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The Affair
A passionate, tender and captivating story of glamour, infidelity and love, behind the scenes of the most iconic Hollywood movie ever made
Rome 1961. The cameras roll on the film set of Cleopatra and the explosive Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton love affair is about to capture the world’s attention.
When Diana Bailey begins work as a historical advisor, tensions are running high. The film is in financial crisis and a media storm is brewing over the Taylor-Burton relationship.
Diana adjusts to a new life away from her troubled marriage, and strikes up a close friendship with Helen, a young make-up artist, as well as seeking solace in Ernesto, a charismatic member of the film crew. But Helen is harbouring a dark secret - one that will affect Diana in more ways than she could ever imagine…
An enthralling story of love and passion, set against the stunning backdrop of one of the most iconic Hollywood movies ever made.
Rome 1961. The cameras roll on the film set of Cleopatra and the explosive Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton love affair is about to capture the world’s attention.
When Diana Bailey begins work as a historical advisor, tensions are running high. The film is in financial crisis and a media storm is brewing over the Taylor-Burton relationship.
Diana adjusts to a new life away from her troubled marriage, and strikes up a close friendship with Helen, a young make-up artist, as well as seeking solace in Ernesto, a charismatic member of the film crew. But Helen is harbouring a dark secret - one that will affect Diana in more ways than she could ever imagine…
An enthralling story of love and passion, set against the stunning backdrop of one of the most iconic Hollywood movies ever made.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
1246 people are currently reading
1931 people want to read
About the author
Gill Paul
52 books1,827 followersGill Paul is the international bestselling author of thirteen novels, many of them reevaluating extraordinary twentieth-century women whom she believes have been marginalized or misjudged. Her novels have reached the top of the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Toronto Globe & Mail charts, and have been translated into twenty-three languages.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown. The Collector’s Daughter (2021) was named a Times ‘historical novel of the month’ and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a “sweeping, evocative tale” and in The Book List as “Witty, emotional and intelligent”.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown. The Collector’s Daughter (2021) was named a Times ‘historical novel of the month’ and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a “sweeping, evocative tale” and in The Book List as “Witty, emotional and intelligent”.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
March 31, 2018
2.75 stars
This is my 2nd Gill Paul read, my first having been "The Secret Wife" which I had proclaimed was a guilty pleasure. However, this was a book that I picked up and then put down again. The narrative surrounding the filming of Cleopatra was interesting, but the whole other narrative with the Italian drug wars wasn't that intriguing. Still, I would love to visit Italy.
This is my 2nd Gill Paul read, my first having been "The Secret Wife" which I had proclaimed was a guilty pleasure. However, this was a book that I picked up and then put down again. The narrative surrounding the filming of Cleopatra was interesting, but the whole other narrative with the Italian drug wars wasn't that intriguing. Still, I would love to visit Italy.
October 15, 2014
Quoting F. Scott Fitzgerald's remarkable words:
“A love affair is like a short story--it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning was easy, the middle might drag, invaded by commonplace, but the end, instead of being decisive and well knit with that element of revelatory surprise as a well-written story should be, it usually dissipated in a succession of messy and humiliating anticlimaxes.”
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's affair was one of the world’s most notorious and most talked about affair in its history. We fell with them, we cried with them, we resented with them, we hated with them, we envied with them, we burned with jealousy with them, we felt everything whatever La Taylor and Richard was feeling, because their affair was strikingly caught behind every paparazzi’s lenses to present to the world and theirs was the affair which shake each and everyone in this planet.
Gill Paul, an English historical fiction writer, has penned her new novel, The Affair based on real-life incidents and events during the year 1963 on the very sets of Cleopatra movie, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton, in Rome. It's not only a love story, but also involves around a dark-mystery and the underworld of Italian drug-mafias.
Millions times thanks to the author, Gill Paul, for sending me over a copy of her book, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Diana is a home-maker, when one fine day, she bags an offer from the 21st Century Fox cinemas to act as a "Historical Advisor" on the film sets of the movie Cleopatra in Rome, since she had done a P.H.D on life’s and tales about the most notorious queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. Diana's husband, Trevor, who is an academician, disregards Diana's lucrative offer, but Diana takes up the offer with a heavy heart by listening to herself. Upon her arrival, Diana realizes that the already high budget movie is falling behind finances and is drying up eventually to fulfill Elizabeth's all demands and wishes. But Diana's life changes around when she falls into the arms of an Italian man named Ernesto, who too used to work on the sets of Cleopatra and soon confiding in her new-found best friend, Helen, who used to be the make-up artist. But Helen harvested a dark secret and a deadly habit in the dark alleys and dingy bars of Rome, which eventually led her to an un-fateful road. Scott, a young journalist is on the fire to give a lesson and expose one of the most famous mafia kings to the world and is also making each and every ends to get a clear shot of La Taylor to satisfy his boss. When Richard Burton arrives on the sets, a passionate relationship grows behind the trailer doors and studio offices in Rome and the whole world is chasing them to get a shot of their affair.
Doesn't the blurb sounds awesome, reality mixed with fiction and author has successfully delivered her story to her readers. Flawlessly written and with such an extraordinary plot, the book is indeed an engrossing read. From the very first page, I got hooked into the tale and the pace is way too fast, and with the author's striking flow of narration, the book becomes more interesting. The author has blended the storyline of Taylor-Burton affair along with her own story about Diana, Scott, Trevor and Helen and about Italian mafia. While reading, I could feel the thrill running down my bones, and I could feel the author's passion in her words. The story takes you on a roller-coaster ride filled with emotions, mystery and too many affairs around the sets of Cleopatra movie in Rome. Not only the author has spun a mind-blowing tale but also the author has captured the flawless actress, Elizabeth Taylor so remarkably with her words.
Don't miss out this must-read book which not only awes you with the most famous affair of the world but also captivates you with the unraveling mystery about drugs and mafia lords.
P.S. Did you know that Cleopatra movie almost made 21st Century Fox cinemas bankrupt and the president of 21st Century Fox cinemas had to resign from his position? We can rightly say that Elizabeth Taylor was indeed an incredible actress!
“A love affair is like a short story--it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning was easy, the middle might drag, invaded by commonplace, but the end, instead of being decisive and well knit with that element of revelatory surprise as a well-written story should be, it usually dissipated in a succession of messy and humiliating anticlimaxes.”
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's affair was one of the world’s most notorious and most talked about affair in its history. We fell with them, we cried with them, we resented with them, we hated with them, we envied with them, we burned with jealousy with them, we felt everything whatever La Taylor and Richard was feeling, because their affair was strikingly caught behind every paparazzi’s lenses to present to the world and theirs was the affair which shake each and everyone in this planet.
