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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
I wanted to give it two stars because honestly I just did not like this book. I gave it three because I do think she is a good write and I like the time period, but characters were so flat.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I do love Kate Atkinson’s work and I really enjoyed this one…after the first 1/2 or so. I don’t know why but this one took a while to snap into place for me and I almost put it down permanently. My love of the author and another review from a reviewer I trust kept me going.
As with most of her books, the story is told from multiple POVs and Atkinson is so skilled at this that it is never confusing. The characters are sharp and distinct nearly immediately (except Shirley and Betty…but that is the whole point about these two sisters). The story sometimes goes slightly non-linearly in a satisfying way as one POV reveals something that is then fleshed out in more detail from another POV.
That trusted reviewer I mentioned wrote that if we can’t have more Jackson Brodie, maybe we can have Gwendolen Kelling. Kelling is a great character, but Nellie Coker is, for me, the true brilliant, black heart of this tale.
As with most of her books, the story is told from multiple POVs and Atkinson is so skilled at this that it is never confusing. The characters are sharp and distinct nearly immediately (except Shirley and Betty…but that is the whole point about these two sisters). The story sometimes goes slightly non-linearly in a satisfying way as one POV reveals something that is then fleshed out in more detail from another POV.
That trusted reviewer I mentioned wrote that if we can’t have more Jackson Brodie, maybe we can have Gwendolen Kelling. Kelling is a great character, but Nellie Coker is, for me, the true brilliant, black heart of this tale.
Love Kate Atkinson and this book had Case History vibes which I loved!
It’s not her best, but I still love everything she writes.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
[3.5 stars] Kate Atkinson knows how to weave a story that gets you hooked. And for the most part, this book did exactly that. In many ways, Shrines of Gaiety marries historical fiction with a detective story and delivers an exciting tale set in 1920s London. We get to follow the lives of three strong women making their way into the world, each in her own right, while dealing with loss, family drama, and, of course, men. The one thing that disappointed me was the ending. After elaborate storytelling and teasing, everything kinda ended abruptly. And the resolution was somewhat underwhelming or simplistic. I enjoyed the reunion with a familiar author but I was left wanting something more.
Enjoyed this but what was with all the anti-library sentiment? Disappointed that this part of the book was so typical of the stereypical and clearly outdated idea of a librarian! Weird!
I don't know what it is about Kate Atkinson's writing that gets under my skin, but whenever I finish anything by her I always feel vaguely disturbed for a time. This proports to be a fizzy, frolicky book about Nellie, a nightclub owner, in 1920's London, but she doesn't have any more screen time than other characters, who are all quite distinctive and interesting. And for a "fizzy" story it has a rather peculiar atmosphere and some very sad and affecting moments. An odd book overall, I suppose, but then most of her books are a little odd. But I like them.