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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
emotional
tense
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
I liked the format of this and the subject matter, it just didn't thrill me as much as I thought it would. It was good, and I enjoyed it, but I wasn't overwhelmed.
emotional
reflective
tense
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
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
sad
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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very close to not finishing due to simplistic writing style, too much 'telling not showing' and recurrent exposition of same emotions: Vera's self-doubt and the laboured toxic mother/daughter relationship.
But it improved at the end from Salome's dance onward, the pace picked up, with some adroit structuring.
This is an exophone work and it shows in some unnatural word choices that jar. Moreno-Garcia's editor should have helped her with this. (I haven't read much work by other non-native speakers writing in English to compare this to. Perhaps only Joseph Conrad? Didn't suspect on reading he wasn't a native speaker. There's Kaz Ishiguro but he went to school in the UK, so he's a native speaker according to linguists.) Otherwise, in many places the writing is beautiful. Digging a little into her background, it looks like she had a hit with Mexican Gothic and since then the publisher's been pushing her books out, in my opinion, without adequate editing.
Too many other books to read so won't be reading this author again. Was pulled in by the intriguing premise and gorgeous cover art.
But it improved at the end from Salome's dance onward, the pace picked up, with some adroit structuring.
This is an exophone work and it shows in some unnatural word choices that jar. Moreno-Garcia's editor should have helped her with this. (I haven't read much work by other non-native speakers writing in English to compare this to. Perhaps only Joseph Conrad? Didn't suspect on reading he wasn't a native speaker. There's Kaz Ishiguro but he went to school in the UK, so he's a native speaker according to linguists.) Otherwise, in many places the writing is beautiful. Digging a little into her background, it looks like she had a hit with Mexican Gothic and since then the publisher's been pushing her books out, in my opinion, without adequate editing.
Too many other books to read so won't be reading this author again. Was pulled in by the intriguing premise and gorgeous cover art.
The negatives first: there was too many characters and I couldn't always remember who was who and it took me until about 15% to really get into it.
However, once I got over that initial hump I found myself really enjoying it! Vera was such a well rounded and lovely character, my heart broke for her over and over.
Nancy was truly awful, a real bitch of a character that you could really hate. The same with Clifford Collins, I hated that man.
I do wish we could have found out more what happened after, I especially wanted one character to get a real comeuppance but it didn't appear to happen.
Can't wait to read more of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work!
However, once I got over that initial hump I found myself really enjoying it! Vera was such a well rounded and lovely character, my heart broke for her over and over.
Nancy was truly awful, a real bitch of a character that you could really hate. The same with Clifford Collins, I hated that man.
I do wish we could have found out more what happened after, I especially wanted one character to get a real comeuppance but it didn't appear to happen.
Can't wait to read more of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work!
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just love the stories Moreno-Garcia weaves! So good and so tense!
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book. It was a contrast between a biblical story of Salome and 1950s Hollywood movie sets. The latter writing style being similar to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books.
The story follows Vera who is seen at work in Mexico and suddenly whisked into a big epic feature in New York - the answer to new talent to meet audience demand. However as per 1950’s Hollywood, Vera has to balance her new role with a racist, sexist environment filled with alcohol and jealousy. Whilst at the same time trying to please her mother’s expectations and falling in love.
Told from multiple characters pov, sometimes in a post event interview style.
Recommend for those who enjoy Jenkins Reid’s books, especially 7 husbands or Daisy Jones.
The story follows Vera who is seen at work in Mexico and suddenly whisked into a big epic feature in New York - the answer to new talent to meet audience demand. However as per 1950’s Hollywood, Vera has to balance her new role with a racist, sexist environment filled with alcohol and jealousy. Whilst at the same time trying to please her mother’s expectations and falling in love.
Told from multiple characters pov, sometimes in a post event interview style.
Recommend for those who enjoy Jenkins Reid’s books, especially 7 husbands or Daisy Jones.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes