What did you learn about the era from the novel? Did anything surprise you?
This novel taught me new information about many aspects of the early years of the 1900’s. I thought the insight into the burgeoning entertainment industry in California was very interesting.
Though I have read other historical fiction focusing on the early 1900’s I had not read any novels that focused on the entertainment field especially women navigating the field and their possible influence on the Women’s Suffrage Movement.
This was the third book I have read about the Lusitania and I was fascinated by this story. Once I had finished the book I looked up the main characters and was amazed at how talented the two sisters were. So many people died in the sinking it was just terrible.
It was interesting reading about Rita’s transition from stage to motion picture and how that was controversial. Nothing though really surprised me.
I really appreciated the author’s attention to detail…the clothes, food, interior design, and more. It created a time and place without slowing down the story.
I liked all the details as it helped me enter the world. I have read both popular fiction and classics from the era, so I was fairly familiar, but I never heard of these women. Then again movies and the entertainment world from that era is not a big interest for me…I can hardly keep up with current movies! I am glad to have learned about them.
I was unfamiliar with details of the entertainment industry internationally and especially in California in this era.
This book added to what I have learned from historical fiction, especially as to details about the way wealthy people lived and the entertainment industry.