Really glad I finally read this one. It’s very slow at first, but after that first Anne chapter, things really picked up. I fully believe that this was what show business was like in the ‘40s-‘60s, especially based on Jacqueline Susann’s own experiences, and I imagine it’s not that different today. Definitely an upsetting read

(absolutely fuck Lyon Burke)

, and there is some serious ableism and a LOT of fatphobia (which was probably accurate for the time but felt particularly egregious). An interesting glimpse into a world where self-destruction is nearly as easy as breathing.