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The Gallery
An historical art mystery set in the Roaring Twenties!
It’s 1929, and twelve-year-old Martha has no choice but to work as a maid in the New York City mansion of the wealthy Sewell family. But, despite the Gatsby-like parties and trimmings of success, she suspects something might be deeply wrong in the household—specifically with Rose Sewell, the formerly vivacious lady of the house who now refuses to leave her room. The other servants say Rose is crazy, but scrappy, strong-willed Martha thinks there’s more to the story—and that the paintings in the Sewell’s gallery contain a hidden message detailing the truth. But in a house filled with secrets, nothing is quite what it seems, and no one is who they say. Can Martha follow the clues, decipher the code, and solve the mystery of what’s really going on with Rose Sewell . . . ?
Inspired by true events described in the author’s note.
It’s 1929, and twelve-year-old Martha has no choice but to work as a maid in the New York City mansion of the wealthy Sewell family. But, despite the Gatsby-like parties and trimmings of success, she suspects something might be deeply wrong in the household—specifically with Rose Sewell, the formerly vivacious lady of the house who now refuses to leave her room. The other servants say Rose is crazy, but scrappy, strong-willed Martha thinks there’s more to the story—and that the paintings in the Sewell’s gallery contain a hidden message detailing the truth. But in a house filled with secrets, nothing is quite what it seems, and no one is who they say. Can Martha follow the clues, decipher the code, and solve the mystery of what’s really going on with Rose Sewell . . . ?
Inspired by true events described in the author’s note.
321 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 535 reviews
March 3, 2018
Delightful!
Read
June 24, 2016Putting this audiobook on hold 8 chapters in.
I like the story, and I usually really like Jorjeana Marie's narration, but I find the broad, exaggerated accent she's doing for this 1920s book too distracting. I keep picturing a little girl playing dressup/make-believe imitating gangster/mob movies. :/ I guess I'll try to get ahold of the book eventually...
I like the story, and I usually really like Jorjeana Marie's narration, but I find the broad, exaggerated accent she's doing for this 1920s book too distracting. I keep picturing a little girl playing dressup/make-believe imitating gangster/mob movies. :/ I guess I'll try to get ahold of the book eventually...
January 2, 2017
4.5 stars
Set in the late 1920’s, The Gallery is a fast-moving, highly entertaining read that is a combination of historical fiction and gothic mystery. Expelled from school at age 12, Martha goes to work in the Sewell mansion alongside her mother. The longer Martha works at the 5th Avenue mansion, the more Martha begins to suspect that everything is not as it seems at the Sewell household. Meanwhile, she discovers that paintings in the Sewell’s gallery contain messages that someone is hoping Martha will decode. Fitzgerald did a lot of research and included tons of fun facts that provided an added benefit to the story. The mystery was clever, and I loved the ending.
While it is a children’s book, I think it will appeal to all ages; it certainly held my attention. Also, the cover is gorgeous and is worth inspecting. Cleverly, all sorts of clues can be found there too. I highly recommend The Gallery - it was a quick and fun read and a great way to start my 2017 reading.
Set in the late 1920’s, The Gallery is a fast-moving, highly entertaining read that is a combination of historical fiction and gothic mystery. Expelled from school at age 12, Martha goes to work in the Sewell mansion alongside her mother. The longer Martha works at the 5th Avenue mansion, the more Martha begins to suspect that everything is not as it seems at the Sewell household. Meanwhile, she discovers that paintings in the Sewell’s gallery contain messages that someone is hoping Martha will decode. Fitzgerald did a lot of research and included tons of fun facts that provided an added benefit to the story. The mystery was clever, and I loved the ending.
While it is a children’s book, I think it will appeal to all ages; it certainly held my attention. Also, the cover is gorgeous and is worth inspecting. Cleverly, all sorts of clues can be found there too. I highly recommend The Gallery - it was a quick and fun read and a great way to start my 2017 reading.
February 4, 2016
I received this advanced readers copy at ALA Midwinter in Boston.
I adored this book! I don't read a lot of middle grade and was hesitant to pick The Gallery up. What made me give it a chance?
1. It's set in 1929 - a FUN time period to read about
2. It revolves around service - I love books about service, I find it fascinating
3. Martha is plucky - the way she forgets she is in service and can't talk to people the way she does
4. It didn't read like a middle grade book - what I mean by that is the author didn't dumb everything down. I honestly forgot I was reading a mg book!
I think readers who enjoy history, art and mystery will enjoy this book!
