so-soI had high expectations for this one because I have loved all of Kate Quinn‘s feminist historical fiction. The setting around the San Francisco earthquake was so intriguing to me, but unfortunately this one fell flat in execution. The romantic subplots didn‘t work for me at all, so it was hard to feel invested in the way they tied into the broader plot. On audio, I felt like the book went on ~2 hours too long. Listened using my Spotify account!
pickI‘m not really drawn to Quinn but really like Chang, so I wanted to give this a try and am glad I did. It follows soprano Gemma as she arrives in San Francisco in 1906 about 2 weeks before the earthquake strikes and meets Suling, with whom she shares a mutual friend. Overall, I liked the story and characters and thought the authors worked well together, but found a couple of the time jumps abrupt and briefly confusing.
Sometimes it‘s not a good idea to read a story similar to one you read that resonated with you. Last year I read Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee with the Sunday Buddy Read gang and I really liked it and I thought about it A LOT while reading this - I probably need the SBR group to help me process the whys re: this just falling flat for me🤷🏻♀️ maybe it‘s scope was too broad. I had to remind myself to read it
Friday night and the first time in forever when I feel well enough for a glass of wine. What a fun life I lead!!! 😆🤦🏻♀️
pickTightly plotted and immersive. I loved how Gemma and Suling's worlds united to make them become friends and take down a shady tycoon. Add in George, Reggie, and Alice, and I simply wanted to be the newest member of the gang! #historicalfiction
pickSlow to start but the last 2/3 flew by. Only wish there was a bit more build up at the costume party towards the end. Love that many of the characters were based on or inspired by powerful and unique women in history.
pickI love historical fiction that tells womens' stories. And though I do read a lot of stories about wars, I love it when I find one that centers around other events. I learned a lot about San Francisco earthquake and fires and enjoyed all four of the womens' stories. The two authors co-wrote a very enjoyable book that was seamless to read.
What a treat to attend an authors talk today ❤️❤️❤️ being semi retired has its perks on all the levels
pickThemes: 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Chinese immigrants in early 20th century America, Friendships
I had zero knowledge of the historic 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco before reading this book. After finishing it, I can say I learned A LOT! Wow! I confidently recommend this to any historical fiction fans, Quinn & Chang do a fabulous job writing together. And the ‘Authors Note‘ at the end? Do not skip it! 5/5 stars for this read👍
pickI was intrigued by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire setting, and I liked the background stories of each of the women. This is a pick with a but - where I'm the problem… This historical setting is necessary for the story of these fictional characters. I guess I wanted was more the opposite where characters are created to tell the fascinating history of the 1900 SF aughts. Does that make sense - more H, less F?