Gill Paul, an English historical fiction writer, has penned her new novel, The Affair based on real-life incidents and events during the year 1963 on the very sets of Cleopatra movie, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton, in Rome. It's not only a love story, but also involves around a dark-mystery and the underworld of Italian drug-mafias.
Millions times thanks to the author, Gill Paul, for sending me over a copy of her book, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Diana is a home-maker, when one fine day, she bags an offer from the 21st Century Fox cinemas to act as a "Historical Advisor" on the film sets of the movie Cleopatra in Rome, since she had done a P.H.D on life’s and tales about the most notorious queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. Diana's husband, Trevor, who is an academician, disregards Diana's lucrative offer, but Diana takes up the offer with a heavy heart by listening to herself. Upon her arrival, Diana realizes that the already high budget movie is falling behind finances and is drying up eventually to fulfill Elizabeth's all demands and wishes. But Diana's life changes around when she falls into the arms of an Italian man named Ernesto, who too used to work on the sets of Cleopatra and soon confiding in her new-found best friend, Helen, who used to be the make-up artist. But Helen harvested a dark secret and a deadly habit in the dark alleys and dingy bars of Rome, which eventually led her to an un-fateful road. Scott, a young journalist is on the fire to give a lesson and expose one of the most famous mafia kings to the world and is also making each and every ends to get a clear shot of La Taylor to satisfy his boss. When Richard Burton arrives on the sets, a passionate relationship grows behind the trailer doors and studio offices in Rome and the whole world is chasing them to get a shot of their affair.
Doesn't the blurb sounds awesome, reality mixed with fiction and author has successfully delivered her story to her readers. Flawlessly written and with such an extraordinary plot, the book is indeed an engrossing read. From the very first page, I got hooked into the tale and the pace is way too fast, and with the author's striking flow of narration, the book becomes more interesting. The author has blended the storyline of Taylor-Burton affair along with her own story about Diana, Scott, Trevor and Helen and about Italian mafia. While reading, I could feel the thrill running down my bones, and I could feel the author's passion in her words. The story takes you on a roller-coaster ride filled with emotions, mystery and too many affairs around the sets of Cleopatra movie in Rome. Not only the author has spun a mind-blowing tale but also the author has captured the flawless actress, Elizabeth Taylor so remarkably with her words.
Don't miss out this must-read book which not only awes you with the most famous affair of the world but also captivates you with the unraveling mystery about drugs and mafia lords.
P.S. Did you know that Cleopatra movie almost made 21st Century Fox cinemas bankrupt and the president of 21st Century Fox cinemas had to resign from his position? We can rightly say that Elizabeth Taylor was indeed an incredible actress!
May 27, 2018
to be a wallflower in Elizabeth Taylor's world
January 25, 2019
The Affair is the story of Diana, a historical adviser on the set of Cleopatra in Rome in 1962 where the famous romance between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton began. Diana leaves her husband at home in the UK to take up a temporary job in Italy advising on the historical accuracy of the sets on the movie set. Shortly after arriving, Diana embarks on a love affair with Ernesto and doesn’t know if she wants to stay married to her husband, who at some years old than her and a professor in college, seems rather fuddy-duddy compared to the glamorous life she is living in Rome and her exciting affair with her Italian lover. In a side story we have Scott, an American journalist who is beaten up by members of a prominent mafia family for attempting to talk to the daughter of the head of the family. The police are not interested even though he can identify his attackers. He is bent on revenge and is determined to find out as much as he can about the crime family and expose them through an article he will write for the newspaper. Diana’s friend on the film set, Helen, becomes addicted to heroin and is supplied by the local drug dealer. However, when Diana and Helen have a row and Helen turns up dead, Diana is arrested for her murder. Who will believe she is innocent, can Elizabeth Taylor help her, will her husband want to know her when her love affair is exposed, will she be convicted of a murder she had nothing to do with …
I really enjoyed The Affair. Every page conjures up images of the nostalgic and glamorous Italy during a time when the movies that were made were epic, the likes of which we don’t see anymore, the screen stars were larger than life and news of their love lives, particularly salacious news like extra-marital affairs, was responsible for selling many, many copies of newspapers and magazines. I loved the story of Diana, who, although appearing to be older than her 26 years, was really a young woman who is swept up in her new glitzy life, far from the humdrum of married life in cold, rainy suburbia. Set against the backdrop of the Burton/Taylor romance, I loved the fact mixed with the fictional story and was busy looking up news articles of the romance itself, and also pictures of the director/producer, etc.. A very good read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed The Affair. Every page conjures up images of the nostalgic and glamorous Italy during a time when the movies that were made were epic, the likes of which we don’t see anymore, the screen stars were larger than life and news of their love lives, particularly salacious news like extra-marital affairs, was responsible for selling many, many copies of newspapers and magazines. I loved the story of Diana, who, although appearing to be older than her 26 years, was really a young woman who is swept up in her new glitzy life, far from the humdrum of married life in cold, rainy suburbia. Set against the backdrop of the Burton/Taylor romance, I loved the fact mixed with the fictional story and was busy looking up news articles of the romance itself, and also pictures of the director/producer, etc.. A very good read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 13, 2017
Interesting history of a movie. A bit long and seems to say adultery is okay if for love.
More about Diana, a historian, on the movie and her love life and Scott, a journalist, who is trying to write an article on the drug trafficking in Rome.
It lost some of the ump towards the end and I was ready for book to end.
More about Diana, a historian, on the movie and her love life and Scott, a journalist, who is trying to write an article on the drug trafficking in Rome.
It lost some of the ump towards the end and I was ready for book to end.
June 24, 2023
I loved this book! It had a couple slow parts, but was a great read!
May 24, 2013
Set in the 1960′s in Rome, Cleopatra is being filmed and the love affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton is about to set the world alight and grab the attention of people worldwide. But behind the scenes, there are more to the ‘backstage crew’ than meets the eye. Diana Bailey is given a job on set as a historical advisor, and when she arrives tensions are high, not only is the film having financial problems, but the relationship between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton is causing a stir. Diana is adjusting to life away from her troubled marriage, and finds a friend in make-up artist Helen, as well as growing close to Ernesto. But Helen has a dark secret that she has been hiding, one that could affect Diana greatly if it is revealed…
I loved The Affair! I started it on a morning and I had finished the book in two sittings. I was gripped from the first page, swept up in this fantastic novel and I could not turn the pages fast enough, I was so keen and eager to read on to find out what would happen next.
