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The Hollywood Daughter
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Dressmaker and A Touch of Stardust, comes a Hollywood coming-of-age novel, in which Ingrid Bergman's affair with Roberto Rossellini forces her biggest fan to reconsider everything she was raised to believe
In 1950, Ingrid Bergman--already a major star after movies like Casablanca and Joan of Arc--has a baby out of wedlock with her Italian lover, film director Roberto Rossellini. Previously held up as an icon of purity, Bergman's fall shocked her legions of American fans.
Growing up in Hollywood, Jessica Malloy watches as her PR executive father helps make Ingrid a star at Selznick Studio. Over years of fleeting interactions with the actress, Jesse comes to idolize Ingrid, who she considered not only the epitome of elegance and integrity, but also the picture-perfect mother, an area where her own difficult mom falls short.
In a heated era of McCarthyism and extreme censorship, Ingrid's affair sets off an international scandal that robs seventeen-year-old Jesse of her childhood hero. When the stress placed on Jesse's father begins to reveal hidden truths about the Malloy family, Jesse's eyes are opened to the complex realities of life--and love.
Beautifully written and deeply moving, The Hollywood Daughter is an intimate novel of self-discovery that evokes a Hollywood sparkling with glamour and vivid drama. From the Hardcover edition.
In 1950, Ingrid Bergman--already a major star after movies like Casablanca and Joan of Arc--has a baby out of wedlock with her Italian lover, film director Roberto Rossellini. Previously held up as an icon of purity, Bergman's fall shocked her legions of American fans.
Growing up in Hollywood, Jessica Malloy watches as her PR executive father helps make Ingrid a star at Selznick Studio. Over years of fleeting interactions with the actress, Jesse comes to idolize Ingrid, who she considered not only the epitome of elegance and integrity, but also the picture-perfect mother, an area where her own difficult mom falls short.
In a heated era of McCarthyism and extreme censorship, Ingrid's affair sets off an international scandal that robs seventeen-year-old Jesse of her childhood hero. When the stress placed on Jesse's father begins to reveal hidden truths about the Malloy family, Jesse's eyes are opened to the complex realities of life--and love.
Beautifully written and deeply moving, The Hollywood Daughter is an intimate novel of self-discovery that evokes a Hollywood sparkling with glamour and vivid drama. From the Hardcover edition.
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First published March 7, 2017
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About the author
Kate Alcott
16 books479 followersKate Alcott is the pseudonym for journalist Patricia O’Brien, who has written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. As Kate Alcott, she is the author of The Dressmaker (a New York Times bestseller), The Daring Ladies of Lowell, and A Touch of Stardust. She lives in Washington, D.C.
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June 13, 2017
The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott is a 2017 Doubleday publication.
Alcott captures the glamour and awe of Hollywood amid the tensions and fears of McCarthyism and the scandal that sent shockwaves throughout the industry, but is also an intimate look at family, the cracks in the veneer, the loyalty, the secrets, and the importance of learning priorities, relinquishing false illusions, and learning to forgive, not only others, but yourself.
This story may have gotten off to a slow start, but by the half way mark, I was completely immersed in the drama surrounding the paranoia of McCarthyism and Ingrid Bergman’s shocking affair that made her a cast out for nine long years, but equally compelled by Jessica’s family dynamic and personal experiences at her Catholic school, and her relationship with her parents, especially with her mother.
Jessica’s father is Ingrid’s publicist, and Jessica is absolutely devoted to Ingrid. Her reverence for Ingrid is so deeply rooted she remains devoutly loyal to her through the scandal and her exile, which came at a very high personal cost to Jessica and her family.
The author did an incredible job of bringing Ingrid Bergman to life, of creating the anxiety and toll the Hollywood witch hunt took on the industry, how it hurt people, and the fall out of Bergman’s
adulterous affair, as seen through the eyes of young Jessica during her teenage years.
The story delves into Jessica’s personal life, as she struggles through the angst of growing up, dealing with her mother’s periods of depression and her parent’s marital woes. Her personal journey is tied in with Bergman’s life in so many ways, as it is with her father’s career, which causes her to make, then regret, personal and very controversial decisions, that will follow her into adulthood, haunting her to the point where she finally reaches an emotional precipice of adulthood.
I have always loved novels centered around the ‘golden age’ of Hollywood, because let’s be honest, that level of glamour, writing, and acting has never quite reached that pinnacle in any era since then. I was not familiar with the big Bergman scandal until, while watching ‘Casablanca’ with my parents, they related the story of how she became a pariah in the United States, with her scandalous affair, reaching all the way to the Senate floor, where she was lambasted as ‘powerful influence of evil’.
But, the story is much more than a coming of age tale, and touches on more than a young girl’s fantasy surrounding her favorite actress. It was also about judgmental hypocrisy, the drive to censor the arts, the conflicts Jessica faces about her church and religion, especially after the harsh and swift retribution passed in Hollywood, on Bergman, and her own family.
But, I think it also speaks to the incredible and unrealistic pressure we place on celebrities, by placing them on a pedestal to be worshiped, insisting they live up to our idealized image of them, when the truth is, they are people, just like you and me. When they fall, make a blunder, like an ill -advised tweet, for example, we will crucify them today, just as Bergman was judged and shamed back in 1949/50.
But, in the end, Jessica's struggle to understand her mother, fighting her own personal inability to forgive herself,unable to move forward without relinquishing her idealist hero worship of Ingrid Bergman, is at the heart of the story.
In the end, Jessica will mature enough to see which realtionships are the most important, will find understanding, and move on into adulthood, stronger and more at ease with herself.
I enjoyed Jessica’s journey, her voice was real, honest, and heartfelt, and realistic and really struck a chord with me.
I would like to say we’ve moved forward, upwards and onwards from those days, but we still fall into those same traps, and are ever in danger of seeing history repeat itself, but one thing we will probably never experience again in the same way, is the Golden Years of Hollywood.
Alcott captures the glamour and awe of Hollywood amid the tensions and fears of McCarthyism and the scandal that sent shockwaves throughout the industry, but is also an intimate look at family, the cracks in the veneer, the loyalty, the secrets, and the importance of learning priorities, relinquishing false illusions, and learning to forgive, not only others, but yourself.
This story may have gotten off to a slow start, but by the half way mark, I was completely immersed in the drama surrounding the paranoia of McCarthyism and Ingrid Bergman’s shocking affair that made her a cast out for nine long years, but equally compelled by Jessica’s family dynamic and personal experiences at her Catholic school, and her relationship with her parents, especially with her mother.
