What do you think?
Rate this book
Jacqueline Susann's Shadow of the Dolls: A Novel
Journeys to a world of glamour, passion, and turmoil as Anne, her talented but troubled competitor Neely, and Anne's grown-up daughter and Neely's twin sons all turn up for a summer in the Hamptons.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
66 people are currently reading
2561 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
December 6, 2013
I read this because I am a HUGE fan of the original. It wasn't horrible but the time warp factor was just so disconcerting, it was almost totally unrelated to the original. This author is, in no way, comparable to the fabulous Jacqueline Susann. Why, oh why, couldn't she have just stuck with the original timeline? In closing, I will just say that it is very appropriate titled because this book is just a SHADOW of the original.
September 8, 2022
Jacqueline Susann's Shadow of the Dolls is a sequel to the infamous bestseller Valley of the Dolls. It picks up right where the original left off, following the lives of Anne Welles, Neely O'Hara, and Lyon Burke as they navigate the treacherous waters of Hollywood stardom.
Fans of Valley of the Dolls will no doubt be thrilled to revisit these beloved characters, and Rae Lawrence does an admirable job of recapturing Jacqueline Susann's trademark wit and verve. The book is peppered with delicious details that bring 1960s Hollywood to life, from the glamour and glitz of show business to the seedy underbelly of drug addiction.
That said, Shadow of the Dolls is not without its flaws. Some readers may find the plot a bit too convoluted, while others may be put off by Lawrence's unabashed nostalgia for Jacqueline Susann's original novel. Still, for fans of Valley of the Dolls, Shadow of the Dolls is a must-read. Nostalgic and entertaining, it captures all the excitement and drama of Hollywood and New York City in all its glory.
Fans of Valley of the Dolls will no doubt be thrilled to revisit these beloved characters, and Rae Lawrence does an admirable job of recapturing Jacqueline Susann's trademark wit and verve. The book is peppered with delicious details that bring 1960s Hollywood to life, from the glamour and glitz of show business to the seedy underbelly of drug addiction.
That said, Shadow of the Dolls is not without its flaws. Some readers may find the plot a bit too convoluted, while others may be put off by Lawrence's unabashed nostalgia for Jacqueline Susann's original novel. Still, for fans of Valley of the Dolls, Shadow of the Dolls is a must-read. Nostalgic and entertaining, it captures all the excitement and drama of Hollywood and New York City in all its glory.
July 28, 2011
How I managed to not know there was a sequel to Valley of the Dolls, I'll never know.
This follows the same characters years later and while it's interesting to go back and see what Anne, Neely and Lyon have been up to it just doesn't quite compare to Jacqueline Susann's original.
It was written by Rae Lawrence from manuscripts and notes that Susann left behind after her death.
The characters rang true but it was a little jarring to have the setting be a more current time rather than the 60's that the original was. There were very few references to the Jennifer North character, understandable since the character dies in the original but it still seemed like she was thrown in this time as an afterthought.
Overall, it was ok but a little bit of a disappointment when compared to the original
This follows the same characters years later and while it's interesting to go back and see what Anne, Neely and Lyon have been up to it just doesn't quite compare to Jacqueline Susann's original.
It was written by Rae Lawrence from manuscripts and notes that Susann left behind after her death.
The characters rang true but it was a little jarring to have the setting be a more current time rather than the 60's that the original was. There were very few references to the Jennifer North character, understandable since the character dies in the original but it still seemed like she was thrown in this time as an afterthought.
Overall, it was ok but a little bit of a disappointment when compared to the original
July 23, 2007
If you haven't read "Valley" yet, or it's been a long time, read it again before reading this one...it makes it all the more fun.
In 1966, Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls was a scandalous must-read that introduced us to ambitious, young, single women in New York City, a glamorous world of fame and drugs. Nearly 40 years later, Lawrence has adapted a first draft that Susann wrote before her death in 1974 to provide a sequel to the original story. Beginning in 1987, the novel opens with the words "Whatever happened to Anne Wells?" Fans of Valley of the Dolls will enjoy reading about Anne and Neely O'Hara and Lyon Burke and their teenage children although, surprisingly, the main characters are only ten years older than in the original book. The drugs have been updated to Percoset and Xanax, and plastic surgery is every woman's friend.
