A plucky little cozy set in the twenties, this novel is as much about being a science student at University College London as it is about a dinner parA plucky little cozy set in the twenties, this novel is as much about being a science student at University College London as it is about a dinner party poisoning. Saffron's sample sizes are small, but with the narrative backing her all of the conclusions are accurate enough. This book is perfect for cozy readers looking for a straightforward story. ...more
Bitter sweet, thoroughly researched, and deeply touching, this is a coming of age story set in a fully realized picture of the 1950s. When naturalizatBitter sweet, thoroughly researched, and deeply touching, this is a coming of age story set in a fully realized picture of the 1950s. When naturalization papers can be taken from a man refusing to point out another member of his community as a communist. Where Chinatown had distinct borders and just walking beyond them carried the air of risk (how different our modern cities). In night clubs that might be raided for indecency on a rumor, with women who could be arrested for wearing the wrong clothing.
Given the time period, this novel can't end with happily ever after, which makes the conceit of the book so perfect. The entire story is a time line, and we skip backward on it in certain chapters. In so doing, we see the romance of Lily's parents develop, mirroring her own young love. We meet Lily's Aunt Judy in scenes from Lily's childhood, seeing their relationship more fully than we might from stories told in Lily's high school years. We move along a time line with no real beginning or end, and in so doing, we learn a more complete, contextualized history than we would otherwise be privy to. It's incredibly well done, and it really gentles the inevitable heart break of a lesbian high school romance set in the 1950s.
I also have to say how much I appreciate Lily's dramatic foil Shirley being a fully realized character. She's a mean girl, and a best friend, and a Chinese American dealing with intense social pressures. The fortune cookies may have been a little on the nose, but Shirley isn't over the top or comically evil. She and Lily have fun together. They are genuinely friends. People don't have to be villains to hurt each other. And villains in the real world are just people.
For a story that is almost as much about two future rocket girls as it is about high school romance, the complexity of Wernher von Braun being a Nazi and the popular face of rocket science was particularly well addressed. ...more
This is a fine piece of historical fiction detailing the rise and decline of a marriage as well as the heroic measures required for a woman to retain This is a fine piece of historical fiction detailing the rise and decline of a marriage as well as the heroic measures required for a woman to retain any sort of dignity in the eyes of society through a divorce in the 1920s. I recommend it, but IF AND ONLY IF YOU HAVE ALREADY READ CHRISTIE'S BOOKS. This novel spoils several of the Poirot books in a truly significant manner, so read those first if you haven't. I suppose the author felt it was a safe gamble, as most readers intrigued by this book will already be fans of Christie, but just to be on the safe side be absolutely certain that you've read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd before opening this book.
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