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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Loved this story! The way all of the stories intertwine are just so well done. I loved how it was also kind of set up like a documentary as well. All of Moreno-Garcia’s books are fantastic and this is no exception!!
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Favorite Quote: "Vera wasn't looking at anyone when she danced. But Salome would. She was dancing for the tetrarch's court, and their eyes would fix on her, but then wouldn't her eyes fix back on them? There was a certain danger in seeing and being seen.
Vera imagined herself as a statue of marble and basalt. She had pictured Salome helpless, pierced by a hundred eyes, and had felt herself pierced, too. But Salome looked, too. Like Medusa, she turned men into stone" (pg. 285).
Vera's journey paralleling with Salome's made this so worthwhile and it is summarized with this quote here. Vera connects with Salome not only through her run-throughs with the lines, but also how she feels trapped by expectations and ways to navigate them (Vera's foray into Hollywood and Salome's navigation of her family and political chaos). It made it all so compelling in addition to the commentary on how Hollywood pits one woman against the other and race relations between both Nancy and Vera.
Vera imagined herself as a statue of marble and basalt. She had pictured Salome helpless, pierced by a hundred eyes, and had felt herself pierced, too. But Salome looked, too. Like Medusa, she turned men into stone" (pg. 285).
Vera's journey paralleling with Salome's made this so worthwhile and it is summarized with this quote here. Vera connects with Salome not only through her run-throughs with the lines, but also how she feels trapped by expectations and ways to navigate them (Vera's foray into Hollywood and Salome's navigation of her family and political chaos). It made it all so compelling in addition to the commentary on how Hollywood pits one woman against the other and race relations between both Nancy and Vera.
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an e-Arc copy in exchange for an honest review. I have read a few of Moreno-Garcia's books previously and have had split reviews. This one however I did enjoy. I enjoyed the setting of 1950s Hollywood juxtaposed with the biblical story of Salome. I am not religious so I was not aware of this story so it was really refreshing seeing how Moreno-Garcia utilised it. I did enjoy the multiple POVs. They were slightly confusing at first to me but they did ultimately add a lot to the story. The start of this book is quite slow but it does really pick up in the last 10%. I would say if you enjoy Taylor Jenkin's Reid you would also love this book!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Seventh Veil of Salome is the fourth book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia that I’ve read, and I enjoyed it just as much (if not more than) as the other books I’ve read from her. She is truly a master of writing a very specific environment and atmosphere. Wherever her story takes place, I am very easily able to immerse myself into the setting. She’s such a strong writer and knows exactly how to draw the reader into her world.
This book was written in the Hollywood golden age, and the structure it's written in felt like watching a film. It was really incredible!
Moreno-Garcia plays with POVs in a way that feels really smart–amidst the three main women’s POV chapters, we have various interviews from people talking about the events of the book from decades in the future. Thematically, this made so much sense to me and emphasized exactly what she was trying to write about: women constantly being an object to be observed, consumed, then discarded.
The way misogyny, racism, and xenophobia are written in a way that felt exactly like what I would have expected from this era. She didn’t feel the need to hyperbolize in order to communicate her message, which is a huge strength here.
The character work was most impressive–I love being forced to understand a villain, how they were made, and what pushed them over the edge. Nancy was The Worst, and that was largely because she was just some white lady.
Overall, this book feels smart and is extremely immersive.
This book was written in the Hollywood golden age, and the structure it's written in felt like watching a film. It was really incredible!
Moreno-Garcia plays with POVs in a way that feels really smart–amidst the three main women’s POV chapters, we have various interviews from people talking about the events of the book from decades in the future. Thematically, this made so much sense to me and emphasized exactly what she was trying to write about: women constantly being an object to be observed, consumed, then discarded.
The way misogyny, racism, and xenophobia are written in a way that felt exactly like what I would have expected from this era. She didn’t feel the need to hyperbolize in order to communicate her message, which is a huge strength here.
The character work was most impressive–I love being forced to understand a villain, how they were made, and what pushed them over the edge. Nancy was The Worst, and that was largely because she was just some white lady.
Overall, this book feels smart and is extremely immersive.
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes