ARC Review Book Review

ARC Book Review | Sunshine Girl by Julianna Margulies

Title: Sunshine Girl: An Unexpected Life
Author: Julianna Margulies 
Genre: Memoir, Nonfiction
Published On: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: digital (Netgalley)
Pages: 256

Synopsis:

Known for her outstanding performances on the groundbreaking television series The Good Wife and ER, Julianna Margulies deftly chronicles her life and her work in this deeply powerful memoir.

“At once a tender coming-of-age story and a deeply personal look at a young woman making sense of the world against a chaotic and peripatetic childhood.”–Katie Couric

As an apple-cheeked bubbly child, Julianna was bestowed with the family nickname “Sunshine Girl.” Shuttled back and forth between her divorced parents, often on different continents, she quickly learned how to be of value to her eccentric mother and her absent father. Raised in fairly unconventional ways in various homes in Paris, England, New York, and New Hampshire, Julianna found that her role among the surrounding turmoil and uncertainty was to comfort those around her, seeking organization among the disorder, making her way in the world as a young adult and eventually an award-winning actress.

Throughout, there were complicated relationships, difficult choices, and overwhelming rejections. But there were also the moments where fate, faith, and talent aligned, leading to the unforgettable roles of a lifetime, both professionally and personally–moments when chaos had finally turned to calm.

Filled with intimate stories and revelatory moments, Sunshine Girl is at once unflinchingly honest and perceptive. It is a riveting self-portrait of a woman whose resilience in the face of turmoil will leave readers intrigued and inspired.

My thoughts

(Spoiler free)

I religiously watched ER from beginning to end and watched the first few years of The Good Wife, so when I saw Julianna Margulies had written a memoir—and it was garnering glowing early reviews—I requested it from Netgalley.  I like a good memoir that gives the reader a glimpse into someone’s thoughts or one that turns introspective, and Margulies has achieved that in Sunshine Girl. The opening line had my attention immediately:

“My parents’ marriage was pretty much over by the time I was born.”

Julianna Margulies, Sunshine Girl

But while I enjoyed the first half of this book that’s more coming-of-age and about being shuffled from country to country between her divorced parents, the second half of the book that focuses more on her journey into acting was not as strong. She only briefly mentions her roles, not really discussing any behind the scenes experiences. And I wasn’t necessarily expecting any gossip about co-stars, but I would have liked more just about the process of making a hit television series. She did speak at length about how exhausting and challenging the unrelenting schedule can be, but it’s hard to muster much sympathy when an actor’s life is so far removed from most people’s day to day lives. Although, I did appreciate—and agree with—her discussion of how the media focuses on the struggle female actors have with working and motherhood, but never presents the same questions to male actors about fatherhood.

If you have always wondered why she turned down a very lucrative offer to remain with ER for another two years, she does (somewhat reluctantly) provide a satisfying explanation.

What Margulies does well is discuss her personal relationships. She’s honest and forthcoming about her struggles with her parents, her close relationship with her sisters, her friendships, and even a toxic decade-long relationship with a fellow actor. She doesn’t include their name, but it’s not hard to figure out who it is. She allows the reader to explore how the challenges in her life shaped who she became, and there’s plenty for readers to be inspired by. 

I believe the final version will include photos from throughout her life, but I was disappointed to discover they weren’t included in the advanced copy. I was able to satisfy my curiosity by perusing her Instagram and IMDB page, though. Photos always make a good memoir even better.

If you’re a reader who enjoys interesting factoids about celebrities (her father wrote the jingle “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is”) or a person’s struggle to define themselves after a challenging childhood, you’ll probably enjoy this well-written memoir.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.

(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)

Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Julianna Margulies
Julianna Margulies

As an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild award winner, Julianna Margulies has achieved success in television, theater, and film. Margulies starred as Alicia Florrick on the long-running hit CBS show The Good Wife, which she also produced, and is also well known for her role as one of the original cast members of ER. More recently, Margulies has starred on critically acclaimed series including The Morning Show, Billions, and The Hot Zone. She has been involved with Project ALS and Erin’s Law and is also a board member of the New York City–based MCC Theater company. She resides in New York City with her husband and son.

A Song For A Book

Margulies mentions a few artists and songs throughout her memoir that impacted her early years so I’ll be choosing one of those to share. She mentions listening to Abba’s The Album on repeat, so I’ve chosen “Move On” to highlight. The lyrics seem so fitting.

I’ve travelled every country
I’ve travelled in my mind
It seems we’re on a journey
A trip through space and time
And somewhere lies the answer
To all the questions why
What really makes the difference
Between all dead and living things, the will to stay alive

Like a roller in the ocean, life is motion
Move on
Like a wind that’s always blowing, life is flowing
Move on
Like the sunrise in the morning, life is dawning
Move on
How I treasure every minute, being part of, being in it
With the urge to move on

Have you read Sunshine Girl? Will you be adding it to your TBR? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Wandering!

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