I adored this book! I don't read a lot of middle grade and was hesitant to pick The Gallery up. What made me give it a chance?
1. It's set in 1929 - a FUN time period to read about
2. It revolves around service - I love books about service, I find it fascinating
3. Martha is plucky - the way she forgets she is in service and can't talk to people the way she does
4. It didn't read like a middle grade book - what I mean by that is the author didn't dumb everything down. I honestly forgot I was reading a mg book!
I think readers who enjoy history, art and mystery will enjoy this book!
May 3, 2019
3.5/5
The late 1920s setting of this book was the shining star. I loved Fitzgerald’s details, especially those that are particularly clever in retrospect. In addition to history (1929 stock crash, Sacco and Vanzetti), there are a lot of art and mythology references.
The book is well-crafted and well-researched and serves as a great introduction for middle-grade readers; I think it will inspire readers to do outside research as well.
“Hasn’t the world always been full of monsters and lies? Isn’t it our place to fight them, to tell the truth, to rewrite the story?”
The Gallery has Jane Eyre vibes.
The main character, Martha, believes the woman of the house in which she works is being held captive in the attic. She shows a lot of moxie and ingenuity in trying to solve the mystery of the Zelda Fitzgerald-esque mistress. It’s a fun ride.
The late 1920s setting of this book was the shining star. I loved Fitzgerald’s details, especially those that are particularly clever in retrospect. In addition to history (1929 stock crash, Sacco and Vanzetti), there are a lot of art and mythology references.
The book is well-crafted and well-researched and serves as a great introduction for middle-grade readers; I think it will inspire readers to do outside research as well.
“Hasn’t the world always been full of monsters and lies? Isn’t it our place to fight them, to tell the truth, to rewrite the story?”
The Gallery has Jane Eyre vibes.
The main character, Martha, believes the woman of the house in which she works is being held captive in the attic. She shows a lot of moxie and ingenuity in trying to solve the mystery of the Zelda Fitzgerald-esque mistress. It’s a fun ride.
August 24, 2016
So.....while I liked the mystery central to the book...I took issue with several things which influenced my overall opinion of just two stars.....
First off, AUTHORS! DON'T EVER SPOIL A CLASSIC NOVEL BY REVEALING ITS SECRETS! EVER!!!! Especially when that novel happens to be the greatest novel written in the English language: Jane Eyre. Why, why WHY, in a book for young people would you give that away? You've ruined their experience for that (in this case, very delicious!) novel when they pick it up in the future. Call me fussy, but I just think as a writer that is a cardinal rule you should never break :( It's terribly rude.
Second..I am confused as to what age this is written for? I thought it was middle grade, but after letting my 12 year old niece read it first and then reading it myself......I felt rather sheepish. It touches on topics-in particular, infidelity-that I personally feel should be left out for young readers. Though I realize, that's probably just me. There was also a few curse words and a lot of depiction of folks getting drunk. Again, this wouldn't faze older teens, but younger middle grade it might.
Third...the plot hole........
The whole story centers on Rose who is being drugged and held at her will on the 3rd floor by her rotten husband and, on Martha's attempts to free her. No one seems to suspect Mr. Sewell's evil intentions except Martha and Alphonse (he does nothing.) Rose's mother is too smitten with Mr. Sewell and rejects all Martha's warnings about what is really going on. There is also a body guard who is stationed at Rose's door 24/7. No one except Martha tries to help Rose and they all seem to believe Mr. Sewell's rubbish about Rose being mad. Suddenly, the Stock Market takes a plunge...and Mr. Sewell comes home to find all the staff suddenly siding with Rose. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? They all thought she was crazy. Did she tap on her door and say, Excuse me...The Stock Market crashed, my husband is penniless-would you please let me out like you could have done a hundred other times but didn't? Since I am telling you he is penniless, will you now believe me?" We see nothing of this sudden change of heart of the staff. It totally didn't add up and was very anticlimactic.
Lastly, there were various typos in the book and it wasn't until about 100 pages in that anything of real interest even happened.
So, those are my gripes. The era was super interesting and the general plot line was clever, but the other issues dulled the shine of this novel. :(
First off, AUTHORS! DON'T EVER SPOIL A CLASSIC NOVEL BY REVEALING ITS SECRETS! EVER!!!! Especially when that novel happens to be the greatest novel written in the English language: Jane Eyre. Why, why WHY, in a book for young people would you give that away? You've ruined their experience for that (in this case, very delicious!) novel when they pick it up in the future. Call me fussy, but I just think as a writer that is a cardinal rule you should never break :( It's terribly rude.