The setting of the book was brilliant. I loved the setting of Rome in the 1960′s, Gill Paul brought the story to life for me and I felt as though I had been transported back in time to Italy. In my mind I could see the scenes clearly in front of me and hear the sounds of Rome around me, and it was wonderful! I spent many glorious hours lost in the story and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The filming aspect was fascinating! I’ve never actually seen the film Cleopatra, but whilst I was reading the film set jumped from the pages and seemed so realistic to me. The detail was excellent and created a lot of vivid scenes in my mind, and I was so drawn in I now want to watch the film! It was so interesting to read about what happens on film sets, and to learn about the daily workings of a film project.
I particularly liked that the main characters were the ‘backstage crew’, I was very keen to read about the jobs that the backstage crew have, and I enjoyed reading about their personal stories, as it reinforced to me that every single person has their own story, background and things that they are working through or issues they are facing, whether they are in the forefront as the main actresses or hidden behind the scenes with the other crew members.
I won’t spoil anything but Diana and Helen in particular are exceptional characters and they have some very gripping, enthralling and sometimes intense scenes. There are a few surprises and at times I wasn’t sure which way the story would go, which only fuelled my desire to read on further.
The Affair is a compelling story of love, passion, glamour and secrets, with famous actors and actresses and the stunning setting of Rome to sweep you off your feet. This is a novel that must not be missed, and is a firm favourite of mine! Wow.
I loved The Affair! I started it on a morning and I had finished the book in two sittings. I was gripped from the first page, swept up in this fantastic novel and I could not turn the pages fast enough, I was so keen and eager to read on to find out what would happen next.
The setting of the book was brilliant. I loved the setting of Rome in the 1960′s, Gill Paul brought the story to life for me and I felt as though I had been transported back in time to Italy. In my mind I could see the scenes clearly in front of me and hear the sounds of Rome around me, and it was wonderful! I spent many glorious hours lost in the story and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The filming aspect was fascinating! I’ve never actually seen the film Cleopatra, but whilst I was reading the film set jumped from the pages and seemed so realistic to me. The detail was excellent and created a lot of vivid scenes in my mind, and I was so drawn in I now want to watch the film! It was so interesting to read about what happens on film sets, and to learn about the daily workings of a film project.
I particularly liked that the main characters were the ‘backstage crew’, I was very keen to read about the jobs that the backstage crew have, and I enjoyed reading about their personal stories, as it reinforced to me that every single person has their own story, background and things that they are working through or issues they are facing, whether they are in the forefront as the main actresses or hidden behind the scenes with the other crew members.
I won’t spoil anything but Diana and Helen in particular are exceptional characters and they have some very gripping, enthralling and sometimes intense scenes. There are a few surprises and at times I wasn’t sure which way the story would go, which only fuelled my desire to read on further.
The Affair is a compelling story of love, passion, glamour and secrets, with famous actors and actresses and the stunning setting of Rome to sweep you off your feet. This is a novel that must not be missed, and is a firm favourite of mine! Wow.
February 7, 2017
Beautiful cover. Tantalising title. Both elements promising an explosive read. A journey of emotional highs and searing lows. What I found across the pages was a tepid story with a sprinkling of a historical narrative.
Nothing stood out other than the topography and attractions of Rome. This heightened my desire to visit Rome one day. Drive into the sunset on a Vespa. Indulge in all things Italian. The arts, food, museums. Drink in the culture, the smells and eat all the pasta my stomach could handle.
Tepid storyline. Weak characters. The Elizabeth Taylor story within the story did nothing for Trevor and Diane's story or was it Diane, Ernesto and Helen??????? Gill failed to connect the little stories. How did Scott fit into the big picture?
I've given it two stars. Gill, for writing it and all the research that went into formulating this story. Creatively, it lacked the nuances required to knot the pieces together.
Nothing stood out other than the topography and attractions of Rome. This heightened my desire to visit Rome one day. Drive into the sunset on a Vespa. Indulge in all things Italian. The arts, food, museums. Drink in the culture, the smells and eat all the pasta my stomach could handle.
Tepid storyline. Weak characters. The Elizabeth Taylor story within the story did nothing for Trevor and Diane's story or was it Diane, Ernesto and Helen??????? Gill failed to connect the little stories. How did Scott fit into the big picture?
I've given it two stars. Gill, for writing it and all the research that went into formulating this story. Creatively, it lacked the nuances required to knot the pieces together.
May 27, 2013
I thought this was going to be a sloppy love story of a big affair but I was totally wrong!
Set in the 1960's on the set filming of the Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton film 'Cleopatra'. The whole book has a real 1960's feel and takes the reader though Rome with the Mafia and the romance of the time. Brilliantly written, the story is more like a factual background account of the filming of 'Cloepatra' crossed with a who done it, with the reader being on tender hooks for a lot of the book.
However the end left me disappointed and i would of liked it kept in the style of the book and not rushed.
Set in the 1960's on the set filming of the Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton film 'Cleopatra'. The whole book has a real 1960's feel and takes the reader though Rome with the Mafia and the romance of the time. Brilliantly written, the story is more like a factual background account of the filming of 'Cloepatra' crossed with a who done it, with the reader being on tender hooks for a lot of the book.
However the end left me disappointed and i would of liked it kept in the style of the book and not rushed.
September 20, 2019
This book was everything I wanted it to be and more! The story was a fun, flirty, dangerous, historical fiction set in Rome during the filming of Cleopatra in the early 1960’s. Perfect summer read, not too serious but kept my attention and took me by surprise once or twice.
Added bonus, I’ve learnt a few fun ‘trivia’ facts reading The Affair.
Enjoy! ☀️🍹
Added bonus, I’ve learnt a few fun ‘trivia’ facts reading The Affair.
Enjoy! ☀️🍹
March 5, 2021
Interesting premise, but the last half of the book with the murder mystery really downgraded the quality of the writing in my eyes.
2 1/2**
2 1/2**
December 31, 2024
Loved the back story of Taylor/Burton and the making of Cleopatra
October 14, 2016
I came to read the affair in a rather interesting way. I met author Gill Paul by accident. A beautiful woman with a cheerful smile and a warm personality, she was introduced to my by Karel Bata, a friend of Iain Clark (video producer and one of my best friends).
You see.. Karel worked on the production crew for the pilot episode of the Emmanuel Ray Show, which I co produced with Iain. We became friends and he invited me to his birthday party at The Heights Bar in St George’s Hotel, Mayfair. And that is where I met Gill. Our conversation was brief but interesting. We got on like a house on fire and she told me about her latest book The Affair.
