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The Magnolia Palace
2022: Other Books
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The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis - 3 stars
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Joy, I've seen the book in the library and so far, it has not called out to me to read it. I read your review with interest.I like how you explain what 3 stars mean to you at the end of your review. I use the 3 star rating in the same way, yet I find that "3 stars" can mean many different things to the reviewers including, "Meh, I barely tolerated it."
I read it because Fiona Davis is one of the WPF nominated authors, and I could get it from my library. I probably would not have read it otherwise. I am not sure why people use 3 stars so differently. GR suggests 3 for "I liked it" and that's the way I use it.
3 stars for me is " I liked it enough to finish it"-😁
I’m planning to read it. I’ve already used to be if you wanna Davis, but I’ll get to it eventually.
I have not read this one but did recently read 2 of hers, both of which I gave 3 stars, and like you it means I liked and enjoyed it. Author's strong suit isn't the storytelling itself but the use of location and historic material including more contemporary like from 60s, 70s, 80s.Given the NYC iconic locations and the modern periods coinciding with my living in NYC, captured so well by the author, I overlook the too neat endings and obvious plotting a bit.
I think many people will enjoy this one. It's not too dark or disturbing, as so many these days seem to be.
I loved this book. I enjoyed it so much. I gave it 4.5 stars, round down. I understand your reasoning for not loving it. To each their own.
Jenni Elyse wrote: "I loved this book. I enjoyed it so much. I gave it 4.5 stars, round down. I understand your reasoning for not loving it. To each their own."I can appreciate that many people will enjoy it even more than I did. I didn't realize that it was a mystery when I initially picked it up - I thought it would be more historical fiction. I think part of my reaction to a book is based on my expectations.
Joanne wrote: "3 stars for me is " I liked it enough to finish it"-😁"I get this. I finish books that I don't end up enjoying much and end up giving them 2 stars. (2 stars for me is "it was okay"). I am an optimist - I keep thinking they will get better. At least with this one, I actually liked it!
Amy wrote: "I’m planning to read it. I’ve already used to be if you wanna Davis, but I’ll get to it eventually."Based on what we have read and mutually enjoyed, I think you will like it at least as much as I did, Amy.
Dual timeline set in the 1920s and 1960s, this book starts out as the story of a young woman, an artist’s model, Lillian Carter, known as Angelica. When she becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, she flees, and finds work with a wealthy family. The 1960s storyline involves Veronica, a young English woman living in NYC, attempting to establish herself as a model. During a photoshoot at the Frick Mansion, she and an intern stumble upon a mystery. The rest of the book is related to the unraveling of related mysteries, including a scavenger hunt through the mansion.
I most enjoyed the first quarter of the book, where the emphasis is on artists and the self-confident woman who models for them. It is based on a real person (though the real person’s life was much more tragic than the one depicted). I enjoyed the escapades in the Frick mansion, a real place.
Where it fell a tiny bit short was in the narrative choice to follow the thoughts of the main characters. Both Veronica and Lillian engage in continuous self-talk. This can often be effective in helping understand a character’s actions; however, in this case, they are thinking a certain way in order to facilitate the plot. The self-talk is intended to mislead the reader. I guess what I’m saying is the author’s puppet strings are too obvious. The ending is tied up with all loose ends explained, a bit too tidy for my taste. Overall, though, I found it pleasant and entertaining.
3 stars = I liked it