I’ve been reading entirely too much genre fiction and not even the best of it, so a palate cleanser was due and nothing does the trick quite like a work of proper literature. It may sound pretentious, but you know when you’re in a presence of literary greatness, you just do. You don’t even have to love the plot, you can still appreciate the sheer beauty of language. Somehow I’ve never read the author, though she is quite well known and even an Booker recognized. Well, Actress was a terrific introduction to Enright. The elegance of narrative alone, the seamless integration of language and emotions, the gorgeous vividness of the scenery. And for all that, still an enjoyable coherent plot (something Man Booker winner don’t always feature oddly enough) about a daughter’s quest to know and understand her mother, a once upon a famous and then quietly faded star, not just an actress, but someone with a genuine star quality, fleeting and ethereal as that might be. Katherine O’Dell, an Irish legend, a star of theatre and cinema, someone whose career peaked across the ocean, but never sustained, all to end with a scandal and a relatively early death. A woman, a mother, a thespian…so well known and yet so unknowable to the person closest to her, her only daughter. Someone left behind to reconcile the public and private figure her mother was or even to puzzle out who her father might have been. This is very much the daughter’s journey, but it is the mother’s story. If you know enough about the bygone era of actors and actresses (which is to say when such gender based definitions were even utilized, not to mention valid and crucial sociologically) Katherine’s story is a pretty typical one. The studios used their stars, squeezing them for every drop of beauty and talent, and threw them away when they aged out or became less in any way. Stars peaked, burned brightly and fizzled out. You know the trajectory, but it’s still a compelling thing to behold. The characters and scenarios have a certain familiarity, they are of a type, fictional or real…and what is even the line between the two when it comes to showbusiness. And yet, you can’t help but be drawn into the story, owning in no small way to Enright’s lovely writing. It’s almost hypnotic in a way, it’s so immersive and it reads so quickly. I did it in two sittings out of necessity, but it might have been easily done in one. And I did enjoy the plot, being a huge cinema fan, but the real star of this book about a star is certainly Enright’s talent as a writer, wordcraft and storyteller. Very enjoyable read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

A lyrically-crafted story, flows more like an old Celtic legend than a novel, about a fascinating woman. The trope of the taciturn child writing about her horrible celebrity mother has well been worn, but this book feels fresh, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Makes me want to go back and read her earlier bucks

Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Norton and Company for the eARC.
Norah is recalling her mother Katherine O'Dell's legendary stage and film career and what it was like to grow up with her. It's a beautiful book; sad, poignant and ultimately uplifting to me. Her mother was a star loved by many in Ireland and as far as Hollywood, mesmerizing as both an actress as well as a singer. Norah felt much loved by her mum, and was a quiet spectator of her stage performances as well as the many parties taking place in their home.
When Katherine descends into madness and eventually a harrowing death and the care Norah takes of her brought tears to my eyes. The descriptions of life in 1970's and '80's Dublin, full of writers, directors and artists, was an eye opener. The painful direction Catherine's life took because of her art, the getting older as an actress and the way it sucked the life out of her life made me glad I never had the urge to take to the stage!
A very stark and insightful look into the 'glamorous ' life of the arts and the way it affects the protagonists and the people in their orbit. Fascinating, lyrical and definitely recommended, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.