I absolutely loved the idea behind it and the fact that it was based on true events and centered on the glamourous world of show business. Gill is an author of historical fiction, one of my favourite genres of literature. So I couldn’t wait to read her book and was overjoyed when she sent it to me by post, with a beautiful hand written note on a vintage post card. Classy!
So here’s what happens…
It’s 1961. London based historian Diana Bailey is thrilled to have been asked to work as a historical advisor on the Cleopatra film set. Diana specialises in Egyptology and took up the legendary Egyptian queen Cleopatra as her specialist subject so she is happy to have been offered a contract, doing a job she would thoroughly enjoy as it focuses on a personality she is passionate about.
But she is also anxious to leave her Professor husband, Trevor (her former tutor) behind. Trevor doesn’t seem very encouraging. He is considerably older than she is and feels like she is slipping away from him. Well, their marriage isn’t as exciting as it was when they shacked up together, you see. Something a lot of married couples can resonate with!
Anyway, Diana adapts a free spirit and sets off to Rome where she meets Helen, a young make-up artist on the film set. They become friends. Helen is full of life, gives Diana a make over and turns her from dowdy plain-jane historian into chic 60s glam kitten!
Diana gets carried away in the adrenaline soaked atmosphere of the film sets, the glamourous costumes, the exquisite make up and hustle and bustle, not to mention meeting Elizabeth Taylor face to face, both in character as Cleopatra, as well as behind the scenes, in her dressing gown with no make up on!
While trying to make sense of Hollywood versus historic accuracy, Diana struggles to overlook certain errors and finally understands that creative license and the commercial element of selling as many tickets as possible meant Hollywood glamour and sex appeal came first while historical facts took a backseat!
She gets carried away in a whirlwind romance too, with Ernesto, a charming Italian member of the film crew, while feeling guilty of leaving her husband behind in London and cheating on him.
Meanwhile, tensions on the set are running high with the film in financial crisis and the paparazzi whipping up a media storm over the very public affair unfolding between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Their love-hate relationship which borders on destruction, occasional alcohol-induced violence, mad passion and sex – all start to affect the film not to mention themselves and their spouses.
Taylor and Burton's affair had the world's press flocking to see them on set in Rome as they filmed 'Cleopatra.' We also bump into various interesting characters such as Scott, the American journalist who is under pressure from his editor to churn out sensational stories about the film and the affair between Taylor and Burton. He secretly hopes to become a “serious journalist,” and isn’t afraid to go snooping around in dangerous territory.
Various legendary characters make cameo appearances; Rex Harrison, Truman Capote, and Walter Wanger to name a few.
Our protagonist soon realises that the REAL drama happens off set. Then there’s a suicide. Or was it murder? Suddenly, the author grabs us from the romance, drama and glamour and drags us into Italy’s seedy underworld littered with drug dealers, vulnerable women, opportunistic men and the Mafia.
The story takes a brilliant turn at this point, and several unexpected things happen. The twists and turns in the plot are brilliantly orchestrated and this story about love and betrayal, passion and celebrity, against the backdrop of one of the most iconic films ever made, unfolds in a very entertaining fashion.
The opening sequence of the movie, sorry.. story (!) is set in a romantic atmosphere in Ischia. Gill Paul uses the beauty of nature, the sea and the early morning sunrise as elements to create the setting for one of the best stories I have ever read. Throughout the story, nature is ever present, as witness to one of the most talked about affairs in movie history (Burton and Taylor) which runs in parallel to another affair (Diana and Ernesto).
I won’t reveal anymore, so I suggest you get this book immediately and read it from cover to cover. It is perfect reading material for Spring/Summer. Why not buy this book, and go on a summer holiday to Italy? You can walk in the footsteps of the novel’s character’s (both famous and not), and even embark on your own affair! A holiday fling never hurt anyone (as long as it is just that, especially if you are partnered and leave your other half behind!).
The author’s use of language is perfect and the book can also make a good gift for someone who is looking to perfect their English, or just about anyone to be honest. The story is very entertaining and I felt like I was watching a film.
Did you know that Gill Paul has done extensive research into the time, setting and filming of Cleopatra, as well as learning the important happenings (there are references to the Italian Communist Party) in society at the time?
She has also tracked down and talked to actors who were part of the film, lawyers, and even some of her most loyal readers. Everything she writes about, from film production technique to costume design, landmarks in Italy to the language, way of life and funny happenings are all spot on!
One feels that Gill has actually been there and witnessed everything, as if she got into a time machine and hurtled herself back to the 1960s. The accuracy of the swinging 60s from fashion to lifestyle, is a perfect treat to fans of the timeless flower-power era!
And finally, this is as close as you would get to seeing LIVE snapshots of the legendary affair between Elizabeth Taylor (the world’s most famous actress at her time!) and Richard Burton (one of the finest classically trained English actors of the period), in the backdrop of Cleopatra, a very enjoyable and over-the-top movie which is certainly better than the critics said at the time, as Gill herself says.
Get the book, and I am sure you'll enjoy it.
You see.. Karel worked on the production crew for the pilot episode of the Emmanuel Ray Show, which I co produced with Iain. We became friends and he invited me to his birthday party at The Heights Bar in St George’s Hotel, Mayfair. And that is where I met Gill. Our conversation was brief but interesting. We got on like a house on fire and she told me about her latest book The Affair.
I absolutely loved the idea behind it and the fact that it was based on true events and centered on the glamourous world of show business. Gill is an author of historical fiction, one of my favourite genres of literature. So I couldn’t wait to read her book and was overjoyed when she sent it to me by post, with a beautiful hand written note on a vintage post card. Classy!
So here’s what happens…
It’s 1961. London based historian Diana Bailey is thrilled to have been asked to work as a historical advisor on the Cleopatra film set. Diana specialises in Egyptology and took up the legendary Egyptian queen Cleopatra as her specialist subject so she is happy to have been offered a contract, doing a job she would thoroughly enjoy as it focuses on a personality she is passionate about.
But she is also anxious to leave her Professor husband, Trevor (her former tutor) behind. Trevor doesn’t seem very encouraging. He is considerably older than she is and feels like she is slipping away from him. Well, their marriage isn’t as exciting as it was when they shacked up together, you see. Something a lot of married couples can resonate with!
Anyway, Diana adapts a free spirit and sets off to Rome where she meets Helen, a young make-up artist on the film set. They become friends. Helen is full of life, gives Diana a make over and turns her from dowdy plain-jane historian into chic 60s glam kitten!
