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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.
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.
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Death of parent, Death, Blood, and Mental illness
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
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…
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…
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
victoriarosalesvt's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming
morethanmylupus's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I was so disappointed by this book. I've enjoyed some of Davis' previous work, which always centers an iconic NYC building.
This time, however, the building barely played into the story. Mostly, the story revolved around a bomber who spent some 15+ years planting bombs around NYC. We got some brief history and fun facts about the Rockettes. It was hard to be invested in the main characters because so much of the story felt disjointed.
We also got a narrative about the origin of psychologists build profiles to help catch serial predators. Unfortunately, this didn't seem to align with anything I've previously read. When it comes to historical fiction, some things can be changed but this felt beyond the pale and ruined the book for me.
This time, however, the building barely played into the story. Mostly, the story revolved around a bomber who spent some 15+ years planting bombs around NYC. We got some brief history and fun facts about the Rockettes. It was hard to be invested in the main characters because so much of the story felt disjointed.
We also got a narrative about the origin of psychologists build profiles to help catch serial predators. Unfortunately, this didn't seem to align with anything I've previously read. When it comes to historical fiction, some things can be changed but this felt beyond the pale and ruined the book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Violence
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
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
delz's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Spectacular takes on a lot. Marion is 19 years old and she loves to dance, unfortunately her widower father, Simon is old fashioned in the extreme and he has chosen her future husband, Nathaniel and what the rest of her life will look like. Marion has a mind of her own though so she auditions for the Rockettes and gets in. Simon is furious deciding to throw Marion out, but she thrives because of course the stage is where she’s meant to be. There’s more though because there was a serial bomber who planted bombs over a 16 year period, bombing Radio City Music Hall. Marion meets Peter, a doctor doing his internship at a psychiatric hospital and that leads to them sleuthing to find the mystery bomber, because Peter can profile him. There was also a discrepancy over Marion’s mother’s death and some forays into genetics like what is inherited, because Peter is a doctor. This story was good, but felt weighed down with too much content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Misogyny
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Gaslighting
growintogardens's review
emotional
mysterious
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
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexism, Medical content, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Abandonment, Car accident, Forced institutionalization, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis