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A review by alliepeduto
A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance
4.0
What an excellent example of historical fiction! This was steeped in San Fran history, with a little bit of the Nellie Bly experience and a classic rags to riches story thrown in for good measure. The description of the treatment of residents in Chinatown hit me particularly hard, especially given the current climate. But this was meticulously researched, which is why I love reading these kinds of stories.
I was particularly drawn to the sense of place. I found myself consulting my handy coffee table book of San Francisco then and now (what can I say, I love the city) to look at Nob Hill and City Hall as they were described. It made me want to book a trip to Cali immediately and see it all again myself! It’s a city that was forced to reinvent itself after the horrors of the earthquake and fire, but has thrived despite the conditions, much like our protagonist May!
I was particularly drawn to the sense of place. I found myself consulting my handy coffee table book of San Francisco then and now (what can I say, I love the city) to look at Nob Hill and City Hall as they were described. It made me want to book a trip to Cali immediately and see it all again myself! It’s a city that was forced to reinvent itself after the horrors of the earthquake and fire, but has thrived despite the conditions, much like our protagonist May!