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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I had never heard of the historical figure Salome. The weaving of history/myth with Hollywood was very well done. I really enjoyed this book.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
'Salome was pierced by the sword of love that day and gave her heart to a beggar preacher.'
The mythical Salome weaves through dual timelines of seduction, jealousy, and the ruthlessness of spurned lovers. In the 1950s, an actress in the titular role wades through the drama of Hollywood. In biblical times, Salome maneuvers through court intrigue. It all culminates in a gripping and explosive third act.
'She’d told him she was going to be Salome, with a gauzy dress that went from a deep orange to pale yellow and bells around her ankles. Salome, carrying the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter.'
The mythical Salome weaves through dual timelines of seduction, jealousy, and the ruthlessness of spurned lovers. In the 1950s, an actress in the titular role wades through the drama of Hollywood. In biblical times, Salome maneuvers through court intrigue. It all culminates in a gripping and explosive third act.
'She’d told him she was going to be Salome, with a gauzy dress that went from a deep orange to pale yellow and bells around her ankles. Salome, carrying the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter.'
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
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
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. The combination of old Hollywood glamour set against and compared to the brutal and vicious world of the Roman Empire was a fascinating idea. Also, the story of Salome is so interesting. However, I found the execution of this idea fell flat and left me feeling very uninspired.
Nancy was the best developed character, and I found her POV the most interesting. She had a very compelling character arc.
Vera was just a bit boring and underwhelming. She has character development but it all seemed very abrupt and unearned. She also just seemed a bit too naive to be believed.
Salome was also an interesting character and the flash backs added an interesting dynamic. However, I found her instant romance hard to believe and therefore, many of her internal struggles seemed forced and unbelievable, negatively impacting my experience.
In the end, I think this book tried to do too much with too few pages. The main character POVs are interspersed with many other perspectives that added very little to the story. The time would have been better spent further exploring Salome and Veras stories through their own eyes as they needed to be further developed.
The atmosphere of this book is amazing though. The old Hollywood glamour and grunge were very well realized.
Nancy was the best developed character, and I found her POV the most interesting. She had a very compelling character arc.
Vera was just a bit boring and underwhelming. She has character development but it all seemed very abrupt and unearned. She also just seemed a bit too naive to be believed.
Salome was also an interesting character and the flash backs added an interesting dynamic. However, I found her instant romance hard to believe and therefore, many of her internal struggles seemed forced and unbelievable, negatively impacting my experience.
In the end, I think this book tried to do too much with too few pages. The main character POVs are interspersed with many other perspectives that added very little to the story. The time would have been better spent further exploring Salome and Veras stories through their own eyes as they needed to be further developed.
The atmosphere of this book is amazing though. The old Hollywood glamour and grunge were very well realized.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-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
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an amazingly talented author. Each book she writes is different from the others - mythologies, murder mysteries, gothic novels, vampire stories. This newest is an intertwined story of Biblical times and Hollywood in the 1950s, the heyday of the religious sword and sandal epics.
Each of the three women - Salome and two actresses in a movie about her - is clearly defined. One is a frustrated teenager who chafes against strictures of royal life, one is a delusional alcoholic who believes she’s a great actress, and one is a naive young Mexican who’s been plucked from her home to star in a big budget Hollywood movie.
There’s not just the pain of young love and the frustrations of being under parental control (no matter one’s age). There’s also jealousy , envy, maternal disappointment, and insecurity. And *lots* of blatant anti-Hispanic racism. The author creates two vivid worlds peopled by devious, untrustworthy characters.
I will read anything by this author. Her writing is splendid and her storytelling is spectacular.
Each of the three women - Salome and two actresses in a movie about her - is clearly defined. One is a frustrated teenager who chafes against strictures of royal life, one is a delusional alcoholic who believes she’s a great actress, and one is a naive young Mexican who’s been plucked from her home to star in a big budget Hollywood movie.
There’s not just the pain of young love and the frustrations of being under parental control (no matter one’s age). There’s also jealousy , envy, maternal disappointment, and insecurity. And *lots* of blatant anti-Hispanic racism. The author creates two vivid worlds peopled by devious, untrustworthy characters.
I will read anything by this author. Her writing is splendid and her storytelling is spectacular.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Classism
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As always with Silvia Moreno-Garcia, a deeply atmospheric story that slowly builds tension that deliciously pays off. This follows three women, two involved in Golden Age Hollywood, and the other the titular Salome at the start of the first millennium. Three very different women with very different lives, but all wrestling with remarkably similar challenges because of the demands placed on them by the people (mostly men) that surround them. I'd call it a slow burn if I tried to describe the plot, but I was sucked in from the first pages and couldn't put it down.