The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Title:  The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Author:  Fiona Davis

Publication Information:  Dutton. 2020. 368 pages.

ISBN:  1524744611 / 978-1524744618

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "She had to tell Jack."

Favorite Quote:  "History is made by people in power making decisions, and their notes and writings reveal the decision-making process."

The lions of Fifth Avenue are the two sculptures of lions - Patience and Fortitude - that are found at the entrance to the New York Public Library. The lions were originally names Leo Astor and Leo Lenox after the founders of the library. The new names were given in the 1930s to symbolize the characteristics New Yorkers needed to survive the Depression.

As the title suggests, the book is set in and around the New York Public Library. This aspect is one of the things I have loved about Fiona Davis's books. All of the ones I have read use an iconic New York City building. The books introduce that setting in two time periods and build the stories of two women that in some way link together.

I have enjoyed learning about the buildings and their history although the focus on the building is decreasing with each book that I have read. In some, I have love the stories of both women, and in some, one story is more compelling than the other as is often the case in books with dual timelines.

This book follows the same pattern. The building is the New York Public Library. The times are 1913 and 1993. The women are Laura Lyons and Sadie Donovan.

Laura Lyons lives in an apartment within the library. Her husband is the Library superintendent. She is a wife and a mother to two children. Harry is eleven, and Pearl is seven. For Laura, "time was going by so quickly, and she wanted to do more, be more. The daily chores, the sameness, weighed her down like stones in her pockets. Every day there was yet another dinner to cook, yet another sock to mend." Her story becomes one of feminism and women's rights. Unfortunately, the book chooses to present this as a mutually exclusive choice - career, independence, and ideas vs. home, family, and children. Unfortunately, the book also chooses to introduce an unexpected romance into her story, making her awakening not about independence and equality but a different realization all together.

Sadie is a librarian, recently put in charge of a major collection. She is independent and career focused. However, her thoughts of lack are revealed in repeatedly seeking solace in a book on spinsterhood.

Part of the plot for both women centers on the theft of rare items from the library. Since I love when unrelated books interconnect, I will point out that one of the items stolen in this book is The Tamerlane by Edgar Allen Poe, a book whose history I learned in The Forger's Daughter by Bradford Morrow.

Unfortunately, what really made me the not the reader for this book is the ending. It's hard to say why without a spoiler, but I will attempt to explain. The solution to the mystery of the book thefts in one time period seems unbelievable and in the other is only tangentially related to the main characters. The treatment of the culprits in both scenarios is egregious. Decision made and arguments presented for the abandonment and punishment of the culprits is ridiculous given who the culprits are. Like I said, a cryptic explanation trying not to offer a spoiler.

Unfortunately, for its extremist treatment of a feminist point of view, for its introduction of a romance into what was proceeding to be a story of independence, for its ending, and for the fact the book did not include enough about its historic setting, this book was not for me.

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The Chelsea Girls

Title:  The Chelsea Girls

Author:  Fiona Davis

Publication Information:  Dutton. 2019. 368 pages.

ISBN:  1524744581 / 978-1524744588

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "In the dead of night, during the dreary month of March, the Chelsea Hotel is a quiet place."

Favorite Quote:  "And many of you bought the lies ... You didn't question them. You didn't fight back. You let this happen ... This is how a society is corrupted, from the inside out. We must make a promise to not ever let this happen again. We must promise to be vigilant against our own worst tendencies. Only by doing so will our country sustain its ideals of freedom."

Fiona Davis's books to date follow a similar structure and style. Two women. Two time periods. One city. One beautiful old building. A book that tells both stories in alternating sections, winding them closer and closer together until by the end, all the connections are revealed, and the stories find a path forward. The locations are typically in New York City - the Barbizon Hotel, the Dakota, and the Grand Central Terminal. The previous three books have featured two women each linked by their connection to the location of the book. Along with the story of the women is a history of the location, which I find fascinating.

The Chelsea Girls is similar to some extent. There are two women. There are two time periods, if only briefly. The story structure, however, ends up completely different from the first three books I have read by Fiona Davis.

