She struggles between her identities and faces all sorts of challenges. It's basically a women's picture, like Mildred Pierce, and is a pretty good rags-to-riches actor story that doesn't end when the stardom does. The story follows Elsa/Laura from ingénue-you're-going-to-be-star-baby to mature actress to dipping her toe into television, the whole time watching Hollywood change as she does.
I really liked some of the characters and the story takes some unexpected turns which are awfully interesting, but the passivity of the main character at times left me slightly cold. Although I didn't love it while reading it, the more it sits with me, the more I like it and the more it lingers with me. I love the scope of her life and her career, and how she changes as Hollywood changes--a story that just isn't told very often.