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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
An excellent historical fiction novel! I loved the combination of historical fiction, women's rights, and mystery! Highly recommend!
This falls right in line with other Fiona Davis books. I enjoyed the alternating story lines and time periods. A few twists but nothing jaw dropping. Overall a solid historical fiction, mystery book.
It was good but I preferred both The Address and Lions of Fifth Avenue.
Very easy read, and a fun one if you are a fan of New York City. You'll get to learn a little bit about what it was like decades ago.
The juxtaposition of the two main characters is very interesting. They're both very similar and in comparable situations at the exact same geographical location but decades apart. This is interesting because it's the way that the times and the city have changed that make up the subtle differences in the characters.
It was also nice to read two different time frames where the characters actually do get to come together at the end.
Having said that, the ending came together a little too quickly. It seemed a little rushed.
This book was great, but there were a lot of parts that felt like they were put in there because the editors wanted more pages or something. I could be totally wrong. Rather than sticking more filler in the middle, I would have liked to see more meaningful ending.
Having said that, this was a fantastic debut book for this author. I really admire her storytelling. I will definitely read more.
The juxtaposition of the two main characters is very interesting. They're both very similar and in comparable situations at the exact same geographical location but decades apart. This is interesting because it's the way that the times and the city have changed that make up the subtle differences in the characters.
It was also nice to read two different time frames where the characters actually do get to come together at the end.
Having said that, the ending came together a little too quickly. It seemed a little rushed.
This book was great, but there were a lot of parts that felt like they were put in there because the editors wanted more pages or something. I could be totally wrong. Rather than sticking more filler in the middle, I would have liked to see more meaningful ending.
Having said that, this was a fantastic debut book for this author. I really admire her storytelling. I will definitely read more.
A great concept and writing that kept me reading but the story and characters could have used a bit more depth and a bit more exploration of the mores of the time. I’m always about outmoded ways of living (here, a residential hotel for single girls) so I’m glad someone is writing about the Barbizon but would have liked a bit more of that, but wasn’t particularly taken with the mystery plot.
This novel gives a reader the stories of two young women coming of age in New York. Alternating between 1952 and 2016, but within the same building, once the famous Barbizon hotel for women, and surrounding neighborhood, this novel joins historical fiction with mystery in a deft and intriguing manner.
Rose Lewin tries to find out what happened to a mysterious woman who lives in her building while also creating a life for herself in 2016. The story set in 1952 is of Darby McLaughlin, Rose’s mysterious neighbor, who always wears a veil. In the past, she lives alongside models and others who, like her, are attending secretarial school and is finding both her voice and her footing in this adventurous new city full of excitement.
This was quite the riveting novel. I honestly have to say that each woman's story intrigued me. Although Rose's day-to-day is most definitely more familiar, the changes she made in her own life as she learned about Darby's was admirable. There's romance, intrigue, history and heartbreak. At times it felt as though I was on a roller-coaster ride heading for disaster, but the satisfying ending left me intrigued for what this debut author will do next.
Rose Lewin tries to find out what happened to a mysterious woman who lives in her building while also creating a life for herself in 2016. The story set in 1952 is of Darby McLaughlin, Rose’s mysterious neighbor, who always wears a veil. In the past, she lives alongside models and others who, like her, are attending secretarial school and is finding both her voice and her footing in this adventurous new city full of excitement.
This was quite the riveting novel. I honestly have to say that each woman's story intrigued me. Although Rose's day-to-day is most definitely more familiar, the changes she made in her own life as she learned about Darby's was admirable. There's romance, intrigue, history and heartbreak. At times it felt as though I was on a roller-coaster ride heading for disaster, but the satisfying ending left me intrigued for what this debut author will do next.
The star of this book was definitely the Barbizon Hotel. This is the first book I’ve read by Fiona Davis. I really enjoyed that in this historical fiction novel the historic landmark was center stage. I love learning about different places, their history, and how they’re changed over the years.
This book uses a dual timeline to tell the story of Darby in 1952 and Rose in 2016. Both women live the Barbizon, Darby moves in in 1952 when it’s a hotel for women and Rose lives there in 2016 after it’s been converted to condos.
After Rose, a journalist, moves in she has a chance encounter with Darby in the elevator and discovers that some of the Barbizon when it was a hotel for women still live in the building, in rent-controlled apartments on the 4th floor. Rose starts working on a piece about the women that have lived in the Barbizon since it was a hotel, with the main focus of her piece is finding out the truth of an incident that happened in 1952 involving Darby and a maid who died in the incident.
Rose’s story revolves around her trying to get information for her story while her personal life is in disarray and the heartbreak of having a sick parent. Darby’s story starts with her initial arrival at the Barbizon and leads up to the incident on the roof.
All-in-all I enjoyed this book, especially the history of the Barbizon and the story in 1952. I thought the present day story was a little week and felt rushed at the end.
This book uses a dual timeline to tell the story of Darby in 1952 and Rose in 2016. Both women live the Barbizon, Darby moves in in 1952 when it’s a hotel for women and Rose lives there in 2016 after it’s been converted to condos.
After Rose, a journalist, moves in she has a chance encounter with Darby in the elevator and discovers that some of the Barbizon when it was a hotel for women still live in the building, in rent-controlled apartments on the 4th floor. Rose starts working on a piece about the women that have lived in the Barbizon since it was a hotel, with the main focus of her piece is finding out the truth of an incident that happened in 1952 involving Darby and a maid who died in the incident.
Rose’s story revolves around her trying to get information for her story while her personal life is in disarray and the heartbreak of having a sick parent. Darby’s story starts with her initial arrival at the Barbizon and leads up to the incident on the roof.
All-in-all I enjoyed this book, especially the history of the Barbizon and the story in 1952. I thought the present day story was a little week and felt rushed at the end.
This was a great debut novel. Davis uses The Barbizon Hotel as her main setting to explore and 1950s New York City from the point of view of Darby McLaughlin, who is from nowhere Ohio and has no idea about city life and it's excitements and pitfalls. She meets immigrant Esme and begins to explore the seedier side of the city in the form of a basement jazz lounge. Fast forward to present day and journalist Rose Lewin feels a story calling her from the 4th floor of what used to be The Barbizon Hotel. Darby still lives at the hotel but is shrouded both physically and emotionally due to a tragedy in which she was a unwitting player. I loved the history parts of the book more than I liked Rose's story and character. Also, I thought the characters that were telling the history were somewhat weak and not as fully flushed out as they should have been. The parts that were flights of fancy or flashbacks were stronger than the characters in the flesh.
Thanks to Penguin's First to Read program for a copy of the book.
Thanks to Penguin's First to Read program for a copy of the book.
More like a 2 and a 1/2. Started out hopeful but then fell short for me. Stereotypical Puerto Rican character. Some things thrown in there and then not further explained. Disappointed because I really wanted to love the book.