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rebelbelle13's review against another edition
2.0
I chose this book to read specifically because I was currently watching Downton Abbey, and I wanted to read more of the location and time period- 1920's England- and this fit the bill. They both focus on the whole 'upstairs-downstairs' dichotomy of those in service, and those being served. It seemed to be quite historically accurate, which I appreciated. Gaynor even dealt with PTSD and other post war issues very well. My issue lay specifically with the pacing and the characters. The book was too long, too meandering at points, and I found myself quickly losing interest about 75 pages in. Too much time was spent on the in-between here- Dolly working at the Savoy, before she starts meeting with Perry and Loretta.
Speaking of Dolly, her story and character read like a Mary Sue fanfiction of the 1920's stage. She's a nobody, a maid, and she gets 'discovered' by one of the biggest stage stars of the decade and becomes a star herself? Loretta sees to it personally that Dolly becomes a big star. How nice and convenient for her. Not to mention that EVERYONE that meets her (I'm not exaggerating) says that Dolly is going to be a star, that she's important, that she's destined for greater things than cleaning hotel rooms. We get it, she's the protagonist who gets to see all her grandest wishes come true. You don't need to spell it out for us.
Also, the ending is rushed, and we don't get to see what happens after all the prep of the book. There's all this build up, and zero payoff.
As a little slice of historical fiction, this is great. As a story about Dolly, it's really not. I'm torn how to rate it, but ultimately, it dragged too much, and for me, the enjoyment of the era got lost in Dolly's stage ambitions.
Speaking of Dolly, her story and character read like a Mary Sue fanfiction of the 1920's stage. She's a nobody, a maid, and she gets 'discovered' by one of the biggest stage stars of the decade and becomes a star herself? Loretta sees to it personally that Dolly becomes a big star. How nice and convenient for her. Not to mention that EVERYONE that meets her (I'm not exaggerating) says that Dolly is going to be a star, that she's important, that she's destined for greater things than cleaning hotel rooms. We get it, she's the protagonist who gets to see all her grandest wishes come true. You don't need to spell it out for us.
Also, the ending is rushed, and we don't get to see what happens after all the prep of the book. There's all this build up, and zero payoff.
As a little slice of historical fiction, this is great. As a story about Dolly, it's really not. I'm torn how to rate it, but ultimately, it dragged too much, and for me, the enjoyment of the era got lost in Dolly's stage ambitions.
mik_kass's review against another edition
5.0
Couldn’t put this book down. If I had a spare minute to read I would, even if it was just walking down a flight of stairs. I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters and their lives. Such a wonderful book!
terrimarshall's review against another edition
2.0
This book was so boring I couldn't wait to finish it. I believe the category would be romantic historical fiction, and while I love historical fiction, romance is not a genre I enjoy. Way too much fluff.
boskycat's review against another edition
2.0
I was bored. So I tried listening to the book- the narrator playing Dolly was quite irritating. Yet I trudged through. I suppose I just didn't connect with the main characters- Dolly, Loretta, and Teddy. I did like that the author didn't feel the need to force the customs/culture of the times on the characters development throughout the book- so I enjoyed the last third of the book more than the first 2 thirds.
chelsbethbaute's review against another edition
1.0
Hated this. The blurb was HIGHLY MISLEADING. There was a brief point in the book that I thought "oh hey, this is getting better." But then it took a turn for the worse. Honestly, this book had potential. But there were a bunch of intense plot lines that were both underdeveloped and unnecessary. It was thematically all over the place. Choose one topic to guide you, not ten. And that ending. No.
nannyf's review against another edition
4.0
This isn't my usual kind of book if I'm totally honest but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Reading about a period in history which I didn't know a lot about had me imagining myself back then, experiencing the things Dolly did.
Dolly is a very complex character, and we only really find that out as the book goes on. Her back story is a sad one, but it's one which a lot of young women experienced in those days.
I love the fact that the ending wasn't quite what I was expecting. Having read a lot of books set nowadays which are very predictable, it was a pleasant surprise to read something which didn't go the way you would expect. But for me the ending was perfect, even though it may not be what other readers would want to happen.
The way the story weaves in so many different characters flawlessly throughout was extremely well done, and the author paints a picture of life in a posh hotel in such a way you can almost see it in your mind as you are reading.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good story about times gone past, and those who enjoy a good strong story.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Dolly is a very complex character, and we only really find that out as the book goes on. Her back story is a sad one, but it's one which a lot of young women experienced in those days.
I love the fact that the ending wasn't quite what I was expecting. Having read a lot of books set nowadays which are very predictable, it was a pleasant surprise to read something which didn't go the way you would expect. But for me the ending was perfect, even though it may not be what other readers would want to happen.
The way the story weaves in so many different characters flawlessly throughout was extremely well done, and the author paints a picture of life in a posh hotel in such a way you can almost see it in your mind as you are reading.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good story about times gone past, and those who enjoy a good strong story.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
brittanylauren12's review against another edition
5.0
This book will stay with me for a while. It was beautifully written, and I was immersed in the world of the Savoy in the 20s. I love when an impulse purchase pans out!
wolfsonarchitect's review against another edition
3.0
This is a good and enjoyable but not exceptional. It’s fun to learn what being a maid in a fancy 20s hotel might have been like. It was also a good reminder of how vulnerable a woman was to men preying on them.
thevalkyriereader's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful and fulfilling story of the trials and hopes of young starlits. The lo let characters and sad but true ending was a fresh view of how life is.