I wish that there had been a little bit more information about a couple things that were loosely tied for me. I wanted to know more about Marilyn's motivation for doing what she did. Did she want a way to show that she wasn't just another pretty face? What did she think she was going to get out of it? Overall, I think this was a good thriller that had me turning the pages!

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't waste your time. Godbersen has written some very fun, unique series and I thought this would be good but I was terribly mistaken. Marilyn Monroe as a spy. Ok, sounds ridiculous but could potentially be a fun, interesting story. No, it was basically her being a slut (which I think people too often do that to her) and what killed me was the brash language just thrown around randomly. Like look how cool I am by throwing in the word c**k among other words. Just dumb. I have never done so before but I actually RETURNED this book through audible and will be posting a negative review there too. Don't waste your money, or your audible credits on this stinker.

[Hot Mess Sommelière ~ Caro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Among legendary actresses, Marilyn Monroe is perhaps the most commonly (and ruthlessly) misrepresented.

To claim that Soviets made Marilyn famous, so she could spy on John F Kennedy (and fall into helpless lurve with him) is one of the more ludicrous claims made against her.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blonde is Anna Godbersen's first adult novel. And boy oh boy did she start off with a bang! (ha ha) The Blonde is the fictionalized historical telling of Marilyn Monroe. Going off the premise...what is Marilyn Monroe was a spy. Does that sound cool? Well it really was. There is tons of classic Marilyn woven into these pages. Lot's of sexy, flirty Marilyn, and under it all- a very lonely woman. The story starts with a flashback to her childhood and from then on it flashes forward to the height of her fame. The chapters are each labeled with the location, month and year. It was a nice progression for the story. Sometimes there were multiple chapters per month and sometimes only a few.

The actual story line was wonderfully imaginative and addictive. I had so much fun reading about the actual historical events wrapped up in Godbersen's intriguing re-telling of it all. And the most impressive part was that she captured the spirit of Marilyn so well. I felt like I was reading some of Marilyn's lost diaries. Anna Godbersen introduces us to a russian man called Alexie who was the one that jump started Marilyn's career, simply saying that he would be calling in a "favor" later with her. And so started her secret career as a spy.

The espionage and spy thirller aspect of the story was the coolest melding of history and fictions. I just ate it all up. Anna Godbersen's writing is magic. That is the only way I know how to describe it. She casts this spell with her words as she weaves them into a story that even though you know is fiction, seems both too fantastical and yet somehow plausible. It is crazy. I had so much fun living in this re imagined view of history. I loved picturing Marilyn as this reluctant bombshell spy. It was a cool twist on her relationship with the President. The Blonde is so unlike other stories. It was so well thought out and expertly created. I loved The Blonde and I think you will too.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I've never fooled anyone, darling. Sometimes I've just let men fool themselves."

Wow. That's all I can really say about this book. And this is a good wow. Just from this sentence, one can glean so much from the whole plot of the story.
I was perusing the shelves at work (putting away books of course!) and I happened to find this little beauty. What immediately caught my eye was the dark and shadowy cover, it just OOOOZED intrigue. So I decided that this book would be my first good read in a long time.
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster ride which doesn't happen too often to me, especially with books that are borderline "Teen Fiction". I personally don't know much about Marilyn Monroe and her history so this was a perfect read for someone like me. THIS book was almost like my first impression of the starlet and I loved it. My only problem with the design of the character of Marilyn, was how the author just assumed that Marilyn was this deep and perplexing creature which is not believable at all. Anna Godberson did a beautiful job of setting scenes and characters up, but at times gave them too much of a similar, all seeing, all knowing tongue and that made me feel as if all the characters thought the same way.
I was with Marilyn's story all the way, feeling her love for Kennedy, her agony of indecisiveness, and her loneliness. Godberson really drags you into this story and forces you to stay and fight, much like Marilyn did in most of this book. AWESOME concept, I would love to read more fictional period pieces from Godberson very soon!

[Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did I enjoy this book: I like the ending.

There’s a quote on page 342 that sums up the novel beautifully. “There are already too many stories, and you know how once there’s a little scandal people love to fabricate on top of that.”

That’s what Godbersen does. She takes an over-sensationalized story and adds a lot of fabrication. It’s too bad because I like the idea of the book. In the end, I’m just not much of a conspiracy theorist.

The other problem for me was the characters. I couldn’t cheer for any of them. The Kennedys are portrayed as wicked. Marilyn is nauseating (until the very end). Alexei, the CIA, and FBI; they’re all bad guys.

We really don’t have a protagonist in the story. Without someone to cheer for the novel falls flat.

