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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was not a light or quick read, but absolutely worth it. The characters were so interesting and quirky, and the storyline was Dickens-esque.
A convincing and rollicking recreation of an oft-overlooked period of London - the late-Roaring Twenties.
In a rich and colourful cast of characters, Atkinson creates a world of intrigue, danger and opportunity that is immensely readable and thought-provoking. Think of this as one her "entertainments" rather than a more literary work, made all the more enjoyable by pricking the bubble of pretentiousness through the listless Ramsay.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
In a rich and colourful cast of characters, Atkinson creates a world of intrigue, danger and opportunity that is immensely readable and thought-provoking. Think of this as one her "entertainments" rather than a more literary work, made all the more enjoyable by pricking the bubble of pretentiousness through the listless Ramsay.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Kate Atkinson is as excellent as ever. Clever, whimsical and warm-hearted - always with a sharp eye for the realities of gender and class.
I think Kate Atkinson is one of my new favorite authors.
I loved this book, but I am partial to stories that take place in the 1920s.
I loved this book, but I am partial to stories that take place in the 1920s.
Don’t you just love a well-written book? Historical details, interesting characters, sly wit & understated humor, characters you shouldn’t like, but you do. All if that & more is in Shrines of Gaiety. Great way to kick off my reading year for 2023.
Almost became a DNF. The only saving grace was the main family's surname is the same as my maiden name (spelled differently though), so I wanted to see how the family fared, but wow was it boring.
This is set in the glamorous nightclub world of London in the 20s. The main character, Nellie Coker, gets out of jail just as the novel begins. She’s the owner of a string of exotic and highly successful nightclubs across the city, but there’s also a lot of shady stuff always going on in the premises.
The scene is exciting, but for some reason, Atkinson’s usually sparkling writing is a bit diminished in this novel. Maybe it’s that there are just too many characters: besides Nellie Coker, there are her five mostly grown children. There’s Frobisher, a police detective out to solve the disappearances of young girls across London, and his French wife, who lives in a dream world of her own. There are two shady cops. There are two naïve young girls from the countryside, Freda and Florence, trying to become famous on the stage. There’s a young heiress, a former librarian, named Gwendoline, who’s romantically involved with Niven Coker (Nellie’s oldest), but in love with Frobisher, and who gets a job managing one of Nellie’s nightclubs.
Managing all these characters is a handful. Atkinson does a pretty good job of spooling out the plot, but sometimes the timeline is confusing, as she tries to generate suspense around what’s happened to Freda and Florence.
One basic premise of the book is that Nellie, who looks like a harmless old woman, is always in control, no matter how many people are trying to take away her empire. She’s a good character, although she remains rather a silhouette. London in the 20s does come across, with lots of glittering detail, and it’s clear that a lot of research went into this book.
The scene is exciting, but for some reason, Atkinson’s usually sparkling writing is a bit diminished in this novel. Maybe it’s that there are just too many characters: besides Nellie Coker, there are her five mostly grown children. There’s Frobisher, a police detective out to solve the disappearances of young girls across London, and his French wife, who lives in a dream world of her own. There are two shady cops. There are two naïve young girls from the countryside, Freda and Florence, trying to become famous on the stage. There’s a young heiress, a former librarian, named Gwendoline, who’s romantically involved with Niven Coker (Nellie’s oldest), but in love with Frobisher, and who gets a job managing one of Nellie’s nightclubs.
Managing all these characters is a handful. Atkinson does a pretty good job of spooling out the plot, but sometimes the timeline is confusing, as she tries to generate suspense around what’s happened to Freda and Florence.
One basic premise of the book is that Nellie, who looks like a harmless old woman, is always in control, no matter how many people are trying to take away her empire. She’s a good character, although she remains rather a silhouette. London in the 20s does come across, with lots of glittering detail, and it’s clear that a lot of research went into this book.