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Jazzed
Academic geniuses, Wilhelmina Will Reinhardt and Dorothy Dolly Raab, become roommates at Barnard in the early 1920s, a time when college for women was a rarity.
Socially awkward Will, grieving her mother's death, is fascinated by Dolly, a beautiful, charming rebel with an insatiable taste for adrenaline. Both musicians come alive at Harlem jazz clubs and Prohibition-era speakeasies.
Dazzled by the world they are discovering together, their romance ignites. But while Will is obsessed with Dolly, Dolly is obsessed with crime. The power dynamics keep shifting as Will agrees to commit petty crimes with Dolly in exchange for sexual favors.
When the University and their rich families unite to split them up, passions escalate. To strike back at those who deny them the right to be together, they plot another crime: murder.
A gender-swapped take on the infamous Leopold and Loeb case, Jazzed is part historical fiction, part true crime. Juxtaposing the thrilling scientific breakthroughs in quantum physics and artistic explosion of the Harlem Renaissance with the pseudoscience of eugenics and anti-immigration fervor that also defined the era, the novel mirrors today's polarized world and moves with the fast-paced rhythm of jazz itself.
Socially awkward Will, grieving her mother's death, is fascinated by Dolly, a beautiful, charming rebel with an insatiable taste for adrenaline. Both musicians come alive at Harlem jazz clubs and Prohibition-era speakeasies.
Dazzled by the world they are discovering together, their romance ignites. But while Will is obsessed with Dolly, Dolly is obsessed with crime. The power dynamics keep shifting as Will agrees to commit petty crimes with Dolly in exchange for sexual favors.
When the University and their rich families unite to split them up, passions escalate. To strike back at those who deny them the right to be together, they plot another crime: murder.
A gender-swapped take on the infamous Leopold and Loeb case, Jazzed is part historical fiction, part true crime. Juxtaposing the thrilling scientific breakthroughs in quantum physics and artistic explosion of the Harlem Renaissance with the pseudoscience of eugenics and anti-immigration fervor that also defined the era, the novel mirrors today's polarized world and moves with the fast-paced rhythm of jazz itself.
282 pages, Paperback
Published July 5, 2022
4 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 15, 2024
An interesting and energetic reimagining of a real life crime fueled by injustice and passion. Fast paced, seductive, and defiant, Jill Dearman tells a story of rebelling against societal restraints, and finding security and courage in the love of another. A very rewarding read.
Thank you so much to Book Sirens and Jill Dearman for this ARC of Jazzed, please look for it in July 2022!
Thank you so much to Book Sirens and Jill Dearman for this ARC of Jazzed, please look for it in July 2022!
abandoned
July 26, 2022DNF at 25%. Sorry, but the writing style isn’t clicking with me.
This is a story inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder case of 1924. The author has changed the setting from Chicago to NYC and swapped the genders to make the lead protagonists female.
Detailed feedback shared privately with Booksirens. In brief, the character development should have been a lot better. We had facts but not insights. We know what the characters did, but not why they did it.
Looking at the other ratings, there's a good chance that the book might improve as it progresses and this might be a story worth trying out. But I couldn't go beyond the patchy writing style in my current frame of mind. Not rating this as I didn't even reach the halfway mark.
My thanks to author Jill Dearman and BookSirens for the DRC of “Jazzed”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out.
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This is a story inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder case of 1924. The author has changed the setting from Chicago to NYC and swapped the genders to make the lead protagonists female.
Detailed feedback shared privately with Booksirens. In brief, the character development should have been a lot better. We had facts but not insights. We know what the characters did, but not why they did it.
Looking at the other ratings, there's a good chance that the book might improve as it progresses and this might be a story worth trying out. But I couldn't go beyond the patchy writing style in my current frame of mind. Not rating this as I didn't even reach the halfway mark.
My thanks to author Jill Dearman and BookSirens for the DRC of “Jazzed”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
June 8, 2022
Like some brilliant amalgamation of Patricia Highsmith's best work, Mary McCarthy's The Group and the Jazz Age tabloid-crime musical Chicago, JAZZED is a frenetic, scary, erotic, funny and darkly moving thrill ride with two mismatched anti-heroines who completely break the mold of their time and place—the elite Jewish intelligentsia of Roaring Twenties New York City. I thrilled to the twisted love affair and power struggle between Dolly and Wilhemina and how their unambiguous evildoing intersected with the intense sexism, homophobia and anti-Semitism of the world they were born into. Rife with authentic period detail and sizzling with complex and obsessive psychological realism, JAZZED will rivet you right through to its haunting final pages.
June 23, 2022
Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC!
