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jennifermreads's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I see “Fiona Davis” and I auto-buy, auto-read, auto-love. If you doubt that an inanimate object can be a character, you need to read Fiona Davis’ work. She has a knack for breathing life into the buildings where she sets her novels. The settings become an integral part of her stories. Except in The Gimlet Slip.
When I saw that The Gimlet Slip was a novella and only being released as an audiobook, I was hesitant. The blurb did not mention a specific architectural feature—but it did promise “a dangerous bootlegging scheme…set in glamorous and gritty Prohibition-era New York City.” Ok, I thought, no architectural marvel in this story but bootlegging? Prohibition? Head-strong woman? I’m here for it!
Alas, this was a novella that begs for a full-length treatment. Yes, I was drawn to the three main characters and very interested in the scheme. But I wanted more. I craved a deeper look at Lydia’s life, more details about Jo’s background, and to walk further in Sam’s shoes. The novella was a broad stroke at the story and I wanted the nitty-gritty.
The narration was good. The actor for Jo had me hesitating a bit. It wasn’t that I disliked the reader; it just took to the end of Jo’s section before I truly felt comfortable listening to her.
If Fiona and Greg make this into a complete novel? I would buy it in a heartbeat—even without the architectural character for which Fiona Davis has become known.
Note: Fiona Davis said in a Goodreads Q&A that the e-book is to be published six months after the audiobook’s release.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Violence
Minor: Child abuse
Child abuse is inferred and "off-page"
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