Second..I am confused as to what age this is written for? I thought it was middle grade, but after letting my 12 year old niece read it first and then reading it myself......I felt rather sheepish. It touches on topics-in particular, infidelity-that I personally feel should be left out for young readers. Though I realize, that's probably just me. There was also a few curse words and a lot of depiction of folks getting drunk. Again, this wouldn't faze older teens, but younger middle grade it might.
Third...the plot hole........
The whole story centers on Rose who is being drugged and held at her will on the 3rd floor by her rotten husband and, on Martha's attempts to free her. No one seems to suspect Mr. Sewell's evil intentions except Martha and Alphonse (he does nothing.) Rose's mother is too smitten with Mr. Sewell and rejects all Martha's warnings about what is really going on. There is also a body guard who is stationed at Rose's door 24/7. No one except Martha tries to help Rose and they all seem to believe Mr. Sewell's rubbish about Rose being mad. Suddenly, the Stock Market takes a plunge...and Mr. Sewell comes home to find all the staff suddenly siding with Rose. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? They all thought she was crazy. Did she tap on her door and say, Excuse me...The Stock Market crashed, my husband is penniless-would you please let me out like you could have done a hundred other times but didn't? Since I am telling you he is penniless, will you now believe me?" We see nothing of this sudden change of heart of the staff. It totally didn't add up and was very anticlimactic.
Lastly, there were various typos in the book and it wasn't until about 100 pages in that anything of real interest even happened.
So, those are my gripes. The era was super interesting and the general plot line was clever, but the other issues dulled the shine of this novel. :(
June 20, 2016
1928, Brooklyn. Martha is the daughter of a housekeeper who has started working in the home of newspaper magnate Mr. Sewell. Martha accompanies her mother only to get caught up in a mystery surrounding his wife, Rose. In her youth Rose was a charming party girl, but now she spends her days ranting and raving about paintings in a locked bedroom. What happened to Rose? Why is she obsessed with the paintings? And who is leaking stories about the Sewells- some of them untrue- to the tabloids?
From the first chapter we understand that Martha is a girl with modern ideas. She talks back to her teacher (a rather unforgiving nun), is suspicious of Mr. Sewell’s charm and intentions, and takes the side of woman most people have dismissed as mad. Her dialogue is saucy and her devotion to the truth is inspiring, which will speak to readers’ strong sense of justice. There is a cinematic quality to the narrative and Fitzgerald uses visual and historical details to paint a clear portrait of 1920s New York. There is glitz in the form of Sewell’s mansion , but there is also poverty- represented by Martha’s own crowded apartment and her mother’s dashed optimism. But perhaps the most impressive feat is how Fitzgerald deftly handles a narrative that is essentially about involuntary confinement and turns it into a caper. Rose’s story has parallels to the suffragette movement and is a grim reminder of the challenges women faced at the time. This historical caper feels fresh and exciting, thanks to a breezy writing style and excellent pacing.
From the first chapter we understand that Martha is a girl with modern ideas. She talks back to her teacher (a rather unforgiving nun), is suspicious of Mr. Sewell’s charm and intentions, and takes the side of woman most people have dismissed as mad. Her dialogue is saucy and her devotion to the truth is inspiring, which will speak to readers’ strong sense of justice. There is a cinematic quality to the narrative and Fitzgerald uses visual and historical details to paint a clear portrait of 1920s New York. There is glitz in the form of Sewell’s mansion , but there is also poverty- represented by Martha’s own crowded apartment and her mother’s dashed optimism. But perhaps the most impressive feat is how Fitzgerald deftly handles a narrative that is essentially about involuntary confinement and turns it into a caper. Rose’s story has parallels to the suffragette movement and is a grim reminder of the challenges women faced at the time. This historical caper feels fresh and exciting, thanks to a breezy writing style and excellent pacing.
January 2, 2017
This is a book that I would have loved as a middle-grade reader, and it would be an excellent choice for any younger readers who enjoy historical fiction grounded in strong, detailed settings. I would have written a derivative fanfic of this book if I had read it when I was 10. It has everything you could possibly want: a plucky teenage heroine! A romantic, rich recluse! Very obvious references to the New York City of 1929 (including )! Messages through famous works of art! A Gatsby-style party during Prohibition! While the story of Proserpina may feel like a slightly tired plot device to me, it will open up a whole world of playful metaphors for younger readers, and you can feel how fun this book is through every page.
