Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

11 reviews

silverhill's review

emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Death

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Grief, Terminal illness, Dementia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Gore, and Mental illness

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Car accident

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I loved learning about the Rockettes.  I had never heard of the Big Apple Bomber and enjoyed how the author worked the mystery into the story about Radio City Musical Hall and the dancers.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Abandonment, Car accident, Chronic illness, Murder, Death, Mental illness, Gore, Misogyny, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Medical content, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

luverbyrd's review

emotional inspiring lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I've heard that there was a "Big Apple Bomber", but never really the details. Davis does sum up what she took creative liberty on versus the historical truth in her author note, which I appreciated. The changes she made though breathes a new story to get you interested in the past.
This book was emotional and gripping plus an added entertainment spice delving into the Rockette world of the 50's.
I don't want to say much more because I went in knowing very little and was fully immersed in the characters and events.
"Spectacular" read!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, and Grief

oceanwriter's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

As expected from Fiona Davis, The Spectacular has a stunning NYC backdrop. I didn’t even read the synopsis when I picked up this book. I saw Radio City Music Hall on the cover and didn’t care to know more. Plus, having read The Magnolia Palace, I figured it was a safe bet. 

 

More or less on a whim, teenaged Marion auditions to be one of the Radio City Rockettes, figuring the audition would be as far as she’d go. Being accepted causes a riff with her father, but as time goes on, his disapproval becomes the least of her problems. After an explosion during a performance, Marion gets involved in the investigation. 

 

I didn’t love this as much as I thought I would. Of course I loved the setting and all, I just found myself disconnected from the characters and mystery. Even so, Fiona Davis’ writing style made me want to continue. I’m going to hang onto this and visit it another time. It’s been a while since I’ve visited New York. I can see myself getting a taste of Broadway and wanting to visit it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Chronic illness, Murder, and Death

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident

kcrockford's review

adventurous informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, and Violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexism

laurenabeth's review

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

What a fun read. I was looking for something a bit lighter and fun, and this ended up delivering in spades. This is the story of a newly minted Rockette who gets caught up trying to solve a crime that hits too close to home. 

I’ll be brief, but The Spectacular is quality historical fiction with a strong female lead. While some parts are predictable and its villain is based on a real criminal (so a quick Google might spoil the ending), I enjoyed the glitz and glamor of Radio City in the 50s. Marion is a compelling protagonist, and Fiona Davis does a wonderful job of being true to the era while showing that women were breaking molds and being true to themselves. 

I think this book is, at its core, about following your dreams and not allowing convention or tradition to stifle creativity and innovation. More importantly, it’s about the sad truth that most women, but especially women of that time, had to chose between lives of stability and lives of self expression. 

My sincerest hope is that books like this remind women that it’s okay to shrug off expectations for desires, and it’s also okay to be frustrated at having to trade a sense of independence and individuality for “safe” life in the suburbs. Marion serves as a great example that “having it all” might look different for different people.

And as they say, you can have it all, but not at the same time…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Panic attacks/disorders

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Child death, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Violence, Terminal illness, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Blood

Moderate: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Chronic illness

Minor: Confinement, Car accident, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

soobooksalot's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

There's just something about New York!
 I got to tour Radio City Music Hall and learn the history of the Rockettes during my first trip to NYC six years ago. So I couldn't pass up adding The Spectacular by Fiona Davis to my BOTM box as soon as I saw the gorgeous cover and book description.
 It's 1956. Marion Brooks is a talented dancer and is hired as a Rockette, despite her father's plans for her to get married and be a housewife. 
 Meanwhile, the "Big Apple Bomber" has been terrorizing the city with pipe bombs for 16 years. His latest attack in Radio City affects Marion way too close to home, and she enlists a psych resident friend to help. Dr. Peter Griggs uses profiling techniques that aren't yet well accepted in the medical or police communities, but might lead to capturing the bomber.
 What a fascinating combination of elements in this historical fiction! The bomber is based on real events from the day, which sold it for me even more. 
 I was completely invested in The Spectacular - recommended!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Violence

mtnest's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Grief, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

kelly93's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, and Death

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Chronic illness