Diana gets carried away in the adrenaline soaked atmosphere of the film sets, the glamourous costumes, the exquisite make up and hustle and bustle, not to mention meeting Elizabeth Taylor face to face, both in character as Cleopatra, as well as behind the scenes, in her dressing gown with no make up on!
While trying to make sense of Hollywood versus historic accuracy, Diana struggles to overlook certain errors and finally understands that creative license and the commercial element of selling as many tickets as possible meant Hollywood glamour and sex appeal came first while historical facts took a backseat!
She gets carried away in a whirlwind romance too, with Ernesto, a charming Italian member of the film crew, while feeling guilty of leaving her husband behind in London and cheating on him.
Meanwhile, tensions on the set are running high with the film in financial crisis and the paparazzi whipping up a media storm over the very public affair unfolding between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Their love-hate relationship which borders on destruction, occasional alcohol-induced violence, mad passion and sex – all start to affect the film not to mention themselves and their spouses.
Taylor and Burton's affair had the world's press flocking to see them on set in Rome as they filmed 'Cleopatra.' We also bump into various interesting characters such as Scott, the American journalist who is under pressure from his editor to churn out sensational stories about the film and the affair between Taylor and Burton. He secretly hopes to become a “serious journalist,” and isn’t afraid to go snooping around in dangerous territory.
Various legendary characters make cameo appearances; Rex Harrison, Truman Capote, and Walter Wanger to name a few.
Our protagonist soon realises that the REAL drama happens off set. Then there’s a suicide. Or was it murder? Suddenly, the author grabs us from the romance, drama and glamour and drags us into Italy’s seedy underworld littered with drug dealers, vulnerable women, opportunistic men and the Mafia.
The story takes a brilliant turn at this point, and several unexpected things happen. The twists and turns in the plot are brilliantly orchestrated and this story about love and betrayal, passion and celebrity, against the backdrop of one of the most iconic films ever made, unfolds in a very entertaining fashion.
The opening sequence of the movie, sorry.. story (!) is set in a romantic atmosphere in Ischia. Gill Paul uses the beauty of nature, the sea and the early morning sunrise as elements to create the setting for one of the best stories I have ever read. Throughout the story, nature is ever present, as witness to one of the most talked about affairs in movie history (Burton and Taylor) which runs in parallel to another affair (Diana and Ernesto).
I won’t reveal anymore, so I suggest you get this book immediately and read it from cover to cover. It is perfect reading material for Spring/Summer. Why not buy this book, and go on a summer holiday to Italy? You can walk in the footsteps of the novel’s character’s (both famous and not), and even embark on your own affair! A holiday fling never hurt anyone (as long as it is just that, especially if you are partnered and leave your other half behind!).
The author’s use of language is perfect and the book can also make a good gift for someone who is looking to perfect their English, or just about anyone to be honest. The story is very entertaining and I felt like I was watching a film.
Did you know that Gill Paul has done extensive research into the time, setting and filming of Cleopatra, as well as learning the important happenings (there are references to the Italian Communist Party) in society at the time?
She has also tracked down and talked to actors who were part of the film, lawyers, and even some of her most loyal readers. Everything she writes about, from film production technique to costume design, landmarks in Italy to the language, way of life and funny happenings are all spot on!
One feels that Gill has actually been there and witnessed everything, as if she got into a time machine and hurtled herself back to the 1960s. The accuracy of the swinging 60s from fashion to lifestyle, is a perfect treat to fans of the timeless flower-power era!
And finally, this is as close as you would get to seeing LIVE snapshots of the legendary affair between Elizabeth Taylor (the world’s most famous actress at her time!) and Richard Burton (one of the finest classically trained English actors of the period), in the backdrop of Cleopatra, a very enjoyable and over-the-top movie which is certainly better than the critics said at the time, as Gill herself says.
Get the book, and I am sure you'll enjoy it.
June 6, 2024
The Affair is an enjoyable but shallow women’s fiction novel set in 1960s Rome, which was first published in 2013. This came to me from Book Club and I was in the mood for something light, so it seemed to fit the bill. I was interested to read about the filming of the famous Cleopatra movie (which I have never seen) but didn’t like any of the characters.
Diana Bailey is a young English historical researcher specialising in ancient Egypt, so is thrilled to be invited to Rome to work on the extravagant production of Cleopatra staring Elizabeth Taylor. Her much older husband is not happy about being left in London, and refuses to come visit her. Embracing the glamorous world of movie-making, Diana is seduced by a local man, but it’s her friendship with a young make-up artist that really gets her into trouble…
This was easy reading but ultimately not very satisfying - there’s a subplot about the Italian heroin trade which leads to melodrama, and the backdrop of the tumultuous affair going on between Taylor and her co-star Richard Burton. I enjoyed the details of the film set but felt impatient at Diana’s naïveté and couldn’t stand sleazy journalist Scott. The ending left things mostly unresolved although I liked the epilogue about the fate of the various real-life characters. 3.5 rounded down.
Diana Bailey is a young English historical researcher specialising in ancient Egypt, so is thrilled to be invited to Rome to work on the extravagant production of Cleopatra staring Elizabeth Taylor. Her much older husband is not happy about being left in London, and refuses to come visit her. Embracing the glamorous world of movie-making, Diana is seduced by a local man, but it’s her friendship with a young make-up artist that really gets her into trouble…
This was easy reading but ultimately not very satisfying - there’s a subplot about the Italian heroin trade which leads to melodrama, and the backdrop of the tumultuous affair going on between Taylor and her co-star Richard Burton. I enjoyed the details of the film set but felt impatient at Diana’s naïveté and couldn’t stand sleazy journalist Scott. The ending left things mostly unresolved although I liked the epilogue about the fate of the various real-life characters. 3.5 rounded down.
April 3, 2024
good read... not as good as his other books.
July 4, 2024
Did not finish, read 128 pages and was board. The story line never went anywhere.
May 2, 2022
This book is well written and structured and I particularly enjoyed appearances by Burton and Taylor at key points in the plot.
However, the title does not sit well with the various plots which explore the dark underbelly of Roman society in the early sixties. I did not consider the affair to be the central plot. A bad mistake by the marketing and publishers?
However, the title does not sit well with the various plots which explore the dark underbelly of Roman society in the early sixties. I did not consider the affair to be the central plot. A bad mistake by the marketing and publishers?
November 6, 2021
I found this harder to get into than most of her books but ended up really enjoying it. Diana is a historical advisor on the Cleopatra movie.
I loved going behind the scenes to see how the movie was made and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's relationship.
You also get to see the seedy side of Italy at the time with the mafia running the city.
I loved going behind the scenes to see how the movie was made and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's relationship.
You also get to see the seedy side of Italy at the time with the mafia running the city.
May 31, 2013
I must confess that I wasn't a huge fan of Gill Paul's début novel “Women and Children.” I was sucked in completely by the premise of this one however, enticed by the glamorous Italian settings and a fictionalised romance juxtaposed against the real-life love affair of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton during the filming of the movie 'Cleopatra' in the 1960's. It sounded too good a romance novel to miss and like it would be a genuinely fascinating read.
Indeed, 'The Affair' has an excellent plot, full of drama, scandal and turbulent relationships which moves at a fluent pace. Its main protagonist is Diana Bailey, a historian who is hired by Twentieth Century Fox to be an adviser during the filming of Cleopatra in Rome. Diana's own story nicely contrasts with that of Burton and Taylor and both made for some very intriguing reading. It is evident the author has done her research as the novel was full of juicy titbits about the personal lives of both actor and actress during filming, as well as very relevant to other aspects of culture at the time, including fashion, music and politics. The story weaves different narratives together beautifully and is never boring, it has some crime and mystery too as there is an aspect of the book featuring an American journalist who is determined to uncover drug smuggling in the country and inadvertently finds himself mixed up with the Mafia. Eventually, he and Diana's lives intertwine in ways that neither of them anticipated.
The secondary characters were developed fairly well; some had more depth than others, but my opinion of them was constantly changing, which was good as it kept me interested as a reader. For instance, I didn't like Diana's husband, Trevor, at all when the story began, yet by the end I found myself hoping things would work out for the best for him. I also didn't like the way that Burton was portrayed either, but the author seemed to remain true to the Burton/Taylor romance and proved that not everything is as it appears from the outset. I also loved the cameo from Truman Capote at the end of the story- hilarious! This story very vividly depicts Rome, a place that I have visited and enjoyed very much, but I loved imagining it back in the 1960's- the imagery was just beautiful. It was also really absorbing to read about all the effort that goes into making a big budget movie, as well as the antics of the backstage crew, not just the main cast.
There were a few facets of the book I didn't like too much however: some of the storyline between journalist, Scott, and the Mafia seemed a bit too melodramatic for my tastes and I felt it diverted the attention away from Diana and of course, Burton and Taylor somewhat, whom I wanted to read more about. After building up the plot so much and being consistently brilliant for most of the way through, I also felt the ending petered out a bit too quickly and it felt slightly flatter than I had anticipated.
That aside, this book was a solid historical romance, very in-keeping with the times and one that held my interest throughout. I enjoyed it so much more than Paul's début novel and I'm very glad I read it- I was actually sorry to finish it; it is certainly a novel that I would recommend to anyone wanting to read a piece of historical romantic fiction.
Indeed, 'The Affair' has an excellent plot, full of drama, scandal and turbulent relationships which moves at a fluent pace. Its main protagonist is Diana Bailey, a historian who is hired by Twentieth Century Fox to be an adviser during the filming of Cleopatra in Rome. Diana's own story nicely contrasts with that of Burton and Taylor and both made for some very intriguing reading. It is evident the author has done her research as the novel was full of juicy titbits about the personal lives of both actor and actress during filming, as well as very relevant to other aspects of culture at the time, including fashion, music and politics. The story weaves different narratives together beautifully and is never boring, it has some crime and mystery too as there is an aspect of the book featuring an American journalist who is determined to uncover drug smuggling in the country and inadvertently finds himself mixed up with the Mafia. Eventually, he and Diana's lives intertwine in ways that neither of them anticipated.
The secondary characters were developed fairly well; some had more depth than others, but my opinion of them was constantly changing, which was good as it kept me interested as a reader. For instance, I didn't like Diana's husband, Trevor, at all when the story began, yet by the end I found myself hoping things would work out for the best for him. I also didn't like the way that Burton was portrayed either, but the author seemed to remain true to the Burton/Taylor romance and proved that not everything is as it appears from the outset. I also loved the cameo from Truman Capote at the end of the story- hilarious! This story very vividly depicts Rome, a place that I have visited and enjoyed very much, but I loved imagining it back in the 1960's- the imagery was just beautiful. It was also really absorbing to read about all the effort that goes into making a big budget movie, as well as the antics of the backstage crew, not just the main cast.
There were a few facets of the book I didn't like too much however: some of the storyline between journalist, Scott, and the Mafia seemed a bit too melodramatic for my tastes and I felt it diverted the attention away from Diana and of course, Burton and Taylor somewhat, whom I wanted to read more about. After building up the plot so much and being consistently brilliant for most of the way through, I also felt the ending petered out a bit too quickly and it felt slightly flatter than I had anticipated.
That aside, this book was a solid historical romance, very in-keeping with the times and one that held my interest throughout. I enjoyed it so much more than Paul's début novel and I'm very glad I read it- I was actually sorry to finish it; it is certainly a novel that I would recommend to anyone wanting to read a piece of historical romantic fiction.
July 24, 2014
Fiction set in Rome in the 1960s (featuring an “erotic vagrant” at Cinecittà)
Transport yourself back to Rome of the early 1960s, the paparazzi have just found their niche, vespas are de rigueur, and the dolce vita is in full swing. Diana, a British academic from London goes to Rome to oversee the historical accuracy on the film set of Cleopatra, at the Cinecittà Studios, leaving staid, dependable husband Trevor behind. Of course, in the 1960s women had less freedom to follow their career choices, so it is with a heavy heart, mixed with huge excitement that Diana heads off to Rome. Things are not easy between the two of them, Trevor retreats into his own world of academia, becoming more introspective and struggling without her; she meanwhile is consumed by the exciting challenges she encounters in the Eternal City.
She gradually develops a friendship with Helen and the two of them can often be found shopping or eating out together. But Helen is a troubled young woman and Diana is oblivious to any signs. Lives overlap with Scott, a reporter in the city from America. It is how their stories intertwine that makes for a gripping read and for an unpredictable end.
Add the glamour of Elizabeth Taylor and witness the ‘blazing conflagration’ that is the burgeoning relationship with Richard Burton into the mix and the stage is set for melodrama, tension and heady high times. It is the paparazzi (a term coined by Fellini in his 1960 film La Dolce Vita) who hound her and it is the Vatican who censors her in terms of an erotic vagrant for her affair with Burton. Contemporary relationships play out on the set, the original affair between Antony and Cleopatra mirrors the past with the present.