I also enjoyed the Jane Eyre references, because I think Jane Eyre is a terrible novel (sorry) and I think this was better. A better , a better everything. I'm into it.
I also enjoyed the Jane Eyre references, because I think Jane Eyre is a terrible novel (sorry) and I think this was better. A better , a better everything. I'm into it.
April 8, 2019
I listened to this on audio (mostly doing a puzzle) and honestly I'm not sure if I would have finished the book if I'd read it as an ebook. Because the book felt very slow - except the 1920's ending which felt rushed(, illogical) and yet very satisfying.
February 1, 2017
This was SUCH A FUN READ!!! this book, the theme, atmosphere is right up my alley! I just loved it!! I loved the story so much that it makes me feel sad the fact that the ending was so anticlimactic and abrupt! it was almost like the author got tired of writing and decided to end it right away regardless of what was the story about and how creative unique the entire thing is, except for the ending of course.
I love the mixture of art, and the way the main characters uses it as a form of communication, the way she has to investigate and decipher the meaning of pieces of art, her search and hunger for knowledge and the overall growth of the character is one of the most memorable things about this story.
Is light and fun, not to be taken too seriously. The main character is silly, naive and annoying in a comical cute way, I found myself laughing out loud at some of the remarks she made about society, religion, history and art.
The final comments at the end of the book added by the author are a nice touch that invites the reader to further investigate the pieces of art that are mentioned all through out the book.
I love the mixture of art, and the way the main characters uses it as a form of communication, the way she has to investigate and decipher the meaning of pieces of art, her search and hunger for knowledge and the overall growth of the character is one of the most memorable things about this story.
Is light and fun, not to be taken too seriously. The main character is silly, naive and annoying in a comical cute way, I found myself laughing out loud at some of the remarks she made about society, religion, history and art.
The final comments at the end of the book added by the author are a nice touch that invites the reader to further investigate the pieces of art that are mentioned all through out the book.
May 7, 2016
This one took my 11-year-old and I a very long time to get through.
Very interesting time period and we enjoyed looking at the art pieces online while they were being described by Martha as she unraveled the mystery and clues from Rose.
The end seemed rushed and we both found it confusing. Just seemed unsettled.
Very interesting time period and we enjoyed looking at the art pieces online while they were being described by Martha as she unraveled the mystery and clues from Rose.
The end seemed rushed and we both found it confusing. Just seemed unsettled.
February 11, 2023
Una deliziosa storia per ragazzi ambientata nella New York del 1929. Siamo negli anni del proibizionismo, Hoover sta per essere eletto presidente e gli uomini sono ancora scettici sul voto alle donne, e cercano di sminuirle in ogni modo.
La protagonista è la piccola Martha, una ragazzina curiosa e dalla mente vivace che viene mandata via dalla scuola cattolica e va a lavorare come sguattera con la madre, che fa la governante in una casa signorile. Ma nella casa c'è un mistero: la padrona è ritenuta pazza ed è rinchiusa nell'attico, da cui ha tentato di fuggire innumerevoli volte, ma lascia degli indizi attraverso i quadri contenuti nella sua galleria. Martha è curiosissima di capire il significato dei quadri e del loro simbolismo, e comincia a tentare di comunicare in qualche modo con la donna.
Ho molto apprezzato la ricostruzione storica e lo spirito di Martha.
La protagonista è la piccola Martha, una ragazzina curiosa e dalla mente vivace che viene mandata via dalla scuola cattolica e va a lavorare come sguattera con la madre, che fa la governante in una casa signorile. Ma nella casa c'è un mistero: la padrona è ritenuta pazza ed è rinchiusa nell'attico, da cui ha tentato di fuggire innumerevoli volte, ma lascia degli indizi attraverso i quadri contenuti nella sua galleria. Martha è curiosissima di capire il significato dei quadri e del loro simbolismo, e comincia a tentare di comunicare in qualche modo con la donna.
Ho molto apprezzato la ricostruzione storica e lo spirito di Martha.
July 8, 2021
It is a good book, I liked that different pieces of art were a big part of the story. But I did not really see the characters in my head when I read it, I think if the character description would of been more detailed I would of liked it more.
Still a good plot and some nice humour :)
Still a good plot and some nice humour :)
April 10, 2020
4⭐️
I read this for Middle Grade March and this was a fun read. I feel like my perspective is a little skewed since I'm not middle grade (lol), but was pleasantly surprised by how 'readable' it was as an adult.
