Blonde Dust
“Tatiana de Rosnay’s new novel, Blonde Dust, is a lovely portrait of female friendship, loss, and the unexpected ways in which a life can change. Set primarily in 1960’s Reno, Nevada, in the legendary Mapes Hotel, Blonde Dust, imagines a friendship between two very different women—a young hotel maid with big dreams and Marilyn Monroe, who is in town for what will become her final film, The Misfits. Their story is one of redemption and growth, a moment of magic that reveals a version of the iconic actress we haven’t seen before. Haunting.”
—Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times and international bestselling author.
A moving, redemptive novel about the unexpected friendship between Marilyn Monroe and a young maid whose life will be changed forever, from the New York Times bestselling author of Sarah’s Key.
Pauline, a young chambermaid who works at the legendary Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada, is asked to step in for a colleague and clean Suite 614. Although she was told the rooms were empty, a dazed, sleepy woman appears before her. This is Mrs. Miller, aka Marilyn Monroe, whose stay in Reno coincides with the breakdown of her marriage to Arthur Miller and the filming of what was to be her last film, The Misfits.
Set in the American West in 1960 where the mustang horses run wild, an unexpected friendship unfolds between the most famous movie star in the world and a young cleaner whose life will be changed forever through the course of a few weeks. A testament to the enduring power of female friendship and a reimagining of a side of Marilyn Monroe that has never been seen before.
Reviews
“Tatiana de Rosnay is a global literary treasure and Blonde Dust verifies her status. She returns to her roots in historical fiction illuminating the 1960’s American Wild West through the glittering lens of Hollywood’s hottest actress of the era, Marilyn Monroe, as she films what is destined to be her last movie, The Misfits. Through Monroe’s unlikely friendship with Pauline, a young hotel maid, Rosnay compassionately draws a new image of the star. One of a deeply feeling, intelligent woman seeking her personal oasis but unable to escape the dust storm of celebrity. Expertly researched and insightfully crafted, Blonde Dust is a true gem.”
—Sarah McCoy, New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of Whatever Happened To Lori Lovely?
“With BLONDE DUST, Tatiana de Rosnay is at her best, pulling the story from the captivating cracks of flawed humans and their complicated relationships. This is Marilyn Monroe like you’ve never seen her—intimate, tragic, and beautiful. With the chambermaid Pauline as their entree, readers of this tale will be immersed in the heat of the desert, the kinetic glow of Old Hollywood, and the relentless trajectory of the incomparable movie star’s final days.”
—Allison Pataki New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller
“Tatiana De Rosay is a master craftsman who brings characters to life in real worlds with unforgettable characters. It’s 1960. Movie star Marilyn Monroe was married to Arthur Miller, America’s great playwright. Monroe agrees to act in a movie Miller has written, directed by John Huston, a legend in his own right. The Misfits stars Clark Gable, whom Monroe idolizes. Shot on location in Nevada, Monroe forms a friendship with Pauline, a young maid in the hotel where the cast and crew resides. With her keen eye for detail and with great emotional sweep, De Rosnay captures the great American west, the fragility and humor of Monroe, and the unforgettable friendship the star forges with Pauline. This is a Hollywood tale with heart.”
—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The View from Lake Como