Jazzed is based on a true-crime story from the 20s about secret lovers, Leopold and Loeb, who committed petty crimes to prove themselves to each other and hatched a grander plan to commit the perfect murder. The author swaps the genders for the re-telling of this story, which I was excited about going into this book. However, the fictional story draws too many literal details from the real-life story. Typically, I enjoy a historical fiction that intertwines a fictional story with the nuances of the era or perhaps parallel story lines that provide historical references. This novel, however, takes identical scenarios for many of the ideas of the book, missing the opportunity to put a unique spin on it beyond swapping the genders. Additionally, there wasn’t enough character development to make these girls’ murderous intentions believable. I understand that it’s based off real people - but the fictional characters just replaced Leopold and Loeb and the reader is supposed to take the new characters at face value murderers. I appreciate the attempt the author made to render a true-crime in a new way, but unfortunately it felt forced and ultimately fell flat for me.
Jazzed is based on a true-crime story from the 20s about secret lovers, Leopold and Loeb, who committed petty crimes to prove themselves to each other and hatched a grander plan to commit the perfect murder. The author swaps the genders for the re-telling of this story, which I was excited about going into this book. However, the fictional story draws too many literal details from the real-life story. Typically, I enjoy a historical fiction that intertwines a fictional story with the nuances of the era or perhaps parallel story lines that provide historical references. This novel, however, takes identical scenarios for many of the ideas of the book, missing the opportunity to put a unique spin on it beyond swapping the genders. Additionally, there wasn’t enough character development to make these girls’ murderous intentions believable. I understand that it’s based off real people - but the fictional characters just replaced Leopold and Loeb and the reader is supposed to take the new characters at face value murderers. I appreciate the attempt the author made to render a true-crime in a new way, but unfortunately it felt forced and ultimately fell flat for me.
June 3, 2022
Thank you to Booksirens and the publishers for providing me with a free digital arc, to leave a voluntary and free review.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: homophobia, conversion therapy, racism, misogyny & bigotry, violence, death, obsessive behavior.
Disclaimer: This story follows a gender-swapped version of the true crime case of Leopold & Loeb case
This book is a historical fiction that represents the toxic relationship between two girls, as they fight their individual urges in order to survive in their current era. Will has been ostracized constantly because of her romantic attraction to solely females, and an encounter with a beautiful lover of Jazz, named Dolly, leaves her chasing after many impossible trials. As Dolly and Will come to terms with their attraction for each other, their deep desires come to the surface as well. Will and her obsession for Will, remain paralleled as Dolly's obsession with crime, becomes a well-known secret between the two lovers. This tale follows the trivial issue of how far one will go to remain with the one they love, and if it's possible to even escape these kinds of dire situations.
In my opinion, this book is phenomenal. I went into this novel without properly reading the synopsis, for dramatic effect, and the amount of powerful and historical elements that were weaved into what was seemingly an innocent sapphic relationship, made me eternally invested. The toxicity of these two was unmatched, and their desperation was horrifying yet perfectly written. The fight for freedom and rights as an individual was something that really spoke to me, and this novel and its dark twists had me on the edge of my seat each time. The writing makes the readers feel so uncomfortable at times, and this was extremely effective as it showcased the blind mindset of people in this era, and their disgusting standards and judgments about others, which truly added to the realistic reading experience. If the pacing was done a bit better and less detail was given to the many descriptions and focused more on giving plot-relevant details, as well as characterization, then this would've been closer to a 4.5 star rating or maybe even a full 5 star rating, if there was more closure.
Overall, this spine-chilling novel could be difficult for some people to read, but the amount of research that was done in order to provide the readers with a raw depiction of such a dark plot, really makes it something that I would highly recommend to others. The directions that this novel took may seem choppy at first, but reading between the lines is crucial, and I hope others can pick up this novel when it is published, and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: homophobia, conversion therapy, racism, misogyny & bigotry, violence, death, obsessive behavior.
Disclaimer: This story follows a gender-swapped version of the true crime case of Leopold & Loeb case
This book is a historical fiction that represents the toxic relationship between two girls, as they fight their individual urges in order to survive in their current era. Will has been ostracized constantly because of her romantic attraction to solely females, and an encounter with a beautiful lover of Jazz, named Dolly, leaves her chasing after many impossible trials. As Dolly and Will come to terms with their attraction for each other, their deep desires come to the surface as well. Will and her obsession for Will, remain paralleled as Dolly's obsession with crime, becomes a well-known secret between the two lovers. This tale follows the trivial issue of how far one will go to remain with the one they love, and if it's possible to even escape these kinds of dire situations.
