This is not your traditional biography and Mallory O’Meara’s idiosyncratic writing style—stuffed with digressions about her research, the #MeToo movement, the state of women in Hollywood, even the author’s own personal life—takes a bit of getting used to. The book is well worth the effort, however, as O’Meara uncovers the work and life of artist, designer, and Hollywood makeup artist Milicent Rossi Patrick, the creator of the iconic Creature from the Black Lagoon. O’Meara is a little in love with Patrick, as a role model and inspiration, and that passion was what was needed to push through the challenging research project she set for herself. This book is not only a biography of Patrick, it also contextualizes the work of any non-celebrity woman associated with movies in the 1940s through the 1960s. Despite her obvious artistic talent, Patrick’s accomplishments were overshadowed by makeup titan Bud Westmore *and* all the men and women in the movie-going public who fixated on her physical beauty. O’Meara’s work points up the hypocrisy in our simultaneous love and jealousy and fear of beautiful successful women, and why they often end up going it alone. Lots of food for thought.