Jessica’s father is Ingrid’s publicist, and Jessica is absolutely devoted to Ingrid. Her reverence for Ingrid is so deeply rooted she remains devoutly loyal to her through the scandal and her exile, which came at a very high personal cost to Jessica and her family.
The author did an incredible job of bringing Ingrid Bergman to life, of creating the anxiety and toll the Hollywood witch hunt took on the industry, how it hurt people, and the fall out of Bergman’s
adulterous affair, as seen through the eyes of young Jessica during her teenage years.
The story delves into Jessica’s personal life, as she struggles through the angst of growing up, dealing with her mother’s periods of depression and her parent’s marital woes. Her personal journey is tied in with Bergman’s life in so many ways, as it is with her father’s career, which causes her to make, then regret, personal and very controversial decisions, that will follow her into adulthood, haunting her to the point where she finally reaches an emotional precipice of adulthood.
I have always loved novels centered around the ‘golden age’ of Hollywood, because let’s be honest, that level of glamour, writing, and acting has never quite reached that pinnacle in any era since then. I was not familiar with the big Bergman scandal until, while watching ‘Casablanca’ with my parents, they related the story of how she became a pariah in the United States, with her scandalous affair, reaching all the way to the Senate floor, where she was lambasted as ‘powerful influence of evil’.
But, the story is much more than a coming of age tale, and touches on more than a young girl’s fantasy surrounding her favorite actress. It was also about judgmental hypocrisy, the drive to censor the arts, the conflicts Jessica faces about her church and religion, especially after the harsh and swift retribution passed in Hollywood, on Bergman, and her own family.
But, I think it also speaks to the incredible and unrealistic pressure we place on celebrities, by placing them on a pedestal to be worshiped, insisting they live up to our idealized image of them, when the truth is, they are people, just like you and me. When they fall, make a blunder, like an ill -advised tweet, for example, we will crucify them today, just as Bergman was judged and shamed back in 1949/50.
But, in the end, Jessica's struggle to understand her mother, fighting her own personal inability to forgive herself,unable to move forward without relinquishing her idealist hero worship of Ingrid Bergman, is at the heart of the story.
In the end, Jessica will mature enough to see which realtionships are the most important, will find understanding, and move on into adulthood, stronger and more at ease with herself.
I enjoyed Jessica’s journey, her voice was real, honest, and heartfelt, and realistic and really struck a chord with me.
I would like to say we’ve moved forward, upwards and onwards from those days, but we still fall into those same traps, and are ever in danger of seeing history repeat itself, but one thing we will probably never experience again in the same way, is the Golden Years of Hollywood.
July 17, 2024
3.5 stars
It's the 1940s, World War II is raging, and young Jessica Molloy (Jesse) is growing up in Hollywood - where her father Gabriel is a publicist for Selznick International Studios.
One of Gabriel's clients is the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman, who becomes a household name after she stars in the Oscar-winning film Casablanca. Bergman becomes a superstar and Gabriel's career climbs.
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca
At the same time, Jesse herself becomes enchanted with Bergman. The actress's daughter Pia goes to Jesse's private elementary school - and uses the same transportation - and Jesse is captivated by Ingrid's grace and beauty as she sends Pia off to school every morning.
Ingrid Bergman and her daughter Pia
Jesse's mother Vanessa, a devout Catholic, fears glitzy Hollywood will adversely influence her daughter. Thus Vanessa insists that Jesse be transferred to St. Ann's Catholic School for girls, which goes from primary school through high school
Before Jesse switches schools, however, Gabriel arranges for a few supportive words from Ingrid Bergman, which Jesse deeply treasures. Afterwards, young Jesse has several more brief encounters with Bergman, all of which are encouraging and uplifting.
At St. Ann's, Jesse meets fellow student Kathleen - a mildly rebellious free spirit - and the two girls become best friends forever. When they're not in class, Jesse and Kathleen swim, play tennis, and secretly devour movie magazines forbidden by the school. The girls obsessively follow Hollywood news and gossip, and keep up with Bergman's personal life, career, and movies - which they're generally not allowed to see.
Movie magazine from the 1940s
In fact movies are controversial throughout the country. This is the era of the 'Catholic Legion of Decency', an organization determined to wipe out objectionable material in films. If a movie contains sexual content (including long kisses) or excessive violence, the League bans the film and Catholics are forbidden to see it. This puts a damper on the movie industry, since a denunciation strongly affects box office revenues.
The studio makes sure Bergman's films pass muster with the League, and the actress's star continues to rise. She makes a string of successful films, including For Whom the Bell Tolls, Gaslight, The Bells of St. Mary's, and Joan of Arc.
As it happens, The Bells of St. Mary's - about a nun who runs a convent school - is filmed at St. Ann's, and Jesse is thrilled to see Bergman on the premises. Between scenes, Jesse hears Ingrid recite a monologue from Shakespeare, and this becomes important years later, on graduation day.
Bergman's roles as a nun in The Bells of St. Mary's, and then a saint in Joan of Arc, endear her to the Catholic Church and its devotees.
When the war ends, repression by the Catholic League is joined by the oppression of McCarthyism. Senator Joseph McCarthy thinks American institutions have been infiltrated by Communists, and makes it his mission to root them out. Hollywood, which is supposedly filled with 'reds', is hit hard.....and myriad people lose their livelihoods over the next few years.
Ingrid Bergman now does something unthinkable. She leaves her husband, Dr. Petter Lindstrom, runs off to Italy with director Roberto Rossellini, and gets pregnant with his child. AMERICA GOES CRAZY.
Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rosselini
Bergman is denounced by the Catholic Church; condemned by the Senate; decried by newspapers; and severely criticized by people across the country. In fact, the actress is forbidden to return to the United States, where her daughter Pia still lives with Lindstrom.
Jesse, who's a teenager by now, is stunned and mystified by the furor - and confused by the suppression and hypocrisy she sees around her. Subsequent events strongly affect Jesse, her family, and her future.
The book is narrated as a long flashback by twentysomething Jesse. Adult Jesse lives in New York, is a copy editor for Newsweek, and sends stories to national magazines - hoping to be published. Jesse receives a surprise invitation to attend the 1959 Academy Awards, and while she's debating whether to go, recalls her life in Los Angeles.
In modern times it's hard to fathom the tyranny of the McCarthy/Catholic League years. This book paints a vivid picture of those days, and their effect on a coming-of-age Catholic girl who's fearful of 'sinning', but doesn't always agree with her Church.
Actually, as I was reading the book, I couldn't help thinking about the horrific child abuse scandals plaguing the very church that made itself the arbiter of 'morality' in past years.