In my opinion, this book is phenomenal. I went into this novel without properly reading the synopsis, for dramatic effect, and the amount of powerful and historical elements that were weaved into what was seemingly an innocent sapphic relationship, made me eternally invested. The toxicity of these two was unmatched, and their desperation was horrifying yet perfectly written. The fight for freedom and rights as an individual was something that really spoke to me, and this novel and its dark twists had me on the edge of my seat each time. The writing makes the readers feel so uncomfortable at times, and this was extremely effective as it showcased the blind mindset of people in this era, and their disgusting standards and judgments about others, which truly added to the realistic reading experience. If the pacing was done a bit better and less detail was given to the many descriptions and focused more on giving plot-relevant details, as well as characterization, then this would've been closer to a 4.5 star rating or maybe even a full 5 star rating, if there was more closure.
Overall, this spine-chilling novel could be difficult for some people to read, but the amount of research that was done in order to provide the readers with a raw depiction of such a dark plot, really makes it something that I would highly recommend to others. The directions that this novel took may seem choppy at first, but reading between the lines is crucial, and I hope others can pick up this novel when it is published, and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did.
July 1, 2022
I’m grateful to BookSirens for the opportunity to review this fascinating work of historical fiction. The twist on the Leopold and Loeb case was an interesting premise and I enjoyed how their personalities remained close to their counterparts despite their characters being portrayed as gay women. The LGBT relationship was spectacularly and heartbreakingly represented. I found myself wishing Will had a different life, one where she didn’t meet Dolly. Will was easy to empathize with and I felt myself falling for her as the story progressed. Dolly was ethereal, charismatic, vulnerable yet terrifying. I could see why she was loved and why she was a monster. She reminded me of a girl I was once in love with, though fortunately no murders resulted.
The way women were treated was hard to read in that way. Especially the way gay black women were treated. It’s one thing to know a thing happened, it’s quite another to experience it with them via writing. I was angry for them, with them, and for the very real women they represent. It was eye-opening in a way I wasn’t expecting given my existing knowledge on that time period. I can’t recommend this enough for almost any adult.
The way women were treated was hard to read in that way. Especially the way gay black women were treated. It’s one thing to know a thing happened, it’s quite another to experience it with them via writing. I was angry for them, with them, and for the very real women they represent. It was eye-opening in a way I wasn’t expecting given my existing knowledge on that time period. I can’t recommend this enough for almost any adult.
July 25, 2022
I loved The Great Bravura, so I pre-ordered this book as soon as I heard about it. I’m so glad I did! In Jazzed—a bold reimagining of the Leopold and Loeb case—Dearman takes the reader on a wild ride that never disappoints. Highly recommended!
June 9, 2022
Jazzed suffuses the eroticism of Highsmith and the intensity of Ellroy in an ingenious gender-swapping take on the Leopold & Loeb case. In her lover/killers, Will Reinhardt and Dolly Raab, Jill Dearman creates an unforgettable duo brimming with murderous passion and lusting for revenge on the society which won't accept them.
June 27, 2022
(Book Sirens provided me with a free ARC for this, and I am writing this review of my own accord :) )
Finally, I finished. I went into a reading slump while reading this, which probably didn't do this book any favors, but I don't think it impacts my view of it.
Jazzed was a book that I expected to be an easy five-star because it seemed right up my alley. Two possibly insane queer women in the 1920s? Sign me up. Unfortunately, while it definitely wasn't bad, it doesn't get to be on my favorites list. This is completely fine by me—there's no book that's absolutely gold to everyone.
Let's start out with the pros. I loved the setting of this book. Every time I picked it up, I felt like I was totally immersed in the early 20th century. In a way, I was much more interested in the setting than the plot. Secondly, the last 40% of this book or so? It was absolutely gold and I loved it. I've never really been interested in what goes on inside a courtroom, but I was completely captivated by this book. The ending felt bittersweet and perfect. Oh, yeah, and Buddy? I absolutely adored him.
The cons are: the characters didn't get enough development, in my opinion. I get that this is based on a real-life case, but the characters need to be more than their historical counterparts. I wasn't attached to them for the majority of the story (actually, I never got attached to Dolly). I also wish there had been more air of mystery behind Dolly and Will's relationship. If it would have been a more 'does Dolly really love Will or is she just manipulating her?' type of thing I feel like I would have been more invested. The narration from the characters also felt robotic in some places. I can't remember any specific examples, but I remember thinking in some places 'well, that was not fluid at all?' but it didn't bother me to the point where I highlighted anything, so that's that.
Overall, I totally believe that this could be on somebody's list of favorites, and I wish this book a happy publishing.
Finally, I finished. I went into a reading slump while reading this, which probably didn't do this book any favors, but I don't think it impacts my view of it.
Jazzed was a book that I expected to be an easy five-star because it seemed right up my alley. Two possibly insane queer women in the 1920s? Sign me up. Unfortunately, while it definitely wasn't bad, it doesn't get to be on my favorites list. This is completely fine by me—there's no book that's absolutely gold to everyone.
