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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
Just… so much to roll my eyes at here. Convenient love at every turn. Anyone might have a homosexual lover at any era. Falling in love in general takes two minutes. Predictable, kinda boring most of the time, and the journalistic ethics are off the charts awful. Rose is embarrassing. I did finish this book, but it took me six times as long as it normally would, and I probably should have stopped sooner. Esme was the most interesting character until she became The Worst. Smh.
It was a fun read with some romance, some unexpected things and an entrance into a Dreamland of old New York that's hard to imagine now. You fell in love with the characters and I found it hard to put down. I would read it again.
Historical fiction that kept my interest, and I want to read more about the famed Barbizon Hotel now. The twist at the end was a little unsurprising, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless.
Give me history, a city and women trying to find their place and you have my history thesis. Enjoyed the details of NYC in the 50’s, loved it!
How crazy is this: I walked by this building when I was in NYC last month. So imagine my surprise when I see it on the cover of a book at the library! I had to read it!
The strength of this book is absolutely the story of The Barbizon Hotel for Women. When the time was taken to show Darby's interaction with other residents and the way of life for women during the 1950s, I was very much engaged in the story. I love historical fiction and I never knew about this residence for women and all of the famous women who once resided there.
This story wanted to do more though. It wanted to incorporate jazz clubs, journalism, and drug busts. My interest began to dwindle as the book took on the more improbable as it hurtled towards its conclusion. I guess what I am trying to say is that I liked the parts about the Barbizon and Rose's present-day research into a tragedy that occurred at the hotel. I was not a fan of any of the romances or the way the conclusion brought together the aspects I was uninterested in reading about.
The strength of this book is absolutely the story of The Barbizon Hotel for Women. When the time was taken to show Darby's interaction with other residents and the way of life for women during the 1950s, I was very much engaged in the story. I love historical fiction and I never knew about this residence for women and all of the famous women who once resided there.
This story wanted to do more though. It wanted to incorporate jazz clubs, journalism, and drug busts. My interest began to dwindle as the book took on the more improbable as it hurtled towards its conclusion. I guess what I am trying to say is that I liked the parts about the Barbizon and Rose's present-day research into a tragedy that occurred at the hotel. I was not a fan of any of the romances or the way the conclusion brought together the aspects I was uninterested in reading about.
More like 3.5. Entertaining and interesting, it's a good read if you like historical fiction and a past/present plot line that has an element of mystery. I gave it 3.5 because I've read similar books that I felt were done better (like Beatriz Williams).
I could not put this book down. I easily got lost in the world of 1950s New York City, and loved the tie in to a modern day story with a second character perspective. Loved the slight element of mystery and how everything tied together in the end. Really fun read.
This languished as I really struggled to finish. Cliched, and I just could not bring myself to care about either of the protagonists, who were just so simple.