Lillian, known as Angelica in the art world, was beside herself after her mother died and was running out of jobs and money. My tangled nerves in the passenger seat hadn't dissipated with the end of the marriage. While I'm perfectly fine behind the wheel of a car, as a passenger, I had become that annoying person no one wants to drive with: hitting the imaginary brake with my right foot, clutching the arm rest as if it were a lifeline. As we drove down the parkway, cars wildly merged in from the right while others flew up fast from behind. Greg -- who I trust completely, love dearly and has way better reflexes than mine -- stayed perfectly calm as I gasped, gripped and stamped. I tried to stifle my impulses but that only made it worse.

As Veronica tries to find a way out, a snowstorm suddenly hits the city, leaving her trapped inside with no power. With no means of communication, and nobody aware of her presence, Veronica is left to fend for herself in the eerie, desolate mansion. The Magnolia Palace is a remarkable endeavor by the talented Fiona Davis. Davis walks us across an unexpected bridge of thought that spans from 1919 after the Great War and its impact on society to the Mod Years of the 1960's and beyond. It serves as a split screen depicting those who held on covetously to the past and those who blindly chased the future. I dove into researching the disease just as I do for my books and learned a lot. Turns out it's caused by nerve damage in the brain that lowers dopamine levels and over time, the four major symptoms -- tremor, stiffness, slow movement and balance problems -- only get worse. However, I also discovered that everyone's journey on the Parkinson's roller coaster is different. That tremors can be controlled with medication and that high-intensity exercise appears to slow the progression. I spoke several women who'd been diagnosed at my age and ten years later were still going strong. What do you see as the the difference between being looked at looked and being seen? When have you been looked at? How did that make you feel? When have you been seen? How did that make you feel? Mr. Rossi waited, holding a boxwood shaper in one hand and a rag in the other. Even after six years of posing, Lillian had never quite gotten used to being called by her stage name, chosen by her mother, Kitty, to protect her family’s reputation, which was a real laugh. As if they were the Astors or something. Lillian pulled the silk up over her shoulder so only one breast was exposed. The material was slippery and refused to

Another brilliant historical thriller from Davis, this time set in a Gilded Age mansion in New York City. You will fall in love with Lillian, the penniless young artist's model surviving the Spanish Flu of 1919, and Veronica, the young mod model of the 1960s, and Davis's deftly written and beautifully woven feminist storytelling." - Tara Moss I see that many people adored this book. My review does not seem to align with many other readers. I just didn't find a connection in the romance, an engaging mystery, or a dual plot that aligned. I think the characters were interesting and dynamic, but the story unfolded too slowly for me.

Where and how do you enjoy viewing art? Is there a time of day or a season or a setting that is most conducive to your appreciation? How do the stories behind the artwork— whether that of the painter or the subject or the collector— enhance or detract from your art appreciation? How has art moved you? How do you think about private collections versus public institutions owning masterpieces? The summary for The Magnolia Palace delves into the plot, characters, and themes of the novel, providing a comprehensive understanding of the book’s nuances. Thanks to Penguin Group Dutton & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. #TheMagnoliaPalace #NetGalley The magic of Fiona Davis is the tenderness with which she crafts her settings, so that they bloom into characters themselves. We come to know them. We come to love them. And they help us to understand our place in time. The Magnolia Palace is a love letter to art and history. An intriguing, beautiful read." - Sarah Addison Allen

More from The Author

I savor every glorious new Fiona Davis novel and The Magnolia Palace has it all—two intriguing heroines, two fabulous time periods to get swept up in, and a delicious mystery that keeps you on tenterhooks. I loved every minute of it!" - Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls and Sunflower Sisters

Control means a lot to me. My family moved around a lot when I was young, and not knowing what was going to happen the next day or the next month turned me into an anxious kid. I laid out my school outfits the night before and was a straight-A student who never missed an assignment. As an adult, I created a life that suited my nature perfectly. I became an author, setting my own hours and writing novels in my home office. I held a delicious control over every character: I decided if they were happy or sad, whether they lived or died. Glorious. THE MAGNOLIA PALACE is a gem with a mystery, a murder, a famous family, and memorable characters you will connect with and a book you will not want to miss. 5/5 Despite her fame as Angelica, Lillian’s career is at a standstill, and her mother, Kitty, has recently passed away. One day, upon returning home, Lillian stumbles upon the murder of her landlord’s wife, and although she had no part in it, the authorities suspect her involvement. After years of estrangement, Helen and Lillian finally reconcile and let go of the past. Inspired by the Magnolia Diamond’s legacy, Helen uses the gem to fund a scholarship program. Joshua, who had been struggling to finance his graduate studies, becomes the scholarship’s inaugural beneficiary. Meanwhile, Veronica, now employed as Helen’s new private secretary, brings her family, including her beloved sister Polly, to live in America. Together, they embark on a new chapter of their lives, filled with hope and promise for the future. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is an excellent historical novel, also set in New York City, that opens up a conversation on art and being seen. The novel Horse by Geraldine Brooks is also a very good choice for a conversation on art and unknown stories. Looked at and being seenAs a Columbia School of Journalism graduate, Davis is celebrated for her historical mystery novels that revolve around New York City’s iconic structures. I signed up for boxing classes, vowed to work out six days a week and do everything I could to take care of myself. Which included letting go of the illusion of control. Eventually, I may be no longer able to get "behind the wheel" -- of my car or of life in general -- the one thing I was determined to avoid. Yet that realization is surprisingly liberating. Now that I simply don't know what will happen ten years from now, or even five, every day that I'm up and moving around is a gift. It's freeing to twitch without self-consciousness (at the moment, medication helps control it quite effectively), and instead be grateful for how terrific my life is. Grateful for going on a hike with Greg or working on a new book.