Let's start out with the pros. I loved the setting of this book. Every time I picked it up, I felt like I was totally immersed in the early 20th century. In a way, I was much more interested in the setting than the plot. Secondly, the last 40% of this book or so? It was absolutely gold and I loved it. I've never really been interested in what goes on inside a courtroom, but I was completely captivated by this book. The ending felt bittersweet and perfect. Oh, yeah, and Buddy? I absolutely adored him.
The cons are: the characters didn't get enough development, in my opinion. I get that this is based on a real-life case, but the characters need to be more than their historical counterparts. I wasn't attached to them for the majority of the story (actually, I never got attached to Dolly). I also wish there had been more air of mystery behind Dolly and Will's relationship. If it would have been a more 'does Dolly really love Will or is she just manipulating her?' type of thing I feel like I would have been more invested. The narration from the characters also felt robotic in some places. I can't remember any specific examples, but I remember thinking in some places 'well, that was not fluid at all?' but it didn't bother me to the point where I highlighted anything, so that's that.
Overall, I totally believe that this could be on somebody's list of favorites, and I wish this book a happy publishing.
June 20, 2022
A chilling, seductive, gender-swapped account of the true-crime Leopold and Loeb case. Set in the Roaring Twenties, Jazzed is the riveting tale of Wilhelmina and Dolly, college girls hell-bent on taking their relationship, and their passion for crime, to a sexy, but sinister, level. Ferocious, unrelenting, and erotic, Jazzed is wickedly clever and mercilessly entertaining!
Thank you so much to Book Sirens and Jill Dearman for this ARC of Jazzed. Look for it July 2022!
October 9, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'm going to be completely honest this seems like a big hit or miss kind of book.
Even through the characters lacked a lot of development, I could not possibly rate this any lower. The 20's setting is beautifully written and although he characters as mentioned before lacked when it came to their backstories, it added to the unreliability and insanity of them. Through Wills and Dollys story the reader gets to read a passionate love affair between two unstable individuals,fueled by painfully detailed written homophobia, conversion therapy as well as racism.
I'm going to be completely honest this seems like a big hit or miss kind of book.
Even through the characters lacked a lot of development, I could not possibly rate this any lower. The 20's setting is beautifully written and although he characters as mentioned before lacked when it came to their backstories, it added to the unreliability and insanity of them. Through Wills and Dollys story the reader gets to read a passionate love affair between two unstable individuals,fueled by painfully detailed written homophobia, conversion therapy as well as racism.
December 30, 2022
I would say this book was clever, except it’s mostly a complete ripoff of the Leopold and Loeb case with gender-swapped protagonists. The details of the crime are identical. I might have thought more highly of this if there had been more originality and it had been merely a riff on the actual case. (I also would have thought more highly of it if someone had bothered to proofread and fix the typos. It’s only 275 pages with fairly wide spacing and large type. There’s no excuse for sloppiness.)
July 4, 2022
Loved this book and I think it will be on my mind for days. Jazzed, for the most part, takes place in the twenties, which is extremely fitting for the novel. In many ways, the novel made me think of Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby," his essay "The Crack Up," and how the American dream always eludes us. Will and Dolly are two young, well-educated white girls who have all the privileges of life and pampered luxury. Dolly, the much more rebellious of the two, has yet to discover who she is beyond her parents and their boundaries. However, the book gives us clues that the world was still not ready for free thinkers and that this was just another era that promised so much in terms of civil rights, sexual freedom and acceptance of others, but was just another failed start. This is foreshadowed in Dolly's father who reminds us of the reality, speaking of how the Treaty of Versailles would only lead to another world war. Also, we see how ultimately the spoils are only for a subset of people. Dolly's mother attends meetings to promote theories of Eugenics and stopping the flow of immigrants, and her father believes that he is not a racist because he respects his black servants. Dolly and Will, who seem to be two opposites, find common ground in jazz. There's a beautiful motif early on in the book of Dolly showing Will a hidden picture of a piano keys under her bed, where by herself she plays jazz on imaginary keyboards. As Dolly and Will fall in love, or maybe unrequited love, (read the book!) there's a beautiful classroom scene in which the two characters debate Nietzsche's Ubermensch, which almost seems like foreplay, but also lays out for so many of the central themes and questions of the novel: Can privilege--money, being white, politically and socially connected, give you the right to find your own moral truths and be above the law? Is it possible to straddle the line of social justice and equality while still using money when necessary to protect yourself? All this plays out as Dolly and Will begin to commit crimes that at first seem relatively harmless and juvenile, but then lead to them believing that even murder is justifiable. Dolly and Will's love affair also parallels these issues. Will agrees to commit heinous crimes if it means she is allowed to explore Dolly's body; Dolly will only give of herself to Will is she agreed to a partner and witness to criminal activity.
