I would like to thank the author and publisher for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I got to wondering the other day how many people in my current circle even know who Louis Comfort Tiffany was, let alone the art he created. Or the jewelry stores. Or even the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's. Or hell, even the song of the same name by Deep Blue Something.
Turns out the answer is abysmally dismal. And that I'm a complete nerd. Just saying "Louis Comfort Tiffany" out loud made them look at me like I had three eyes. I didn't even try to explain about Tiffany Blue being an actual trademarked color named after the year the company was founded, 1837. Because color is everything to me. I have enough trouble trying to pass for ignorant as it is.
Truth is, I've known about Tiffany glass since I was a kid. Not because we were rich or owned any of it. I've never been in one of the stores. My parents were smart and came from a generation of people who learned stuff just to, you know, learn stuff.
It's whatever that is that makes me gravitate to certain historical fiction novels. Like this one.
I have several M. J. Rose novels. Her subject matter is always intriguing to me and I especially enjoy her interest in the spiritual afterlife.
This book was indeed beautiful on many levels and I enjoyed it very much. I did, however, have a couple of issues with it.
First of all, some of the plot was unrealistic, given the time period. The big reveal I had already guessed early on.
I also had an issue with the two female leads, Jenny and Minx. Minx was a cardboard cutout of a flapper. I tried hard to like Jenny, but she was a Mary Sue victim until the end when all of a sudden extreme selfish self-preservation made her completely unlikable but led to her happy ending.
Yeah - that part kind of pissed me off.
I'm just jaded from being a Mary Sue in a former life and not getting that kind of ending myself. Which is why I don't read romance novels.
But like I said, I enjoyed it. I don't have to believe in it to wish it were true.
Actual rating: 3.5
I got to wondering the other day how many people in my current circle even know who Louis Comfort Tiffany was, let alone the art he created. Or the jewelry stores. Or even the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's. Or hell, even the song of the same name by Deep Blue Something.
Turns out the answer is abysmally dismal. And that I'm a complete nerd. Just saying "Louis Comfort Tiffany" out loud made them look at me like I had three eyes. I didn't even try to explain about Tiffany Blue being an actual trademarked color named after the year the company was founded, 1837. Because color is everything to me. I have enough trouble trying to pass for ignorant as it is.
Truth is, I've known about Tiffany glass since I was a kid. Not because we were rich or owned any of it. I've never been in one of the stores. My parents were smart and came from a generation of people who learned stuff just to, you know, learn stuff.
It's whatever that is that makes me gravitate to certain historical fiction novels. Like this one.
I have several M. J. Rose novels. Her subject matter is always intriguing to me and I especially enjoy her interest in the spiritual afterlife.
This book was indeed beautiful on many levels and I enjoyed it very much. I did, however, have a couple of issues with it.
First of all, some of the plot was unrealistic, given the time period. The big reveal I had already guessed early on.
I also had an issue with the two female leads, Jenny and Minx. Minx was a cardboard cutout of a flapper. I tried hard to like Jenny, but she was a Mary Sue victim until the end when all of a sudden extreme selfish self-preservation made her completely unlikable but led to her happy ending.
Yeah - that part kind of pissed me off.
I'm just jaded from being a Mary Sue in a former life and not getting that kind of ending myself. Which is why I don't read romance novels.
But like I said, I enjoyed it. I don't have to believe in it to wish it were true.
Actual rating: 3.5