Would I recommend it: I think there’s an audience for this book. Conspiracy theorists will love it. Otherwise, just check it out of the library and read the last three chapters. Note of caution: Anna Godbersen’s previous series was geared for young adults. This is an adult book with profanity, graphic sex, and other mature situations.

As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

http://everyfreechance.com/2014/05/re...

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to really like this book as it sounded different from the Marilyn Monroe stories that are out that. I have not read a lot of stories on Marilyn but still everyone is familiar with her story. However not the fictionalized one about her being a spy. However I found the storyline moving extremely slow. It seemed to take me forever to read a page or two. Like trying to run through quick sand. It just does not work out well. Marilyn did not jump off the pages for me. Thus she is the main focal point of the book and if she and I could not get a connection, then there was no sense in me attempting to finish this book.

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if the Marilyn Monroe we all thought we knew had more layers than any of us realized? What if the ditzy blonde she often cultivated for her movies and her public was a careful cover for something much more?

In "The Blonde," the author combines what we know, factually, with a fictionalized version of what was going on between Marilyn and JFK. We learn of a sinister agenda and the control that someone held over Marilyn. We also learn of her attempts to wrest that control away from her "handlers."

A captivating story that takes us behind the scenes of the publicity machines, into the bedrooms, and into the heart and mind of a woman in love.

Other characters include an FBI agent named Douglass Walls, bent on proving that Marilyn is a Soviet spy...and the behind the scenes life of a man named Alexei, who is also much more than he seems.

We follow the characters beyond August 1962, to Dallas in November 1963. And then thirty-three years later, there is a postscript to the story.

A love story, a tale of obsession, and a thriller: I could not imagine some of the unexpected twists and turns, and the ending left me wanting more and imagining more. The details were rich, almost as if I, the reader, were in the middle of the action. I closed the last page wishing...Definitely a story that brings to life a period that many of us still ponder. 4.5 stars.

[Ozana Ozzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Book about life of American actress Marylin Monroe, from early childhood to quazi death and her relations to Jack Kennedy. It is so well written that you almost believe in whole affair but not in part where M. M. was a Russian spy, and stayed alive until old age.

Worth reading just for good crime book and that era in Hollywod when they made wonderful movies.

Quite accurate description of Merilyn and Jack, and sterile Jackie Kennedy Onnasis.

We all love those two as a pair but Jackie is so sterile and phonie and that part she learn well in those days.

[Cait · Rating 4 out of 5]

MARILYN MONROE AS A RELUCTANT RUSSIAN SPY.

AN FBI GUY WHO IS LIKE 99% SURE SHE IS A RUSSIAN SPY BUT EVERYONE IS LIKE "bro. u been smoking up???"

MAFIA PEOPLE.

JOHN F KENNEDY BEING THE CHEESY ASS WOMANISER THAT WE ALL KNOW HE WAS. BOBBY KENNEDY GLARING AT MARILYN ALL THE TIME.

MARILYN MONROE AS A SPY. COERCED INTO HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH JFK WHO SHE FALLS IN LOVE WITH. MARILYN MONROE AS THIS MASTER MANIPULATOR.

READ THIS BOOK.

[shh.megsreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this side of the story. Brought a different perspective into the what could have happened side of history.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't resist reading Anna Godbersen's "The Blonde", a novel that expands upon the illicit affair between Marilyn and President Kennedy. This was much more than just another exploitation of Marilyn Monroe. "The Blonde" was a beautiful, thoughtful thriller that focused on one of the most famous classic movie stars.  The twist was that Marilyn's relationship was prompted by the Russians, who asked her to spy on Kennedy in exchange for revealing the identity of her father.

The descriptions were so vivid, that the entire time I read I felt I was watching a Marilyn movie.  Godbersen used small facts of Marilyn's life to make the story seem realistic. Her stint in the Los Angeles Psych ward was really tied to the relations with the Russians, and even her antics on the set of The Misfits added to her covert operation to be near Kennedy. Each sentence was written with such care and detail I found myself reading slowly, and was increasingly impressed. I especially loved how Marilyn was portrayed as a woman with depth and feelings, not just a blonde bimbo. Although her life was dripping with sex and innuendo, Godbersen allowed Marilyn to be someone who knowingly used those tools to obtain what she wanted, which displayed her intellect and cunning ability very well. The ending was fantastic! Godbersen's take on Marilyn's death and Kennedy's assassination were well planned and very creative.

