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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Growing up in Pittsburgh, I loved stories of our history with steel and the Titans that made us the city we became. The only three things I knew about Henry Clay Frick were the foundations for the story. I loved having a connection. I’m planning on visiting Clayton and the Frick museum again soon.
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
A tale of murder, mystery, and love set in the historic Frick mansion. this beautiful book is told in alternating timelines and features two predominant women, Lilly and Veronica. Lilly is an artist's model and one of the most if not the most famous sculpture muse of her time. Veronica is trying to become a famous model herself fifty years later. Both are doing it in order to save and protect others, and both have far more in common than they'd like to admit.
This is an extraordinary tale that wraps you tight into the story and leaves you wanting more! The details of the actual Frick mansion are exquisite, and the small added fictional things fit perfectly into the story and make it far more interesting. Details of the time periods are perfect and not overdone. The story is written seamlessly and easy to follow the alternating timelines . The Love story wrapped inside and perfectly done but not overly focused on. I loved the underlying theme of female empowerment in a time when such wasn't the norm. A woman was open to love yes, but it wasn't the end all be all of her existence. These women had goals and dreams that didn't include a husband or children and were just fine on their own if need be. This was an utterly lovely story and I was truly sad to see it end.
This is an extraordinary tale that wraps you tight into the story and leaves you wanting more! The details of the actual Frick mansion are exquisite, and the small added fictional things fit perfectly into the story and make it far more interesting. Details of the time periods are perfect and not overdone. The story is written seamlessly and easy to follow the alternating timelines . The Love story wrapped inside and perfectly done but not overly focused on. I loved the underlying theme of female empowerment in a time when such wasn't the norm. A woman was open to love yes, but it wasn't the end all be all of her existence. These women had goals and dreams that didn't include a husband or children and were just fine on their own if need be. This was an utterly lovely story and I was truly sad to see it end.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
The Magnolia Palace follows two women in two different timelines: Lillian, a former artists’ model turned private secretary to Helen Frick in 1919, and Veronica, an English model in 1960 who happens upon a series of hidden messages in the old Frick residence (now the Frick Collection museum). There’s a scavenger hunt and mystery weaved in both timelines, which made it a pretty quick-paced read.
I loved this one! The best historical fiction books are the ones that make me pause halfway through a chapter to do some historical digging of my own, and this one definitely delivered. I didn’t know much about the Frick Collection or the Frick family before reading this, and now I’m itching to go to the museum the next time I’m in NYC.
Lillian was my absolute favorite character in this. She is fierce, she owns up to her mistakes, and she is compassionate to Helen Frick, even when Helen is demanding and rude. I wasn’t as captivated with Veronica’s story, though, which is the only reason this wasn’t quite a five-star read for me. But this is definitely top-tier historical fiction, and I can’t wait to read more by Fiona Davis!
Read this if:
- you love art history
- you’re a fan of fierce female characters
- you nerd out about scavenger hunts
I loved this one! The best historical fiction books are the ones that make me pause halfway through a chapter to do some historical digging of my own, and this one definitely delivered. I didn’t know much about the Frick Collection or the Frick family before reading this, and now I’m itching to go to the museum the next time I’m in NYC.
Lillian was my absolute favorite character in this. She is fierce, she owns up to her mistakes, and she is compassionate to Helen Frick, even when Helen is demanding and rude. I wasn’t as captivated with Veronica’s story, though, which is the only reason this wasn’t quite a five-star read for me. But this is definitely top-tier historical fiction, and I can’t wait to read more by Fiona Davis!
Read this if:
- you love art history
- you’re a fan of fierce female characters
- you nerd out about scavenger hunts
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
mysterious
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:
Complicated
I've seen this book all over IG and I have enjoyed the books that I've read set in NYC during the Gilded Age, so I decided to give this one a go. In this story, we follow the life of Lillian Carter (based on the real life of Audrey Marie Munson--must read this one at a later time-The Curse of Beauty: The Scandalous & Tragic Life of Audrey Munson, America's First Supermodel) and the Frick family, also a real family. The Frick family have an obscene amount of wealth and several members of the family leave a lot to be desired in social skills. The main plot of the story centers around betrayal, murder, and the theft of a pink diamond. It was an intriguing plot and I loved following Lillian's relationship with the Fricks. The artwork and architecture were beautifully described in the novel, another highlight, felt like I was in NYC. I enjoyed all the nods to historical events including the Johnstown Flood (another interesting book on the topic-The Johnstown Flood). What I did not like as much was the dual time line but I have not been a big fan of this type of storytelling so I have my own biases. For those that do enjoy dual time lines, Veronica and Joshua help bring the past to the present by solving the mysteries of the past. They were a good vehicle for bringing the past to the present but I don't feel like I ever really got to know Veronica or Joshua very well. Overall, an enjoyable story that I do recommend.
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced