This book is about an invasion of Earth by body snatchers who believe that, after the invasion, their hosts no longer have any thoughts, free will or control over their own bodies. One of the invaders, however, knows that is not true for every host and the book charts the evolving relationship between one special invader and her host. Despite its theme, this book is not a horror novel. Instead, it is a very unusual tale about relationships and the strength of free will. This is not a complex novel, but it is a very entertaining book. Five stars.
Print Length: 651 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: B00BG6M74O
Publisher: Back Bay Books; 1 edition (April 21, 2010)
Publication Date: April 26, 2010
In "The Forgotten Flapper," Laini Giles manages to infuse a tragic, somewhat fictionalized, biography with the magic of the Ziegfield Follies, the excitement of early Hollywood, and the whimsey of the "Topper" movies. Olive Thomas, the subject of the book, was the first "Baby Vamp," and the term "Flapper" came from her 1920 film, "The Flapper." After dying in 1920 from an accidental poisoning, Olive, apparently, has haunted the New Amsterdam Theater on Times Square. (According to the current director of the theater, Disney contractors encountered Olive often while refurbishing the theater in the 1990s.) The story of Olive's journey from a poor, Pennsylvania family to star of the Ziegfield Follies and then to silent movie star, is both painful and endearing. Olive was a talented actress who, at the age of 21, was already trying to get experience in directing and writing movies. Giles has managed to present Olive's life without the usual, annoying cliches found in a rags to poor, little rich girl story. She also has managed to strip away the fictional gloss of the Pickford family, including Jack Pickford, Olive's husband, and Mary Pickford, Olive's sister-in-law. It's hard to imagine a crueler, colder set of in-laws than Mary and her mother Charlotte as depicted in the "The Forgotten Flapper."