If you’re an Oscar or movie buff, I’d recommend this book. I think I’ll revisit this closer to the Oscar ceremony and the release date in February. It will feel even more relevant, especially with the different character POVs and article write ups.

Two stars.

Contessa: “…it felt thrilling to be able to live in the moment. Like an actress, or a woman.”

Here five actresses nominated for Best Actress look at their careers during one turbulent awards season.

ADRIA BENEDICT - she’s in her late 60s and she’s won three times. She’s the grand dame, trying to cement her legacy.

BITTY HARBOR - she’s trying to hide her alcoholism and a nervous breakdown.

CONTESSA LYLE - a former child star attempting to make the world see her as a serious actress.

DAVINA SCHWARTZ - a London stage actress trying to find her place in the insanity of Hollywood.

JENNY VAN MEER - always a bridesmaid, always behind Adria, always trying to make up for missed opportunities and mistakes.

I LOVE award shows and trying to guess who is who in books like this, but I expected this to be far more salacious and gossipy, especially since written by a “Variety” chief correspondent. Instead, it was pretty subdued, a little dull. Disappointing.

Five actresses are competing for the industry’s top prize: the Best Actress Oscar. Each of the women are at a different stage of their career. One, Adria, has been nominated many times and is determined to win once more to secure her legacy. Another, Jenny, is a contemporary of Adria and always been in her shadow. Jenny is hoping this will finally be the year when her talent will be recognized. A third is a theater star in London and on a popular American television show, but is new to the world of prestige movies. The fourth is a former child star looking for respect from her costar and the industry. And the fifth is struggling with alcohol addiction and and a sense that she does not really fit in with her fellow actresses.

Although fictional, this novel seems to capture well the dynamics facing actresses in the modern day — as the movie industry is changing and the expectations for them continues to evolve, often with little notice. Some of the most interesting parts of the book are the way it explores the tensions between both actresses of different and the same generations, and what is driving those tensions.

Highly recommended.

Daniel D'Addario's "The Talent" takes readers behind the scenes of awards season, and into the minds of five actresses competing for the trophy. The novel opens at a certain film festival in the mountains and while switching viewpoints with each chapter, progresses all the way to the big night. Our leading ladies range in age from a former child star attempting to break into more serious roles, to the seasoned vet who is a shoe-in to win. Through the course of the novel, we come to understand each woman intimately - their triumphs, their pitfalls, their fears - and it's anyone's guess who will take home the prize.

This book is about five actresses that are competing for an award. It is the behind the scenes look at Hollywood and the lives of actresses. I loved that the book was told from each of the actresses view point and they each had a distinct voice. There is a dark side and a pretend side to Hollywood and you see that in this book. I liked the competition, friendship and all the emotions of the actresses off the screen. If you like movies, tv, and actresses this book is for you.

Talent

The race for best actress is on resulting in a range of emotions from the women nominated for the silver screen’s biggest prize. This book examines each actor in the time period leading up to the Academy Awards.

Told from alternating viewpoints, the psyches and emotions that come from these five actors are thoroughly examined, with self aggrandizement and insecurity coming through loud and clear. For the most part, each of the women go through a myriad of internal emotions, from doubt to extreme excitement, as they have their feelings seeming broadcast for all of the public to see. It’s only on the outside that they remain staid and silent.

I found this book alternatively interesting and confounding. The constant worrying about who would win was sometimes frustrating even as each woman was filled with a sense of intense purpose that allowed her to build up her confidence to the level that she felt she actually deserved to be feted by the academy.

Having worked in the entertainment industry, the events of this book certainly seemed realistic. All that glitters is not gold and there is so much more that lies behind the curtains than the audience is ever aware. While Hollywood looks glamorous from the outside, there is an often dark side that affects those that work there, leaving them to lead less than perfect lives—even though things look rosy from the outside. It was definitely uncomfortable at times but ultimately an interesting read. Two stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback

If you're an awards junkie who spent high school in the aughts reading The Film Experience in the library and trolling the Gold Derby forums, this is the book for you. If you like Anne Helen Petersen's writing on celebrity and female stars, this is the book for you. If you listen to The Big Picture and The Town religiously, this is the book for you. As a person who does all of those things, this was definitely the book for me. I love the Oscars, I love movies, and I love stars and what it means to be a star - and this look at the business, emotions, strategy, and role the awards season plays in Hollywood was a lot of fun. There's a few if you know, you know mentions - Telluride, Hollywood Reporter/Variety features, and various precursor awards come to mind - but even if you don't know, it would still be a lot of fun. I thought the way the actresses were each treated was very well done, and the competition between them was enjoyable to watch, as was the discomfort of the entire process. Definitely recommend to oscar buffs and movie fans!

This was incredibly compelling and you could definitely see the author's depth of expertise here in the characterization. I like how each character belied simple 1:1 comparisons to potential real-life counterparts. I did expect a bit more character evolution for some -- we spent a lot of time with Bitty, but I don't feel like we saw her change. Jenny, by contrast, felt like she was barely a character. But I really enjoyed reading this and would read anything else from this author.