The Fifth Avenue Artists Society
Fiction
Harper Paperbacks
May 31, 2016
Paperback
368
Publisher via She Reads
The Bronx, 1891. Virginia Loftin knows what she wants most: to become a celebrated novelist despite her gender, and to marry Charlie, her best friend, neighbor and first love. Yet when Charlie proposes to another woman, Ginny is devastated; shutting out her family, she holes up and obsessively rewrites how their story should have gone.
Though Ginny works with newfound intensity, success eludes her—until she attends a salon hosted in her brother’s handsome author friend John’s Fifth Avenue mansion. Amongst painters, musicians, actors, and writers, Ginny returns to herself, even blooming under John’s increasingly romantic attentions. Just as she has begun to forget Charlie, however, he throws himself back into her path, and Ginny finds herself torn between a lifetime’s worth of complicated feelings and a budding relationship with a man who seems almost too good to be true.
The brightest lights cast the darkest shadows, and as Ginny tentatively navigates the Society’s world, she begins to suspect all is not as it seems in New York’s dazzling “Gay Nineties” scene. When a close friend is found dead in John’s mansion, Ginny must delve into her beloved salon’s secrets to discover her true feelings about art, family, and love.
My review:
3.5 stars
This was a solid read for me. There were things that I enjoyed, and some that I did not. First the good........This was well written, the plot moved along at a steady pace, and the characters were well defined. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the stunning cover, always a plus for me. I loved learning about the artists society, a place where artists of all persuasions (writers, musicians, painters, actors) got together to show their craft and get feedback and encouragement for their works in progress. I was impressed with the description of the role of women of that time, and what was expected of them, and how some of the women rejected that role for their craft (since it was frowned upon to be anything but a wife). What didn't excite me was the time period that the book took place in. While I found the opinions about women to be interesting, I'm just not a fan of books taking place before the 1900's. This is by no means a reflection on this book in itself, it's just a personal preference of my own. What I had a harder time swallowing was the relationship of Virginia and Charlie. Ugh, three words for you sweetie......let it go! I've known plenty of people, myself included, who have had a first love that don't pine away for them the rest of their lives. I seriously wanted to slap her a few times 🙂 I'm sure it could partially be chocked up to the time period, but I just wasn't buying it.
A good solid debut with an interesting take on artists of the late 1800's. If you enjoy this time period I think it will really appeal to you. I had a few problems preventing me from calling it a great read, but it was interesting enough for a solid 3 rating.
This book is one of the summer reads for the She Reads blog network. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy for review. As always, my opinions are my own.
