For One Lifelong Fan, ‘Barbie’ Had an Incredible, Unexpected Emotional Power

A DREAM COME TRUE

For Brooke, seeing “Barbie” as an adult sent childhood memories of playing with Barbie as a child flooding back—some pleasant, others painful. The end result: ultimate catharsis.

An illustration including Toy Barbie Dolls and the 1998 Barbie Deluxe Dreamhouse
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway / Kelly Caminero / The Daily Beast / Getty