Set in 1928/1929 , this book follows 12-year old Martha, who works as a maid in Manhattan (nothing like the J.Lo movie) for the very wealthy, very fancy Sewell mansion. Martha's mother is the head of housekeeping and when Martha gets the boot from her Catholic school her mom quickly puts her to work.
Rose Sewell was once a well-known socialite, whose exploits in NYC were legendary. After marrying newspaper magnate Mr. Sewell (don't think he ever gets a first name), Rose becomes a complete recluse and tales of how she's lost her mind are now rampant around town. But the question is - has Rose really gone batty or is there a more sinister plot to make her that way?
Sweet Martha is on a mission to find out. I love Martha's character. She's crafty, smart, determined and doesn't let anything get in her way. There's a bit of mystery to the book - not only in trying to find out what is going on with Rose, but also in that Rose "communicates" through the paintings she owns and that are hung up in her gallery. There's a bit of art history which was fun.
I was surprised by some of the content which I would consider more mature. Again, it's been a long time since I was the target audience for this book. Martha's father, aka Daddo, is a vaudeville star and he's on the road a lot, leaving Martha's mom to make the money and take care of her three children. Daddo pops in and out of Martha's life and there are discussions about his alcoholism. There is also a consistent messaging about how her mother is in love with Mr. Sewell. Found that a bit odd for a younger audience but maybe I'm just being naive.
All in a fun read. I liked the weaving of real life events from the 20s in NYC and found it to be an enjoyable book.
I read this for Middle Grade March and this was a fun read. I feel like my perspective is a little skewed since I'm not middle grade (lol), but was pleasantly surprised by how 'readable' it was as an adult.
Set in 1928/1929 , this book follows 12-year old Martha, who works as a maid in Manhattan (nothing like the J.Lo movie) for the very wealthy, very fancy Sewell mansion. Martha's mother is the head of housekeeping and when Martha gets the boot from her Catholic school her mom quickly puts her to work.
Rose Sewell was once a well-known socialite, whose exploits in NYC were legendary. After marrying newspaper magnate Mr. Sewell (don't think he ever gets a first name), Rose becomes a complete recluse and tales of how she's lost her mind are now rampant around town. But the question is - has Rose really gone batty or is there a more sinister plot to make her that way?
Sweet Martha is on a mission to find out. I love Martha's character. She's crafty, smart, determined and doesn't let anything get in her way. There's a bit of mystery to the book - not only in trying to find out what is going on with Rose, but also in that Rose "communicates" through the paintings she owns and that are hung up in her gallery. There's a bit of art history which was fun.
I was surprised by some of the content which I would consider more mature. Again, it's been a long time since I was the target audience for this book. Martha's father, aka Daddo, is a vaudeville star and he's on the road a lot, leaving Martha's mom to make the money and take care of her three children. Daddo pops in and out of Martha's life and there are discussions about his alcoholism. There is also a consistent messaging about how her mother is in love with Mr. Sewell. Found that a bit odd for a younger audience but maybe I'm just being naive.
All in a fun read. I liked the weaving of real life events from the 20s in NYC and found it to be an enjoyable book.
February 6, 2017
a reluctant 3 stars
There are jars of molasses faster than this plot.
Nonetheless, I absolutely adored the author's note. In an odd way, I think it's inspired me to exert more effort to live and learn willingly instead of merely existing.
A Quote That Stood Out to Me:
"Hasn't the world always been full of monsters and lies? Isn't it our place to fight them, to tell the truth, to rewrite the story? To ensure the return of spring in a world of winter?
In hindsight, I think this felt slow and took me so long to read because it isn't my favorite genre. It's dawning on me that I hate books set in the past because of the way minorities are treated. And I had no idea this was set in the past before I started reading it. I just knew it involved a mystery. It's always hard to read about the way immigrants, Black Americans and other marginalized groups were treated in America; so I usually stray away from this time period and most periods in the past.
But I'm glad I read this. I'm glad I had no idea what it was about because if I had known I wouldn't have picked this up[]. It's also slowly, grimly dawning on me that the past isn't so different from the present. There's multitudes of technological progress but seemingly little in the way of social progress.
The Gallery has emboldened me to continue reading settings I'm uncomfortable with in hope that knowing what life was like in the past can help me understand why things are the why they are in the future and avoid treading in the same easy erroneous steps of those who have passed - rewriting the story to ensure the return of spring in a world of winter.
There are jars of molasses faster than this plot.
Nonetheless, I absolutely adored the author's note. In an odd way, I think it's inspired me to exert more effort to live and learn willingly instead of merely existing.
