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She Walks in Beauty
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I knew next to nothing about New York City's gilded age before reading this book, so this was both a history lesson and an eye-opener to the practices of that time period, expecially among the wealthy young women. I had no idea of the extent that corsets were damaging to the body and health of a woman, and it really explains much of the female behavior that has been epitomized in Hollywood's classic films, such as the common fainting spells. It shows that the "modern" world really has not changed very much in regards to the demands put on women to look and act a certain way to be regarded as attractive. The similarities between Hollywood and the Gilded Age are both remarkable and quite sad, from the encouragement of anorexia and the overindulgence of luxury to how the popularity of an individual can be solely determined by the words of the press.
I did enjoy following Clara's rise to fame and infamy, even if the glamour and mystery of it was stripped away, so to speak. The Christian themes of God loving you just as you are and having a purpose beyond the practices of "society" seemed muted and understated throughout the book, but rather than detracting from the plot, it only seemed to enhance it. While I have been under the impression that books that fall in this genre of Christian Fiction should focus mostly on some Christian theme, this particular book did not seem to. The focus seemed more on revealing the truth about what really happened in New York City's Gilded Age through the eyes of a debutante.
  
A Well-Behaved Woman
A Well-Behaved Woman
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
During the Gilded Age, New York’s high-society shunned the “Nuevo Riche” no matter how much wealth they had. This was true until Alva Smith decided to turn around both her own fortunes and the standing of the Vanderbilt family by marrying their last eligible son, William. Author Therese Anne Fowler tells this story in her latest book “A Well-Behaved Woman,” and you can find my review of this historical fiction novel, on my blog now.
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2018/10/06/the-gilding-of-a-lady/