This is a well-written, engaging story, recommended to fans of literary fiction and coming-of-age novels.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
November 13, 2020
Lofty, and at times even needy, in its wistfulness, The Hollywood Daughter was, quite frankly, just okay; it wants to be something more than it is.
This is a classic example where the author does a LOT of telling and very little showing. The insights the main character has were not really insightful. As she watched the world around her, big and small, Jessica Malloy simply raises questions and muses on various political, moral, and ethical topics that went with or against her Catholic upbringing. But Alcott never went deeper than surface and superficial contemplations, and yet, somehow, Jesse arrives at a resolution, or so I was told.
I fell in love with old Hollywood a long time ago, I was raised on it, and I did appreciate the references and the purpose they served in the book, guiding us along and setting the timeline up nicely. Even the appearance of Ingrid Bergman felt as though she was written with precisely the exact note, to get the effect of Bergman just right.
One thing that did speak to me, though this was told in the novel's cursory tone, was that overall political climate, very much mirroring what we're experiencing at the moment. With the HUAC and the desire to forget the freedoms for which this country is supposed to stand, the overtones really resonated and wove the novel into today's blanket.
The story is given in flashback form, with the present day (1959), bookending the novel. It begins with Jessica, now living on the east coast, receiving an invitation to the Academy Awards ceremony from party unknown. She calls up her childhood best friend to inquire, setting up a date to come out that way, because—as it turns out—her old Catholic girls' school is being sold. We then fall into a flashback, with some lines about how the events leading up to her leaving Los Angeles all come back to her, which spans nearly the length of the novel.
You'd think it had been at least twenty years, not nine.
There's an emotional distance to this story; the heartbeat of this story is sedate, nearly monotonous, with the crests and dips of the wavelength barely causing any disturbance. The emotional tautness is missing, where the tops of the crests and the low points of the lows have been overlooked, misplaced, forgotten, or omitted. This results in major gaps in the story, not in regards to the timeline, but in regards to the emotional development of the character. Here again, this is where we are told how she changes instead of being shown.
Mainly, all the characters feel like shells of real people. It's hard to connect with Jessica, and hard to figure out the narrative with no emotional gravity to ground us.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, nor the content of my review.
This is a classic example where the author does a LOT of telling and very little showing. The insights the main character has were not really insightful. As she watched the world around her, big and small, Jessica Malloy simply raises questions and muses on various political, moral, and ethical topics that went with or against her Catholic upbringing. But Alcott never went deeper than surface and superficial contemplations, and yet, somehow, Jesse arrives at a resolution, or so I was told.
I fell in love with old Hollywood a long time ago, I was raised on it, and I did appreciate the references and the purpose they served in the book, guiding us along and setting the timeline up nicely. Even the appearance of Ingrid Bergman felt as though she was written with precisely the exact note, to get the effect of Bergman just right.
One thing that did speak to me, though this was told in the novel's cursory tone, was that overall political climate, very much mirroring what we're experiencing at the moment. With the HUAC and the desire to forget the freedoms for which this country is supposed to stand, the overtones really resonated and wove the novel into today's blanket.
The story is given in flashback form, with the present day (1959), bookending the novel. It begins with Jessica, now living on the east coast, receiving an invitation to the Academy Awards ceremony from party unknown. She calls up her childhood best friend to inquire, setting up a date to come out that way, because—as it turns out—her old Catholic girls' school is being sold. We then fall into a flashback, with some lines about how the events leading up to her leaving Los Angeles all come back to her, which spans nearly the length of the novel.
You'd think it had been at least twenty years, not nine.
There's an emotional distance to this story; the heartbeat of this story is sedate, nearly monotonous, with the crests and dips of the wavelength barely causing any disturbance. The emotional tautness is missing, where the tops of the crests and the low points of the lows have been overlooked, misplaced, forgotten, or omitted. This results in major gaps in the story, not in regards to the timeline, but in regards to the emotional development of the character. Here again, this is where we are told how she changes instead of being shown.
Mainly, all the characters feel like shells of real people. It's hard to connect with Jessica, and hard to figure out the narrative with no emotional gravity to ground us.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, nor the content of my review.
February 8, 2017
4.5 stars
The Hollywood Daughter is a highly entertaining tale about Hollywood in the 1940’s and 1950’s and the impact of both McCarthyism and the Catholic Church on Hollywood movies and stars from that era. Jessica Malloy’s childhood is framed by her father’s job as a PR executive and his representation of Ingrid Bergman. As Hollywood is feeling the pressure of McCarthyism and censorship sanctioned by religious organizations, Ingrid Bergman grows weary of her position as a moral role model and embarks on an affair with film director Roberto Rossellini. Bergman is banished from Hollywood in 1950, and Jessica’s father’s career is unfairly ruined leading to his demise. After she finishes high school, Jessica, soured on Los Angeles and Hollywood, moves to New York and starts a job with Newsweek. As the book opens in 1959, Jessica receives an anonymous invitation to the Academy Awards. Surprised and curious, Jessica returns to Los Angeles to attend the awards and finds herself wanting to understand exactly what happened years before.
Books focusing on the earlier eras in Hollywood always appeal to me. I love reading about the famous actors and actresses from the 1920’s through the 1950’s. The Hollywood Daughter also resonates with me because the topic of censorship and condemning those different from ourselves is certainly becoming an issue again. Remembering McCarthyism and the impact McCarthy’s rampage had on so many innocent lives should serve as a very good reminder that it is incredibly important to think for ourselves and make our own decisions instead of blindly relying on someone to tell us what we should think. Kate Alcott uses Jessica Malloy to effectively convey this point.
I learned so much about Ingrid Bergman and the filming and release of Casablanca and Joan of Arc which was fantastic. My one small change would have been to speed up the original story a bit and spend more time in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s timeframe.
I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Doubleday Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Hollywood Daughter is a highly entertaining tale about Hollywood in the 1940’s and 1950’s and the impact of both McCarthyism and the Catholic Church on Hollywood movies and stars from that era. Jessica Malloy’s childhood is framed by her father’s job as a PR executive and his representation of Ingrid Bergman. As Hollywood is feeling the pressure of McCarthyism and censorship sanctioned by religious organizations, Ingrid Bergman grows weary of her position as a moral role model and embarks on an affair with film director Roberto Rossellini. Bergman is banished from Hollywood in 1950, and Jessica’s father’s career is unfairly ruined leading to his demise. After she finishes high school, Jessica, soured on Los Angeles and Hollywood, moves to New York and starts a job with Newsweek. As the book opens in 1959, Jessica receives an anonymous invitation to the Academy Awards. Surprised and curious, Jessica returns to Los Angeles to attend the awards and finds herself wanting to understand exactly what happened years before.
