You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia, Classism
dark
emotional
tense
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:
Yes
Based on her other books, this fits right along with the pace and thrilling ending intensity. It was both refreshing and shocking to see her ground character development in historical context (1950s Hollywood). And it was fun to have the parallels between Vera and Salome and their lessons respectively on freedom and choice. This ending did feel a bit rushed, but overall another great book by one of my fave contemporary authors
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This novel felt very cinematic, which makes sense since it was set in old Hollywood. The main plot focused on Mexican ingenue Vera, newly discovered and finding her confidence and place in the world, and Nancy, a spiteful and racist extra whose fading star spurs her jealousy of Vera, who she believes stole her role as Salome and her rich musician boyfriend. A third POV is Salome herself, who falls helplessly in love with John the Baptist while navigating her stepfather's vicious court. In addition to multiple character perspectives, you get reflections of the characters in the present on the past, like a faux-documentary of what happened in the filming of "The Seventh Veil of Salome."
As often the case, certain plotlines were more interesting than others. I particularly found the Salome story, which I didn't know much about, intriguing as she defines the easy Madonna/whore characterization. It was a bit hard to tell how much Moreno-Garcia intended this narration to be what the actual Salome experienced vs. what the movie is trying to portray her as but it was critical connective tissue to the experiences of Vera and Nancy. Unfortunately the result of the feud, though heavily foreshadowed, made this story more like a torrid ID true crime feature than gripping tragedy.
As often the case, certain plotlines were more interesting than others. I particularly found the Salome story, which I didn't know much about, intriguing as she defines the easy Madonna/whore characterization. It was a bit hard to tell how much Moreno-Garcia intended this narration to be what the actual Salome experienced vs. what the movie is trying to portray her as but it was critical connective tissue to the experiences of Vera and Nancy. Unfortunately the result of the feud, though heavily foreshadowed, made this story more like a torrid ID true crime feature than gripping tragedy.
emotional
reflective
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:
Yes
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
medium-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:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was not a page turner for me. Characters went about their daily lives (albeit in the golden age of Hollywood) and a few interacted. I think the author tried to do too much and did none of them well. It was a story of love, hate, jealousy, racism, Hollywood politics and productions, Roman Empire politics, and more. I kept reading because other reviews mentioned the last 25% was worth it. It was more like the last 10% that things happened. And then it ended. If you do read it, worry only about the main characters. Anybody in the first person POV in the chapters under 5 min are just giving you background info in a creative way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Murder
emotional
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