Visit the Villa Papa on the Via Appia Antica where Elizabeth is lodging. Enjoy Fettucine Alfredo, created by Alfredo di Lelio which has become a classic dish in its own right (fettucine essentially tossed with Parmesan and butter). Ride the city on the back of a Vespa and pop down to Ischia which doubles as Tarsus for film purposes. At the end the author writes briefly about the making of the film Cleopatra which was one of the most expensive films ever made and she describes the impact the Burton/Taylor affair had on it. It is a fascinating backstory.
Throughout the novel Italian phrases are dropped in – whether you can understand them or not is irrelevant, they thoroughly add to the Roman mood (though, when a phrase is translated it’s a bit of a whoops moment: “Chiami l’Ambasciata Americana, per favore” is translated as ‘Call the British Embassy” – but perhaps even back then the Brits were in the pockets of the Americans…)
Enjoy this great novel, an enthralling story of love and passion set against the backdrop of one of the most iconic films ever made
Transport yourself back to Rome of the early 1960s, the paparazzi have just found their niche, vespas are de rigueur, and the dolce vita is in full swing. Diana, a British academic from London goes to Rome to oversee the historical accuracy on the film set of Cleopatra, at the Cinecittà Studios, leaving staid, dependable husband Trevor behind. Of course, in the 1960s women had less freedom to follow their career choices, so it is with a heavy heart, mixed with huge excitement that Diana heads off to Rome. Things are not easy between the two of them, Trevor retreats into his own world of academia, becoming more introspective and struggling without her; she meanwhile is consumed by the exciting challenges she encounters in the Eternal City.
She gradually develops a friendship with Helen and the two of them can often be found shopping or eating out together. But Helen is a troubled young woman and Diana is oblivious to any signs. Lives overlap with Scott, a reporter in the city from America. It is how their stories intertwine that makes for a gripping read and for an unpredictable end.
Add the glamour of Elizabeth Taylor and witness the ‘blazing conflagration’ that is the burgeoning relationship with Richard Burton into the mix and the stage is set for melodrama, tension and heady high times. It is the paparazzi (a term coined by Fellini in his 1960 film La Dolce Vita) who hound her and it is the Vatican who censors her in terms of an erotic vagrant for her affair with Burton. Contemporary relationships play out on the set, the original affair between Antony and Cleopatra mirrors the past with the present.
Visit the Villa Papa on the Via Appia Antica where Elizabeth is lodging. Enjoy Fettucine Alfredo, created by Alfredo di Lelio which has become a classic dish in its own right (fettucine essentially tossed with Parmesan and butter). Ride the city on the back of a Vespa and pop down to Ischia which doubles as Tarsus for film purposes. At the end the author writes briefly about the making of the film Cleopatra which was one of the most expensive films ever made and she describes the impact the Burton/Taylor affair had on it. It is a fascinating backstory.
Throughout the novel Italian phrases are dropped in – whether you can understand them or not is irrelevant, they thoroughly add to the Roman mood (though, when a phrase is translated it’s a bit of a whoops moment: “Chiami l’Ambasciata Americana, per favore” is translated as ‘Call the British Embassy” – but perhaps even back then the Brits were in the pockets of the Americans…)
Enjoy this great novel, an enthralling story of love and passion set against the backdrop of one of the most iconic films ever made
May 17, 2018
“Secret Wife” was my first book written by Gill Paul and I throughly enjoyed it. (5 stars). However, my excitement at discovering a “new to me” author quickly dissipated with “The Affair.” It lacks depth and its superficiality is annoying to read. The dialogue is choppy and shallow. The situations that most of the characters find themselves in (the betrayed husband, the journalist hoping for his break, the friend who meets an unfortunate end) lack emotional depth. The book disappointed me in every way.
May 9, 2018
Not worth the time invested
Well-written and definitely grabbed my attention, otherwise I would have given it a single star. But a very abrupt ending with no real conclusion. I was disappointed and hoped for a tidy wrap
Well-written and definitely grabbed my attention, otherwise I would have given it a single star. But a very abrupt ending with no real conclusion. I was disappointed and hoped for a tidy wrap
February 10, 2019
I liked how the story was set against the backdrop of the making of Cleopatra and the Burton/Taylor affair, but then there was a reporter/mob/drug side plot that added nothing to the story and did not seem to fit with the rest of the book.
January 5, 2020
So relieved to turn the last page of this book...I endured it as I enjoyed Gill Paul’s previous books....hope Another Woman’s Husband (next on my waiting to be read shelf) is up to her historical reputation as in The Secret Wife...
April 12, 2018
confusing to start ..... finished after 3 weeks ... need I say more
January 1, 2019
Other Gill Paul books are better.
April 6, 2015
It was somehow completely different than I expected it to be - but still very nice.
July 26, 2019
To be honest, I was initially only excited to read The Affair because Elizabeth Taylor was a character. The Affair used the internationally infamous affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton on the Roman set of Cleopatra in the 1960s as the backdrop to this novel. The scandal that followed these two lovers onto the set was not only fantastic to read about, it prompted Diana to make choices that had major ramifications and made for an entertaining romantic and historical fiction novel with a mystery flair.
Diana was a historian who knew everything about Cleopatra and the period she lived in. When she was hired by the filming company to be a consultant on set in Rome, she took the job even though it meant she would be away from her husband in London for months. Their rocky marriage was the catalyst for the decision, as she felt she needed to re-examine whether they should stay together. Her desire to live independently in Rome against her husband's wishes made her an independent woman who was a strong protagonist.
Of course, my favorite parts were when Elizabeth made an appearance. She was sultry, confident and vulnerable, and all of these qualities seemed to accurately portray the iconic movie star. Elizabeth’s approach to the gossip and ridicule she endured was to simply continue living her life by following her heart. As Diana watched Elizabeth engage in an affair with Burton and toss away her marriage with Eddie Fisher, Diana questioned her own marriage to Paul. The author made Elizabeth a positive character by using her as a role model to women to be with a man who would truly love and appreciate them. Diana was a kind friend and a devoted consultant, but the book's title applied to her when she began a dalliance with a Roman that led her down a dangerous road. At the end of the book, there was a dead body and a subplot that ventured much too far into drugs, the Italian mafia, and a reporter anxious for a story. I wasn’t all that thrilled with this part of the story, but it did help bring everything all back together and culminated in a satisfying ending.
This was an entertaining novel that movie buffs, romantics, and historical fiction fans would love. I felt all the characters were well developed and given traits that humanized them in individual ways. The writer had an easy writing style that made this a fun read.
