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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was such a fun book and I really enjoyed it! Will be continuing with this author since she seems to write a lot of stories in what seems like a similar format
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
As a reader, I love a book about the love of books and a library! Really enjoyed this story. Moved quickly overall, ending was tied together nicely. Mystery layered in to both timelines of the novel. Unfortunately on the library kindle version did not have an authors note, would have liked to hear how much was fictionalized and if any characters were based on real people and events.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
“Somehow, she’d always believed that if she just loved everyone enough, all would be well, that love would be the snowfall that blanketed the crevasses and jagged edges of their world, smoothing them out into a gentle field of white.”
Reasons to Read:
If you love reading books about books
If you like a historical fiction with alternating perspectives
If you relish books that have a hint of suspense
From the second you begin your journey into Fiona Davis’ world, the phantom smell of old books envelops you. The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a historical fiction novel about one of my favourite topics: books, and the fact that it’s set in the New York Public Library gives it an automatic tick mark in my head.
The narrative starts with the year 1913, in the time of Laura Lyons, a fairly typical middle-class New York woman, married with two kids, living in an absolutely atypical home, an apartment within the library designed for the superintendent (her husband) of the New York Public Library. We are witness to one of the most important times in Laura’s life, her realisation of her talent, independence, you could even call it her feminist awakening. In the midst of all that, some precious texts are stolen from the library.
Switching to 1993, her granddaughter, Sadie also works as a librarian at the same place, when again, rare books under her watch go missing.
Well, of course the thefts are connected, but the way the book unfolds is thoroughly enjoyable.
The mystery is not at all obvious, though in the end everything comes together the way you would expect.
My version of heaven has always been a library, and if you want to be transported to one of the most famous ones in the world, I suggest adding this book to your personal to-be-read shelf.
Ru Recommends: 4/5
Fun Fact: The famous lions of the New York Public Library were first named Leo Astor and Leo Lenox after the founders. However, in the 1930s, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia renamed them Patience and Fortitude.
Reasons to Read:
If you love reading books about books
If you like a historical fiction with alternating perspectives
If you relish books that have a hint of suspense
From the second you begin your journey into Fiona Davis’ world, the phantom smell of old books envelops you. The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a historical fiction novel about one of my favourite topics: books, and the fact that it’s set in the New York Public Library gives it an automatic tick mark in my head.
The narrative starts with the year 1913, in the time of Laura Lyons, a fairly typical middle-class New York woman, married with two kids, living in an absolutely atypical home, an apartment within the library designed for the superintendent (her husband) of the New York Public Library. We are witness to one of the most important times in Laura’s life, her realisation of her talent, independence, you could even call it her feminist awakening. In the midst of all that, some precious texts are stolen from the library.
Switching to 1993, her granddaughter, Sadie also works as a librarian at the same place, when again, rare books under her watch go missing.
Well, of course the thefts are connected, but the way the book unfolds is thoroughly enjoyable.
The mystery is not at all obvious, though in the end everything comes together the way you would expect.
My version of heaven has always been a library, and if you want to be transported to one of the most famous ones in the world, I suggest adding this book to your personal to-be-read shelf.
Ru Recommends: 4/5
Fun Fact: The famous lions of the New York Public Library were first named Leo Astor and Leo Lenox after the founders. However, in the 1930s, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia renamed them Patience and Fortitude.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No