Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

10 reviews

meggiemeggie52's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious 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

3.5

I thought it was good! The story was solid, if slow-going for the majority of the time--though the pace did pick up at the end which was nice. I liked the multiple viewpoints, but the 1919 timeline felt like the stronger storyline with more nuanced characters. Veronica and Joshua were likable enough, but they felt flat compared to Lillian and Helen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Grief

Moderate: Murder, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Minor: Medical content, Blood, and Racism

mtnest's review

challenging emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Alcohol, Body shaming, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Classism, Death, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

litliz's review

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Classism, Confinement, Murder, Bullying, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Terminal illness

kimveach's review against another edition

emotional informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

An interesting novel set in the Frick Mansion in NYC at two different times: 1919 and 1966.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Racism, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Bullying, Child death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Terminal illness, Death, and Medical content

lauramparis's review

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Classism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexism

Minor: Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Murder, Racism, and Sexual harassment

missingmybreezy's review

informative relaxing 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

4.0

 There is no doubt I am a fan of Fiona Davis. I like her writing style and the way she expresses her characters. I love the fact that she writes her novels around a feature building - almost making it a character in itself. And now she has begun to write about women, from the past, who were not given their due and have all but been forgotten. 

This particular book treats us to the Frick mansion - later a museum - which is still in operation today. It is split between two time frames each highlighting a woman. Miss Lilly who accidentally becomes the personal assistant to Helen Frick in the early 1900's, living in the Frick home, and Veronica who in the early 1960's accidentally gets locked into the Frick Museum. 

There is lost family jewels, infidelity, murders, and reconciliation by the time the story ends. And in the Author's Notes we also get a summary of what happened to these women - true to life living women - on which the book story is based along with the Frick mansion/museum. 

And now the wait begins - what building will be next brought to life - what barely known woman will again be in the limelight? Whatever it is, whoever it is, when Davis writes it, I will be in line to read it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, and Grief

kerrygetsliterary's review

informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Racism, Child death, Classism, Death, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Miscarriage

cassielaj's review

adventurous informative mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

The mystery, the dual timelines, the art history, the family drama… I loved this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Grief

Moderate: Medical content, War, Murder, Racism, and Infidelity

aericsson's review

informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Loved the two points of view and the look into turn of the century art/wealth. The ending felt rushed.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Body horror, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship

ekmook's review

adventurous emotional informative mysterious fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Racism