Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

16 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

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

smendoza929's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

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

historianvik's review

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Interesting plot but overall nothing too special. Some characters were fuller and better written than others. The way the mc spoke seemed too modern which threw me off.  I liked the book and the ending but its not one i would buy for myself or reread.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Gaslighting