As Will and Dolly continue their relationship, the only time they can show their love in public is in Harlem, where there is a respect for all walks of life. Hence, Harlem and the jazz clubs are the great uniter allowing freedom to explore music for its love of a free-flowing universe, away from the constricts of just playing notes correctly. On to the the events of the murder. Dearman does a great job of making this a page turner, and even though you know from the beginning that they will be caught, I found I still couldn't stop reading as the tension builds and builds. The ending of the novel reminded me of so many eras in America where the dream is only open for a small class. Hence, there is no way society will allow a gay couple to thrive. The novel ends in the 60s, which made me realize how in some ways it very much resembled the 20s, as there was so much promise of a better world only to end so tragically. Yet the novel ends with jazz still being played in the clubs and we are reminded of its ability to offer a promise of a society that doesn't allow us to be held down by moral dictates.
As Will and Dolly continue their relationship, the only time they can show their love in public is in Harlem, where there is a respect for all walks of life. Hence, Harlem and the jazz clubs are the great uniter allowing freedom to explore music for its love of a free-flowing universe, away from the constricts of just playing notes correctly. On to the the events of the murder. Dearman does a great job of making this a page turner, and even though you know from the beginning that they will be caught, I found I still couldn't stop reading as the tension builds and builds. The ending of the novel reminded me of so many eras in America where the dream is only open for a small class. Hence, there is no way society will allow a gay couple to thrive. The novel ends in the 60s, which made me realize how in some ways it very much resembled the 20s, as there was so much promise of a better world only to end so tragically. Yet the novel ends with jazz still being played in the clubs and we are reminded of its ability to offer a promise of a society that doesn't allow us to be held down by moral dictates.
June 17, 2022
This queer-eyed take on the Leopold & Loeb case is most terrifying for how intimate, visceral and erotic the very act of homicide becomes. Dearman's language jitterbugs with you and it's easy to get as carried away with the spirit of the age as Dolly & Will, but then the gravity of the killing descends, well before its consummation. "Jazzed" is full of passion, suspense and deeply uneasy questions about the relationship between murder and entertainment.
June 13, 2022
I found this a very energetic read that flowed like a true-crime novel. I loved the typeface of the ebook and its ongoing themes of the society set in the time of the Jazz Age (hence the title) and the encapsulation of the love affair.
Thanks to Book Sirens and the author for this ARC.
Thanks to Book Sirens and the author for this ARC.
February 20, 2025
Part one is pretty slow, everything else is paced well!
June 10, 2022
Everything I wanted in a summer read! Dearman captures the rhythm and flow of the 1920’s and expertly sets the stage for Dolly and Will’s murder quest. The dip into eugenics is very cool, it adds nice texture to the backdrop. Through the looking glass of history the story is timely, when the couple’s objective was revealed it stuck with me in an unsettling way. Absolutely loved it. I look forward to whatever ripping yarn the author dreams up next.
Want to read
June 20, 2022Need this book in my hands yesterday
July 12, 2022
Jazzed tells the story of Will and Dolly, two queer women with incredibly high IQ’s who plot what they believe will be the perfect crime. Two young women on the cusp of adulthood in the 1920’s, Dolly and Will love jazz, booze, and each other. Introduced by their families as potential room mates when they move into University dormitories, Will is instantly attracted to brash, mouthy Dolly. Will is reserved, quiet and prefers to spend her time in the woods searching for elusive and rare birds. Dolly excites Will from their first day together, while Dolly appears to see opportunity in Will rather than love.
Both of their families find them odd, Will’s family especially. For a woman in the 20’s she is considered quite masculine and has a difficult time hiding her sexuality. While she is a genius, Will struggles socially and finds herself feeling superior to most around her due to her high IQ and her families wealthy status.
Dolly, on the other hand, is quite adept at hiding her sexuality and high IQ. Loud and brash, Dolly often finds herself the centre of attention; mostly at the expense of those around her. Favouring evoking reactions in people, she excels socially and drags Will around with her like a puppy in order to feed off of Will’s feelings for her. Quickly, the University and their families catch on to the nature of Dolly and Will’s relationship and attempt to separate them, this decision will ultimately lead the young couple to start on a path that will change their lives forever.
As a queer woman reading this book I was super excited when I saw that this book was about two women in love who commit a terrible crime. I’m a huge fan of true crime and immediately had visions of a romantic journey where I would fall in love with the characters and totally understand why they would commit crime. I’m picturing Chicago meets Romeo and Juliet if Romeo was a woman.
