It’s a cliché, but Wonderful is exactly that. It is a book about the way women are portrayed in both history and the world of celebrity, about women not being quiet, and about women united by the shared stories that shape them.
Wonderful is the perfect blend of historical fiction, magical realism and heartfelt contemporary story-telling. Something that many of us know and love Louise Beech. It’s a testament that whether traditionally or independently published, Louise’s writing is lyrical, insightful and balances perfectly those moments of heartbreak, warmth, hope and sadness. Like all of her books, this novel is unforgettable, and the questions and thoughts that it provokes will linger long after the final pages have been read.
Told through stories and viewpoints that connect across generations, Wonderful has a beautifully original premise – Marilyn Monroe, the Virgin Mary and an ordinary woman from Hull become intertwined through a narrative that explores fame, family, love, loss, poverty, resilience and the power of choosing your own path. A premise that feels improbable but becomes entirely probable at the expert hands of Louise’s story-telling.
Marilyn Monroe is depicted with incredible compassion and depth, rightly so, elements of her past that we know about are carefully woven with the ‘what if’. Flora’s story feels authentic and emotionally resonant. Louise is careful with her portrayal of women and this novel shines a spotlight on them, their struggles, depth and vulnerability carefully balanced with a capacity for transformation.
There are heavy themes within the book, loss, abuse, self-worth and societal expectations to name just a few, but these are so delicately explored that you know you are in safe hands when reading.
Wonderful is a thought-provoking, emotional and beautifully written book, a celebration of women, resilience, connection and life.
About the Book
A Hollywood idol. The Virgin Mary. An everyday girl from Hull.
Three women, three eras, surprising things in common…
On 4th August 1962, the night she should have died, Marilyn Monroe – the biggest star in the world – receives a visitor who changes the course of her destiny. The Virgin Mary appears in her kitchen with a curious message. Inspired, Marilyn abandons her home, her life, her fame, and disappears into the night…
Fifty-four years later, in a Hull kitchen, Flora Baker finds Mary, bathed in light. She has a similar message for the working class woman who is on the poverty line and dreaming of a better life. Flora begins to make changes that impact not only her life but the lives of those around her…
Do Marilyn and Flora have more in common than just Mary’s visit? Are they somehow linked across time? And is Mary’s message for all the women of the world?
Wonderful is about the way women are portrayed in both history and the world of celebrity, about women not being quiet, and about women united by the shared stories that shape them.
About The Author
Louise Beech is the author of nine novels and a memoir, Eighteen Seconds (2023). Her debut, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers’ Pick; The Lion Tamer Who Lost shortlisted for the Romantic Novel Awards 2019 and longlisted for the Polari Prize that same year; Call Me Star Girl was Best magazine’s Book of the Year; This Is How We Are Human was a Clare Mackintosh Book Club pick; and audiobook Daffodils shortlisted for the Audies23. Her dystopian thriller, End of Story, is written as Louise Swanson.
Purchase the Book
This book can be purchased in our store either on its own or in a cosy Book Box.
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