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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I couldn’t put this one down. I kept longing to find out how the two stories were connected! Loved the novel.
Every new release from Fiona Davis makes me love her writing more and more! And The Magnolia Palace is no exception. She wove two stories from two different time periods around the Henry Clay Frick’s mansion, family, and art collection in NYC with characters I connected with immediately. One of which was inspired by “America’s first supermodel”, Audrey Munsen, which was a wonderful addition to the mix. I love historical fiction!
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
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
Lilly ending up working as a private secretary in a very rich household provided the backdrop for this enjoyable read. There are two related storylines almost 50 years apart which took a while to speed up.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I enjoyed a lot of aspects of this book - the detail of the time periods, the mystery, the split timeline. But there were very few characters I actually liked themselves. I didn’t connect with any of them and found myself just wanting to find the answer to the mystery quicker. The ending was very sweet and wholesome though and wrapped everything up very nicely
Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter’s life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists’ models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.
Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City’s most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family
I shouldn’t be surprised, and yet here I am. The Magnolia Palace is the third book that I have read by Fiona Davis , and the third book that I have fallen in love with. I had discovered the author back in 2019 and couldn’t get enough of her books since then. I believe that she is the best author for dual timelines. Even though they tend to be connected, I feel as if I am reading two different stories. The Magnolia Palace did start a bit slower than her other books have, but it wasn’t long before I was hooked on the stories. I felt that Veronica’s storyline started slower and took time to get into. However, I couldn’t get enough once it picked up, and I wanted to see what would happen next and how it would end. The way Lillian’s story ended, I couldn’t help but wonder; what happened after? Somehow, I knew what Lillian was accused of; it wasn’t true. Now the question that was going through my mind, then who was? I knew that someone had to be responsible for what happened.
I enjoyed Veronica’s storyline; however, I preferred Lillian’s storyline more. I felt that there was much more happening in Lillian’s storyline. There was not a single moment in Lillian’s storyline that didn’t have my attention. I can’t begin to imagine working for someone like Helen, and I would leave a long time ago. I know that Lillian started, so she could earn some money and then go. As the book progresses, I see a change in Lillian, and I know that she starts to like Helen, and I think Helen feels the same, even if she won’t admit it. Helen was one character that I didn’t know that I could like, but as time passed, just like Lillian, I learned to like her. I was hoping that Helen would never find out about Lillian’s past, knowing that it would not end well for them if the truth came out. Helen and Lillian had a hate/ love type of relationship. However, despite anything that was happening, they were still willing to help each other out in the end.
One of my favorites in this book was the descriptions. Anytime I read Fiona Davis books, I find myself transformed into the time I am reading about. You can tell how much more research the author puts into her books. There is a reason that I am always looking forward to her books. I loved that both Lillian and Helen appeared in Veronica’s storyline and that the mystery behind the diamond and Helen's father’s death was finally resolved. After reading The Magnolia Palace , I am eager to visit The Frick Art Museum , which I did some research on after finishing the book. I love any museums that have to do with art, but the book sparked my interest in this one. The Magnolia Palace was astonishing, a must-read
Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City’s most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family
I shouldn’t be surprised, and yet here I am. The Magnolia Palace is the third book that I have read by Fiona Davis , and the third book that I have fallen in love with. I had discovered the author back in 2019 and couldn’t get enough of her books since then. I believe that she is the best author for dual timelines. Even though they tend to be connected, I feel as if I am reading two different stories. The Magnolia Palace did start a bit slower than her other books have, but it wasn’t long before I was hooked on the stories. I felt that Veronica’s storyline started slower and took time to get into. However, I couldn’t get enough once it picked up, and I wanted to see what would happen next and how it would end. The way Lillian’s story ended, I couldn’t help but wonder; what happened after? Somehow, I knew what Lillian was accused of; it wasn’t true. Now the question that was going through my mind, then who was? I knew that someone had to be responsible for what happened.
I enjoyed Veronica’s storyline; however, I preferred Lillian’s storyline more. I felt that there was much more happening in Lillian’s storyline. There was not a single moment in Lillian’s storyline that didn’t have my attention. I can’t begin to imagine working for someone like Helen, and I would leave a long time ago. I know that Lillian started, so she could earn some money and then go. As the book progresses, I see a change in Lillian, and I know that she starts to like Helen, and I think Helen feels the same, even if she won’t admit it. Helen was one character that I didn’t know that I could like, but as time passed, just like Lillian, I learned to like her. I was hoping that Helen would never find out about Lillian’s past, knowing that it would not end well for them if the truth came out. Helen and Lillian had a hate/ love type of relationship. However, despite anything that was happening, they were still willing to help each other out in the end.
One of my favorites in this book was the descriptions. Anytime I read Fiona Davis books, I find myself transformed into the time I am reading about. You can tell how much more research the author puts into her books. There is a reason that I am always looking forward to her books. I loved that both Lillian and Helen appeared in Veronica’s storyline and that the mystery behind the diamond and Helen's father’s death was finally resolved. After reading The Magnolia Palace , I am eager to visit The Frick Art Museum , which I did some research on after finishing the book. I love any museums that have to do with art, but the book sparked my interest in this one. The Magnolia Palace was astonishing, a must-read
informative
medium-paced
While a relatively interesting story, the characters and plot were rather lacking in depth.