My Five Word TL:DR Review : Definitely a Thought Provoking Book

I absolutely love Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books and so was in no doubt about wanting to pick up The Seventh Veil.  This is another story where the author jumps genres this time tackling not just the golden age of Hollywood when it’s obsession with Swords and Sandals movies was at its height but also taking a look at an infamous character from biblical times.

On one hand I wouldn’t say that I loved this one, or at least it’s not my favourite by this author, it took me a little while to get into the story and in fact I set it aside at one point, Salome’s chapters felt very dry and the ending felt a bit anti-climatic after such a build up, then on the other hand the writing is absolutely lush, the storytelling voices are so well done, the author captures the Hollywood period as well as any Director could and the interwoven tales of these three women is so thought provoking.  A story within a story with three females all playing the lead in their own productions.

Our three characters.  Vera, the young woman who has landed the much coveted role of Salome.  Vera has no experience in the film industry and in a way it’s like throwing a tiny minnow to the sharks, a tasty snack at most.  Nancy has been trying to make it big for about four years now.  She is beautiful for sure but in a place where beauty is around every corner and the opportunity to become famous relies almost on the whim of chance she has become desperate, conniving and bitter.  Finally Salome.  Another female manipulated by those around her.  On top of this we have snippets of interviews and press articles that pretty soon make it apparent that something bad is going to happen

All three women have things in common.  Their beauty, which brings with it wanted and unwanted attention, the way they are manipulated by those around them and have little choice.  Her whole life Vera has played second fiddle to her sister – the one who was supposed to make it to Hollywood, prettier and more talented (according to their mother).  Vera never expected fame in fact she was more comfortable off camera composing music.  Thrown into a role she didn’t expect she is treated as little more than an object by those around her.  She’s just so lucky – or at least she’s constantly told she is.  Nancy, on the other hand, wants fame and fortune so badly that she’s become obsessed with it, she is the one doing the manipulating here but at the same time as massively disliking her and her self entitled expectations I did feel a little sorry for her.  In its way, Hollywood has also chewed up Nancy and spat her out.  She didn’t make the cut.  Salome.desired by men seems to hold some sort of irresistible pull – in fact I did do a little read up about Salome having finished this and her infamous dance of the seven veils, and there is speculation that Salome was only a child at the time, influenced by her mother and not in fact this siren who held sway over any man – perhaps her own story has been manipulated over time to become the one we know today.  Another male production with the woman at the centre holding sway and portrayed as a conniving she devil.

In terms of the writing.  Well, as I’ve come to expect this is nothing short of beautiful. The depiction of Hollywood is simply brilliant.  The way the studios ran the lives of their stars to the nth degree, telling them who to be seen with, what to wear and even where to go in order to be snapped favourably.  The place comes alive.

Criticisms.  I can’t really criticise the book to be honest.  What I would say is that I didn’t enjoy this particular story as much as some of the author’s other work but that’s a personal taste thing more than there being anything to criticise here.  I do think the start felt a little laboured and some of Salome’s chapters were a bit dry but it is a very thought provoking and well told tale.  If you love this Hollywood period I think you’ll get a real kick out of all the little details with this story.

In conclusion, not my favourite but still a very well told story that gave me plenty of food for thought and I confess I don’t think I’ve probably managed to articulate my real thoughts on these three stories as well as I’d like.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 3.5 of 5 stars rounded to 4