Books focusing on the earlier eras in Hollywood always appeal to me. I love reading about the famous actors and actresses from the 1920’s through the 1950’s. The Hollywood Daughter also resonates with me because the topic of censorship and condemning those different from ourselves is certainly becoming an issue again. Remembering McCarthyism and the impact McCarthy’s rampage had on so many innocent lives should serve as a very good reminder that it is incredibly important to think for ourselves and make our own decisions instead of blindly relying on someone to tell us what we should think. Kate Alcott uses Jessica Malloy to effectively convey this point.
I learned so much about Ingrid Bergman and the filming and release of Casablanca and Joan of Arc which was fantastic. My one small change would have been to speed up the original story a bit and spend more time in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s timeframe.
I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Doubleday Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2017
**The Hollywood Daughter generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
3 "But there was always Hollywood." Stars
Kate Alcott takes us back in time to the 1940's & 1950's in the heart of McCarthyism in America showing us the effects of that movement through the eyes of a young girl with a devout Catholic mother and a father who's a Hollywood PR agent to Ingrid Bergman. Family secrets and illusions converging as a result what's happening in Hollywood with the illustrious and notorious Bergman shape the young girls beliefs through her formative years. This is a historical coming of age type story set against the alluring backdrop of Hollywood woven generously with Catholic themes and understanding.
Throughout the story I found myself enamored with the glamour of it all. The way this author chose to tell a story based on these historical events through the eyes of a daughter trying to mature responsibly was fascinating. Picking up little tidbits of fact in Alcott's words led me to some interesting google searches and learning. Her way of showcasing irony made the story relevant to happenings in our current lives. Her promotion of free thinking and holding yourself high in your opinions was refreshing. Alcott was magnanimous with her thoughts and presenting both sides of the coin as this story unfolded. However a downside to this was that I never felt wholly connected to the story as it became a bit tedious through the middle. The author told me so much but never really showed me beyond the telling. A lacking tether to the main character was a result. I sympathize with Jessica Malloy as I think I'm intended to but I wanted to feel connected to her. The other characters proved to have the same result. While I found them interesting it was in a detached sort of way. They all lent importance and substance to the story though.
The writing of Kate Alcott in the The Hollywood Daughter impressed. Her structuring of sentences and dialogue and her use of carefully chose words to make understand more was thoughtful and intelligent. I enjoyed what I learned from this book and found it interesting on a educational level rather than an emotional one. This story is more for readers of Women's, Historical, or General Fiction.
3 "But there was always Hollywood." Stars
Kate Alcott takes us back in time to the 1940's & 1950's in the heart of McCarthyism in America showing us the effects of that movement through the eyes of a young girl with a devout Catholic mother and a father who's a Hollywood PR agent to Ingrid Bergman. Family secrets and illusions converging as a result what's happening in Hollywood with the illustrious and notorious Bergman shape the young girls beliefs through her formative years. This is a historical coming of age type story set against the alluring backdrop of Hollywood woven generously with Catholic themes and understanding.
Throughout the story I found myself enamored with the glamour of it all. The way this author chose to tell a story based on these historical events through the eyes of a daughter trying to mature responsibly was fascinating. Picking up little tidbits of fact in Alcott's words led me to some interesting google searches and learning. Her way of showcasing irony made the story relevant to happenings in our current lives. Her promotion of free thinking and holding yourself high in your opinions was refreshing. Alcott was magnanimous with her thoughts and presenting both sides of the coin as this story unfolded. However a downside to this was that I never felt wholly connected to the story as it became a bit tedious through the middle. The author told me so much but never really showed me beyond the telling. A lacking tether to the main character was a result. I sympathize with Jessica Malloy as I think I'm intended to but I wanted to feel connected to her. The other characters proved to have the same result. While I found them interesting it was in a detached sort of way. They all lent importance and substance to the story though.
The writing of Kate Alcott in the The Hollywood Daughter impressed. Her structuring of sentences and dialogue and her use of carefully chose words to make understand more was thoughtful and intelligent. I enjoyed what I learned from this book and found it interesting on a educational level rather than an emotional one. This story is more for readers of Women's, Historical, or General Fiction.
April 9, 2017
This story was too slow, and it wasn't the kind of story that what I wanted to read. I was hoping for a fun, humorous story about old Hollywood, but this wasn't it. Also, I didn't like the characters. There was no depth or growth.
March 27, 2017
Jessica Malloy idolized Ingrid Bergman. Because her Dad is Ingrid’s PR rep, Jesse occassionally gets to spend a few moments with her idol. Her Dad even arranged for some scenes from Bergman’s The Bells of St. Mary to be filmed at Jesse’s catholic school. Not long after, Bergman’s star is tarnished when she has a baby out of wedlock with Roberto Rosellini. Jessica must come to grips with the image she has of Ingrid and the reality of the harsh, cruel times they are living in.
I was not born when the Bergman scandal occurred, so I knew nothing about the details. It was interesting to not only read about this, but also about how McCarthyism and the power of the Catholic church played a role in Bergman’s being censored. This is what I love about historical fiction - learning about history that was before my time. The author did a great job of showing us Jesse’s struggle between the values she was raised with and the realities of life. Ms. Alcott always gives us likeable characters and I find her writing to be magical.
ARC from Doubleday, via Netgalley.
I was not born when the Bergman scandal occurred, so I knew nothing about the details. It was interesting to not only read about this, but also about how McCarthyism and the power of the Catholic church played a role in Bergman’s being censored. This is what I love about historical fiction - learning about history that was before my time. The author did a great job of showing us Jesse’s struggle between the values she was raised with and the realities of life. Ms. Alcott always gives us likeable characters and I find her writing to be magical.
ARC from Doubleday, via Netgalley.
December 10, 2017
I figured this book would be a bit of fluff - something to knock off and enjoy in between some very compelling long awaited novels. But it was actually more than that. I greatly enjoyed it. I found myself enraptured by the story, interested in the characters, the dynamics, and the political backdrop. Who knew I was entering not just Hollywood, but the historical fiction version - during the time of Ingrid Bergman's rise and fall from stardom. And yes Ingrid is a character in the book, and her story is enmeshed with Jessica's. Jessica is a young girl growing up in a Catholic school, caught between her Catholic mother and Hollywood publicist father, publicist to Ingrid Berman. Hollywood is set against Communism and the Legion of Decency, as one girl tries to figure out who she is, why she believes, and where her allegiances lie. I thought it was well done, and I enjoyed it.
And that, my friends, is some very good fluff!
And that, my friends, is some very good fluff!
