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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
3 stars
I am a sucker for anything set in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Especially anything that deals with the studio system and how the politics and whims of the studio heads impacted the contracted actors they were grooming for stardom (or hiding away in shame).
Vera is a Mexican dental receptionist plucked from her Uncles practice in Mexico to star as Salome in a Hollywood blockbuster. Her "exotic looks" (barf) and classy personality immediately gain her favour in the studio system, which I'd ready to make her their next star. Whether she's invested or not, and how much she's willing to play their PR games is up in the air.
Nancy is the daughter of a vaudeville star who didn't make it in pictures, and she'll do anything to not follow her father's footsteps. She's beautiful, ambitious, cruel, and has the worst work ethic I think I've ever seen for someone who wants to be an actress. But she's also convinced Vera stole her part...and her boyfriend.
Salome is, of course, a woman from the biblical epic, whose beauty and intelligence are sending her on a crash course with disaster.
Each character was interesting to read, but I found Salome's sections to be the most enjoyable to read. She felt the most fleshed out, as if the author knew what to do with her character and storyline more than the other two leading ladies. Sometimes Vera and Nancy felt like they were on the edge of that same detail and empathy but never quite made it there.
My biggest disappointment with this novel is that, while the author definitely got into the struggles and weird, PR complexities of studio actors at the time...hardly any time was spent on the actual set of the film they were making (and that the book title references). The few scenes that did take place on set were... kind of inaccurate to how most sets worked back in the day. Not a deal breaker by any means, but I wanted more of the on-set drama. I think it would have added so much for us to see Vera navigating her first role on set. There are so many rules, complicated instructions, and rigid hierarchies. Seeing her struggle and succeed would have given us more insight to her as a character. It also would have given some fun space to see Vera and Nancy interacting on that set in their respective roles.
I think the missing element was what happened while making the movie itself. So much fun could have happened in that setting, but the story barely went there. The characters were good, the plot was interesting, the setting was intriguing...but to me it needed a bit more pizazz to be a truly great story.
I am a sucker for anything set in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Especially anything that deals with the studio system and how the politics and whims of the studio heads impacted the contracted actors they were grooming for stardom (or hiding away in shame).
Vera is a Mexican dental receptionist plucked from her Uncles practice in Mexico to star as Salome in a Hollywood blockbuster. Her "exotic looks" (barf) and classy personality immediately gain her favour in the studio system, which I'd ready to make her their next star. Whether she's invested or not, and how much she's willing to play their PR games is up in the air.
Nancy is the daughter of a vaudeville star who didn't make it in pictures, and she'll do anything to not follow her father's footsteps. She's beautiful, ambitious, cruel, and has the worst work ethic I think I've ever seen for someone who wants to be an actress. But she's also convinced Vera stole her part...and her boyfriend.
Salome is, of course, a woman from the biblical epic, whose beauty and intelligence are sending her on a crash course with disaster.
Each character was interesting to read, but I found Salome's sections to be the most enjoyable to read. She felt the most fleshed out, as if the author knew what to do with her character and storyline more than the other two leading ladies. Sometimes Vera and Nancy felt like they were on the edge of that same detail and empathy but never quite made it there.
My biggest disappointment with this novel is that, while the author definitely got into the struggles and weird, PR complexities of studio actors at the time...hardly any time was spent on the actual set of the film they were making (and that the book title references). The few scenes that did take place on set were... kind of inaccurate to how most sets worked back in the day. Not a deal breaker by any means, but I wanted more of the on-set drama. I think it would have added so much for us to see Vera navigating her first role on set. There are so many rules, complicated instructions, and rigid hierarchies. Seeing her struggle and succeed would have given us more insight to her as a character. It also would have given some fun space to see Vera and Nancy interacting on that set in their respective roles.
I think the missing element was what happened while making the movie itself. So much fun could have happened in that setting, but the story barely went there. The characters were good, the plot was interesting, the setting was intriguing...but to me it needed a bit more pizazz to be a truly great story.
mysterious
reflective
fast-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:
Yes
oh i love u silvia
this book was so well done imo, i loved each of the perspectives and it really made the narrative full and lush- i loved salome and vera’s perspectives- i loved vera’s strength-nancy was the picture of entitlement and insanity and drove the plot into the darkness i didn’t love jay as much but i have a bias against white men especially rich ones
this book was so well done imo, i loved each of the perspectives and it really made the narrative full and lush- i loved salome and vera’s perspectives- i loved vera’s strength-
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
Old Hollywood has my attention these days and I have nothing bad to say about this book except it didn’t quite grasp me the way I wanted. Original and compelling characters and storytelling.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia can do no wrong. This book is absolutely fantastic.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
This multi-timeline historical novel tells the story of three women struggling for success. Salome, of biblical fame, is trying to survive the manipulative men around her. Her uncle murdered her father and married her mother to become tetrarch, her cousin believes that if Salome allied with him they'd be unstoppable, and she believes herself in love with a prophet doomed by her mother and uncle.
And more than a thousand years later, another Salome, fledgling movie star Vera Larios, is struggling to make a career for herself in the glamorous days of old Hollywood. But racism, sexism, and other people's jealousy makes it very difficult.
The lyrical prose and multiple points of view kept this book very engaging. It was easy to become invested in these strong, yet simultaneously tragic, women.
This multi-timeline historical novel tells the story of three women struggling for success. Salome, of biblical fame, is trying to survive the manipulative men around her. Her uncle murdered her father and married her mother to become tetrarch, her cousin believes that if Salome allied with him they'd be unstoppable, and she believes herself in love with a prophet doomed by her mother and uncle.
And more than a thousand years later, another Salome, fledgling movie star Vera Larios, is struggling to make a career for herself in the glamorous days of old Hollywood. But racism, sexism, and other people's jealousy makes it very difficult.
The lyrical prose and multiple points of view kept this book very engaging. It was easy to become invested in these strong, yet simultaneously tragic, women.
emotional
slow-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
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
reflective
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
Silvia Moreno-Garcia does not miss! Genre be damned, her stories grab you and keep you.