A Quote That Stood Out to Me:
"Hasn't the world always been full of monsters and lies? Isn't it our place to fight them, to tell the truth, to rewrite the story? To ensure the return of spring in a world of winter?
In hindsight, I think this felt slow and took me so long to read because it isn't my favorite genre. It's dawning on me that I hate books set in the past because of the way minorities are treated. And I had no idea this was set in the past before I started reading it. I just knew it involved a mystery. It's always hard to read about the way immigrants, Black Americans and other marginalized groups were treated in America; so I usually stray away from this time period and most periods in the past.
But I'm glad I read this. I'm glad I had no idea what it was about because if I had known I wouldn't have picked this up[]. It's also slowly, grimly dawning on me that the past isn't so different from the present. There's multitudes of technological progress but seemingly little in the way of social progress.
The Gallery has emboldened me to continue reading settings I'm uncomfortable with in hope that knowing what life was like in the past can help me understand why things are the why they are in the future and avoid treading in the same easy erroneous steps of those who have passed - rewriting the story to ensure the return of spring in a world of winter.
October 16, 2017
Engaging and clever story. I am always a fan of a good art mystery book. This is middle grade reading that doesn't talk down to the younger set. We need more books like this one.
November 20, 2018
Nel 1929, ma dodicenne Martha va a lavorare insieme alla madre come domestica nella dimora del ricchissimo Sewell, proprietario di un giornale. Non appena mette piede nella sontuosa villa, Martha non può fare a meno di notare che sono molte le cose strane che in essa accadano. Sopratutto per quanto riguarda Rose, moglie di Sewell, che da due anni è rinchiusa nella sua stanza perchè, dicono, è malata mentalmente. Ma qual'è la verità sulla malattia e reclusione di Rose? E cosa significano i quadri che continua a mandare nel salotto?
Devo dire che questo libro si è rivelato una vera e propria sorpresa in positivo.
Nonostante sia rivolto a un pubblico giovane il libro è scritto meravigliosamente e l'autrice ha la capacità di creare una magnifica atmosfera anni 20'. E il risultato è stata una lettura godibilissima adatta anche a lettori di grandi.
Martha, protagonista e voce narrante di questa vicenda, è stata il vero punto forte del romanzo. Sveglia, schietta e senza peli sulla lingua; è stata una compagna di viaggio incredibile. Ha saputo coinvolgerci appieno nella sua avventura e ci ha procurato non poche risate.
La parte mistery è stata molto intrigante e l'idea di utilizzare i quadri per trasmettere dei "messaggi" mi ha divertita moltissimo.
Molto piacevole e attrezzato il modo delicato ma non edulcolato con cui l'autrice parla di temi importanti, primo tra tutti quello della malattia mentale. L'ho trovato azzeccato.
Soddisfattissima del finale. Perfetto per una storia come questa.
Devo dire che questo libro si è rivelato una vera e propria sorpresa in positivo.
Nonostante sia rivolto a un pubblico giovane il libro è scritto meravigliosamente e l'autrice ha la capacità di creare una magnifica atmosfera anni 20'. E il risultato è stata una lettura godibilissima adatta anche a lettori di grandi.
Martha, protagonista e voce narrante di questa vicenda, è stata il vero punto forte del romanzo. Sveglia, schietta e senza peli sulla lingua; è stata una compagna di viaggio incredibile. Ha saputo coinvolgerci appieno nella sua avventura e ci ha procurato non poche risate.
La parte mistery è stata molto intrigante e l'idea di utilizzare i quadri per trasmettere dei "messaggi" mi ha divertita moltissimo.
Molto piacevole e attrezzato il modo delicato ma non edulcolato con cui l'autrice parla di temi importanti, primo tra tutti quello della malattia mentale. L'ho trovato azzeccato.
Soddisfattissima del finale. Perfetto per una storia come questa.
May 3, 2019
I cannot figure out who's supposed to be the target audience for this book. Hell, I couldn't even nail down the age of the main character.
In the audiobook version, the narrator gives Martha a very young voice and a lot of her actions and words match this, making her seem to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-9 years old. The opening scene, however, has her lying about her menses, putting her around 12-ish (which I'm pretty sure is her real age), and later in the book she has a pretty deep knowledge of politics, saloons, art, religion, and the prohibition, and she acts much older than her true age. It's pretty hard to pin her down.
Beyond Martha, the book itself is difficult to categorize. The twist is visible from miles away and the book is told from a child's perspective, putting it firmly in middle grade or YA territory, but then there's adultery, insider trading, and a lot of other small details that would be difficult to grasp or relate to as a kid.
