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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
It was interesting and I had no trouble reading it. It wasn't truly captivating though. The other thing that bothered me is the way they talked. There were so many instances of words and thoughts that were much more modern than the time period portrayed which was distracting.
Well I'm all done with the November Readathon; I guess that makes makes me the Queen of Reading!
Well I'm all done with the November Readathon; I guess that makes makes me the Queen of Reading!
This book was a lot of fun! I’m already a sucker for good historical fiction so I enjoyed how the dual plots intertwined in the middle and then came to life together at the end. Definitely took some unexpected turns and had some good surprises throughout. It wasn’t necessarily gripping or scary but kept you interested and curious wanting to find out what was actually going to happen next. Overall, the plot got wrapped up really calmly, so I feel like the bulk of the fun is the middle to just about the end. What I enjoyed most is it felt like a realistic portrayal of wealth and class status throughout time. Money could get you status but status certainly didn’t mean you were a good person, and it’s easy to hold a grudge amongst big status gaps. Not much has changed right?
3.5 stars
I was excited about this book, even if it did have the dual timeline/story trend. I typically do not like the split focus because one story will almost always be more compelling than the other. This one wasn't any different. Though I enjoyed parts of the story of Lillian/Angelica, some of the plot points were just too much, too absurd. That a woman in 1919 could waltz into a job-at a time when women really didn't work in any position of knowledge or authority, and get a position of private secretary to the daughter of one of the richest men in America is entirely unbelievable.
I also could have done without the Lilly and Danforth storyline; there was plenty to unpack without having that thrown in.
My favorite was in Veronica and Joshua storylines, looking at the history of the Fricks with fresh eyes from complete outsiders.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the ending when they all meet up again.
I did enjoy this book, though. The writing didn't get in the way of the story or characters, and enhanced some settings with subtle nuances.
I was excited about this book, even if it did have the dual timeline/story trend. I typically do not like the split focus because one story will almost always be more compelling than the other. This one wasn't any different. Though I enjoyed parts of the story of Lillian/Angelica, some of the plot points were just too much, too absurd. That a woman in 1919 could waltz into a job-at a time when women really didn't work in any position of knowledge or authority, and get a position of private secretary to the daughter of one of the richest men in America is entirely unbelievable.
I also could have done without the Lilly and Danforth storyline; there was plenty to unpack without having that thrown in.
My favorite was in Veronica and Joshua storylines, looking at the history of the Fricks with fresh eyes from complete outsiders.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the ending when they all meet up again.
I did enjoy this book, though. The writing didn't get in the way of the story or characters, and enhanced some settings with subtle nuances.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The interweaving of a fictional mystery over real characters was well done. It was lovely writing and engaging plot. I’d recommend it for anyone who’s a historical fiction fan.
I felt like it was a middle of the road read, a little slow at parts, but decent character development.
This was such an amazing read. The characters were fully developed (and I loved or hated them for it), the dual timeline/dual POV worked so well, and this really made the mansion (and all of its secrets) come to life. 1915-1940’s high-society America is such a fascinating time to me, and this really gave a look at how that class lived post-WW1. Written in a similar style to books like the Lilac Girls and similar, I would absolutely read other books by this author in the future.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Book club read. This was such a fun story and a great easy read. I loved the two timelines - 1919 and late 1960's. Each time line was fascinating with its people and places and how art and modeling were perceived and respected. I haven't read a story where the MC is a statute model and I liked the eye-opening plot. The story felt a bit rushed at the end but I loved the adventure.
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated