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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Didn't love this one, which disappoints me because I really thought I would! I like the dual perspective of history/today, and I honestly wasn't thrilled with how stereotypical the characters were. Esme felt like she fell out of West Side Story or something, and of courseeee Darby is Plain Jane and Midwestern. However, Rose was my least favorite. Her ex totally took advantage of her and she just rolled over and dealt with it, and then she was just randomly squatting in this woman's apt? Odd. I don't know, I just didn't love it.
I quite liked the setting of 1950's New York at the Barbizon Hotel, and I liked the characters, but the events of the story were a little too pat and predictable.
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely LOVED this book! The Barbizon Hotel has always held a fascination for me & I thought the author, Fiona Davis, did an superb job intermingling historical fact with fiction. There were a few surprises in the mystery component that I didn't see coming & kept me guessing. I didn't want to read it too fast because I loved being immersed in the world of the Barbizon Hotel in the 50's, but also couldn't stop reading at the same time. Bravo to Fiona on her incredibly engaging debut novel! Can't wait for more from this author.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love the way Fiona Davis tells a story between two time periods. This one spans 1950s and current day. I find it interesting that Fiona always has this unexpected character change. I wonder if she has been “burned” by a friend who acted one way and turns out to be a totally different person in reality.
The historical perspective of the Barbizon Hotel (NYC) is intriguing. I feel like Fiona does a great job of using landmarks as almost Side characters in her books. If you google the Barbizon you see all the famous women who once lived in this women only (up until 1981) residential hotel. Fiona utilizes 4 main characters from 1950’s and 2 main characters from current day to introduce a story about friendship,being independent, heroin trade, deceit, and love.
The historical perspective of the Barbizon Hotel (NYC) is intriguing. I feel like Fiona does a great job of using landmarks as almost Side characters in her books. If you google the Barbizon you see all the famous women who once lived in this women only (up until 1981) residential hotel. Fiona utilizes 4 main characters from 1950’s and 2 main characters from current day to introduce a story about friendship,being independent, heroin trade, deceit, and love.
What a delightfully charming story!
The Dollhouse refers to the legendary Barbizon Hotel for Women in New York City. Famous for housing young women who came to New York in the 1940's, 50's and 60's seeking professional opportunities, its rooms saw women who went on to be come famous icons (i.e. Sylvia Plath and Candace Bergin).
The story prominently features the switch between past and present day that is so popular in fiction today. Rose, a washed up journalist, (present day) has moved in to the Barbizon condos with her boyfriend hoping for a proposal. She happens upon an mysterious elderly neighbor who she comes to learn has lived at the Barbizon since 1952 when it was a hotel. She also learns from a gossipy doorman that the elderly woman is a snooty recluse with an interesting past.
Having taken a job with a millenial start up, Rose is pressured to come up with a story fast that will fly with her 20 something boss. She looks to the mysterious neighbor and the walls of the old Barbizon Hotel to come up with a tantalizing story but soon learns that the few residents who are "leftovers" from the old days are tight lipped about the scandal from the 1950's that was swept under the rug.
A quick "breezy" read, fans of New York City from the Mad Men era will be charmed by the architecture, fashion and the 'world is in the palm of your hand' idealism that is so vividly described in this book.
The Dollhouse refers to the legendary Barbizon Hotel for Women in New York City. Famous for housing young women who came to New York in the 1940's, 50's and 60's seeking professional opportunities, its rooms saw women who went on to be come famous icons (i.e. Sylvia Plath and Candace Bergin).
The story prominently features the switch between past and present day that is so popular in fiction today. Rose, a washed up journalist, (present day) has moved in to the Barbizon condos with her boyfriend hoping for a proposal. She happens upon an mysterious elderly neighbor who she comes to learn has lived at the Barbizon since 1952 when it was a hotel. She also learns from a gossipy doorman that the elderly woman is a snooty recluse with an interesting past.
Having taken a job with a millenial start up, Rose is pressured to come up with a story fast that will fly with her 20 something boss. She looks to the mysterious neighbor and the walls of the old Barbizon Hotel to come up with a tantalizing story but soon learns that the few residents who are "leftovers" from the old days are tight lipped about the scandal from the 1950's that was swept under the rug.
A quick "breezy" read, fans of New York City from the Mad Men era will be charmed by the architecture, fashion and the 'world is in the palm of your hand' idealism that is so vividly described in this book.
Fantastic debut novel! I love reading books that discuss how women in previous eras lived, so the summary already had me hooked when it mentioned the 1950s and the Barbizon Hotel.
The story moved at a great pace and covered a lot of themes in relatively short period of time. Choosing to be alone vs. feeling lonely was the theme that stood out the most, along with the theme of making decisions for yourself and not doing what others want or expect of you.
The only reason why I gave this 4 stars was because I was turned off by Rose's choice to squat in the empty 4th floor apartment. I also found the Griff storyline unnecessary. Griff and his family were bland and didn't add anything to the story. I would have preferred if Fiona Davis focused completely on the pressure that Rose felt as a single 30-something woman dealing with an ailing parent.
The story moved at a great pace and covered a lot of themes in relatively short period of time. Choosing to be alone vs. feeling lonely was the theme that stood out the most, along with the theme of making decisions for yourself and not doing what others want or expect of you.
The only reason why I gave this 4 stars was because I was turned off by Rose's choice to squat in the empty 4th floor apartment. I also found the Griff storyline unnecessary. Griff and his family were bland and didn't add anything to the story. I would have preferred if Fiona Davis focused completely on the pressure that Rose felt as a single 30-something woman dealing with an ailing parent.
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
N/A