March 6, 2017
Really 3.5 Stars
Ingrid Bergman, who could resist the mysterious woman she played in the film, Casablanca. Jessica "Jesse" Molloy, the young daughter of Miss Bergman's PR man at Selznick Studios in Hollywood, is captured by her star power. While Ingrid is filming, Bells of St. Mary's, at Jesse's all-girls, Catholic school, plus playing the pious role of a nun, Jesse falls deeper under Bergman's spell. "She's like an angel." Everything is magical in Jesse and her family's life until Ingrid leaves the U.S. and falls madly in love with Italian director, Roberto Rossellini., while they are both married to other people. This causes disgrace and a huge scandal in 1950's Hollywood, and turns American fans against Ingrid Bergman. Censorship, particularly by the Catholic Church, had great influence during that time-frame. Jesse's father eventually looses his job as Ingrid's star remains tarnished. Jesse finishes her senior year of high school questioning what's really important in her life and the tenets of the Church she was taught since early childhood.
This is great historical fiction and I do recommend it. A strong 3.5 versus a 3.0. My only reason for a lower score the length and speed in the middle. Overall great Hollywood history.
Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday Books!
Ingrid Bergman, who could resist the mysterious woman she played in the film, Casablanca. Jessica "Jesse" Molloy, the young daughter of Miss Bergman's PR man at Selznick Studios in Hollywood, is captured by her star power. While Ingrid is filming, Bells of St. Mary's, at Jesse's all-girls, Catholic school, plus playing the pious role of a nun, Jesse falls deeper under Bergman's spell. "She's like an angel." Everything is magical in Jesse and her family's life until Ingrid leaves the U.S. and falls madly in love with Italian director, Roberto Rossellini., while they are both married to other people. This causes disgrace and a huge scandal in 1950's Hollywood, and turns American fans against Ingrid Bergman. Censorship, particularly by the Catholic Church, had great influence during that time-frame. Jesse's father eventually looses his job as Ingrid's star remains tarnished. Jesse finishes her senior year of high school questioning what's really important in her life and the tenets of the Church she was taught since early childhood.
This is great historical fiction and I do recommend it. A strong 3.5 versus a 3.0. My only reason for a lower score the length and speed in the middle. Overall great Hollywood history.
Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday Books!
October 20, 2017
Sappy, over-dramatic and way too full of Catholic guilt and angst.
May 1, 2020
Interesting story about Ingrid Bergman (who I have always liked,) the HUAC investigations, the Catholic Legion of Decency, and the publicity machine of 1940s Hollywood. However. I quibble with some of the assumptions about how one navigates faith amongst these issues.
October 26, 2016
(Please read my review on my blog, http://fictionfeline.weebly.com/blog. And feel free to leave comments and feedback there, too!)
Thank you to Doubleday Books and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of “The Hollywood Daughter” by Kate Alcott.
This is the fourth book I have read by Kate Alcott and she does not disappoint. I found the book well written and quite engaging.
The Hollywood Daughter is a coming of age story, set in Hollywood during the 1950s. Jessica Malloy's father works at one of the studios as a publicist, and she soon learns that Hollywood contains equal parts of glitter and glamour as it does grime and scandal.
Jesse has several encounters with her actress idol, Ingrid Bergman.
Miss Bergman, with an almost Saint-like public persona, generated by her talented publicist, Gabriel Malloy, is soon entangled in an adulterous scandal that drives her from Hollywood.
Jesse must reconcile that not all issues are black and white, and that integrity and morality can often work at cross purposes.
"The Hollywood Daughter" is set during the heated era of McCarthyism and extreme censorship. Jesse comes to learn that when a person is placed on a pedestal, the fall from grace can be a long and painful journey.
I would highly recommend this book!
Thank you to Doubleday Books and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of “The Hollywood Daughter” by Kate Alcott.
This is the fourth book I have read by Kate Alcott and she does not disappoint. I found the book well written and quite engaging.
The Hollywood Daughter is a coming of age story, set in Hollywood during the 1950s. Jessica Malloy's father works at one of the studios as a publicist, and she soon learns that Hollywood contains equal parts of glitter and glamour as it does grime and scandal.
Jesse has several encounters with her actress idol, Ingrid Bergman.
Miss Bergman, with an almost Saint-like public persona, generated by her talented publicist, Gabriel Malloy, is soon entangled in an adulterous scandal that drives her from Hollywood.
Jesse must reconcile that not all issues are black and white, and that integrity and morality can often work at cross purposes.
"The Hollywood Daughter" is set during the heated era of McCarthyism and extreme censorship. Jesse comes to learn that when a person is placed on a pedestal, the fall from grace can be a long and painful journey.
I would highly recommend this book!
October 12, 2017
I picked up this book because I enjoyed watching the movie The Dressmaker, even though the plot was a little thin, and the overall arc of the story was telegraphed far, far in advance. However, those same issues plagued this novel, and unfortunately Kate Winslett was nowhere in sight to save the day with fine acting. Clearly I am in the minority as the overall rating on Goodreads are far higher than I have given.
I found the novel thin on plot, and high on melodrama. But all is wrapped up in the end with sudden freedom from a job unliked, a wonderful new boyfriend who is obsessively interested in the star of the novel, Ingrid is back in the US and on top, and Kate will reconnect with her father. As a cherry on top our little star has used her roughly 36 hours in LA to discover that she has treated her mother badly, and must reconnect. Cue the curtain and prepare for an upcoming Lifetime movie.
I found the novel thin on plot, and high on melodrama. But all is wrapped up in the end with sudden freedom from a job unliked, a wonderful new boyfriend who is obsessively interested in the star of the novel, Ingrid is back in the US and on top, and Kate will reconnect with her father. As a cherry on top our little star has used her roughly 36 hours in LA to discover that she has treated her mother badly, and must reconnect. Cue the curtain and prepare for an upcoming Lifetime movie.
December 21, 2016
Kate Alcott has once again taken her readers behind the scenes of old Hollywood to a time when Communist accusations and threats from the National Legion of Decency turned the star-studded world upside down. Amidst this turmoil, Jesse Malloy finds solace in her hero, Ingrid Bergman. But when Bergman’s life choices ban her from the US and cause Jesse’s family life to change forever, she finds that leaving is the only answer. Until one day, confronted with her past, she's forced to look to her future and see that her hero was with her all along...herself. Thank you to the publisher for this advance reader copy.
June 12, 2017
Very good story set in old Hollywood of the 1940's and 50's. It is told from the perspective of a young girl who attends Catholic school where Ingrid Bergman filmed the famous iconic movie the Bells of St Mary's. I really enjoyed this part of the story where the young catholic school girls and nuns find a hero in the nun character played by Ingrid Bergman. Later, Ingrid Bergman became a pariah when she moved to Italy to be with her lover and abandoned her American family. The hypocrisy of the catholic faith, McCarthyism and the persecution of "communist", Hollywood glamour are all backdrops for Jessica's coming of age. I really enjoyed this book.