The two women are Hazel and Maxine. They meet during the war, as performers in a USO troop. The form a friendship that spans a lifetime but is not always a friendship. "How tenuous the line is between friends and enemies in a world at war." Their story is not just about their friendship but about their careers and about the history that they live through.

The story begins with a prologue in March of 1967. It begins at the end as an unnamed woman contemplates the end of her life. From there, the book goes back to 1945 and chronologically tells the story of these two women in the intervening 2 decades.

The location of the name is the Chelsea Hotel, originally built in 1880s. It was once a haven for artists of all types with residents ranging from authors like Mark Twain and Jack Kerouac to musicians such as the Grateful Dead and Madonna to many others throughout the visual and performing arts communities. Unlike Fiona Davis's other books, the location is not central to the story. It is fitting given that the main characters are performers, but it is not the story.

More than the location, this book is about the history of the time period. In particular, this is a book about the threat of communism and the McCarthy era. It is about the targeting of the art community by the McCarthy hearings, and it is about the truth and lies behind the accusations of those investigations.

The disappointing aspect of this book is that it differs so from the previous Fiona Davis books. I suppose that is a fallacy of my own expectations. I have loved learning about the architecture and history of the buildings, and that is missing from this book.

Interestingly, the book leaves me with questions about the ending as well. First is a minor point. One misunderstanding between the two friends is the result of the supposed actions of the Chelsea Hotel manager at the time. These actions seems to be diametrically opposite to the the descriptions of him throughout the book. It leaves a jarring note.

Second, the entire book seems more focused on the journey of one of the women, and yet the ending seems more about the other. It makes me wish I knew more of her story throughout. It leaves me a little disconnected.

I suppose that is my overall reaction to the book. I enjoyed reading about the McCarthy era. I wish I had learned more about the building. The characters and the story itself seems a little distant and seems to miss the emotional connection.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Time After Time

Title:  Time After Time

Author:  Lisa Grunwald

Publication Information:  Random House. 2019. 416 pages.

ISBN:  0812993438 / 978-0812993431

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "She wasn't carrying a suitcase, and she wasn't wearing a coat."

Favorite Quote:  "But patience, real patience, meant more than simply waiting. Patience meant you had to honor the moments before things happened the same way you honored the moments when they did."

The time is the 1930s. The place is the magical city of New York. The setting is Grand Central Terminal. The plot is pure fantasy. Joe Reynolds is a railroad man, a lever man at the station. He meets a girl, but Nora Lansing is not just another girl. Joe keeps meeting her, and she keeps disappearing.

At the beginning, Nora's appearances seem random. Then, a pattern emerges. A pattern beyond belief and yet real all the same. Is Joe and Nora's relationship real? Will it survive?

In the background is the time and place. Joe is surrounded by a loving family, in particular his brother and his brother's wife and children. Theirs is a close relationship. Alas, looming is the war. At the beginning, it is a war in Europe. Then, it comes shockingly to the United Sates. The backdrop is the beauty and grandeur of Grand Central Terminal and Manhattanhenge. Interestingly, The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis is set at the Grand Central Terminal in the 1920s. It is fascinating to get these two glimpses into the same place for Nora visits the art school location of Fiona Davis's book years after it has been deserted. I love when books connect like that!

According to the author, this book started with research for another book on what it was like to arrive in New York by train in the 1950s. This led to a book about the station. That book in turn led to a story about a girl who appeared once a year at the terminal and then disappeared. So, the story, however far-fetched, has a basis in historical documentation. Real or not, the background makes it more intriguing.

Please note that there are liberties taken with the historical timeline to make this story work. For example, Manhattanhenge was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson in the 2000s; it did not exist in the time period of this book. Regardless, this is fiction, and the story works.

This book covers a lot of time all within the space of Grand Central Terminal. On the face of it, this book is a slow paced love story. It is a story that calls for the suspension of disbelief but raises very real life questions. What would you do for love? What would you do for those you love? What sacrifices would you be willing to make?

The author's note introduces entirely an entire other interpretation of this love story. The personal information shared in the author's note is completely real and grounded in issues we may all face. The author lives with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and with other illnesses. Her health places limitations on her life and her ability to do many things. Her husband Stephen faces no such physical limitations. These facts "helped me find the emotional center of this novel. Like Stephen, Joe is steadfast. Like me, Nora learns to live in a circumscribed world. Joe helps Nora accept her limitations. Nora helps Joe pursue his freedoms."

Reading the author's note first definitely impacts my reaction to the book. This interpretation grounds the book and makes Joe and Nora's challenges relatable and turn the book a sweet fantasy into a surprisingly real love story.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Masterpiece

Title:  The Masterpiece

Author:  Fiona Davis

Publication Information:  Dutton. 2018. 368 pages.

ISBN:  1524742953 / 978-1524742959

Book Source:  I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "Clara Darden's illustration class at the Grand Central School of Art, tucked under the copper eaves of the terminal, was unaffected by the trains that rumbled through ancient layers of Manhattan schist hundreds of feet below."

Favorite Quote:  "Look at me. No one knows what I am. But I don't care, because I love the way I move in the world. I love my perspective on the world. I've earned it, and anyone else can go to hell. I wouldn't have wanted to paint you if I didn't think you were a fascinating subject:  a woman of a certain age, with the wounds to prove it. That's what interests me. Desperate to cover those wounds but still carrying them capably. A woman who is just learning her own strength."

Two women. Two time periods. One city. One beautiful old building. A book that tells both stories in alternating sections, winding them closer and closer together until by the end, all the connections are revealed, and the stories find a path forward. This is the structure used by many books including all three of the Fiona Davis books that I have read.

In this case, the location is Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The iconic landmark is of course known for its major function - that of a train station. Today, it is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions. It still is a working train station but is also home to numerous food, shopping, and event venues. In this book, I learned that for about twenty years from 1923 to 1944, Grand Central Terminal was also home to the the Grand Central School of Art.

Clara Darden, an instructor at the school, is the story of the past in this book. She comes to New York with big dreams of an art career. She attempts to make her way through the prejudices of the 1920s. What she finds is obstacles in all directions for a "woman" artist. What she also finds is the prejudice amongst painters and sculptors towards those who are "just" illustrators. However, she also finds the affection of friends and of men who would be more. Clara Darden disappears in 1931, never to be heard from again.

Virginia Clay is the story of the "present" - the 1970s. She comes to Grand Central Terminal out of necessity. Recently divorced and recovering from other more physical wounds, she needs a job. She gets a position working in the information both of the terminal. Her days consists of helping with train schedules and any other questions visitors to the station may have. Much to her surprise, she too finds friends. She also discovers that there are those who would destroy this iconic building in the name of money and progress. In her explorations, she also stumbles onto the the now abandoned art school space and a mysterious unsigned piece of original art. So starts her foray into the past.

The book tells the stories of these two women and these two time periods in alternating chapters. As the book progresses, the stories wind closer and closer together, until they finally intersect. I did guess correctly what that meeting point was going to be so it is not a surprise when it finally comes. However, the unexpected turns in the journey to get there makes a great story.

Typically, in books set in two time periods, I find one more interesting than the other. In this book, I find that interest balanced. Clara's and Virginia's stories are so different from each other, but the strength of both characters is what shines through. I find both engaging and find the ending to be a satisfying conclusion to both stories. I am now looking forward to what Fiona Davis writes next.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Address

Title:  The Address

Author:  Fiona Davis

Publication Information:  Dutton. 2017. 368 pages.

ISBN:  152474199X / 78-1524741990

Book Source:  I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "The sight of a child teetering on the window ledge of room 510 turned Sara's world upside down."

Favorite Quote:  "Sometimes we don't know the answer."

Two women. Two time period. One city. One beautiful old building. A past that dreams of a future. A present that looks to the past for answers. A host of intrigue and secrets that connects all of it. A book that tells both stories in alternating sections, winding them closer and closer together until by the end, all the connections are revealed, and the story of the past ends, and the story of the present finds a path forward. This is structure used by many books including Fiona Davis's book The Dollhouse, and it usually makes for an entertaining story.

In this book, the past is Sara Smythe in the 1880s. She works in a London hotel and cares for her ill mother. Life seems to hold no further prospects. A chance encounter offers her the opportunity to start a new life in the United States. She comes to New York, starts over, and her life goes in a direction she could never have imagined.