In 1966, Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls was a scandalous must-read that introduced us to ambitious, young, single women in New York City, a glamorous world of fame and drugs. Nearly 40 years later, Lawrence has adapted a first draft that Susann wrote before her death in 1974 to provide a sequel to the original story. Beginning in 1987, the novel opens with the words "Whatever happened to Anne Wells?" Fans of Valley of the Dolls will enjoy reading about Anne and Neely O'Hara and Lyon Burke and their teenage children although, surprisingly, the main characters are only ten years older than in the original book. The drugs have been updated to Percoset and Xanax, and plastic surgery is every woman's friend.
December 19, 2011
Pretty painful. Not at all entertaining. Stick with the original novel.
January 27, 2016
Enjoyable in its own right.
Full review: http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2016...
Full review: http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2016...
April 25, 2011
i never thought the original could be any better, til i read this. i am just obsessed with Anne Welles and Neely O'Hara that i don't care who writes about them. I think Jacqueline Susann would have been happy though, i especially enjoyed the introduction of Jennifer Burke. she was the most interesting of them all!
August 12, 2008
Truely a "shadow" of Valley of the Dolls. I was so engrossed in Valley of the Dolls, that after I finished I was desperate to continue the story line. Boy was I disappointed.
In my opinion, this never should have been written.
In my opinion, this never should have been written.
April 9, 2014
My only big complaint is that Lawrence got Anne's hair colour wrong. Otherwise, changing the time period and making the women more modern and promiscuous worked with this book and I could easily accept that. The book as a whole was witty and fun and deliciously scandalous. Couldn't put it down.
Read
June 16, 2023I despise this book. The timing was off, the dialogue was bad, and the plot pathetic. Poor comparison to the original.
June 25, 2014
Not a fan of the retcon involving a dramatic shift in the story's timeline, but the novel was otherwise satisfying. Valley of the Dolls is one of my favorite books and became one of my favorite films. The sequel reminds me more of the movie than it's source material. I liked Anne better as she was left in Susann's original work, but I kinda liked this Neely a little more. My only complaint is that I had to wait over two hundred pages for her to do what I was waiting for the whole time. Her relapse wasn't nearly as much fun as the way her original descent into addiction was written, but this book was a decent summer read.
February 24, 2008
I devoured this book within 24 hours quite happily and highly recommend it to anyone else who's recently received a topical application of SPF 30 and is imbibing pina coladas on a beach in say, Aruba. For example.
This book is so trashy and fifth-grade-reading-level that I now feel more connected to The People as a result of having read it.
Note: book includes gratuitous sex scenes (orgies, BJs, and the like) so may make a great gift for the horny middle schoolers in your life as a follow-up to Tiger Eyes.
This book is so trashy and fifth-grade-reading-level that I now feel more connected to The People as a result of having read it.
Note: book includes gratuitous sex scenes (orgies, BJs, and the like) so may make a great gift for the horny middle schoolers in your life as a follow-up to Tiger Eyes.
September 10, 2009
I HAD to read this book simply to find out what happened to the characters in Valley of the Dolls!
It was good, I understand it was taken from the notes Jacqueline Susann had written for the sequel before she died.
I read it, enjoyed it, but not quite as wonderful as the original.
It was good, I understand it was taken from the notes Jacqueline Susann had written for the sequel before she died.
I read it, enjoyed it, but not quite as wonderful as the original.
June 25, 2013
Perfect book for the beach - light and sinful. The characters are addictive, but the plot is not as well constructed as the original. Like the original leaves you wanting more - if there were an sequel to this, I would most likely read it.
January 28, 2020
Truly a piece of computer generated shit. Think what you may of Jacqueline Susann (I consider her my spiritual godmother) but she was a good writer and a born storyteller. This book is, in the truest meaning of the word: garbage.
March 20, 2008
I was so excited. I was then so disappointed. Full of continuity errors that would have Jacqueline Susann spinning in her grave.
January 2, 2009
Maybe this is based on Jacqueline Susann's notes, but it pales in comparison to Valley of the Dolls. I couldn't finish it.
June 29, 2010
A Nice LITE And Fluffy Summer Book
July 22, 2012
Loved the first one and enjoyed this one too. What can I say, I'm just a DOLLS fan ! Just a fun entertaining read :)
July 26, 2012
Lame attempt at capturing Susann's magic.
November 15, 2012
Enjoyed the beginning but it began to loose a substanial plot half way through. The ending was wrapped up to quickly. A let down to the Valley of the dolls.
May 23, 2025
I read this book as I fell in love with the first book so much and wanted to see what happened to my beloved Anne!
