To The Top of Mount Everest...
In 1966, Jacqueline Susann published "The Valley of the Dolls" ; one of the three
outstanding novels she wrote before her death in 1974. Set in New York City, this novel takes
us through the incredulous decline of three girls seemingling perfect lives; Anne Welles, Neely
O'Hara, and Jennifer North. Anne Welles, the center character of this novel, moves to New
York to escape a "solid, orderly and planned" life in her home town of Lawrencville. Upon her
arrival in New York, she discovers that everyone seems to be hagridden with the idea of "the
perfect life" and many consider her daft for leaving a place where such a thing is provided for
you. She feels confident at first but more and more throughout the story her whole world is
turned upside down and she feels as if she is alone in a world where no one hears her or
even cares what she has to say. The overall atmosphere of the novel begins as hopeful...but
ultimately becomes dismal yet eerily pacifying; in that you accept her life for what it has
become, as she does. Jacqueline Susann certainly keeps one wanting more throughout this
novel; she never gives to much away at once, yet tells just enough so that it is impossible
Anne Welles is unmistakably the most crucial character in this novel. Her story
is a very sad one to tell. At just 20 years old she left everything she had ever known(and
despised) and took off to New York City to pursue her dream. Her dream was simple; to make it on her own and never to settle. Anne was beautiful, which people particularly noticed as hers
was not a typical beauty. She was modest in the way she dressed, plain dark linen, and minimal
jewelry, as opposed to outrageous platforms and pompadours that women in that time adored.
She had light blonde hair that she let ha...