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cptnstphy's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This was a nuanced window into a challenging time period. Neat to learn about Belle De La Costa Greene and the art that fascinated her. I found it a bit slow and repetitive (sometimes it felt like every other chapter ended with a similar line repeating her name and a question of whether someone would find out).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, Grief, Abortion, Death, Hate crime, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, and Sexual content
Minor: War
reading_beyond_the_book_cover's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
kindredspiritreads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This novel was the February pick for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club.
While this novel is historical fiction, it tells the story of a real but little-known woman named Belle da Costa Greene. She was J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, helping him obtain works of art and antiquities as she curated his collection at the Pierpont Morgan Library. She became a powerful force in the art world and in New York society. But Belle was hiding a secret: she was a black woman passing as white in a racist world.
I really enjoyed this fascinating look into Belle’s world and what life was like for a young black woman trying to support her family while striving for her dream career. It was an education in the lengths one might have to go to if they are a black person passing as white. The novel explored the mental toll it could take on the person passing, and the fear they lived with every day. Belle became such a force in the art world that she was often the only woman at art auctions, bidding on behalf of J. P. Morgan. It was also interesting to get a peek into what the art and antiquities scene was like in the early 1900s. Overall, I enjoyed this portrait of a woman who deserves to be more well-known for her contributions to creating a distinguished library that is still open to the public today.
cassandram14's review
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
theliterarylair's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It might be because I'm not used to reading historical fiction, but I first found this book very difficult to get into.
While parts of this story are certainly problematic (very questionable dynamics 🚩🚩), I feel happy to have had the opportunity to learn more about this truly inspirational woman.
While parts of this story are certainly problematic (very questionable dynamics 🚩🚩), I feel happy to have had the opportunity to learn more about this truly inspirational woman.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Racism, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia
iceangel32's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great book, a great story that I do believe just needed to be told. I am glad this book was recommended to me.
kaiyaidk's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
anneleveck's review
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
momofwestnpop's review
3.0
I enjoyed the history in this book, as well as the success of Belle. However, it was kind slow at times and I couldn’t really connect with Belle.
symski's review
2.0
I wanted to like this book, I really did. Belle da Costa Greene sounded interesting enough, a woman with a big story to tell.
It was just told... so poorly.
Tensions aren't allowed to rise. Belle is constantly at the same anxiousness of her secret, rather than allowing a natural flow of reaching a false sense of calm which leads to a slip-up or a "maybe i could tell somebody" followed by a catastrophe in which she almost loses everything and a heightened anxiety which leads to a repeat of the cycle. It is always the same distant threat. "Maybe someone will find out."
The book also displays a lack of trust in the reader through overexplanations. Every two pages the secret of her heritage is spelled out yet again, as if we forgot. Every time she takes a sharp inhale, it's explained to us that she gasps because she is nervous because her secret may have been found out. Confrontations are downright frustrating to read as both Belle and whoever she speaks to are having the motivations behind their words spelled out when they don't need to be.
Also this work seems less like the authors wanted to understand a figure of the past and more like they wanted to use her story as a vessel for their own messages. It shows in the differences of the assumptions they make to fill in the gaps depending on whose image it will affect. They seemed afraid to make Belle a real person, even making the man she was involved with have his marriage very conveniently be in nane only; they both had permission to have affairs so no one gets hurt (and no one gets hurt by Belle). Interestingly enough, the real life comments of his wife were that they must be having affairs because they "like to hurt each other."
All-in-all, my takeaway is I would love to read more about the life of Belle da Costa Greene... but I would be hesitant to read more books from Marie Benedict.
It was just told... so poorly.
Tensions aren't allowed to rise. Belle is constantly at the same anxiousness of her secret, rather than allowing a natural flow of reaching a false sense of calm which leads to a slip-up or a "maybe i could tell somebody" followed by a catastrophe in which she almost loses everything and a heightened anxiety which leads to a repeat of the cycle. It is always the same distant threat. "Maybe someone will find out."
The book also displays a lack of trust in the reader through overexplanations. Every two pages the secret of her heritage is spelled out yet again, as if we forgot. Every time she takes a sharp inhale, it's explained to us that she gasps because she is nervous because her secret may have been found out. Confrontations are downright frustrating to read as both Belle and whoever she speaks to are having the motivations behind their words spelled out when they don't need to be.
Also this work seems less like the authors wanted to understand a figure of the past and more like they wanted to use her story as a vessel for their own messages. It shows in the differences of the assumptions they make to fill in the gaps depending on whose image it will affect. They seemed afraid to make Belle a real person, even making the man she was involved with have his marriage very conveniently be in nane only; they both had permission to have affairs so no one gets hurt (and no one gets hurt by Belle). Interestingly enough, the real life comments of his wife were that they must be having affairs because they "like to hurt each other."
All-in-all, my takeaway is I would love to read more about the life of Belle da Costa Greene... but I would be hesitant to read more books from Marie Benedict.