The time jump was confusing and there was no need
I felt this book was far more crass than the other, I know this was written by another author but you can really tell. I was disappointed not only in the book itself but how it became the Neely show and fall of Anne’s daughter Jen. Again, Anne deserved better🤷🏼♀️ Although I’m no author myself I feel so much more could’ve been done with the story and I did feel it was rushed. I would say if you’re desperate to see what happens to the characters then give it a go, but it did take me longer than normal to pursue the book🩷
The time jump was confusing and there was no need
I felt this book was far more crass than the other, I know this was written by another author but you can really tell. I was disappointed not only in the book itself but how it became the Neely show and fall of Anne’s daughter Jen. Again, Anne deserved better🤷🏼♀️ Although I’m no author myself I feel so much more could’ve been done with the story and I did feel it was rushed. I would say if you’re desperate to see what happens to the characters then give it a go, but it did take me longer than normal to pursue the book🩷
December 2, 2023
Eh, not as good as the first one. Kind of a snooze fest
August 28, 2015
This tedious, tame sequel to Valley of the Dolls arrives 35 years after the original publishing phenomenon. Claiming to be based on a first draft by Susann (1921–1974), it certainly is aptly titled, as it languishes deep in the shadow of the original.
Susann capitalized on readers' hunger for gossip by giving her fictional characters aspects of real-life celebrities, creating a thrilling guess-who puzzler featuring composites of Judy Garland, Ethel Merman and Dean Martin. Neither guessing games nor drug use (the other thrill of the original) play much of a role in Rae Lawrence's novel. There's no sex either—not just by Susann standards, but even compared to a Regency romance. Seven times characters venture near a bed only to have the action abruptly skip over the deed with "Afterwards..." ("...he lit a cigarette"/ "...they turned the television back on"/ "...he brought her a fresh glass of water").
Fans of the rough and tumble, blunt but addictive prose and plotting of Susann's original will find this rambling series of episodes (there's not enough drive to pull them into anything resembling a plot) lacking. Neely, Anne and Lyon are all back (burdened with dull teenage kids), but the pseudonymous Lawrence has no idea what to do with them.
Most of the notable events take place between chapters (Neely wins an Oscar for playing arch-rival Helen Lawson in a big-screen biopic, Anne and Lyon divorce, Neely aborts Lyon's child). Susann's original still packs a wallop; the sequel is a pulled punch.
Susann capitalized on readers' hunger for gossip by giving her fictional characters aspects of real-life celebrities, creating a thrilling guess-who puzzler featuring composites of Judy Garland, Ethel Merman and Dean Martin. Neither guessing games nor drug use (the other thrill of the original) play much of a role in Rae Lawrence's novel. There's no sex either—not just by Susann standards, but even compared to a Regency romance. Seven times characters venture near a bed only to have the action abruptly skip over the deed with "Afterwards..." ("...he lit a cigarette"/ "...they turned the television back on"/ "...he brought her a fresh glass of water").
Fans of the rough and tumble, blunt but addictive prose and plotting of Susann's original will find this rambling series of episodes (there's not enough drive to pull them into anything resembling a plot) lacking. Neely, Anne and Lyon are all back (burdened with dull teenage kids), but the pseudonymous Lawrence has no idea what to do with them.
Most of the notable events take place between chapters (Neely wins an Oscar for playing arch-rival Helen Lawson in a big-screen biopic, Anne and Lyon divorce, Neely aborts Lyon's child). Susann's original still packs a wallop; the sequel is a pulled punch.
April 30, 2014
I had a hard time between giving this book a one or a two star.
What a true and utter disappointment. I'm not sure why I was surprised by this. The book written by a different author then The Valley of the Dolls.
Sometimes when a book ends you wish you could glimpse into what happens to them in the future. This was one of the reasons I picked up this book and boy do I wish I had just left it at reading The Valley of the Dolls and not knowing what Anne's future was.
I'm not sure why the author felt she had to fast forward to story to the 80's but yet keep the characters same age as they were in The Valley of the Dolls. It did not make any sense to me.
The book jacket was deceiving in that I also thought there would be narrated parts from Lyon Burke.
Jennifer Burke's character was just plain terrible and not empowering to women at all. I also felt that the relationship between her and her mother could have been better developed.
I also felt that the author did a terrible disservice to Anne's character. Her ending was almost an exact carbon copy of that to The Valley of The Dolls.
There was lack of character development for all the characters and the part about the orgies was just plain ridiculous and seemed to come out of left field.
The writing also seemed to lack for me.
What a true and utter disappointment. I'm not sure why I was surprised by this. The book written by a different author then The Valley of the Dolls.
