Shrines of Gaiety

Got distracted by life/other books. I'll come back to this eventually! 

This was an entertaining read with an extensive cast of characters. I was listening and multi-tasking, so I had a hard time keeping track of who was who, especially for the first third or half of the book. I would have liked more Gwendolyn ... and the dog ... but I enjoyed other characters too, including the indomitable Nellie (a badass matriarch). The plot had good twists and turns, and I'd recommend this if someone wants a light historical fiction, with a bit of mystery, and a few spunky and smart women characters. (I was a bit underwhelmed with the ending, however.)

The Jackson Brodie series is fantastic, but every book I've read of Kate Atkinson's since is boring. This book, in particular, is chock-full of way too many characters with stories that don't go anywhere. The book kept putting me to sleep no matter how much sleep I had.

Holy cow, I loved this. The characters were all so interesting and well done. The setting was perfect. The whole feel of it. I loved the inclusion of a Baby Party (see Bright Young People by D.J. Taylor). The whole obsession with The Green Hat that goes throughout most of the book (I'll have to finally read it! I first heard of it over a decade ago!). This ticked every one of my boxes. Loved it. It wrapped up a little quick and easy, but that's honestly my only issue and it's minor. So good! (I'll have to look more into the woman that Nellie is based on. She sounds fascinating too!) I think I'm definitely going to have to read more Kate Atkinson as I've loved the two I've read by her.

I've just joined my first book club and this was the read chosen.
An interesting tale set against the backdrop of nightclubs in London in the early 1900s.
Enjoyed the characterisation though still a little confused by the ending.
Looking forward to chatting with book club this week to find out if others figured it out because I want to know!

I just finished the Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson and here is my review

Nellie Coker has been released from jail and she is ready to pick up her empire where she left off. 6 kids and all of them with their own agendas. There is unrest within her ranks and threats from the outside has Nellie grappling to hold onto her crown.

The glitz and glamor of 1926 soho hides a seedy underbelly and the dregs of society long to be on the inside.

I held a constant dislike for Nellie the whole way through. Usually there is something redeeming about characters like her but I just never found that connection and I think that was done on purpose. I loved the character development and the different facets of personalities that we got to experience.

I have a real affection for the 20s and this book lived up to my expectations on all levels. The storyline was fluid and well thought out. I felt the research done by the author on the 1920s and soho, was very accurate. I really enjoy books that span a few different genres and this one definitely pulled it off with style.

I have a real love for crime books set in London. It's my go to so this book more than delivered on everything that was promised.

4.5 stars! This book was a real winner for me and if you haven't picked up this book or any by #kateatkinson then you need to remedy that today!

Thank you to #penguinrandomhouseca for my finished review copy!

What to write? ‘Don't they say “write what you know”?' Betty said. ‘But you don't know anything, do you?' ‘Thanks.'

Dit keer geen duidelijke constructies in plot (zoals Life after life), wel een detective (zoals de Brodie-boeken), maar die is nauwelijks belangrijker dan de vele kleurrijke andere personages in dit boek (uiteraard wel eentje met veel observaties tussen haakjes).

Jaren twintig, Londen, Soho, op het randje van de onderwereld, een uitgaanswereld waarin Nellie Coker (in min en meerdere mate samen met haar zes kinderen) een handvol nachtclubs beheerd.

Nellie had received a French education, something which could be interpreted in several ways. [...] In Niven, the rest of the family sensed backbone. It was strangely attractive to them, perhaps because of the novelty. Cokers had no backbone, only strength of will.

Zij en haar kinderen, een avontuurlijke bibliothecaresse ((She was quite expressive for a librarian. Almost Italian.), een meisje dat beroemd wil worden, die detective, en nog een flinke hand vol karakters worden opgevoerd en krijgen allemaal de liefdevolle aandacht van Atkinson (zélfs de krantenjongen!).

Freda was not going to work in Rowntree's! She was going to be a star! She was going to be famous! She was going to go to London! She would rather die of a surfeit of exclamation marks before she worked in an office or a factory! What she needed was a kick up the bum, Gladys said. Full stop.

De plot is niet reuze-belangrijk (meisjes spoelen aan kant in de Thames, Nellie heeft sores met een corrupte politieagent), je wordt tussen de diverse personages heen en weer geslingerd als ware het een avondje dansen in een van die nachtclubs (like as if I would know...)

Misschien het enige minpuntje dat de in het boek gepleegde (best ernstige) misdaden een beetje ondersneeuwen in het spektakel er om heen?

‘You do look green around the gills,' Betty said, summoning sympathy from somewhere. Sometimes she surprised herself. Betty was very hard-nosed yet occasionally mawkishly sentimental, a combination shared with her mother and many dictators both before and since.

‘You're such an ignoramus, Kitty,' Betty said. ‘Am not!' Kitty protested, under the misapprehension that an ignoramus and a hippopotamus were close relatives.