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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
fast-paced
SMG never disappoints!! Really enjoyed this one. Dual timelines normally don’t do it for me but I really enjoyed it here. I know I regularly rag on Taylor Jenkins Reid but again this is what I wanted Evelyn Hugo to be like. This book actually acknowledges HUAC lol.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For the most part, I enjoyed this read – it's fun, pacy, and I loved both historical settings. I really liked the way the story is told not just through the perspectives of these three women, but with snippets from other characters in the film industry – it felt like a documentary interspersed with interviews, which I think worked so well. I also appreciated hearing the perspectives of POC working in golden-age Hollywood.
I liked Salome's parts the most out of the three women, and Nancy's the least – although I felt sorry for her, I didn't find her very sympathetic, if that makes sense, nor quitehorrible enough to be fun. She felt more two-dimensional than three-, and I'm not sure that that worked for me given we spend a decent amount of the novel in her mind. I also found some parts a bit predictable/trite, particularly the conflict in Vera and Jay's romance and then them making up just for tragedy to strike. I also found Vera straight up punching Nancy to be 1) unbelievable and 2) moved on from too quickly . But also I'm a lesbian so take some of that with a pinch of salt...
Saying that, I liked the settings and Moreno-Garcia's writing enough to keep going with the story. The descriptions of the dance were beautiful!
I liked Salome's parts the most out of the three women, and Nancy's the least – although I felt sorry for her, I didn't find her very sympathetic, if that makes sense, nor quite
Saying that, I liked the settings and Moreno-Garcia's writing enough to keep going with the story. The descriptions of the dance were beautiful!
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this a lot. Not only was it an entertaining read, but I loved Moreno-Garcia’s writing style. I started listening to this book on Libby several months ago but wasn’t engrossed and let the hold slip. I then got a physical copy from the library but my reading slump also made it so I didn’t finish then. Finally, I bought the book and really started to get into it. I think the storytelling, character building, and scene building were all beautifully done. You can feel old Hollywood and Ancient Rome in this book!