The story, which focuses on Marlene Dietrich’s early life in Germany and Hollywood up to and through the end of World War II, is compellingly told and richly detailed, capturing both the spirit and personality of a legendary woman whose strong and complex personality defied convention.

I love how the author showed us so many aspects of her background. World War I, acting school, her many affairs, and her nightlife in decadent 1920s Berlin all show us the complex character that can’t be fit in any one character mold. She’s one of those personalities that defies convention and compartmentalization.

The author has created a glorious story of a country in flux, torn between so many mirrors of itself that no one knows the true Germany. Along with that tale, we get a hell of a woman who is full of grit, courage, and enough ambition to topple Hollywood. Marlene is one of those personalities that you can’t help but love and admire.