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A review by laurakh
The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
2.0
DNF @30%
It’s been a long time since I gave up on a book without finishing it but I was not invested in these characters at all. It was bothering me that the inciting incident for both main characters was a coincidence. Lillian “stumbled on” her job at the Frick house and even that is an overstatement. She’s pulled off the street into the house and an interview and gets the job despite actively trying to leave the whole time. I could have bought this situation if she had leaned into the lie after the initial confusion but she doesn’t even do that. The murder that intrigued me on the book flap is barely mentioned. Veronica is the same way, the way she discovers the important documents could not be more contrived. She literally trips and falls into starting her own story. I also found Helen really annoying although based on other reviews it seems like she would get better. Overall I thought all the characters seem purposeless and the situations contrived.
It’s been a long time since I gave up on a book without finishing it but I was not invested in these characters at all. It was bothering me that the inciting incident for both main characters was a coincidence. Lillian “stumbled on” her job at the Frick house and even that is an overstatement. She’s pulled off the street into the house and an interview and gets the job despite actively trying to leave the whole time. I could have bought this situation if she had leaned into the lie after the initial confusion but she doesn’t even do that. The murder that intrigued me on the book flap is barely mentioned. Veronica is the same way, the way she discovers the important documents could not be more contrived. She literally trips and falls into starting her own story. I also found Helen really annoying although based on other reviews it seems like she would get better. Overall I thought all the characters seem purposeless and the situations contrived.