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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
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.
Review:
Fiona Davis is fast becoming one of my favorite historical fiction authors. As with her other works, The Chelsea Girls is set in New York City. The bulk of the novel happens in 1950. It was a time where Americans were told Communists were infiltrating every aspect of our institutions. With colorful, heart-breaking characters, and well researched historical details, this novel captures the fear and paranoia of the time, and the lost potential of a generation of artists.
What I Liked:
Setting:The book actually begins in Naples, Italy at the end of WWII, where Hazel (a new USO performer) is thrust onto the stage to entertain the troops. When one thinks of the USO, carefree images of Bob Hope yukking it up for the soldiers come to mind. This story shows the less glamorous side, where the show went on, rain or shine.
Later, the Hazel meets up with one of the other characters, Maxine, in New York City. It's 1950, and the entertainment industry is moving into high-gear. America is ready to be distracted. But there is also a lurking fear of Communists brought on by the Cold War. I am a total theatre geek, so reading about how Broadway shows were created was really fascinating to me.
Much of the scenes take place at the iconic Chelsea Hotel, where Hazel lives after a fight with her mother. This was one of the first co-op apartment buildings in New York, one that catered specifically to artists. The atmosphere and colorful residents made the hotel seem idyllic, where outsiders could create their own family.
Characters:
Hazel, who works as an understudy on Broadway, goes from being the butt of jokes to being taken seriously as a playwright. Even though the novel celebrates her artistic talents, Hazel is not an idealized character. She is jealous of how her bombshell friend Maxine gets all the attention. And her relationship with her mother is strained. She is also very self-riotous about not caving in to name communists when the government tries to blacklist her. I'm thankful she wasn't perfect. Her imperfections made her character more realistic.
Maxine is Hazel's friend who works as a film actress in Hollywood. She has a complicated life due to her relationship with her lover, Arthur. He is a classic abuser, vacillating between adoring her and hitting her. Later, we understand why she puts up with this. Maxine is also a complex character. At times, she is selfless, and then she rationalizes terrible choices in order to live with herself. It was what many people did in those days in order to survive.
Story:
The story is centered around the communist paranoia of the early 1950's. If one even attended a rally to fight fascism years earlier, one could be called a communist. This was a time where if someone didn't like you, all they needed to do to get you fired from your job was insinuate that you were a communist. If you tried to fight the charges, you would have to hire lawyers, or pay a $200 fee to a private company in order to clear your name.
There is a twist that occurs about two-thirds into the novel that completely turns the story on its head. I will not give it away, but this makes the book go from a morality piece to a suspense thriller. It really makes the book compelling, and I loved it.
Rating:
Release Date: July 30th, 2019
Author: Fiona Davis
Publisher: Dutton Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Length: 368 Pages
Source: Edelweiss
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: This work of historical fiction packs an emotional punch. Full of wonderful details. Highly recommended.