Diana was a historian who knew everything about Cleopatra and the period she lived in. When she was hired by the filming company to be a consultant on set in Rome, she took the job even though it meant she would be away from her husband in London for months. Their rocky marriage was the catalyst for the decision, as she felt she needed to re-examine whether they should stay together. Her desire to live independently in Rome against her husband's wishes made her an independent woman who was a strong protagonist.
Of course, my favorite parts were when Elizabeth made an appearance. She was sultry, confident and vulnerable, and all of these qualities seemed to accurately portray the iconic movie star. Elizabeth’s approach to the gossip and ridicule she endured was to simply continue living her life by following her heart. As Diana watched Elizabeth engage in an affair with Burton and toss away her marriage with Eddie Fisher, Diana questioned her own marriage to Paul. The author made Elizabeth a positive character by using her as a role model to women to be with a man who would truly love and appreciate them. Diana was a kind friend and a devoted consultant, but the book's title applied to her when she began a dalliance with a Roman that led her down a dangerous road. At the end of the book, there was a dead body and a subplot that ventured much too far into drugs, the Italian mafia, and a reporter anxious for a story. I wasn’t all that thrilled with this part of the story, but it did help bring everything all back together and culminated in a satisfying ending.
This was an entertaining novel that movie buffs, romantics, and historical fiction fans would love. I felt all the characters were well developed and given traits that humanized them in individual ways. The writer had an easy writing style that made this a fun read.
March 2, 2017
Interesting concept interwoven with reality!
This is a fictional story of a woman who is hired to work as a research advisor on the crew of the production of the historical Hollywood classic film, "Cleopatra." The story is interesting and interwoven well in the historical drama of the making of the film and uses artistic license to include interaction with real people involved in the casting and creation of the movie, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The use of this unusual technique adds additional depth and intrigue to the story as well as offering a glimpse into what had to be a wonderful and difficult part of their legendary romance. The storyline is clear and easy to follow with additional well created characters that are as easy to accept as Taylor and Burton. However, there's definitely multiple distinct stories happening at the same time with only the slightest rope tethering them together. I was a little disturbed and uncomfortable with that. I felt the main storyline suffered a bit by the efforts to keep all the tales equally as interesting, complex and intriguing as possible. The emotional component of the story was beautiful when expressed through the eyes of love but felt somewhat flat during the emotional difficult period after a tragic loss and all secrets are revealed. I would still recommend this book despite these minor distractions! It's a fun and easy read, offers plenty of opportunities to smile throughout. It's entertaining and a pleasurable escape into a different world and different time and ultimately that's really the sign of a well written novel! I look forward to reading more books by this author as this was my first introduction to her work.
This is a fictional story of a woman who is hired to work as a research advisor on the crew of the production of the historical Hollywood classic film, "Cleopatra." The story is interesting and interwoven well in the historical drama of the making of the film and uses artistic license to include interaction with real people involved in the casting and creation of the movie, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The use of this unusual technique adds additional depth and intrigue to the story as well as offering a glimpse into what had to be a wonderful and difficult part of their legendary romance. The storyline is clear and easy to follow with additional well created characters that are as easy to accept as Taylor and Burton. However, there's definitely multiple distinct stories happening at the same time with only the slightest rope tethering them together. I was a little disturbed and uncomfortable with that. I felt the main storyline suffered a bit by the efforts to keep all the tales equally as interesting, complex and intriguing as possible. The emotional component of the story was beautiful when expressed through the eyes of love but felt somewhat flat during the emotional difficult period after a tragic loss and all secrets are revealed. I would still recommend this book despite these minor distractions! It's a fun and easy read, offers plenty of opportunities to smile throughout. It's entertaining and a pleasurable escape into a different world and different time and ultimately that's really the sign of a well written novel! I look forward to reading more books by this author as this was my first introduction to her work.
March 20, 2017
The one book that does it all
This historical fiction romantic mystery thriller follows an (I'm assuming) fictional British researcher, Diana, who somehow manages to land a gig assessing the historical accuracy of the filming of Cleopatra, the epic and near disastrous early 60s picture where stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton actually met and fell in love. Though the main story is about Diana, the semi-real situation a woman choosing to pursue a career in the early 60s might have endured (think: Amazon's Good Girls Revolt) whose choices illuminate the overlooked problems in her marriage, resulting in a torrid affair with a fairly slimy local who seems almost like a protagonist for a few minutes. There's a side story about a young reporter (Scott) who, through a semi-unbelievable encounter, ends up investigating the mafia, putting his own and several other people's lives in danger. After a murder, some unlikely people come together to resolve it and help find a happy ending.
There are a few stretches, including the likelihood of the employment of Diana in the first place, and the odd behavior of her husband, unexplained except seemingly to drive the plot. We are shown the Italian lover through the eyes of the protagonist, and as unbelievable as his character seems at times, it rings true from the sense of how people in general, but particularly women, can be so caught up by passion and other emotions they fail to see or even ignore the evidence in front of them. As mentioned, Scott's story starts out with one astounding encounter, and winds through many others, including a fantastic twist featuring Truman Capote.
Any plot holes and stretches can be forgiven by the interesting explorations of life on 60s Roman movie sets like Cinecittà, and entertainingly potrayed relationships and scenarios with Taylor, Burton, and others.
This historical fiction romantic mystery thriller follows an (I'm assuming) fictional British researcher, Diana, who somehow manages to land a gig assessing the historical accuracy of the filming of Cleopatra, the epic and near disastrous early 60s picture where stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton actually met and fell in love. Though the main story is about Diana, the semi-real situation a woman choosing to pursue a career in the early 60s might have endured (think: Amazon's Good Girls Revolt) whose choices illuminate the overlooked problems in her marriage, resulting in a torrid affair with a fairly slimy local who seems almost like a protagonist for a few minutes. There's a side story about a young reporter (Scott) who, through a semi-unbelievable encounter, ends up investigating the mafia, putting his own and several other people's lives in danger. After a murder, some unlikely people come together to resolve it and help find a happy ending.
There are a few stretches, including the likelihood of the employment of Diana in the first place, and the odd behavior of her husband, unexplained except seemingly to drive the plot. We are shown the Italian lover through the eyes of the protagonist, and as unbelievable as his character seems at times, it rings true from the sense of how people in general, but particularly women, can be so caught up by passion and other emotions they fail to see or even ignore the evidence in front of them. As mentioned, Scott's story starts out with one astounding encounter, and winds through many others, including a fantastic twist featuring Truman Capote.
Any plot holes and stretches can be forgiven by the interesting explorations of life on 60s Roman movie sets like Cinecittà, and entertainingly potrayed relationships and scenarios with Taylor, Burton, and others.
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