Scan barcode
mbenzz's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really good book, I was very pleased with Ms. Abbott's second novel, which was again centered around the seedier side of Hollywood. I will admit that I did like her first book 'Die A Little' a bit better, but this story was still very entertaining.
The book centers around Gil Hopkins (Hop), a studio 'fix-it' guy, who gets guilted into looking into a two-year-old missing persons case from 1949. Hop knows a little of what went down that night, but the deeper he digs, the more twisted and disturbing the story gets. As it turns out, he has NO idea just how shady Hollywood can be...he thought he'd seen it all. But a beautiful starlet, (Jean Spangler), looking to make her big break gets caught up with some pretty sick Hollywood big-time actors who, in their movies, come across as America's wartime movie hero's, but in real life are into some sick and dangerous stuff, and after one particularly gruesome night, Jean is never seen or heard from again.
A very good book that starts out just a little slow, but quickly picks up speed. By the middle of it, you won't be able to put it down until you've found out what became of the beautiful Ms. Jean Spangler. I definitely look forward to Ms. Abbott's future books...I hope she continues to stick with this era since she covers the shady side of Hollywood in the '40s and '50's so darn well!
The book centers around Gil Hopkins (Hop), a studio 'fix-it' guy, who gets guilted into looking into a two-year-old missing persons case from 1949. Hop knows a little of what went down that night, but the deeper he digs, the more twisted and disturbing the story gets. As it turns out, he has NO idea just how shady Hollywood can be...he thought he'd seen it all. But a beautiful starlet, (Jean Spangler), looking to make her big break gets caught up with some pretty sick Hollywood big-time actors who, in their movies, come across as America's wartime movie hero's, but in real life are into some sick and dangerous stuff, and after one particularly gruesome night, Jean is never seen or heard from again.
A very good book that starts out just a little slow, but quickly picks up speed. By the middle of it, you won't be able to put it down until you've found out what became of the beautiful Ms. Jean Spangler. I definitely look forward to Ms. Abbott's future books...I hope she continues to stick with this era since she covers the shady side of Hollywood in the '40s and '50's so darn well!
higuma's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.25
pierceinverarity's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
dantastic's review
4.0
In October, 1949, actress Jean Spangler disappeared, leaving behind a daughter in the care of her cousin, a broken-strapped purse, and lots of dark rumors. Two years later, PR man Gil "Hop" Hopkins tries to piece together what happened to the rising star. Can Hop navigate the web of sex, drugs, and blackmail and find her killer or killers and still retain his sanity?
Kemper and I met Megan Abbott at BoucherCon 2011. Aside from a funny series of events that led to her signing my copy of this book Megan "The Bitch" Abbott, the main thing I remember from he experience was Kemper saying "That's Megan Abbott? She's tiny!" Tiny she may be but Megan Abbott can noir it up with the big dogs any old day of the week.
The Song Is You is a bleak tale of murder, sex, drugs, and blackmail behind the scenes of the motion picture industry of the early 50's. Hop is as in dark about Jean Spangler's true fate as the reader for most of the book. For a slim 250-ish pages, the plot is surprisingly intricate with more than its share of twists and turns. I had no idea what I was getting into when I first cracked it open.
Gil "Hop" Hopkins is a pretty good noir lead. He's a womanizing PR man for a film studio, a former reporter who still has a knack for ferreting out information. He's far from a golden boy and his slide toward madness as he tries to figure out what happened after Jean Spangler disappeared was very believable. The supporting cast is just as good. Iolene, Jean's best friend, Franny, the reporter gunning for a story, and Jerry, Hop's best friend and the man his wife Midge left him for. The apparent villains of the piece, a musical comedy duo, seem like degenerate bastards but still quite believable.
As I mentioned before, the twists kept on coming. I have to confess that I quit trying to figure out what happened about halfway through and just leaned back and let Megan Abbott drag me through the muck of Hollywood along with Hop. The ending was pretty satisfying. Even though it was a pretty slim book, I had the same worn out feeling I had after reading The Black Dahlia by the time it was over.
It's an easy four star read for noir fans. I'm not sure if I like it more than the other Megan Abbott book I've read, Queenpin, or not. It's damn sure worth a read, though.
Kemper and I met Megan Abbott at BoucherCon 2011. Aside from a funny series of events that led to her signing my copy of this book Megan "The Bitch" Abbott, the main thing I remember from he experience was Kemper saying "That's Megan Abbott? She's tiny!" Tiny she may be but Megan Abbott can noir it up with the big dogs any old day of the week.
The Song Is You is a bleak tale of murder, sex, drugs, and blackmail behind the scenes of the motion picture industry of the early 50's. Hop is as in dark about Jean Spangler's true fate as the reader for most of the book. For a slim 250-ish pages, the plot is surprisingly intricate with more than its share of twists and turns. I had no idea what I was getting into when I first cracked it open.
Gil "Hop" Hopkins is a pretty good noir lead. He's a womanizing PR man for a film studio, a former reporter who still has a knack for ferreting out information. He's far from a golden boy and his slide toward madness as he tries to figure out what happened after Jean Spangler disappeared was very believable. The supporting cast is just as good. Iolene, Jean's best friend, Franny, the reporter gunning for a story, and Jerry, Hop's best friend and the man his wife Midge left him for. The apparent villains of the piece, a musical comedy duo, seem like degenerate bastards but still quite believable.
As I mentioned before, the twists kept on coming. I have to confess that I quit trying to figure out what happened about halfway through and just leaned back and let Megan Abbott drag me through the muck of Hollywood along with Hop. The ending was pretty satisfying. Even though it was a pretty slim book, I had the same worn out feeling I had after reading The Black Dahlia by the time it was over.
It's an easy four star read for noir fans. I'm not sure if I like it more than the other Megan Abbott book I've read, Queenpin, or not. It's damn sure worth a read, though.
zeroiv's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gubbo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
askh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mbondlamberty's review against another edition
3.0
If you aren't crazy about the Guys and Dolls era, both for the despicable men and inane women, this isn't the book for you.
It is a hypothesis of what actually happened to real-life (well once) Jean Spangler back in the golden days of movie studios.
Most characters are not real, but the setting and Jean are/were.
Not a terribly likable narrator and the behavior of people is abhorrent, which is why I probably only gave it a 3, but it is a fast and otherwise enjoyable read.
It is a hypothesis of what actually happened to real-life (well once) Jean Spangler back in the golden days of movie studios.
Most characters are not real, but the setting and Jean are/were.
Not a terribly likable narrator and the behavior of people is abhorrent, which is why I probably only gave it a 3, but it is a fast and otherwise enjoyable read.