Sometimes when a book ends you wish you could glimpse into what happens to them in the future. This was one of the reasons I picked up this book and boy do I wish I had just left it at reading The Valley of the Dolls and not knowing what Anne's future was.
I'm not sure why the author felt she had to fast forward to story to the 80's but yet keep the characters same age as they were in The Valley of the Dolls. It did not make any sense to me.
The book jacket was deceiving in that I also thought there would be narrated parts from Lyon Burke.
Jennifer Burke's character was just plain terrible and not empowering to women at all. I also felt that the relationship between her and her mother could have been better developed.
I also felt that the author did a terrible disservice to Anne's character. Her ending was almost an exact carbon copy of that to The Valley of The Dolls.
There was lack of character development for all the characters and the part about the orgies was just plain ridiculous and seemed to come out of left field.
The writing also seemed to lack for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2012
Don't expect literary value, because oh honey there ain't none. You've got to read this for pure fluffy fun. So I thought Jacqueline Susann's wrote this book, apparently she didn't. This novel is parading to be a sequel under the original author (which I simply adored) this book begins in a time of botox and designer drugs of 1987. False advertising. Neely O' Hara and the rest of the woman are 30 years old again in 1987 because the Valley Girl just couldn't have them in the 60s.
Who wouldn't want to read about the a 60s cast dropped in the 80s defying age.
How did they do it, it must be black magic!?
Take the cast of Lucy and slam them into the I don't know...70s with a different writer parading as I Love Lucy.
This is Trash Fiction. Susann would be shocked at what happened to her characters. They lost their pep and their cattiness. It should have been a different book all together. I suggest this novel to read if you haven't read the first.
Who wouldn't want to read about the a 60s cast dropped in the 80s defying age.
How did they do it, it must be black magic!?
Take the cast of Lucy and slam them into the I don't know...70s with a different writer parading as I Love Lucy.
This is Trash Fiction. Susann would be shocked at what happened to her characters. They lost their pep and their cattiness. It should have been a different book all together. I suggest this novel to read if you haven't read the first.
March 15, 2016
Valley of the Dolls is one of my favorite all time guilty pleasure books which I will unabashedly read over and over. I finally got my hands on Shadow of the Dolls, and while I enjoyed it, there's definitely a feeling of "fan fiction" to it, with the time jump and plot inconsistencies especially. It's almost as if the author took the original manuscripts and just filled in the gaps. It feels hollow. The thrills of the original are missing. Having said that, if you loved Valley of the Dolls, you should definitely read it. It's just not going to be on my "omg I have to read this once a year" shelf.
August 28, 2008
this is HILARIOUS! this author took "valley of the dolls" and presumably picked up where it left off...WHILE FASTFORWARDING ABOUT TWO DECADES AND THEN PRETENDING LIKE IT WAS CONSEQUENT!
can you DO that? VOTD ended around the late 60s, and this book started up in the MID 80S! HOW DOES THIS WORK?!?!?! TIME WARP!
anyway, the author sticks it to jackie susann's writing style, and i don't really believe anne would revert to her I CAN DO THIS...ON MY OWN AGAIN! WITH A CHILD! ways and start from scratch in NYC after leaving lyon, but whatev. it's fluff.
TIME TO GO TAKE A DOLL!
can you DO that? VOTD ended around the late 60s, and this book started up in the MID 80S! HOW DOES THIS WORK?!?!?! TIME WARP!
anyway, the author sticks it to jackie susann's writing style, and i don't really believe anne would revert to her I CAN DO THIS...ON MY OWN AGAIN! WITH A CHILD! ways and start from scratch in NYC after leaving lyon, but whatev. it's fluff.
TIME TO GO TAKE A DOLL!
December 7, 2012
After Jacqueline Susann's death, Rae Lawrence used Susann's notes to write this sequel to Valley of the Dolls. I had become so invested in the characters of VotD that I absolutely had to read this. The most glaring problem with the book is the timeline... dates just didn't add up. The story was certainly entertaining! As with the first book, the characters were very interesting, but I couldn't help finding it a bit unbelievable in this book.
February 20, 2008
A 'shadow' of the original masterpiece; this 'novel' is similar in name only.
The is the continuation of "Valley", however, set in 'present time'.
A disappointment; Jackie S. would be crying her liquid eyeliner off.
Gave it two stars instead of one (which I wanted to) only becuase out of respect for Nelley and Anne.
The is the continuation of "Valley", however, set in 'present time'.
A disappointment; Jackie S. would be crying her liquid eyeliner off.
Gave it two stars instead of one (which I wanted to) only becuase out of respect for Nelley and Anne.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews