A review by alliepeduto
The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye

5.0

Simply smashing, this is a perfectly executed historical mystery if I’ve ever seen one. I loved every aspect of this, which is unsurprising since I love the author. Alice/Nobody’s voice was gorgeously distinctive, and the storytelling was superior. Even minor characters jumped off the page and made their presence known, such was the caliber of character development. And I haven’t even mentioned the historical research evident here! Faye masterfully highlights a really difficult time in our nation’s history, and tackles some really heavy social issues while still making the story entertaining. I loved the switching of “Now” and “Then” and the difference in New York and Portland’s perception of the same issues. Each chapter was graced with (sometimes very disturbing) excerpts from Faye’s research, and it perfectly sets up the main issues in each section. I can’t recommend this enough, it’s a beautiful example of historical fiction that will make you think.