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vannahcabana's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Set in 1952 and 2016, this book switches the year almost every chapter. It follows the journey of a journalist writing a story on a young woman attending secretarial school in New York. I overall thought this was a good read. It was a little slow in some parts, but it kept me interested enough to finish. A bit of a plot twist toward the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Sexual content
mrsscherbastsky's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
town_scar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Alcohol, Dementia, Dysphoria, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual content, Homophobia, Violence, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Racism
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Xenophobia, and Sexism
Minor: Torture and Suicidal thoughts
mhinnen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
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
Having just read The Address, which I loved, I thought I would take a look at some of Fiona Davis' other books. I didn't love this one as much, but it was a strong story with lots of information about 1950s NYC and the options for young women.
The title comes from the Barbizon Hotel for Women aka "The Dollhouse." Young white women who had connections could live there while they pursued dreams of modeling, publishing, or secretarial work (we learn it is preferred that secretaries are naturally well endowed). Men call the hotel a dollhouse - waiting for the women inside to turn into "real" women who are there for their enjoyment. The misogyny is overt and meanness and cruelty permeate the culture.
The dual timeline follows residents Darby and Rose and alternates between the 1950s and 2016. Darby lives on the 4th floor - reserved for elderly women who never left the hotel and when it was turned into coops were offered rent-stabilized apartments. Rose is a journalist whose life is unraveling and stumbles into a mystery that she begins to research about a death that occurred decades earlier. She also discovers that amid the cruelty, there was joy and friendships. Some of the women found that their independence helped them break free of the limited options they were told they had. Rose's own insecurities are exposed as she romanticizes and projects her fear onto the lives of the women whose lives she is learning about.
I really enjoyed the book and the mystery. There were some side stories that, while I appreciated them, were a bit distracting and could have actually been a little less detailed (or written as a main storyline in another book).
The title comes from the Barbizon Hotel for Women aka "The Dollhouse." Young white women who had connections could live there while they pursued dreams of modeling, publishing, or secretarial work (we learn it is preferred that secretaries are naturally well endowed). Men call the hotel a dollhouse - waiting for the women inside to turn into "real" women who are there for their enjoyment. The misogyny is overt and meanness and cruelty permeate the culture.
The dual timeline follows residents Darby and Rose and alternates between the 1950s and 2016. Darby lives on the 4th floor - reserved for elderly women who never left the hotel and when it was turned into coops were offered rent-stabilized apartments. Rose is a journalist whose life is unraveling and stumbles into a mystery that she begins to research about a death that occurred decades earlier. She also discovers that amid the cruelty, there was joy and friendships. Some of the women found that their independence helped them break free of the limited options they were told they had. Rose's own insecurities are exposed as she romanticizes and projects her fear onto the lives of the women whose lives she is learning about.
I really enjoyed the book and the mystery. There were some side stories that, while I appreciated them, were a bit distracting and could have actually been a little less detailed (or written as a main storyline in another book).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
laheath's review against another edition
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
3.5
I didn't like this book, the author's debut, as much as I've liked her others. I felt this storyline was sometimes repetitive, sometimes disjointed, and a little predictable. It was still an interesting story told in alternating chapters of Rose in 2016 and Darby in 1952. They're both likeable, though they make some poor choices, and both have to learn to keep going despite their circumstances. I would have liked an author's note discussing her research (maybe there was one in the print version?) but was able to find some information on her website.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Dementia, Homophobia, and Murder
Minor: Drug use
khaleesiofrivia's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
I completely adored this book. Its fast, its intriguing, the characters are all vivid and the premise hooks you in right away. This book reminded me a lot of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in all the best ways. I can't wait to read this book again and again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault
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