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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Today’s review is brought to you by my local library with The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. What does a newly discovered Mexican actress and a desperate wannabe have in common? They are want to be Salome.
I looked into the Biblical figure of Salome and found very little. Moreno-Garcia is creating her story and weaving it as part of the tale of two very different women in 1950s Hollywood. Vera is a newly discovered actress who is unsure of her skill and herself. Nancy is desperate to be a star. As Vera find success, Nancy opts to divorce herself from reality rather than face failure. It all culminates into something big.
Salome, Nancy, and Vera all get first person perspectives while other characters give interviews. The big drama is hinted at but isn’t clear until the very end. I did not see the ending coming. Whichever way you think it’s going to go, you’re wrong.
Despite how suspenseful it sounds, this book moves slowly. It’s character driven and in no hurry to reveal its secrets. It’s compelling and well written but was the right book at the wrong time for me. I’ve read Mexican Gothic so this pivot to straight literary and her skill within it is impressive.
I finished it for my bookclub rather than out of enthusiasm. Nothing says ‘slower, literary fiction’ like 2 loud, high energy young kids. It wasn’t hitting quite right for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If it piques your curiosity, go for it. It’s good as long as you’re getting adequate rest. 4/5
fast-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:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
dark
emotional
medium-paced
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
mysterious
sad
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
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
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ms Moreno-Garcia is not to blame for how long it took me to finish this. Everything about the book is beautiful and sorrowful. There’s a sense of wonder but also connection to the characters. I found myself mourning Salome and Vera and even Nancy (sometimes.)
Every scene is richly described and the characters deliciously developed. I am being dramatic in my prose for this little review but call it an attempt to honor how Moreno-Garcia captivated me. I did, occasionally, feel there were too many pieces on the board but frankly that is a negligible complaint.
My mark of a good book is does it make me think about things other than the book. And I thought a lot about old Hollywood, the Bible, ancient empires and politics, Mexican actresses and Mexican characters in the films of the 50s, James Dean several times, and always about Salome. Who she was, really. Was she real? Does it matter if she was or wasn’t?
One of the best parts about this book is Moreno-Garcia’s author’s note at the end. If it was not already abundantly clear how intentional all her choices during the novel are and how much she was captivated by Salome (in all her representations, including the one she creates), I think those pages at the end would more than do it. I like when an author cares about what they write. There is also a second letter from the author that ends with Moreno-Garcia saying she hopes this novel “captures a small fraction of the glory and the sorrow that are the art of cinema.” It does.
Every scene is richly described and the characters deliciously developed. I am being dramatic in my prose for this little review but call it an attempt to honor how Moreno-Garcia captivated me. I did, occasionally, feel there were too many pieces on the board but frankly that is a negligible complaint.
My mark of a good book is does it make me think about things other than the book. And I thought a lot about old Hollywood, the Bible, ancient empires and politics, Mexican actresses and Mexican characters in the films of the 50s, James Dean several times, and always about Salome. Who she was, really. Was she real? Does it matter if she was or wasn’t?
One of the best parts about this book is Moreno-Garcia’s author’s note at the end. If it was not already abundantly clear how intentional all her choices during the novel are and how much she was captivated by Salome (in all her representations, including the one she creates), I think those pages at the end would more than do it. I like when an author cares about what they write. There is also a second letter from the author that ends with Moreno-Garcia saying she hopes this novel “captures a small fraction of the glory and the sorrow that are the art of cinema.” It does.
I am always amazed at how talented Silvia Moreno-Garcia is at writing, whether it is gothic horror, magical realism, noir, or in this case historical fiction. I've said it before and I'll say it again that there is nothing she can't do.
Set in the golden era of Hollywood epics, Valeria is a Mexican beauty who has been cast in the titular role of Salome, to the chagrin of Nancy, a wannabe movie star who believes she has been robbed of the role and instead cast as a background character. The novel moves between the stories and testimonies of those on set and the biblical story of Salome herself. I must admit that as someone who was not raised with organized religion, I was unfamiliar with this particular story so I found those chapters to be the most compelling. Neither Nancy nor Valeria were particularly likeable to be so I had a difficult time caring about either one of them, although I was fascinated by the cunning and cruel nature of Nancy which made her more enigmatic on the page.
Overall, this was a solid work from Garcia with the same gorgeous and vivid storytelling that I have grown to love, but this one is definitely more of a slow burn than an action packed thriller. However, I must say that I do prefer her more ethereal/supernatural stories, but that is purely personal taste. Basically, if Silvia writes it, I will automatically move it up in my queue to read.
Recommended for those who love a good Hollywood noir and also those who love retellings of religious/mythological stories. 3.5 stars overall
Thank you to NetGalley, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Del Rey for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
Set in the golden era of Hollywood epics, Valeria is a Mexican beauty who has been cast in the titular role of Salome, to the chagrin of Nancy, a wannabe movie star who believes she has been robbed of the role and instead cast as a background character. The novel moves between the stories and testimonies of those on set and the biblical story of Salome herself. I must admit that as someone who was not raised with organized religion, I was unfamiliar with this particular story so I found those chapters to be the most compelling. Neither Nancy nor Valeria were particularly likeable to be so I had a difficult time caring about either one of them, although I was fascinated by the cunning and cruel nature of Nancy which made her more enigmatic on the page.
Overall, this was a solid work from Garcia with the same gorgeous and vivid storytelling that I have grown to love, but this one is definitely more of a slow burn than an action packed thriller. However, I must say that I do prefer her more ethereal/supernatural stories, but that is purely personal taste. Basically, if Silvia writes it, I will automatically move it up in my queue to read.
Recommended for those who love a good Hollywood noir and also those who love retellings of religious/mythological stories. 3.5 stars overall
Thank you to NetGalley, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Del Rey for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes