Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

6 reviews

oceanwriter's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

As expected from Fiona Davis, The Spectacular has a stunning NYC backdrop. I didn’t even read the synopsis when I picked up this book. I saw Radio City Music Hall on the cover and didn’t care to know more. Plus, having read The Magnolia Palace, I figured it was a safe bet. 

 

More or less on a whim, teenaged Marion auditions to be one of the Radio City Rockettes, figuring the audition would be as far as she’d go. Being accepted causes a riff with her father, but as time goes on, his disapproval becomes the least of her problems. After an explosion during a performance, Marion gets involved in the investigation. 

 

I didn’t love this as much as I thought I would. Of course I loved the setting and all, I just found myself disconnected from the characters and mystery. Even so, Fiona Davis’ writing style made me want to continue. I’m going to hang onto this and visit it another time. It’s been a while since I’ve visited New York. I can see myself getting a taste of Broadway and wanting to visit it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Chronic illness, Murder, and Death

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident

laurenabeth's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

What a fun read. I was looking for something a bit lighter and fun, and this ended up delivering in spades. This is the story of a newly minted Rockette who gets caught up trying to solve a crime that hits too close to home. 

I’ll be brief, but The Spectacular is quality historical fiction with a strong female lead. While some parts are predictable and its villain is based on a real criminal (so a quick Google might spoil the ending), I enjoyed the glitz and glamor of Radio City in the 50s. Marion is a compelling protagonist, and Fiona Davis does a wonderful job of being true to the era while showing that women were breaking molds and being true to themselves. 

I think this book is, at its core, about following your dreams and not allowing convention or tradition to stifle creativity and innovation. More importantly, it’s about the sad truth that most women, but especially women of that time, had to chose between lives of stability and lives of self expression. 

My sincerest hope is that books like this remind women that it’s okay to shrug off expectations for desires, and it’s also okay to be frustrated at having to trade a sense of independence and individuality for “safe” life in the suburbs. Marion serves as a great example that “having it all” might look different for different people.

And as they say, you can have it all, but not at the same time…

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Panic attacks/disorders

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Child death, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Violence, Terminal illness, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Blood

Moderate: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Chronic illness

Minor: Confinement, Car accident, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

growintogardens's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexism, Medical content, Grief, and Infidelity

Minor: Abandonment, Car accident, Forced institutionalization, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

kelly93's review

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, and Death

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Chronic illness

lizsurber's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book was way better than the other book I’ve read by this author, The Magnolia Palace. The topic (the Rockettes) combined with other details (starting to use psychological profiling to solve crimes) and the time period (mid-50s) made it feel pretty compelling and unique! I found the main characters more likeable and was much more emotionally connected with the storylines. It was a page-turner - I wanted to stay up late and finish because I really wanted to find out what happened (not because I wanted to get it over with so I could get to my next read). I really enjoyed this book and definitely feel it is a strong historical fiction for this year so far!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Body horror, Grief, Infidelity, Stalking, Dementia, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Car accident, and Pregnancy