August 4, 2019
I listened to this while outside enjoying this nice August Day watching the birds, bees, and butterfles enjoy my flowers and the deer came for a visit in the yard too (maybe they liked the story too). I think if I had read it I don't think I would have liked the characters as much. But I like the narrator well enough and its sometimes fun to imagine the old hollywood and this story gave some of that glamor but I was more interested in the religious part of the story.
August 17, 2025
Story about a spoiled Hollywood princess and her obsession with Ingrid Bergman, whose affair with married Roberto Rossellini ultimately displays the fallibility of cultural icons. Memories of Beatlemania and the slow realization that we were being played. This book was a cold hot dog at Pinks. A bad movie at Grauman’s Chinese. A face plant on the nature trail in Griffith Park.
March 5, 2017
Old Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s. Who doesn't love reading about that!
The story follows Jesse who has made Ingrid Bergman her hero....after being away from Hollywood for 20 years Jesse is summons home by a friend that sets the book in motion as she remembers growing up in Hollywood. Her parents love, how her dad was the publicists of Ingrid, how Jesse grew up Catholic in the Nazi era.
Bing Crosby even has a few parts and I even loved him too!! Ingrid's scandals, all of them!
This Book was FANTASTIC and I loved it!! Just read it and enjoy!
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Jesse who has made Ingrid Bergman her hero....after being away from Hollywood for 20 years Jesse is summons home by a friend that sets the book in motion as she remembers growing up in Hollywood. Her parents love, how her dad was the publicists of Ingrid, how Jesse grew up Catholic in the Nazi era.
Bing Crosby even has a few parts and I even loved him too!! Ingrid's scandals, all of them!
This Book was FANTASTIC and I loved it!! Just read it and enjoy!
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2017
This was a great read. Highly recommend for all your beach reading needs.
March 2, 2017
Jesse Malloy is living a normal life in New York City until one day she is invited to attend the Academy Awards. She hasn't returned to California in years and this unexpected invitation brings back a ton of memories. We flashback to her childhood where her father worked in PR at the famous Selznick Studio and worked with many celebrities, including the famous Ingrid Bergman. Jesse worships Ingrid not only because she is an incredible actress, but because she sees how much Ingrid loves her daughter. You see, Jesse's relationship with her mother falls short tremendously. Although her dad is really warm, her mother is the opposite and is pre-occupied with the Catholic Church and all of its rules. As things progress in Hollywood for Ingrid, they also progress for Jesse's family. But Ingrid, despite her pure reputation, has an affair and a child out of wedlock, which throws everyone for a loop. Plus, as Jesse gets older she starts to see things much more clearly with regards to the truth about her own family. Kate Alcott's The Hollywood Daughter is an enjoyable read that fans of Old Hollywood as well as classic movies with savor.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
September 13, 2018
It was not my favorite Alcott book but it was readable.
February 5, 2017
This was a story about glamour, gossip, scandal, Old Hollywood, McCarthyism, and a young girl. Jessica Malloy was brought up Hollywood all around her. Her father was a PR executive and Ingrid Bergman was one of his talents. Jessica was in awe of her, she was her idol. Jessica was lucky, she got to meet her idol. Not only that, Jessica went to school with her idol's daughter. So, every morning on the way to school, she shared a limousine with Pia, Ingrid's daughter. And every morning, Ingrid would walk her daughter to the car and see her off. Jessica would continue to see her idol off and on several times over her young childhood. Her dad even told Ingrid about his daughter and her idolism for her, inviting her to say hello to his daughter, which she would.
After Jessica left high school, she was done with LA. She had lost her dad, he had died after a massive heart attack at her graduation and her mother had moved to Sacramento. Jessica was now a copy editor for Newsweek magazine. One day, she was surprised to receive an invitation to the Academy Awards. She had no idea who had invited her or how it had happened. She spoke to her best friend, Kathryn, who still resided in LA and who begged her to come out.
Jessica, with no desire to see LA again, finally decided what the heck and traveled back to the city of her upbringing. The surprises she discovered as well as some secrets made Jessica look at things a little differently on her return.
This was a story that I definitely enjoyed. I love Old Hollywood stories. It was fun reading about the stories Jessica and Kathryn were reading in the old gossip magazines about the celebrities. Stories that we now know the truth about and I could only just laugh at them. And to hear about Jessica and Kathryn actually going and seeing movies at Grauman's, oh what a time!
I know this was just fiction, but I was really into it. So if any of my comments make you say, duh, it was fiction, that's how real the author made it feel. So, in my book, she did a great job.
Thanks to Doubleday Books for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
After Jessica left high school, she was done with LA. She had lost her dad, he had died after a massive heart attack at her graduation and her mother had moved to Sacramento. Jessica was now a copy editor for Newsweek magazine. One day, she was surprised to receive an invitation to the Academy Awards. She had no idea who had invited her or how it had happened. She spoke to her best friend, Kathryn, who still resided in LA and who begged her to come out.
Jessica, with no desire to see LA again, finally decided what the heck and traveled back to the city of her upbringing. The surprises she discovered as well as some secrets made Jessica look at things a little differently on her return.
This was a story that I definitely enjoyed. I love Old Hollywood stories. It was fun reading about the stories Jessica and Kathryn were reading in the old gossip magazines about the celebrities. Stories that we now know the truth about and I could only just laugh at them. And to hear about Jessica and Kathryn actually going and seeing movies at Grauman's, oh what a time!
I know this was just fiction, but I was really into it. So if any of my comments make you say, duh, it was fiction, that's how real the author made it feel. So, in my book, she did a great job.
Thanks to Doubleday Books for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2018
A coming of age novel set in post-World War 2 Hollywood that is as much about celebrity as it is about convictions.
Admittedly this Protestant can’t understand all the nuances of being raised by a strict (and sadly, guilt-ridden) Catholic, Alcott does a wonderful job of detailing the collisions of faith and a hypocrisy-laden religious system. All set off by a supporting cast of Hollywood stars and starmakers.
And yet, the heart of this novel is Jesse, a young girl in love with a celebrity who managed to remain true to herself, at great cost. Unwittingly, our young heroine does the same. The daughter of a powerful publicist, she has a front row (or back seat) view of Hollywood in the McCarthy era.
Alcott does a wonderful job of weaving real people into her fictional world of Hollywood and nuns (what at first seemed an odd combination totally works as the novel hits full-stride during Jesse’s senior year at a private catholic school). And the peek into her life nine years later is a cathartic release and pretty good ending.
