[1] Rocky Mountain News and Entertainment Weekly have listed Blonde as one of Joyce Carol Oates's best books.

"[5] Although many notable names are changed, Oates sometimes uses recognizable initials, such as "C"—a male co-star from Some Like It Hot (presumably Tony Curtis)—and more controversially, "R.F", the commander of the Sharpshooter sent to eliminate Monroe (many conspiracy theories have suggested that Robert F. Kennedy, United States Attorney General and brother of President John F. Kennedy, was involved in Monroe's death,[6] following her alleged affairs with each of the brothers).

In Blonde, Monroe's second and third husbands Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller are referred to as the Ex-Athlete and the Playwright, respectively.

[9] A film adaptation of the novel, written and directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas as Monroe, was released on September 28, 2022, by Netflix.

Naomi Watts and Jessica Chastain were both attached to star at various points in pre-production before de Armas secured the role.