Reviews

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

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michellec13's review

informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Young model Lillian Carter appears in sculptural form all over New York City from posing for artists as a way to support herself and her mother. After her mother dies of the Spanish flu in 1918, she finds herself mistakenly embroiled in a scandal and must flee. She happens upon the Frick mansion and, through another case of mistaken identity, ends up employed as the private secretary to Helen Frick, daughter of the famed Henry Clay Frick.

So starts The Magnolia Palace, a new novel by Fiona Davis. Lillian aka Angelica plays the starring role, becoming a confidant and secretary to the Frick's daughter, which leads to more turmoil for the aspiring starlet.

In alternating chapters, you meet Veronica Weber, a British, 1960s-era model who ends up at a photo shoot at the mansion. By happenstance, she finds notes hidden in secret crevices throughout the house when she goes exploring and, with art intern Joshua in tow, tries to solve the mystery of the notes.

All Davis's books center around a historical or cultural building in New York City. The books serve as a love letter to each place, and I like how she creates a story that reflects the atmosphere of the building. This story caught my interest with its many layers and interesting characters. The notes play a unique part in the plot and will intrigue you. They further move the plot along and add a whimsical touch to the story.

I found these characters to be fully formed and empathetic. The settings will inspire you to Google the Frick Mansion and its extensive art collection. Having grown up in Northern New Jersey, I frequently heard the name Frick but never visited the building. It's a beautiful place, and Davis describes it simply but in a way that stirs up interest.

Although the Spanish flu is mentioned, you may briefly think of the impact of COVID-19 in our world today, but there's no heavy-handedness about any relationship between the two. It's merely a plot point that pushes the story forward.

I've read all of Davis's novels, and some of them work out better than others. This one wasn't slow or rushed with a satisfying ending and enough intrigue and mystery to keep you engaged. If you like historical mysteries, this should definitely be on your list. The only thing that's missing? Pictures of the Frick mansion!

momlovesbooks17's review against another edition

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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

4.0

givingyouthemomlook's review

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3.0

This was an interesting historical fiction read. The characters felt second to the setting, but I suppose that’s what you get when it’s the title. I wasn’t blown away by anything, but fine art lovers may find a bit more enjoyment than I did.

ljax23's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

concernedfern's review

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adventurous informative mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

eeclayton's review against another edition

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informative mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

The Magnolia Palace is novel of historical fiction with a dual timeline. In 1919, a famous artists' model, who is on the run after a scandal, ends up in the Frick house as a private secretary. In 1966, an inexperienced British model finds herself stranded in the Frick palace during a severe snowstorm after a photoshoot has gone awry. The two stories are interconnected, with each chapter uncovering clues to the overall mystery.
The plot was promising and kept me turning the pages, although I found the 1919 storyline much more compelling. The author had created an incredible sense of place, and it was great to read about what it might be like to live among so many pieces of art.
Sadly, the last quarter of the book and especially the ending were quite disappointing for me. It made me angry when a character discovered something but the author hid this from the reader by skipping over part of a talk (

between Lillian and Bertha

), but I could have forgiven this, had the ending made more sense.

While the mystery was solved and had a meaningful closure, how the characters arrived at said ending was totally unbelievable (with everyone tagging along on a quick road tip minutes after the blackout was over, and then people very quickly got along after not having talked for almost 50 years; also, nobody could find Angelica in 1919, but 50 years later all it took for an intern to locate her was a phonecall?)

All in all, it was an okay read, but it could have been so much more with a better ending.