The story of the present is Bailey Camden in 1984. She is recovering party girl just out of rehab. Her issues have cost her friends and her job. Life seems to hold very few prospects. Her wealthy cousin Melinda's bounty offers her a chance to start over. She takes it, and it puts her on a path she could never have imagined.

See the parallels yet?

What first draws the two stories together is the location. Located at the corner of 72nd Street and Central Park West in Manhattan, the Dakota is a co-op apartment building considered one of New York's best addresses. In fact, it was the once home to John Lennon and the location of his death. However, when it was built in 1884, it was purposefully named The Dakota because its location was considered as remote to the main sections of Manhattan as the far-off Dakota Territories.

Sara comes to the Dakota in 1884 when the project architect Theodore Camden offers her a job at the Dakota. Theodore Camden is also Melinda and Bailey's grandfather. Melinda is descended from the children Theodore Camden claimed with his wife. Bailey is the daughter of a child Theodore and his wife raised. The Camden estate belongs to the direct descendants, leaving Bailey with the name but no inheritance.

The story continues to weave back and forth as Sara sets up the new building, and Bailey works on a project to remodel one of the units. Secondary characters and romances enter in the picture. Underlying it all is the history and grandeur of the building itself. Through Sara's eyes, the reader sees the initial construction and decor, and through Bailey's eyes, the reader witnesses the attempts to preserve that history and the destruction of that initial vision in the name of modernization.

As with most books such as this one, one time period calls to me more. In this case, Sara's story is the more compelling one, given the plot and the historical richness of the time period. Overall the book is an entertaining story and an intriguing look inside a landmark building.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Dollhouse

Title:  The Dollhouse

Author:  Fiona Davis

Publication Information:  Dutton. 2016. 304 pages.

ISBN:  1101984996 / 978-1101984994

Book Source:  I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "She'd forgotten the onions."

Favorite Quote:  "Courage is easy ... When you want to get out of a situation fast, you get courage."

The Dollhouse is the name given by gentlemen to the Barbizon Hotel in the 1950s. The building, now on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1927 and has served many purposes in its history. For most of its history, the building served as a hostel / hotel / dormitory / rooming house for young women who came to New York City to seek fame, fortune, a career, or whatever their dream for the future was. In the 1980s, the building became more of a regular hotel allowing male guests. Two decades later, the building was renovated into condominiums. Throughout, certain women remained as residents because of grandfathering rules and rent control.

This book is the story of two young women - Rose in 2016 and Darby in 1952 - both residents of the Barbizon. Rose is a journalist who moves into the building based on a relationship with the owner of one condominium. Darby is a young woman who comes to the city following the death of her father; she comes looking to go to school and be a Katie Gibbs girl - a secretary. She is one of the residents still in the building in 2016.

Rose meets Darby in the elevator one day. Rose is intrigued by Darby's history and the history of the building. She takes on that story as a human interest journalism story. Circumstances pull Rose into Darby's life and her home. In alternating chapters, the book tells both Rose's story and Darby's history. Both are stories of young women seeking to build careers and lives. Both have elements of a love story. Darby's story is by far the more dramatic one, and Rose's story becomes about bringing Darby's story to a conclusion.

The alternating chapters highlight the similarities and the contrasts between the two time periods in terms of culture, the role of women, and the changing city itself. Darby's story is about the beautiful girls who want to be models and find husbands and the plain girls who train to be secretaries. It is about the jazz clubs and the music scene of the city. It is also about the seedier underside of the big city and about what people will do to achieve their version of success. Rose's story is about dot com start ups, internet journalism, open relationships, and caring for aging parents. Rose's story is also primarily about bringing a resolution to Darby's. Rose's "research" methods are somewhat unethical, making that aspect of the story not quite believable, considering her statements about serious journalism. The lack of any repercussions for her actions stretch that believability factor even further.

Overall, the book is a quick and easy read. The book has the history with added touches of romance, mystery, and even a bit of foodie interest. I really enjoy learning about the history of the Barbizon. The story, however, feels predictable with an ending that is too neatly tied up. The book is an entertaining summer but not one that will stay with me.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.