Reading "Of The Dolls" by Jacqueline Susann — A Practical Guide
Most people find this book through nostalgia or because someone mentioned it on a podcast. It came out in 1968, a few years after "Valley of the Dolls," and it did not perform nearly as well. That is worth knowing before you invest time in it. The novel centers on a group of young women who arrive in New York City with ambitions around modeling and entertainment. It is melodramatic, heavy on plot contrivances, and written in a style that prioritizes sensation over subtlety. If you expect literary depth, you will be disappointed. If you want a fast-paced read about ambition and the cost of chasing it, it delivers on that front.
Where to Find Of The Dolls By Jacqueline Susann
You have a few options depending on your preference for format. The physical paperback is widely available through used book platforms and Amazon for anywhere between five and fifteen dollars in decent condition. The hardcover editions tend to be pricier and mostly collected copies at this point. Ebook versions exist on Amazon Kindle and Apple Books. They are priced around two to three dollars. The formatting on most ebook editions is standard and readable, though some earlier uploads had awkward paragraph breaks. I learned this the hard way when I downloaded a free version from a third-party site and spent twenty minutes scrolling back to reformat the text before I could actually read anything. Audiobook versions are also available through Audible and other platforms. The narration style varies between editions. One version from a few years back had a narrator who dragged the pacing significantly. I recommend checking listener reviews and picking an edition with higher ratings, ideally one released after 2015 when production quality improved across most audiobook catalogs.
Libraries remain a solid free option. Most major public library systems carry it in both physical and digital formats through their apps. If you have a library card, the Libby or Overdrive apps let you borrow the ebook or audiobook without any cost. I usually check my local library's catalog first before buying anything, and this book has been available on hold through them consistently for years.
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What to Expect Before You Start
The prose itself is not subtle. Susann writes to entertain, not to win academic praise. The characters are broad archetypes — the ambitious blonde, the complicated best friend, the ruthless agent. The dialogue tends toward the theatrical. This is not a flaw if you know what you are signing up for. It is a feature of the genre she worked in. One thing beginners usually miss is the historical context. This book came out during a shift in American publishing where mass-market paperbacks were becoming a dominant force. Susann was one of the writers who understood that readers wanted escapism with emotional stakes. Understanding that context changes how you read the book. It becomes less about judging the writing quality and more about recognizing what readers at the time were actually hungry for. Another detail that is easy to overlook: this novel shares a thematic thread with "Valley of the Dolls" but is a standalone story. You do not need to read the earlier book first. Some editions try to market it as a companion piece, which creates confusion. It is its own thing.
The Downsides You Should Know About
There are legitimate reasons this book does not sit well with certain readers. The treatment of women, while centered on female characters, often reduces them to plot devices for male-driven drama. The romantic entanglements follow predictable patterns. If you are looking for nuanced character development or a fresh take on the industry backdrop, this is not going to deliver. The pacing also drags in the middle sections. The second act expands on subplot threads that do not tie together as cleanly as the setup promised. I found myself skimming about forty percent of the middle third on my first read. On a second read, I slowed down and caught some foreshadowing details that were actually well-placed, but it required more attention than the book naturally invites. If you find the genre frustrating, there are alternatives that tackle similar themes with more craft. "The Group" by Mary McCarthy or "Rules of Attraction" by Bret Easton Ellis explore ambition and social climbing with sharper writing. Neither book is a direct replacement, but they cover related territory if Susann's style is not your preference.
Who Should Actually Read This
This book works best for readers who enjoy mid-century popular fiction and want to see what a commercial bestseller from that era looked like up close. It is useful for anyone studying the evolution of the mass-market paperback industry. It is also fine reading if you just want something undemanding for a flight or a weekend afternoon. I would not recommend it for literary analysis classes or readers seeking substance beyond surface entertainment. The cultural significance exists, but it is more about what the book represented at the time than what the book actually achieves on the page. If you decide to pick it up, grab a recent paperback or ebook edition and read the first thirty pages to gauge whether the style works for you. Most people know within that window whether they are going to finish it or let it sit on the nightstand.
