Lead Review (Scandalous Women)
- Book: Scandalous Women
- Location: London, Los Angeles, New York City (NYC)
- Author: Gill Paul
Welcome to the world of 1960s publishing. The author chooses two trailblazing authors and in the Acknowledgements, she expresses her eternal gratitude to the two women “…for everything they did to advance the cause of women’s writing” . Jackie Collins went on to write 32 novels and to date has sold 500 million copies, and Jacqueline Susann’s novel Valley of the Dolls 31 million copies
This was the era when male authors – like Harold Robbins – ruled the roost. He was the go-to author for something a bit more gritty and violent and/or sexy. Sexual encounters did not overtly – at that point – feature in women’s literature and therefore these women’s storylines, tackling the underbelly of society from the female perspective, saw one arm of publishing steering a path into uncharted territory.
Both women had incredibly tough cores, each facing a variety of personal and health difficulties. Entering into a such a hardcore male domain required tremendous tenacity and courage. They were naturally on the receiving end of a great deal of misogyny, oprobrobrium and humiliation but stoically weathered the onslaughts as best they could. Despite the immense obstacles in both their public and private lives, they achieved so much.
The author sets out their stories at a cracking and engrossing pace in fairly short chapters, detailing aspects of their lives and relationships. It is unlikely that two ever met – although there was plenty of opportunity – but as this is a fictionalised retelling of their lives, it seems right that they should have encountered each other. Fact and fiction are dovetailed and populated with characters from the period and real events, helping to bring their stories to colourful life.
The author has added a third, fictional character, to wit Nancy White, who has been forging her way through the greasy, masculine world of publishing, and it is she who eventually brings the two great authors together.
The story is clearly written with a profound appreciation of these two icons, there is real energy in the narrative and I enjoyed this skip through their lives and times. A great decision to bring these two women together in one storyline.
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