Feb/March 2014 The Other Typist

[Kate]

New York City, 1924: the height of Prohibition. In a police precinct on the lower East Side young typist Rose Baker coolly records the confessions of killers and gangsters. But when a new typist arrives - the captivating Odalie - Rose finds a true partner in crime. Flitting between sparkling speakeasies by night and their work at the precinct by day, the girls are drawn further into a dark, glamorous world. Soon Rose's fascination with Odalie and her glittering life turns to obsession. But does she know the real Odalie, and what will happen if she dares to find out?

[Kate]

I've just finished this sparkling book and nothing I say could do it justice.
Highly recommend to everyone - just so we can discuss the ending!!

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I found the author's descriptions very interesting:
"It was a husky voice, with the kind of low rattling timbre that made you watch the childish curl of her lips very closely to ensure you'd caught the words that were issuing from her mouth accurately. Her voice was like this until something delighted her or made her laugh, and then it rose and fell musically, like someone practicing scales on a piano. It was a paradox of innocent surprise and devilish complicity that proved intoxicating to everyone who heard it, and I wonder sometimes - even now - whether that voice was something she had carefully crafted ove the years or if she had simply been born with it."

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I kept wondering about what Rose actually looked like. An author usually gives you a pretty good picture of the main characters at the begining of a book, but since this protagonist is also the narrator, it is hard for me to visualize Rose's appearance. She seems to not think much of her physical self, but the Lieutenant appears to be attracted to her...

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

You are right, Kate, what an ending - who was crazy and who was a sociopath....what do you think?
(view spoiler)[
Odalie and Ginevra were the quite possibly the same person, but maybe Rose was really all 3 - we only heard things from her perspective.
Odalie could also have been a very talented sociopathic con-artist who framed Rose, a naïve loner, who just wanted to belong and have someone to love, with her crimes. (hide spoiler)]

[Kate]

Hi Terry (view spoiler)[ I was a bit confused with the end. I think it is sort of up to the reader to make up their own mind. Personally I couldn't see Odalie and Rose being the same person...I also read something saying the Lieutenant was also not real and one of Rose's personalities??
I think that Odalie was a con artist but then that doesn't explain the part where Rose describes pushing Teddy over the balcony!
So frustrating but also genius! (hide spoiler)]

[Kate]

Terry wrote: "I found the author's descriptions very interesting:
"It was a husky voice, with the kind of low rattling timbre that made you watch the childish curl of her lips very closely to ensure you'd caught..."

the whole writing style of this book was beautiful. It made me want to bob my hair, mix up a martini and learn to Charleston immediately.
This book has made me think so much!! I think I need to read it all over again :)

[Kate]

I found this somewhere and I like this explanation - (view spoiler)[“The author wants us to think the Odalie/Ginerva/Rose are all the same person, but that’s a red herring. I believe Odalie and Ginerva are the same person and framed Rose. Early in the book you can see that Odalie is almost “auditioning” the other typists to see which one is easier to manipulate. Rose is her pick and the fact that Rose also is obsessive and possessive of her friends is a bonus for Odalie. I believe Odalie always planned to make Rose the fall guy for whenever she got into some sort of jam. Initially I think it was to protect her speakeasies. Then Teddy enters the scene and poses a more formidable threat. So in one stroke, Odalie kills Teddy and Gib (whom she probably planned to dispose of at some point) and frames Rose.”

http://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wor... (hide spoiler)]

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I read it last summer and already I am getting fuzzy on the details. Maybe there is something online that explains more -

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

Kate wrote: "I found this somewhere and I like this explanation - “The author wants us to think the Odalie/Ginerva/Rose are all the same person, but that’s a red herring. I believe Odalie and Ginerva are the sa..."

That is really interesting, I think she is on the right track there -