Buddy Read for The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis

[Theresa]

I am starting this off now, during Christmas week, because I FINISHED A Suitable Boy! Total 5 star magnificent read and will be writing review soon.

That said, I can now start The Masterpiece and hopefully Amy, Hajay, and whoever else has it on their 2021Trim are ready too.

[Amy]

Theresa, I'm 55% in! Its been going slowly for me, only because I've been on vacation with 9 people. But its an easy read. I just hit the point where the mystery just began to truly heat up. I love books about Grand Central.

You know how you go on vacation and you have no idea how many books to bring? I deliberately try to bring books I own, so I can leave them on planes or not have to bring them back. This one I had in hardcover, and I didn't remember where it came from. But when I started the book my first day here, I found a bookmark from the local bookstore here. One of my favorites. So it turns out the book began its journey from here. I either brought it home, or my mother brought it or mailed it to me. So I like that the book is full circle. Because its going to live here.

I had mailed to me here, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, which HayJay and I were also going to read by the end of the year, and the Personal Librarian. I know of a Bookclub on it on the 11th of January, and I have three more owned books that I brought as well. Those will just have to come back in the suitcase I fear.

But onto the Masterpiece. Its Fiona Davis. She crafts a great story, often with a mystery and dual timeline, in the great monuments of NYC. Its not high brow literature, but its fun and it does the trick. I am reminded of Lions of Fifth Avenue, which I read at the beginning of the year. I think she's fun, and its great to get into the art world. I don't yet have a preference for a timeline. Perhaps Clara. Its hard in any age in historical fiction to be a woman trying to make her way. I am looking forward to talking to you guys about it.

[Theresa]

Mine is a hardcover autographed by the author. In fact, it's the first of her books I bought when I dropped by a reading and signing at Shakespeare & Co. on Broadway in the 60s one evening the year it was published.

Fiona is a dynamic speaker. She gave much of the story about how the inspiraction came for a tour of Grand Central she took and hearing about the art school that once was there. She also based one of the characters on a real person who graduated from that art school and became a renowned illustrator for a magazine -- at least that's how I recall the story.

Fiona heavily researches her books, something I really appreciate.

Anyway, probably won't start reading until tomorrow. I have a meeting tonight that will keep me until quite late and I will be wiped out once its over and I get home again.

[Theresa]

I started last night...really enjoying. Definitely an easy read and of course just love Grand Central scenes.

I arrived in NYC in August 1973 so those first chapters with Virginia in 1974 describing what it was like were painfully familiar. I of course was an 18 yo fresh off the farm going to Barnard College.

[Amy]

I’m so glad that you reminded me of the buddy read the thread. I think HayJay and I just posted our reviews today. My reception is super spotty but I’m gonna try to do it this afternoon. Would love to talk more about this book.

[Theresa]

Finally had a chance to finish! Had to get Dune read for my Feminerdy Book Club which met today - 800 pages!

I enjoyed it ...gave it 3 stars. Here's my review: my review.

I thought the best was the story of Grand Central itself, in the 1970s. In fact, the contemporary plot was to me the strongest, most interesting. No surprise because those 70s years were my first years in NYC. I arrived in 1973 to attend Barnard - Virginia's alma mater! I used to get the shuttle subway in GC to/from work all through the 90s thus watching the Terminal's transformation, especially the magic of that ceiling being revealed. Those descriptions of it in the 70s were all too familiar.

I don't know that it needed to be 2 time periods to tell Clara's story. I do love the twist ...(view spoiler)[ Totto=Clara (hide spoiler)]...I NEVER saw that coming! Cudos to the author on that!

Amy - next time you are in NYC, we are meeting in Bemelmans Bar at the Hotel Carlyle!