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wellredphd 's review for:
Coronation Year
by Jennifer Robson
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
CORONATION YEAR by Jennifer Robson
4.25 STARS
✨ FOR FANS OF: The Crown, Downton Abbey, historical fiction in general, though QEII does not appear until near the end.
⭐️WHAT IT’S ABOUT: a post-WWII historical fiction set in London, this novel follows the interweaving narratives of residents of the Blue Lion, an inn located on the soon-to-be-Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation route. Edie, whose family has owned the inn for centuries, James, a Scottish-Indian war vet painting a commission of the coronation, & Stella, an Italian Holocaust survivor trying to find normalcy in London, all find themselves working together to uncover the truth behind anonymous threats to the Coronation Day parade.
⭐️WHAT I LIKED: the writing in this book is incredibly balanced— descriptive, historical, & reflective without feeling forced or like there was a put on “period piece feeling.” I also loved that it doesn’t overly romanticize royalty or Britain in general, as I feel like some authors can tend toward fawning over the old days in historical fiction. the characters are all fantastic in their dialogue, perspectives, & personalities, but Jamie in particular was a well-written male character that you don’t often see in historical fiction. this book transported me into 1950s London & was a great audiobook production.
⭐️WHAT I DIDN’T: the intrigue of the mysterious threats starts off strong, but ultimately ends up a bit flat & obvious. Stella’s story is important, but I found myself least drawn to her sections— there was also a plot point of hers that went unresolved, or at least only obliquely resolved, which I would have liked to have seen better fixed.
⭐️OVERALL: Coronation Year was an enjoyable, well-paced read with characters that will stick with you. If you’re a historical fiction person, I’d recommend adding this to your list.
‼️ Check trigger warnings, as always.
You can find more reviews @wellredphd.
4.25 STARS
✨ FOR FANS OF: The Crown, Downton Abbey, historical fiction in general, though QEII does not appear until near the end.
⭐️WHAT IT’S ABOUT: a post-WWII historical fiction set in London, this novel follows the interweaving narratives of residents of the Blue Lion, an inn located on the soon-to-be-Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation route. Edie, whose family has owned the inn for centuries, James, a Scottish-Indian war vet painting a commission of the coronation, & Stella, an Italian Holocaust survivor trying to find normalcy in London, all find themselves working together to uncover the truth behind anonymous threats to the Coronation Day parade.
⭐️WHAT I LIKED: the writing in this book is incredibly balanced— descriptive, historical, & reflective without feeling forced or like there was a put on “period piece feeling.” I also loved that it doesn’t overly romanticize royalty or Britain in general, as I feel like some authors can tend toward fawning over the old days in historical fiction. the characters are all fantastic in their dialogue, perspectives, & personalities, but Jamie in particular was a well-written male character that you don’t often see in historical fiction. this book transported me into 1950s London & was a great audiobook production.
⭐️WHAT I DIDN’T: the intrigue of the mysterious threats starts off strong, but ultimately ends up a bit flat & obvious. Stella’s story is important, but I found myself least drawn to her sections— there was also a plot point of hers that went unresolved, or at least only obliquely resolved, which I would have liked to have seen better fixed.
⭐️OVERALL: Coronation Year was an enjoyable, well-paced read with characters that will stick with you. If you’re a historical fiction person, I’d recommend adding this to your list.
‼️ Check trigger warnings, as always.
You can find more reviews @wellredphd.