Unfortunately that’s not really the vibe of this book. This book is based off of an incident that really happened in the 20’s where two gay men plotted and attempted “the perfect murder” basically just because they were bored. Romeo and Juliet tropes are kind of out of the question when you’re writing something like this. Therefore, I really appreciated the way that the characters and their relationship was really REAL. This, however, was a double edged sword, as the realness of the characters also made them really difficult for me to like. While I struggled empathizing with the characters, I appreciated that they were portrayed in a realistic light rather than romanticized. Will and Dolly think they’re better than everybody because of their high IQ’s and Nietzche philosophy. Rather than depicting their romance as a beautiful whirlwind, Dearman shows how toxic it is and how that toxicity leads to the decisions that ultimately lead the characters to their fate.
After reading this book I did a teeny amount of research into the real crime this book was inspired by and was impressed to find that the characters in the book are very similar to their real life counterparts. Unfortunately this is what makes Will and Dolly difficult to relate to. I was particularly struggling with Dolly throughout the book and I feel like I would have been more of a fan of this book if I could relate to the characters more. I found it took the entire book to find empathy for Will, and even after finishing the book had a bad taste in my mouth about her. I didn’t feel like I could empathize with Dolly at all.
Watching this abusive and toxic relationship play out was like watching a train wreck, I found myself confused about both whether or not Will and Dolly even liked each other half the time. It was clear to me that Will was obsessed with Dolly very quickly, but I could never figure out if Dolly was actually interested in Will or just wanted to use her. I wish that Will had been a more empathetic character and I wonder if more of a focus on the relationship between Will and Buddy would have helped with that. I found that the only time I really related and empathized with Will was when she was around Buddy.
That being said, I don’t think you’re meant to really enjoy or like these characters. Dolly is rude, Will thinks she’s better than everybody and they’re incredibly toxic towards each other. I think you’re supposed to bear witness to how a toxic relationship can ruin more lives than just the two people involved in the relationship. How discrimination and societal influences can twist somebody into doing something horrible for what they think is love.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC (advance review copy) of this book for free in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book early and the option to review
Both of their families find them odd, Will’s family especially. For a woman in the 20’s she is considered quite masculine and has a difficult time hiding her sexuality. While she is a genius, Will struggles socially and finds herself feeling superior to most around her due to her high IQ and her families wealthy status.
Dolly, on the other hand, is quite adept at hiding her sexuality and high IQ. Loud and brash, Dolly often finds herself the centre of attention; mostly at the expense of those around her. Favouring evoking reactions in people, she excels socially and drags Will around with her like a puppy in order to feed off of Will’s feelings for her. Quickly, the University and their families catch on to the nature of Dolly and Will’s relationship and attempt to separate them, this decision will ultimately lead the young couple to start on a path that will change their lives forever.
As a queer woman reading this book I was super excited when I saw that this book was about two women in love who commit a terrible crime. I’m a huge fan of true crime and immediately had visions of a romantic journey where I would fall in love with the characters and totally understand why they would commit crime. I’m picturing Chicago meets Romeo and Juliet if Romeo was a woman.
Unfortunately that’s not really the vibe of this book. This book is based off of an incident that really happened in the 20’s where two gay men plotted and attempted “the perfect murder” basically just because they were bored. Romeo and Juliet tropes are kind of out of the question when you’re writing something like this. Therefore, I really appreciated the way that the characters and their relationship was really REAL. This, however, was a double edged sword, as the realness of the characters also made them really difficult for me to like. While I struggled empathizing with the characters, I appreciated that they were portrayed in a realistic light rather than romanticized. Will and Dolly think they’re better than everybody because of their high IQ’s and Nietzche philosophy. Rather than depicting their romance as a beautiful whirlwind, Dearman shows how toxic it is and how that toxicity leads to the decisions that ultimately lead the characters to their fate.
After reading this book I did a teeny amount of research into the real crime this book was inspired by and was impressed to find that the characters in the book are very similar to their real life counterparts. Unfortunately this is what makes Will and Dolly difficult to relate to. I was particularly struggling with Dolly throughout the book and I feel like I would have been more of a fan of this book if I could relate to the characters more. I found it took the entire book to find empathy for Will, and even after finishing the book had a bad taste in my mouth about her. I didn’t feel like I could empathize with Dolly at all.
Watching this abusive and toxic relationship play out was like watching a train wreck, I found myself confused about both whether or not Will and Dolly even liked each other half the time. It was clear to me that Will was obsessed with Dolly very quickly, but I could never figure out if Dolly was actually interested in Will or just wanted to use her. I wish that Will had been a more empathetic character and I wonder if more of a focus on the relationship between Will and Buddy would have helped with that. I found that the only time I really related and empathized with Will was when she was around Buddy.
That being said, I don’t think you’re meant to really enjoy or like these characters. Dolly is rude, Will thinks she’s better than everybody and they’re incredibly toxic towards each other. I think you’re supposed to bear witness to how a toxic relationship can ruin more lives than just the two people involved in the relationship. How discrimination and societal influences can twist somebody into doing something horrible for what they think is love.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC (advance review copy) of this book for free in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book early and the option to review
February 29, 2024
Note Perfect – Awkward Wilhelmina (Will) is obsessed with social butterfly Dolly. Both girls are talented musicians, Will on clarinet, Dolly on piano. Dolly is turned on by jazz and crime; Will is turned on by jazz and Dolly. In a master-slave lesbian relationship, that occasionally turns the tables, Dolly blows hot and cold while Will boils with desire and freezes with the fear of desertion. To guarantee the erratic Dolly’s love, the compliant Will agrees to do anything, even murder a fourteen-year-old boy. Thus unfolds a gender-bending version of the scandalous 1924 Leopold and Loeb case. Dearman captures the Zeitgeist of the era — prohibition, antisemitism, social snobbery, homophobia, and the perceived threat of “Negro music.” The writing is itself a riff on jazz, at times syncopated and lively, at other times sustained and lugubrious. Like jazz artists, the protagonists trade solos, then meld their sounds. As a fiction writer myself (see my Goodreads author page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...), I admire the fluidity with which Dearman shifts between styles as smoothly as a versatile musician. She takes us into the minds of her fully developed, complex characters, while also portraying their families’ social status, the legal system that traps them, and the medical establishment that purports to “treat” their sexual deviance. Jazzed is a note-perfect novel.
October 19, 2022
Crime and history
I’m a fan of history and I’ve seen my share of TV documentaries on Leopold an Loeb but I really don’t know that much of their story beyond the basics. So I found the idea of a fictional gender swapped version their story intriguing.
Dolly and Will are two bright young women in the NYC of 1922. They are both gay an paying a price for that in a world that doesn’t want them to exist. Yet somehow the two of them existing together sets these two, in college, upper class, young women down a criminal path to murder.
What is going on in their heads? Those of us who read the book get to know. That’s what this book is about. The thoughts, ideas, and circumstances that lead to the crime are laid out for us to see and contemplate. But there aren’t clear answers besides the obvious one that the two women were guilty of the crime.
First we get the two characters falling for each other, then the crime, the investigation, and the trial. We get a look inside their heads at each stage and at various times they even explain their behaviors. But how reliable are they as narrators?
I enjoyed this book. The writing was sharp and on point and it gave us interesting characters and situations to ponder.
I’m a fan of history and I’ve seen my share of TV documentaries on Leopold an Loeb but I really don’t know that much of their story beyond the basics. So I found the idea of a fictional gender swapped version their story intriguing.
Dolly and Will are two bright young women in the NYC of 1922. They are both gay an paying a price for that in a world that doesn’t want them to exist. Yet somehow the two of them existing together sets these two, in college, upper class, young women down a criminal path to murder.
What is going on in their heads? Those of us who read the book get to know. That’s what this book is about. The thoughts, ideas, and circumstances that lead to the crime are laid out for us to see and contemplate. But there aren’t clear answers besides the obvious one that the two women were guilty of the crime.
First we get the two characters falling for each other, then the crime, the investigation, and the trial. We get a look inside their heads at each stage and at various times they even explain their behaviors. But how reliable are they as narrators?
I enjoyed this book. The writing was sharp and on point and it gave us interesting characters and situations to ponder.
December 8, 2023
This story is a gender swapped version of Hitchcock’s Rope, which is based on the case of Leopold and Loeb case. For someone so intelligent and ‘high IQ’, Will is extremely naive and gullible where Dolly’s concerned. Dolly is emotionally abusive to Will but Will doesn’t seem to see or is delusional about Dolly’s true feelings. Dolly was so egotistical, manipulative and heartless, I didn’t understand how Will missed how extremely dismissive and careless she was towards her.
After the crime, Dolly was so arrogant that she kept making blunders in front other people and she didn’t seem as intelligent as she believed herself to be. She deserved to be caught. And despite believing herself to be superior to Will, Dolly is the one who cracked under the slightest pressure.
What happened to Will and Dolly after they were sent to prison was sickening and depressive, and made me feel physically ill. Especially, since it’s probably based on the ‘treatment’ used to ‘turn’ queer women straight back in the day and probably is still used in some places in the world.
After the crime, Dolly was so arrogant that she kept making blunders in front other people and she didn’t seem as intelligent as she believed herself to be. She deserved to be caught. And despite believing herself to be superior to Will, Dolly is the one who cracked under the slightest pressure.
What happened to Will and Dolly after they were sent to prison was sickening and depressive, and made me feel physically ill. Especially, since it’s probably based on the ‘treatment’ used to ‘turn’ queer women straight back in the day and probably is still used in some places in the world.
April 20, 2024
Hot jazz and lesbians....I was excited to read this book. But....
Short version: I didn't like it.
