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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
An enjoyable take on history, with intersecting timelines that cross at just the right time.
The setting is the Frick mansion and it’s life as a home in the 1900s , and it’s place as an art museum in the early 60s.
While we are on NYC, as a Pittsburgh-er I was doubly interested as the connection to Frick is strong. In fact , my husband works in a building adjacent to the Frick building downtown so this was very exciting to read and share with him!
I’m love how history was amplified…..always read the authors note! While some events were stretched , the story was complex and beautiful and kept me on my toes!
The setting is the Frick mansion and it’s life as a home in the 1900s , and it’s place as an art museum in the early 60s.
While we are on NYC, as a Pittsburgh-er I was doubly interested as the connection to Frick is strong. In fact , my husband works in a building adjacent to the Frick building downtown so this was very exciting to read and share with him!
I’m love how history was amplified…..always read the authors note! While some events were stretched , the story was complex and beautiful and kept me on my toes!
This was a fun book. I really liked the 1919 storyline, but the 1960 story parts weren’t as exciting. I think the 3rd fourth of the book was the best (from about 50%-75% completion). I really like famous artwork and would’ve loved to hear more about that, but I’m interested to learn more about the Frick collection and visit next time I’m in NYC.
This is my second book by Fiona Davis and I also enjoyed this one. I like her writing style. She definitely brings all of the characters to life in a great way.
A very well researched story that blended fact with fiction wonderfully. the plot was good, the characters were a bit weak. some seemingly unnecessary subplots. but a fun little history mystery.
Couldn’t get into the storyline. Didn’t like the back and forth of old vs new timeline
It is obvious that Fiona Davis is a great writer, but this was just not for me. I'm not sure if I wasn't the right audience for this, but it seemed to drag on for me and did not keep me engaged. I typically read thrillers/mysteries/horror, and I think those genres have ruined me and I expect a fast-moving storyline. I typically enjoy dual timeline books, but the timeline in the '60s left me wanting more and seemed to only be included as a way to wrap up the book at the end. I did not care about Lily as a character, but thoroughly enjoyed Miss Helen's character and her vulnerability underneath her facade. I understand why some of the situations were included from a real-life historical perspective, but for this story, they didn't seem to add much.
The Authors Note at the end of the book was by far my favorite part.
The Authors Note at the end of the book was by far my favorite part.
Fantastic characters, a mysterious death, and dual timelines. Loved this one! It’s got some history I knew little about and was just a great read.
Dual storylines can work when written well. Unfortunately for The Magnolia Palace, dual storylines made an otherwise interesting story, boring and slow.
The highlight of the book was the relationship between young Helen and young Lillian. The constant tit for tat was engaging and entertaining. I also enjoyed the information about the Frick Museum and artwork. If this book was solely about the 1919 storyline I probably would have enjoyed it better.
What didn't work for me was the lack of mystery. The treasure hunt didn't really happen until the book was nearly finished and then it ended with a nice and neat bow. I enjoyed the character Joshua, but found Veronica to be intolerable and annoying. I felt very little about the 1960s timeline and really, nearly all of the characters were pretty 2 dimensional.
Overall, this was more of a miss than a hit.
The highlight of the book was the relationship between young Helen and young Lillian. The constant tit for tat was engaging and entertaining. I also enjoyed the information about the Frick Museum and artwork. If this book was solely about the 1919 storyline I probably would have enjoyed it better.
What didn't work for me was the lack of mystery. The treasure hunt didn't really happen until the book was nearly finished and then it ended with a nice and neat bow. I enjoyed the character Joshua, but found Veronica to be intolerable and annoying. I felt very little about the 1960s timeline and really, nearly all of the characters were pretty 2 dimensional.
Overall, this was more of a miss than a hit.