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informative
relaxing
medium-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:
Yes
There is no doubt I am a fan of Fiona Davis. I like her writing style and the way she expresses her characters. I love the fact that she writes her novels around a feature building - almost making it a character in itself. And now she has begun to write about women, from the past, who were not given their due and have all but been forgotten.
This particular book treats us to the Frick mansion - later a museum - which is still in operation today. It is split between two time frames each highlighting a woman. Miss Lilly who accidentally becomes the personal assistant to Helen Frick in the early 1900's, living in the Frick home, and Veronica who in the early 1960's accidentally gets locked into the Frick Museum.
There is lost family jewels, infidelity, murders, and reconciliation by the time the story ends. And in the Author's Notes we also get a summary of what happened to these women - true to life living women - on which the book story is based along with the Frick mansion/museum.
And now the wait begins - what building will be next brought to life - what barely known woman will again be in the limelight? Whatever it is, whoever it is, when Davis writes it, I will be in line to read it.
This particular book treats us to the Frick mansion - later a museum - which is still in operation today. It is split between two time frames each highlighting a woman. Miss Lilly who accidentally becomes the personal assistant to Helen Frick in the early 1900's, living in the Frick home, and Veronica who in the early 1960's accidentally gets locked into the Frick Museum.
There is lost family jewels, infidelity, murders, and reconciliation by the time the story ends. And in the Author's Notes we also get a summary of what happened to these women - true to life living women - on which the book story is based along with the Frick mansion/museum.
And now the wait begins - what building will be next brought to life - what barely known woman will again be in the limelight? Whatever it is, whoever it is, when Davis writes it, I will be in line to read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Grief
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The thing Davis does well is get you to know a place. Interesting story lines but not fast.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the characters. I enjoyed finding out that partial parts of the book were based on true events and real people. No swearing. No sexual content.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book had a lot of potential but just didn’t hit for me. I found the characters to be mostly one dimensional and thoughtless. I thought the most intriguing character was Joshua Lawrence, a Black assistant curator/intern of the Frick collection (1966) and I wish that he was more fully developed in the narrative. His challenges of navigating the world of museums and art would have added so much rather than simply alluded to here and there. The comparison of modeling in 1919 and 1966 was interesting, as were the scant references to the Spanish Flu and descriptions of art. but overall it fell flat for me and I wish the background details had been brought more to the forefront.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Terminal illness
Minor: Domestic abuse, Murder
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death
adventurous
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨⬜
Title: The Magnolia Palace
Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author Info: Female
Setting: New York City (1919 & 1966)
Month Read: January 2022
Book Type: Hardcover
Publication: January 2022
Pages:368
*Book of the Month January Pick
TRIGGER WARNING-
Murder / Death / Death of Child / Verbal Abuse / Light Physical Abuse /
"The rich think they're are protected, that they have magical powers, when in fact they're only mortals, like the rest of us."
No Spoiler Summary:
The Magnolia Palace is a dual-timeline historical fiction novel told by the point of view of two separate women who find themselves in The Frick Mansion, and follow the shared mysteries the house holds. Lillian, or Angelica, a former model finds herself in the Frick mansion by accident, and Veronica, so many years later, finds herself there for a Vogue photoshoot.
The Mansion holds many secrets, and both Lillian and Veronica work in their own ways to discover what was thought to be long-lost. Twists and turns around the mansion, and it's glorious art collection, pepper the novel with facts and characters alike. It's a quicker read, and an actual place you can visit, which I think really made the novel stand out.
Review:
I'm really glad that I got this book in my January Book of the Month box, because I was fascinated to hear that many of the places, people, and artwork discussed are real and actually at the Frick Collective in Manhattan. Having spent 2 years in New York, I knew a lot of the statues discussed, as well as many of the places that the characters went while in the novel- and that was really exciting for me. I also LOVE reading about art, and this book does so beautifully.
However, I was way more into Lillian than I was Veronica. I think Lillian's storyline was definitely the dominant one, and was far more interesting. If the Veronica storyline had been cut entirely, I don't think I would have missed much- but I understand needing it to be there for the reveal towards the end. I wish we could have either stayed in 1919, or travelled through time with the characters from that time period. I would have realllllllly looooved getting a first person narration from Helen, and I think that could have been a great way to move them into the future, but alas, we get Veronica. I wanted to like the 1966 storyline so much more than I did, because I do think that time period is amazing, but I just feel like the characters (especially Joshua) needed more fleshing out, and I think the stakes needed to be more than what they were. Also, the bow ending didn't really do it for me, but I do understand some people really love that.
Ultimately, solid 3.5 for me, and I am glad I read it for everything I learned. I definitely want to read more about the actual model Lillian was based off of, because that little tidbit we got sounded really, really interested. If you're on the fence about reading The Magnolia Place, I would definitely get it- if you love history, art, or New York this could definitely be the book for you.
Recommendation:
Dual Timelines:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Books Set in NYC:
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
NYC Based Historical Fiction:
The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Physical abuse
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Body horror, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Murder, War
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fiona Davis once again delivers on a book I can’t put down. That said, too much of the plot was bunched at the end of the book for me, and I found elements of the resolution unsatisfying.
You’ll enjoy this one if you like: complicated female characters with ambition, dual timelines, an element of mystery, and a strong NYC setting.
Be aware that the synopsis mentions plot elements that don’t come up until the last 1/3 of the book.
You’ll enjoy this one if you like: complicated female characters with ambition, dual timelines, an element of mystery, and a strong NYC setting.
Be aware that the synopsis mentions plot elements that don’t come up until the last 1/3 of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
Minor: Murder