Longer version: at first, it gave Secret History by Donna Tartt vibes with the secret obsessive and dark longing, a shy bookish person and an amoral adrenaline seeking one, and in a "hallowed halls of learning" setting. That's NOT a plus for me, for the record. And inevitably if we follow Secret History style, there is a weird inexplicable death/murder and everything falls apart.
So. I thought that was bad enough. But THEN the rich privileged girl doesn't go to prison but is taken to a "psychiatric" institution where she's experimented on to "cure" her "excitability" for women. The other girl went to prison for 45 years which seems preferable. The book ends with her getting out of prison into the hippie scene where she learns that "music unites us and it's all one" etc.
It wasn't that well written, the style was choppy and switched POV randomly and the characters are not well- developed.
My advice: don't.
Short version: I didn't like it.
Longer version: at first, it gave Secret History by Donna Tartt vibes with the secret obsessive and dark longing, a shy bookish person and an amoral adrenaline seeking one, and in a "hallowed halls of learning" setting. That's NOT a plus for me, for the record. And inevitably if we follow Secret History style, there is a weird inexplicable death/murder and everything falls apart.
So. I thought that was bad enough. But THEN the rich privileged girl doesn't go to prison but is taken to a "psychiatric" institution where she's experimented on to "cure" her "excitability" for women. The other girl went to prison for 45 years which seems preferable. The book ends with her getting out of prison into the hippie scene where she learns that "music unites us and it's all one" etc.
It wasn't that well written, the style was choppy and switched POV randomly and the characters are not well- developed.
My advice: don't.
June 9, 2022
I galloped through this dazzling, incandescent, thrill ride of a novel. Dearman deftly creates a wild, sexy, and poignant world of Jazz Age Sapphic love, sisterhood, prohibition, booze, freedom, Harlem rent parties, Barnard classrooms, and wealthy Jewish homes. When awkward Wilhelmina meets up with a former Brearley classmate, the vivacious Dolly, they improvise on clarinet and piano and spark one of the greatest love stories I’ve ever read, and what begins as a passionate flirtation turns into a dangerous obsession. Dolly is obsessed with danger, crime stories, and the thrill of becoming a criminal herself; Will is obsessed with Dolly and will do anything for her. As their love deepens and they try to carve out a public life for themselves, their mistakes multiply, and they become reckless. What will happen to our complicated, riveting lovers? Equal parts thriller, lesbian pulp sex romp, and literary queer history, Dearman’s novel will leave you panting for more.
April 24, 2023
Kind of hated this! Loathed the way that every single sentence out of Dolly's mouth was a complete 1920s cliche - I get that Dearman knows the slang of the era, but shoving it in every single line of dialogue was unbearable - and absolutely hated how the two girls' decision to murder a child is ultimately put down to the fact that they're victims of homophobia. There was little to no characterisation of either girl, their chemistry as lovers was non-existent, and the murder itself happens in the space of half a paragraph.
I did like the historical details and some of the commentary, but that's about it. Really wouldn't recommend this one.
I did like the historical details and some of the commentary, but that's about it. Really wouldn't recommend this one.
July 23, 2022
A fast-paced and engrossing historical/true crime novel, based on on the infamous Leopold and Loeb case.
I loved the gender swap–sassy, challenging, smart and strong girls, yet psychopathic. I enjoyed the scientific, artistic, political and jazzy side of the story. That era was magical, but very tough on women, immigrants and minorities.
The crime itself was very disturbing. And, at the end, I didn't feel good, that justice was not served, in my opinion.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved the gender swap–sassy, challenging, smart and strong girls, yet psychopathic. I enjoyed the scientific, artistic, political and jazzy side of the story. That era was magical, but very tough on women, immigrants and minorities.
The crime itself was very disturbing. And, at the end, I didn't feel good, that justice was not served, in my opinion.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 28, 2022
This book took me on a wild ride. It was a trip back into the Jazz age of Harlem and the days of same-sex women's colleges and all of the incredibly odd, sad, misguided, and misogynistic ideas and beliefs about women and most especially the homosexuality. It wasn't always easy to read and a bit hard to realize that these beliefs and practices existed back then, but, it also highlighted how far we still need to go in understanding differences/diversity and the underlying fears of the misinformed/uneducated. Two women, brilliant, in-love but also incredibly, psychologically co-dependent, while, at the same time, amazingly advanced in their ideas and beliefs regarding life, love and humanity.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 3, 2024
Wanted to like this book, but even though I tried, I couldn't...like the lesbian stuff, not the creepy murder plot, and the cluelessness of the less-evil conspirator. Sigh.
November 12, 2024
Pissed me right tf off…Killing children for coochie is so wack like get it together…
June 23, 2024
This is an exceptionally good gender-swapped reimagining of the Leopold and Loeb case. I will be writing more about the novel in the future.
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