The book's title highlights the distinction between the curated image of "Natalie Wood" and the private "Natasha".
: Born in San Francisco to Russian immigrant parents, Natasha was thrust into stardom at age four by her ambitious, controlling mother, Maria. Finstad details how Maria lived vicariously through her daughter, often through emotional exploitation and manipulation.
Finstad reconstructs Wood’s journey from a child star in Miracle on 34th Street to a legendary actress in Rebel Without a Cause , West Side Story , and Splendor in the Grass . Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood - Amazon.com
: The biography reveals harrowing details previously obscured, including a rape at age 16 by a powerful star that her mother forbade her from reporting.