Review: The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis

Title: The Chelsea Girls

Author: Fiona Davis

Published: July 2019, Dutton Books

Format: ARC Paperback, 368 pages

Source: Publisher

Summary: 

The bright lights of
the theater district, the glamour and danger of 1950s New York, and the
wild scene at the iconic Chelsea Hotel come together in a dazzling new
novel about a twenty-year friendship that will irrevocably change two
women’s lives–from the national bestselling author of The Dollhouse and The Address.

From
the dramatic redbrick facade to the sweeping staircase dripping with
art, the Chelsea Hotel has long been New York City’s creative oasis for
the many artists, writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and poets who
have called it home–a scene playwright Hazel Riley and actress Maxine
Mead are determined to use to their advantage. Yet they soon discover
that the greatest obstacle to putting up a show on Broadway has nothing
to do with their art, and everything to do with politics. A Red Scare is
sweeping across America, and Senator Joseph McCarthy has started a
witch hunt for communists, with those in the entertainment industry in
the crosshairs. As the pressure builds to name names, it is more than
Hazel and Maxine’s Broadway dreams that may suffer as they grapple with
the terrible consequences, but also their livelihood, their friendship,
and even their freedom.

Spanning from the 1940s to the 1960s, The Chelsea Girls
deftly pulls back the curtain on the desperate political pressures of
McCarthyism, the complicated bonds of female friendship, and the siren
call of the uninhibited Chelsea Hotel.

My thoughts: I
simply adore reading Fiona Davis’s books – I love the way she takes an
iconic building in one of my favorite cities in the world, NYC – and
brings it to life, giving us the history in such an engaging story that
you can’t help but feel part of. This time, The Chelsea Hotel is her inspiration.

I love that once again, we are given characters that jump off the pages. While there is no dual time line, something that has been a staple in Fiona’s past books, we still have a well-rounded story that follows two girls who meet on a USO tour in Italy and develop a friendship that is born out of their shared time together. Once the war is over, they go their separate ways, only to reunite on the stage in New York. 

One of my favorite aspects of reading historical fiction is learning about something I know little to nothing about. I remember learning about the McCarthy era in high school, but who really remembers everything they learned from high school? I loved how Fiona Davis brings that era back to life in her book in such a vivid way. I could feel the angst and fear that was gripping everyone as accusations and blacklisting were running rampant during this time, especially through the theater district. 

I love learning about the iconic building that Fiona Davis selects for her books. I did not know much about The Chelsea Hotel prior to reading this book and now I am determined to read more about this building as well as make a point of visiting it next time I am in the city. 

I absolutely love Fiona Davis and her writing.
She is on my must-read list and I tell just about anyone
looking for a good historical read to pick up her books. She is
certainly a treasure I am glad to have discovered and I am anxiously
awaiting her next book, due out this summer, which is about the New York Public Library – one of my favorite places to visit in NYC!