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| Astor Place Vintage (click here to purchase) |
As Amanda becomes immersed in the journal, she learns the future appeals to Olive. Olive looks forward to a time when repressive Victorian ideas have been replaced by more modern ways of thinking. But the financial panic of 1907 thrusts her from a stable, comfortable life into an uncertain and insecure existence. She’s resourceful and soon finds employment, but as she’s drawn into the social circle of shopgirls living on the edge of poverty, Olive is tempted to take risks that could bring her to ruin. Reading Olive’s woes, Amanda discovers a secret that could save her future and keep her from dwelling in the past.
It’s Olive, however, who ends up helping Amanda, through revelations that come in the final entries of the journal. As the lives of these two women merge, Amanda is inspired to stop living in the past and take control of her future. [GoodReads]
From the second I saw an ad for this book on Goodreads.com, I knew I NEEDED to read it. I have always been a fan of the 1920/30s - flappers were beautiful, everything was glamorous, and illegal drinking just seemed so much more fun than doing anything legal! But it wasn't until this year that I began reading books that took place during this period, and already, I've read about three. This historical fiction piece moves between 2007 and the first few decades of the twentieth century. And in addition to the greatness of the time period, readers are also invited into the world of all things vintage - clothes, shoes, fashion, even a diary that one Olive Westcott keeps to describe the life of a working girl nearly 100 years ago. Amanda Rosenbloom, owner of Astor Place Vintage, comes across this diary while going through her most recent purchase and completely becomes one with Olive.
Here's what I LOVED about this novel:
- Amanda has spent her entire almost-forty-years with one man only, and he's married with two children. Olive has a real hard time accepting women who sleep with committed people for personal and material gain, and as Amanda grows closer to Olive through her diary, she learns that she will only be genuinely happy and fulfilled if she calls things off with Mr. Wrong. Ultimately, Amanda discovers that her life is worth more than being someones second and meets a new person who just might be that special someone she's looking for.
- History comes alive! (But I cannot say anything more without giving the goods away!)
- Lehmann does such a phenomenal job of describing early twentieth century New York, both the beauty of it and the darkness. I learned so much about life: how any woman needed a man to navigate through a more privileged lifestyle (Olive traveled with her father to New York and lived quite lavishly); how "single" women weren't allowed to board alone in up-scale hotels; how women really supported themselves (most of them, anyway). Basically, this was a Women's Rights 101 sort of book, but I didn't mind it one bit.
- Vintage fashion! Hello - what more could a girl want out of a novel?
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| Stephanie Lehmann |
To visit Stephanie, follow these links:
Stephanie Lehmann SITE
UPCOMING BOOK: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
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