Fans of Marilyn's would adore this book. I can't recommend it enough.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, no. I mean, yes, Marilyn Monroe was liquid sex or whatever, but I'm sorry, a protagonist who is constantly calculating how to appear as desirable and bangable as humanly possible. I mean, it's just too much. Godbersen describes the woman's voice as "melted sugar" when she says hello on the phone for goodness sake. And then the actual sex. I thought this book was going to give Marilyn more depth and substance, but it's still mostly about how sexy she is. It's embarrassingly smutty, but it isn't all bad. The spy plot is reasonably entertaining, in a silly sort of way... Not worth going out of your way for, but if you're really into Monroe it might be your thing.

[Becky Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally intrigued by the premise and the writing to support the 'theory' did not disappoint. Knowing very little about the Marilyn and JFK relationship, I found the weaving of historical events and their clandestine meetings and discussions potentially believable and the sponge-like insecurity of Marilyn searching for a lost father very well done. Even the ending took me to a place I could not have imagined and yet artfully crafted amidst the characters. A summer favorite for me!

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not deserve that ending. Absolutely freaking not.

The Blonde's premise is basically that of a history buff's fanfiction; Marilyn Monroe is actually working for the KGB in the early 1960s and her assignment is to get close to JFK and learn a secret and report back. Naturally this does not happen and instead Ms. Monroe proceeds to fall in love with JFK and attempts to escape her handler in the hopes of having a happy ending with her new Presidential loverboy.

I should say this book was written very well but it just...it honestly just wasn't interesting for me. And I'm pretty sure the only way I got through this book was by disassociating Marilyn Monroe and JFK from themselves, and I think that sums up this book's problem for me. I would have liked it more if this book was pure fiction; if the story had been about a beautiful actress who was being run by the KGB but fell in love with her target then yeah this would have been great. But it was held down by the fact that it was trying to characterize these two impactful historical figures. I hated Marilyn for at least 3/4 of this book and JFK is about as despicable as he was in real life (probably) so I didn't start rooting for these characters until after I convinced my brain to stop picturing Marilyn Monroe and JFK themselves and instead as fictional people called Marilyn and Jack. And the other issue was that it was so painfully slow. It wasn't until maybe the 3rd quarter that I became invested, and that is just way too far along for me to give this book a good rating.

Also can someone please explain to me why Walls was even a character to begin with? Like...what was his purpose again? There was absolutely no point to his character (nor his perspective chapters) except to be there at the end of the book and be a foil to Marilyn (?) and this would have worked out so much better if he hadn't been there at all. This was Marilyn's story to tell, and he was awkwardly trying to get some of the spotlight.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fun thing about this book is that few of the individual subplots work and yet, Anna Godbersen creates such a vivid re-imagination of Marilyn Monroe as a person that I really didn’t care.

Monroe is often depicted—mostly by but not limited to men (looking at you, Joyce Carol Oates)—as a wide-eyed naifish mentally damaged sex doll. I have to imagine there is more to her life than going around speaking in innuendo and substance-induced rage but rarely have I seen this depicted. Blonde is the latest in turning the starlet into a caricature for the male gaze and writing said portrayal off as “nuanced.”

I also know Monroe is nothing like the sly, cunning super-spy depicted in this book but it’s fun to imagine how she saw through the whole act to get hers, even if it’s with the Soviet Union.

The thing that holds this book back is the story Godbersen decides to tell. She has a great premise but wastes it on a romance tale featuring JFK, who gets a nuanced portrait that he probably doesn’t deserve given how he treated women in real life. Their romance was boring but, to her credit, Godbersen imbues those scenes with life and that keeps the tale moving. The scenes with her handler are interesting enough, though I would’ve preferred more background to how the Soviets cultivated her as an asset. And the less said about the scenes with the only other POV character—a dour FBI agent—the better.

So yeah, this doesn’t go the directions I wanted it to but the writing is excellent. Let Marilyn live.

[Rachel Paller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting to come out of this book FEELING so much. I am in this like emotional roller coaster after Kennedy's murder. I actually put on a documentary about it I found on Netflix because I am not done with this yet. I actually went to the 6th Floor Museum when I visited Dallas over the summer. Reading the end really hit me because I actually knew the places Godbersen was mentioning, I had been there. I think that gave me an emotional connection to the assassination. I could picture all of it, much more so than if I had never been there.

I was not expecting to like this book. I thought it would be cheesy and over the top like some Marilyn Monroe fanfiction. But by the end I was thinking to myself could this be real? Could this all have really happened? Could Godbersen have uncovered some fantastic plot and is sharing it with the world under the guise of a fiction novel? Probably not, but I choose to believe in the unlikely.

