Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

19 reviews

vannahcabana's review

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

I picked this book up on a whim from my library’s new books bookshelf. I have to say it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time! Loosely based on a true historical event, it details the journey of Marion separating from her family and following her dancing dream. There were little twists throughout that kept me reading. It did not end like I thought It would. I really recommend if you’re into historical fiction with mystery and twists! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Death

Moderate: Dementia and Medical content

serenas_reads's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Stalking, Kidnapping, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Violence

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

imstephtacular's review

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Medical content

Moderate: Car accident, Violence, Blood, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Abandonment, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Murder, Gaslighting, and Vomit

katisreading's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

readingwithmeredith'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death of parent, Mental illness, Hate crime, and Death

Minor: Blood and Infidelity

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

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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? No

4.0

 The Spectacular is a piece of historical fiction set in New York City in 1957. I felt Marion’s passion for dance and loved seeing her pursue it despite the objections of her conservative, domineering father and her boyfriend. I enjoyed the glitz and glamour of the Rockettes and of Radio City, as well as learning about the Big Apple Bomber, based on a real man who planted pipe bombs in prominent city buildings for a period of sixteen years before being caught as a result of criminal profiling. What didn’t work was the key role Marion played in the investigation and in bringing the bomber to justice. It felt too artificial and contrived for my taste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Death, Death of parent, and Violence

michfitz's review

adventurous emotional informative mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death of parent, Death, Blood, and Mental illness