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yvo_about_books's review
2.0
Finished reading: August 6th 2023
"But then again, investigations where like races: sometimes the dark horse surprised you."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
WARNING: it's unpopular opinion time again!!
Right... I didn't expect this to happen to be honest. True crime is my favorite type of non fiction, and add a historical twist and I'm even more intrigued. I loved the sound of the premise of Broadway Butterfly with its 1920s New York setting and the mystery around the murder of Dot King... And I fully expected having a fantastic time reading this story. Sadly, this book ended up being just about as fun as a trip to the dentist instead. I'm not sure if I was in the wrong mood or if this story simply wasn't for me, but the fact is that against expectations Broadway Butterfly and me most definitely didn't get along.
I still love the idea behind Broadway Butterfly, and it shows that the author has researched everything extensively. The 1920s New York setting makes for such a great backdrop for this story, and it was great to see so many historical references incorporated. BUT. I'm not sure how to classify this book. Is it true crime? Is it historical fiction? What was based on true facts and what was altered/invented to fit the story? Somehow not knowing this made me wonder just how authentic this story was and what to believe.
There was also something about the writing style and tone that simply didn't work for me. I can't put my finger on the why and it's probably just a personal reaction, but what I can say is that I found it extremely hard to find the motivation to keep reading and pay attention to what was happening. This was made even worse by the fact that there are multiple POVs, a huge cast of characters and multiple settings in play; the result was a story that I simply couldn't convince myself to invest the time it demanded to try and untangle it all. In fact, I confess that I started skimreading sooner than later, and I wish I had just DNFed it instead... Not even the ending brings any relief, because Dot King's murder is never solved.
Broadway Butterfly is filled with sordid details, crime, corruption, infidelity, politics and other less pleasant topics. I don't mind a story going dark and twisted, but somehow there was something off about the way the different elements were incorporated into the plot. As a result, its intended effect fell rather flat, and I honestly didn't care what was happening or what happened to any of the characters in play. This lack of connection and struggle with the writing and plot made it very hard to pretend I wanted to know what happened next... Like I said, I ended up skimreading quite a lot of this story, and that is never a good sign.
I know that most people do seem to love this story, so I seem to be the outlier here... But just in case you struggle with Broadway Butterfly as well: you are not alone. I guess this just wasn't the book for me despite my interest in historical true crime. Whatever this story is, I wouldn't call it a thriller though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Racism, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Murder, Stalking, Sexism, and Violence
pixelateddragon's review
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Classism, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Car accident, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping
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