I'm not saying that it isn't good to challenge kids with harder concepts or that I never read a book that was out of my depth when I was younger, but the intricacies of Ma's were enough to fill an entire book all on their own (a book I really wish I could read, by the way).
Also, I don't think you can just throw real people like Babe Ruth into your story for the hell of it, even if he has been dead for 70 years.
In the audiobook version, the narrator gives Martha a very young voice and a lot of her actions and words match this, making her seem to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-9 years old. The opening scene, however, has her lying about her menses, putting her around 12-ish (which I'm pretty sure is her real age), and later in the book she has a pretty deep knowledge of politics, saloons, art, religion, and the prohibition, and she acts much older than her true age. It's pretty hard to pin her down.
Beyond Martha, the book itself is difficult to categorize. The twist is visible from miles away and the book is told from a child's perspective, putting it firmly in middle grade or YA territory, but then there's adultery, insider trading, and a lot of other small details that would be difficult to grasp or relate to as a kid.
I'm not saying that it isn't good to challenge kids with harder concepts or that I never read a book that was out of my depth when I was younger, but the intricacies of Ma's were enough to fill an entire book all on their own (a book I really wish I could read, by the way).
Also, I don't think you can just throw real people like Babe Ruth into your story for the hell of it, even if he has been dead for 70 years.
February 17, 2023
Per una volta, un romanzo che si è rivelato esattamente quel che mi aspettavo che fosse: un gradevole mystery per ragazzi, che non nasconde gli intenti didascalici ma li accompagna ad una trama avvincente e ad un'ambientazione che riesce a farci percepire appieno l'atmosfera tumultuosa dell'America alla vigilia della Grande depressione, tra proibizionismo e disordini sociali.
I personaggi sono tutti abbastanza stereotipati (il cattivone, la mamma burbera ma saggia ecc...), fa eccezione solo la protagonista; Martha è una dodicenne di bassa estrazione sociale che si comporta come tale e non un adulto in miniatura, un piccolo genio o un angioletto: è scansafatiche, ignorante ed immatura e trovo realistico che nonostante il coraggio e l'intraprendenza il suo contributo alla risoluzione finale sia pressoché nullo.
A proposito del finale devo dire che forse è un po' troppo semplicistico, un happy ending senza se e senza ma che capita all'improvviso e mette a dura prova la nostra sospensione dell'incredulità, però è pur sempre un libro per bambini quindi ci sta abbondare coi buoni sentimenti.
Nel complesso un romanzo che non fa mai dimenticare neanche per un minuto il target di riferimento, ma che comunque è piacevole da leggere anche per un adulto.
I personaggi sono tutti abbastanza stereotipati (il cattivone, la mamma burbera ma saggia ecc...), fa eccezione solo la protagonista; Martha è una dodicenne di bassa estrazione sociale che si comporta come tale e non un adulto in miniatura, un piccolo genio o un angioletto: è scansafatiche, ignorante ed immatura e trovo realistico che nonostante il coraggio e l'intraprendenza il suo contributo alla risoluzione finale sia pressoché nullo.
A proposito del finale devo dire che forse è un po' troppo semplicistico, un happy ending senza se e senza ma che capita all'improvviso e mette a dura prova la nostra sospensione dell'incredulità, però è pur sempre un libro per bambini quindi ci sta abbondare coi buoni sentimenti.
Nel complesso un romanzo che non fa mai dimenticare neanche per un minuto il target di riferimento, ma che comunque è piacevole da leggere anche per un adulto.
May 7, 2017
Historical, set in 1929 New York. My, how times have changed. I found myself cringing every time Mr. Sewell opened his mouth. His self-important, era-honest attitudes toward women, immigrants, religion, servants, politics, and the general populace are ... rather infuriating. I'm sure others readers will be as eager as I was for him to get some form of comeuppance.
Martha, the main character, is certainly no angel. A glib liar, an irreverent sass, an unapologetic shirker, and a fearless meddler—her parlor-maid perspectives on the lives of the rich and famous are entertaining to say the least. Fitzgerald's characterizations are stellar.
Careful groundwork means the story gets a slow(ish) start, but every detail has its place and purpose. In this sense, the story unfolds like a mystery, and famed masterpieces by everyone from Rembrandt to Picasso hold clues. A fascinating exploration of days gone by. I'll be watching for more stories by this author.
Martha, the main character, is certainly no angel. A glib liar, an irreverent sass, an unapologetic shirker, and a fearless meddler—her parlor-maid perspectives on the lives of the rich and famous are entertaining to say the least. Fitzgerald's characterizations are stellar.