So forgive this somewhat wandering and vague review and pick up this book. It was a true feel good read without any Hollywood whitewashing!
PS— and I’ll admit there were some juicy tidbits that made me hit IMDB up. There’s a few old movies I need to watch again!!
Admittedly this Protestant can’t understand all the nuances of being raised by a strict (and sadly, guilt-ridden) Catholic, Alcott does a wonderful job of detailing the collisions of faith and a hypocrisy-laden religious system. All set off by a supporting cast of Hollywood stars and starmakers.
And yet, the heart of this novel is Jesse, a young girl in love with a celebrity who managed to remain true to herself, at great cost. Unwittingly, our young heroine does the same. The daughter of a powerful publicist, she has a front row (or back seat) view of Hollywood in the McCarthy era.
Alcott does a wonderful job of weaving real people into her fictional world of Hollywood and nuns (what at first seemed an odd combination totally works as the novel hits full-stride during Jesse’s senior year at a private catholic school). And the peek into her life nine years later is a cathartic release and pretty good ending.
So forgive this somewhat wandering and vague review and pick up this book. It was a true feel good read without any Hollywood whitewashing!
PS— and I’ll admit there were some juicy tidbits that made me hit IMDB up. There’s a few old movies I need to watch again!!
June 17, 2017
DNF. The story is told through the detached, dispassionate eyes of a child. There is not action-consequence but a series of "and then" chapters. It's more about being Catholic in LA during McCarthyism than Old Hollywood. Disappointing.
August 26, 2017
What could be a good beach read...with a plot from the 1940-1950s focused on unrelenting censorship of movies...led by the Catholic church, aided by fanatics in the government...let down by a ridiculous ending.
April 30, 2018
Annoying and indulgent.
I only give this more than 1 star because it actually included factually sound descriptions of some aspects of the Catholic faith.
I only give this more than 1 star because it actually included factually sound descriptions of some aspects of the Catholic faith.
March 4, 2017
I would like to thank NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the ARC of "The Hollywood Daughter" by Kate Alcott.
The genres for this novel are historical fiction and women's fiction.
The author introduces the Malloy family. Jessica is a child when we first meet her, and her idol is actress Ingrid Bergman. Jessica has seen and met with the actress. Jessica's Dad is in Public Relations at a Hollywood studio representing Ingrid Bergman. Jessica is familiar with many of the Hollywood actors and actresses. Jessica's mother is a devout Catholic and feels that going to Church is very important, and sends Jessica to Catholic school. Mr. and Mrs. Malloy are complicated and conflicted parents.
Jessica's father arranges for Ingrid Bergman and cast to film one of her pictures at St. Annes, where Jessica attends school. Ingrid Bergman's visit is one of the school's highlights.
Kate Alcott discusses that McCarthyism and the threat of Communism causes problems in the Hollywood and acting community. Jessica is older and is aware that the church frowns on sin and movies that are "sinful". She is aware that there is tension at home.
Around this timeline, Ingrid Bergman has an affair with Robert Rossellini, while she is still married. Mr. Malloy takes Jessica to Europe to try to get Ingrid Bergman to return to America. Ingrid Bergman is pregnant and doesn't return.
This is problematic for the Malloy family. There is pressure from the church to renounce Ingrid Bergman and
her movies. The school takes the plague of recognition of the actress down, and anyone associated with Ingrid Bergman is looked on with disrespect. The actress doesn't do any movies in America or come to America for years.
This is a turning point in Jessica's life. Her hero is disgraced and Jessica questions the Churches decision, as well as the government that is condemning people who are called Communists. She also questions her parent's beliefs.
Jessica leaves her faith in religion behind as she goes to College. After graduating, Jessica is writing for a Magazine in New York. Circumstances occur where Jessica has the opportunity to go back to Hollywood and Los Angeles to visit.
This visit causes conflicted Jessica to revisit her feelings about faith and herself. I find that the author describes
many of the conflicts of self-discovery, self-worth, high ideals, friendship, family, forgiveness,love, growth and hope.
I enjoyed reading about Hollywood and the famous actors and actresses, and would recommend this book. I liked the colorful way that Kate Alcott describes Hollywood .I also found this time in history intriguing and this brings many thoughts and questions to mind.
The genres for this novel are historical fiction and women's fiction.
The author introduces the Malloy family. Jessica is a child when we first meet her, and her idol is actress Ingrid Bergman. Jessica has seen and met with the actress. Jessica's Dad is in Public Relations at a Hollywood studio representing Ingrid Bergman. Jessica is familiar with many of the Hollywood actors and actresses. Jessica's mother is a devout Catholic and feels that going to Church is very important, and sends Jessica to Catholic school. Mr. and Mrs. Malloy are complicated and conflicted parents.
Jessica's father arranges for Ingrid Bergman and cast to film one of her pictures at St. Annes, where Jessica attends school. Ingrid Bergman's visit is one of the school's highlights.
Kate Alcott discusses that McCarthyism and the threat of Communism causes problems in the Hollywood and acting community. Jessica is older and is aware that the church frowns on sin and movies that are "sinful". She is aware that there is tension at home.
Around this timeline, Ingrid Bergman has an affair with Robert Rossellini, while she is still married. Mr. Malloy takes Jessica to Europe to try to get Ingrid Bergman to return to America. Ingrid Bergman is pregnant and doesn't return.
This is problematic for the Malloy family. There is pressure from the church to renounce Ingrid Bergman and
her movies. The school takes the plague of recognition of the actress down, and anyone associated with Ingrid Bergman is looked on with disrespect. The actress doesn't do any movies in America or come to America for years.
This is a turning point in Jessica's life. Her hero is disgraced and Jessica questions the Churches decision, as well as the government that is condemning people who are called Communists. She also questions her parent's beliefs.
Jessica leaves her faith in religion behind as she goes to College. After graduating, Jessica is writing for a Magazine in New York. Circumstances occur where Jessica has the opportunity to go back to Hollywood and Los Angeles to visit.
This visit causes conflicted Jessica to revisit her feelings about faith and herself. I find that the author describes
many of the conflicts of self-discovery, self-worth, high ideals, friendship, family, forgiveness,love, growth and hope.
I enjoyed reading about Hollywood and the famous actors and actresses, and would recommend this book. I liked the colorful way that Kate Alcott describes Hollywood .I also found this time in history intriguing and this brings many thoughts and questions to mind.
