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julieshuff's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I felt like the writing was kind of short/stilted, especially the dialogue. That said, I did end up getting invested in the plot. I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable, but the descriptions the social classes of the time, and the excesses of the era were interesting. Read this for my neighborhood book club which is heavy on historical fiction and this is the first one I finished in quite awhile so I will give it that. I get the sense that the author really loves nyc and the specific architecture of the city.
Graphic: Infidelity, Violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child abuse and Abortion
birdbrainbooks's review against another edition
lighthearted
sad
slow-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
3.5
I’ve long eyed Fiona Davis books and wondered if I would like them. This one was very enjoyable! It helped that the setting is particularly relevant for me—I live down the block from The Dakota, the legendary NYC apartment building in which the book takes place.
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There are two storylines, alternating between 1885 and 1985. At first it took a while for me to get into the rhythm but I did enjoy how they both eventually came together and shed light on each other.
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I absolutely loved the main character of the earlier timeline, Sara. The character of Theo felt a bit one-dimensional for me for a while and although that slightly improves, it isn’t done quite to the extent I wanted. I liked the female friendships and relationships throughout, especially the unexpected ones. Sometimes the plot was a bit of a stretch or melodramatic, but overall it was a fun read.
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There are two storylines, alternating between 1885 and 1985. At first it took a while for me to get into the rhythm but I did enjoy how they both eventually came together and shed light on each other.
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I absolutely loved the main character of the earlier timeline, Sara. The character of Theo felt a bit one-dimensional for me for a while and although that slightly improves, it isn’t done quite to the extent I wanted. I liked the female friendships and relationships throughout, especially the unexpected ones. Sometimes the plot was a bit of a stretch or melodramatic, but overall it was a fun read.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Blood
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