Also I just want to say that Clark Gables death in this really hurt.
I don't even know why I liked JFK and Monroe so much in this? They weren't romanticized and their rendezvous lacked any kind of "fairy-tale-seduction". Maybe that's why I liked it because it was gritty and perhaps more real. Who knows?

[tasha.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and Marilyn shone as an enigmatic centre to the story even if the male characters failed to help her turn it into a fast-paced spy novel.

As a Marilyn Fanatic I was nervous starting this Historical Fiction due to my strong belief of her as an intelligent and cunning, yet emotional woman who hid behind the quivering lips, voluptuous curves, and the soft voice meant to enrapture the male audience. Overall Godbersen’s portrayal of Marilyn never contradicted my understanding of her, but the ending seemed out of character even though I appreciated the turn it took.

While Marilyn and JFK were magnetic between the sheets there wasn’t much else to their clichéd forbidden romance. Their relationship seemed to focus on Marilyn’s inability to have any self-confidence outside the arms of a man and Jack being messy and weak to his desires in contrast to the strong leader he was showcased as.

Marilyn’s recruitment by Alexei, the Russian agent, seemed contrived to just be a reason to push her into JFK’s path and validate the reason for starting an affair. His “confession” at the end just felt cheap and I wasn’t on board for it.

Wells is the second narrator of the story, but he and Marilyn barely interact. So even though he was the FBI agent spying on her, he didn’t add much to the story besides representing the outside view of Marilyn to highlight how no one saw what she was capable of and only saw what they wanted.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually bought this book YEARS ago and finally took a moment to read it and I am so happy I did! This thrilling story of Marilyn Monroe being a Russian spy and spying on the President while falling in love with him was heart wrenching at times. Of course the author mixed in enough historically accurate information to make the fictional novel seem almost as if it really did happen. I love that Marilyn was more than her beauty in this story by showing how truly intelligent she was as a character. I also loved that a true romance was built between Marilyn and Jack. (Even if her intentions weren’t exactly innocent at first.) I was not so happy with how their relationship ended though. That broke my heart.

The novel follows two characters: Marilyn and an FBI agent Douglass Walls. I liked that we got this twist of seeing an FBI agent trailing Marilyn because of her communist husband but somehow finding this whole secret plot to take down the President by a Russian organization. I just hate that Agent Walls messed up everything Marilyn tried to plan to save her man. Overall I really loved the book. As a Marilyn Monroe fan, I was pleasantly surprised by how much a enjoyed the way Anna Godberson portrayed her.

[Galyn Hembree · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blonde is an alternative history. YET, I caught myself wondering, "could that have really happened? I wonder....what if....maybe. Wow, what if, ...." I loved how Godbersen wove enough facts into fiction (or was it?) that I believed the whole thing was plausible ---up until the very unfortunate ending. In fact, there were two, maybe three, better endings before Godbersen drew her history to a close. I think the ending she did choose is 'unfortunate' indeed. SPOILER ALERT: Did this author really end her tale in a way that seems punishment to Marilyn for having lived her life using her body to attain her goals? I can't think of another reason to take the turn she did. Unfortunate and unnecessary in my opinion.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of alternate history fiction, and this one doubles as historical fiction! A fun and thrilling take on the alleged affair between Kennedy and Monroe. Interesting take to make it a Cold War spy novel, to boot.

I liked the depictions of many pop culture and political figures, especially the Kennedys. Too much polish is laid on these figures, I think, so taking some of the veneer off brings us and them back down to Earth. The ending was a nice touch. It's fun to think what could be.

[Dakota Chey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I randomly found this book at the library, read the inside little summary and was interested because it was about Marilyn Monroe.It was cool to read a book about what could have happened to her and see a different side of things even though it’s fiction. I definitely wasn’t expecting the ending and was excited to continue reading every time I had to stop for whatever reason. It only took me a week to read. If you like Marilyn Monroe then you will probably like this book. If you are more of a factual and not so open minded you might not. I plan to buy this book for my own collection.

[Bob Haven · Rating 2 out of 5]

From silly to ridiculous.

Even though (or perhaps because) the premise seemed so unlikely, and because of the fair amount of good reviews here, I thought this might be a fun and entertaining read. It was for a while, and the quality of the writing was good enough to keep me reading, for a while. But by the half-way point, the book had totally failed to hold my interest. I gave up on it and skipped to the last few chapters where I found the story moved from unlikely to preposterous!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never really been a fan of Marilyn, but I love Godbersen’s writing so much and she didn’t disappoint. You’re never taken out of the story, except to match the historical connections made, of which there were many. The characters become more than what you can read in old newspapers, the conspiracy filled in like tissue between truth. The final sentence gave me goosebumps. A very well-written story.