February 10, 2019
4.5 stars. I read this book in a few hours, and couldn’t put it down! I really enjoyed the weaving together of the McCarthy-era paranoia and how it affected the entire United States, and all of Hollywood. Jesse was a great protagonist and I really loved how she struggled with her faith, family, devotion to her hero, Ingrid Bergman, and I loved the relationship between Jesse and her mother. Although the relationship with her and her parents made me want to SCREAM at times because of all of the things left unsaid. Especially how her parents seemed to pit her against the other parent - so not cool.
Jesse’s friendship with Kathleen, and her relationship with Miss Coultrane and later on, Sister Teresa Mary were some of my favorite parts of the book. Particularly I think any part with Miss Coultrane was very poignant and lovely. As someone who’s benefited from having teachers take an interest in me, I really enjoyed their relationship and the support that Miss Coultrane provided. The pride that she felt for Jesse during and after her Redlands speech and Jesse’s support during graduation was just really great.
I think the parts with Ingrid and Jesse were some of my favorites. I think it just speaks to the whole celebrity culture that has been around for decades, and how people have a tendency to put famous people up on a pedestal when, for the most part, they’re normal people who are trying to live their lives. I definitely am guilty of idolizing some of my favorite actors. I really liked how Ingrid seemed to be the through line for the entire book, starting when Jesse was a child and going all the way through to Jesse’s adulthood. Their relationship (even when it was just in Jesse’s head) was fascinating.
Jesse’s friendship with Kathleen, and her relationship with Miss Coultrane and later on, Sister Teresa Mary were some of my favorite parts of the book. Particularly I think any part with Miss Coultrane was very poignant and lovely. As someone who’s benefited from having teachers take an interest in me, I really enjoyed their relationship and the support that Miss Coultrane provided. The pride that she felt for Jesse during and after her Redlands speech and Jesse’s support during graduation was just really great.
I think the parts with Ingrid and Jesse were some of my favorites. I think it just speaks to the whole celebrity culture that has been around for decades, and how people have a tendency to put famous people up on a pedestal when, for the most part, they’re normal people who are trying to live their lives. I definitely am guilty of idolizing some of my favorite actors. I really liked how Ingrid seemed to be the through line for the entire book, starting when Jesse was a child and going all the way through to Jesse’s adulthood. Their relationship (even when it was just in Jesse’s head) was fascinating.
June 21, 2022
This was an interesting little book. Very slow paced, and I’m not entirely sure how the MC healed from her emotional baggage/wounds from the past. The story was a bit dry, and although there were fairly emotional scenes, the retelling of them was removed and avoidant. This may have been purposeful, to create a sense of the dissociation that the MC may have been feeling, but I’m not entirely sold on that concept.
The story was told in dual timelines, one occurring while the MC grew up to age 18, and one occurring at age 27, 9 years after she graduated from high school. However, the 1959 timeline (present day as a 27 year old) felt like it should’ve been written as occurring 20 years in the future rather than just 9 based on her reflections of how long it’s been and how much has happened. Girl, 9 years is a chunk of time but it’s not as long as you’re making it sound. Goodness. Or maybe that’s just me being grumpy, a smidge. 😅
That being said, I adore old Hollywood and I didn’t know a lot of the facts presented in this book about Ingrid Bergman, whom I also adore and whose films I’ve watched quite a lot along with Lauren Bacall and Audrey Hepburn (although the last two were quite a bit younger than Ingrid). So this was definitely not a wasted read and in fact it functioned quite well as a nightmare antidote book (one that I read in bed before falling asleep).
The story was told in dual timelines, one occurring while the MC grew up to age 18, and one occurring at age 27, 9 years after she graduated from high school. However, the 1959 timeline (present day as a 27 year old) felt like it should’ve been written as occurring 20 years in the future rather than just 9 based on her reflections of how long it’s been and how much has happened. Girl, 9 years is a chunk of time but it’s not as long as you’re making it sound. Goodness. Or maybe that’s just me being grumpy, a smidge. 😅
That being said, I adore old Hollywood and I didn’t know a lot of the facts presented in this book about Ingrid Bergman, whom I also adore and whose films I’ve watched quite a lot along with Lauren Bacall and Audrey Hepburn (although the last two were quite a bit younger than Ingrid). So this was definitely not a wasted read and in fact it functioned quite well as a nightmare antidote book (one that I read in bed before falling asleep).
August 24, 2017
3.5 stars
"The Hollywood Daughter" is the engaging story of Jessica (Jesse) growing up in the midst of Hollywood during the 40s/50s. Her father works PR for many of the stars, including Ingrid Bergman, whom Jesse loves and idolizes. She is experiencing a lot of turmoil in her own life- particularly with religion. Her mother is a devout Catholic, while her father is not. Jesse is caught somewhere in the middle. Things escalate when she is placed in a Catholic school.
Jesse's story is really engaging, and although it takes place in the 40s/50s, it easily could have been from any time, as so much of her growth and family turmoil is timeless. The thread throughout is her idolization of Ingrid Bergman, who is maybe not so perfect. As discussed in the description, Bergman's affair has implications that are reflected in Jesse's life. Although set around the scene of Hollywood, the vast majority of this book could have occurred anywhere- movies cast across the country and family tension/coming-of-age is certainly something universal/timeless. The setting adds a little bit something extra to the book, but the story was strong without it.
Overall, it's a really engaging coming-of-age story of a young woman finding her own way through religion and life. It is at times meandering and gets caught in thought, but overall, it flows very well through the key events in Jesse's life, taking us along for an intriguing ride. Please note that I received an ARC of this book through a goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own.
"The Hollywood Daughter" is the engaging story of Jessica (Jesse) growing up in the midst of Hollywood during the 40s/50s. Her father works PR for many of the stars, including Ingrid Bergman, whom Jesse loves and idolizes. She is experiencing a lot of turmoil in her own life- particularly with religion. Her mother is a devout Catholic, while her father is not. Jesse is caught somewhere in the middle. Things escalate when she is placed in a Catholic school.
Jesse's story is really engaging, and although it takes place in the 40s/50s, it easily could have been from any time, as so much of her growth and family turmoil is timeless. The thread throughout is her idolization of Ingrid Bergman, who is maybe not so perfect. As discussed in the description, Bergman's affair has implications that are reflected in Jesse's life. Although set around the scene of Hollywood, the vast majority of this book could have occurred anywhere- movies cast across the country and family tension/coming-of-age is certainly something universal/timeless. The setting adds a little bit something extra to the book, but the story was strong without it.
Overall, it's a really engaging coming-of-age story of a young woman finding her own way through religion and life. It is at times meandering and gets caught in thought, but overall, it flows very well through the key events in Jesse's life, taking us along for an intriguing ride. Please note that I received an ARC of this book through a goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own.
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