My love of learning new things from a historical fiction book should be obvious by now (I’ve mentioned it enough times in other book reviews). But what I am finding that I like even more is when an author takes a little-known fact – or something that is widely known but rarely detailed – and runs with it, turning it into a full story.
That is certainly the case with this book. From the blurb, you know what is going to happen, but the details that go into making the story come alive are superbly researched. And if there is any artistic license taken, it is done so in such a way that it is seamless within the kernels of truth.
The author does a fantastic job of describing the science loved by both Hedy and Judy so that a layperson can understand it. Even as they are working on advanced physics and other topics, the descriptions are general enough to know that they’re important without getting bogged down with scientific details.
What I really enjoyed most about the book was the balance between the science and horrors of war and the Hollywood scene of the era. It was as if the author captured exactly how people viewed Hollywood at the time – as an escape from the despair.
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Even as I write this book review, it’s crystallizing in my mind – the scenes set in Hollywood were little escapes from what was going on elsewhere with Judy. This was truly excellent plotting by the author. As a fan of several of her books, I have to believe that this was done purposely, and it was masterful.
The author also has a knack for writing vividly detailed scenes that make the reader feel as if they are actually experiencing the event with the characters. This was especially true with the London Blitz and Pearl Harbor in this book.
She gave depth to a Hollywood bombshell who never really got the credit that she deserved for her mind. I liked how this paralleled what Judy experienced, even though Judy felt that she was never attractive. Neither woman was acknowledged at the moment for their contributions.
I also like it when I get towards the end of the book and have been so caught up in the narrative that I forgot where it all started. That was the case in this book. I was taken away by Hedy and Judy’s stories, and when the author returned to the scene from the beginning, I was able to look at it with a deeper understanding of both characters. That is a job extremely well done.
I could go on and on, analyzing Hedy and Judy’s parallels and dissecting the story, but I’d be better off just saying that this should be at the top of your reading list. It is impeccably researched, heartfelt and emotional (I needed tissues for the last few chapters).
By far, one of my favorites of the year.
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Author Bio:
Suzanne Kelman is a 2015 Academy of Motion Pictures Nicholl Finalist, Multi-Award-Winning Screenwriter and a Film Producer. As well as working in film she is also an International Amazon Bestselling Fiction Author of the Southlea Bay Series – The Rejected Writers’ Book Club, Rejected Writers Take the Stage and The Rejected Writers’ Christmas Wedding. Born in the United Kingdom, she now resides in Washington State.
