Review by GiGi Kang
Candlewick Press, 2020
192 pages, hardcover, $24.99 CAD, 978-1-5362-0629-5
Young Adult, Ages 12+
Poetry/Verse
For me, the silver screen
was like a massive mirror.
I could not see my reflection,
but I did glimpse my dreams.
Like movies, they were larger than life.
When I saw Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz,
I sat in a trance after the closing credits.
I wondered if there were a yellow-brick road,
a wizard who granted wishes,
a rainbow somewhere for me.
TW/CW: mental illness, sexual assault, miscarriage, and suicide are prevalent themes in the novel.
Down to a dot on her face, Marilyn Monroe is immortal in popular culture. Her persona affected and continues to affect countless creative works, lifestyle choices, and memories that audiences create with her films. Carole Boston Weatherford’s Beauty Mark: A Verse Novel of Marilyn Monroe covers Marilyn’s expansive influence, but attempts to do so through Norma Jeane, the real woman behind the so-called blonde bombshell.
The verse novel uses a first-person point of view, recounting Marilyn’s—or Norma Jeane’s—life in chronological order from birth to death. By presenting the story as if Marilyn herself was telling it, Weatherford achieves a compassionate view into the star’s life. The novel goes through some of Marilyn’s movies, the process of being cast in those movies, and her memorable or difficult experiences on set. It also describes the struggles she faced in her famous marriages. Overall, Beauty Mark is about the aspects of Marilyn’s life that are often given second importance: realities outside of glamour and fame.
The novel engages with themes of hereditary mental illness. Marilyn’s mother, Gladys, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia which required Marilyn to live away from her at a young age. Weatherford describes the effects of this during both Marilyn’s unsteady childhood and later in her adulthood when she herself experienced paranoia. Through this, Weatherford uncovers the unsung motives behind Marilyn’s career path, including a desire to ameliorate her origins. That being said, the novel includes certain declarations in Marilyn’s voice that we as outsiders could never confirm. Thus, Beauty Mark is an effective introduction to the actress, using the facts of Marilyn’s life to construct emotional insights in her voice, but some readers may seek other nonfictional sources for a more factual read.
The poetry is uncomplicated and allows for easy comprehension of the story. While this makes for a smooth reading experience, there are some poems that read as sentences with scattered line breaks, leaving space for further poetic devices that could enhance the emotional weight. Beauty Mark would make an understandable read for teens getting to know the icon for the first time outside of her popular image. I would also recommend it to those interested in Hollywood history, in learning more about Marilyn’s background, or anyone who wishes to understand Marilyn’s real story, not the romanticized one.
GiGi Kang is a UBC graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She is a creative writer, writing poetry, fiction, and screenplays. At The Luna Collective, she interviews creatives from around the world, and reviews latest music and film releases. Read more at gigikang.com.
YOUNG ADULTING 