Careful groundwork means the story gets a slow(ish) start, but every detail has its place and purpose. In this sense, the story unfolds like a mystery, and famed masterpieces by everyone from Rembrandt to Picasso hold clues. A fascinating exploration of days gone by. I'll be watching for more stories by this author.
November 14, 2016
A fun little book (written for middle grade readers) that incorporates not only art history, but real life people from the 1920s. I can't wait for my 6th grader to read it. I'm crossing my fingers she'll want to search for the paintings online.
October 10, 2016
I found this story to be far less engaging and personable than her last. Disappointed.
November 30, 2022
Abrupt twist in the story that didn’t entirely make sense. Rushed ending.
September 13, 2022
I added this book to my queue because it had comparisons to one of my all time favorites, The Westing Game. (And let's be honest, because that cover is gorgeous!) The novel reads more like Jane Eyre, set in the 1920s, with references to Sacco and Vanzetti, chemistry, the imminent stock market crash, upstairs/downstairs staff working in a Central Park mansion, newspaper tycoons, Prohibition, politics, and lots of fabulous art references! It has a saucy narrator, a young maid named Martha, kicked out of Catholic school by the nuns for being too sympathetic to Eve's bad reputation and asking too many scandalous (yet perfectly natural and logical) questions. It has an imprisoned heroine being slowly drugged by her handsome yet morally (and possibly monetarily) bankrupt husband. Rose Sewell "Wild Rose" as she is known in the papers, has a legacy akin to Zelda Fitzgerald. A fun loving, unpredictable, fearless woman - until she's broken by the man she marries that is. (Tale as old as time.) The novel reads as Jane Eyre in two ways:
1. Housekeeper in love with dashing man of the house who can be at turns charming and alienating depending on his mood. And who is suspiciously unavailable either way.
2. Wife hidden in upper levels of the house and locked in her rooms. Claims of hysteria.
The problem is that Martha and her mother are reading Jane Eyre on different levels! Martha's mother is a goner, head over heels in love with Mr. Sewell. She sees him as her Mr. Rochester. A victim of a deep love gone terribly wrong, a man in a disappointing marriage trying to do his duty to his sick wife as best he can.
Martha, however, sees through Mr. Sewell's blatant attempts to flirt with her mother just to use her. Martha knows they are only an act to garner support and keep Rose locked away, to justify his fake efforts to "help" his wife by shutting her away from the world.
Yes there is art and the 1920s and all the wonderful side stories and illusions - but the Jane Eyre theme is the most dominant and what kept this from being a favorite for me. Yes, there is vindication in the end for the ladies, it just takes about 50 pages too long to get there. There's a vivid party scene portrayed, and it would have been so much more satisfying if the author had put her climax there. But instead the novel goes on another few chapters, which get bleaker and bleaker. In this case the contrast doesn't make the light ending any sweeter or more rewarding, it just makes the reader a little wearier for the effort it took to get there, to say nothing of the poor characters! I also felt like Martha lost some of her vim and vigor once she went to work at the Sewell mansion. I get that she literally had to be on her best behavior so that she didn't lose her job or jeopardize her mothers. Still, there are other ways to accomplish this. I wish there was more connection with the elusive doorman, the French Chef, the other maids. She could have been building allies along the way. Those characters felt fairly flat, and Martha felt more like a dirty dish rag than a saucy minx the longer the story went on.
Still a very fresh plot idea and solidly executed.
1. Housekeeper in love with dashing man of the house who can be at turns charming and alienating depending on his mood. And who is suspiciously unavailable either way.
2. Wife hidden in upper levels of the house and locked in her rooms. Claims of hysteria.
The problem is that Martha and her mother are reading Jane Eyre on different levels! Martha's mother is a goner, head over heels in love with Mr. Sewell. She sees him as her Mr. Rochester. A victim of a deep love gone terribly wrong, a man in a disappointing marriage trying to do his duty to his sick wife as best he can.
Martha, however, sees through Mr. Sewell's blatant attempts to flirt with her mother just to use her. Martha knows they are only an act to garner support and keep Rose locked away, to justify his fake efforts to "help" his wife by shutting her away from the world.
Yes there is art and the 1920s and all the wonderful side stories and illusions - but the Jane Eyre theme is the most dominant and what kept this from being a favorite for me. Yes, there is vindication in the end for the ladies, it just takes about 50 pages too long to get there. There's a vivid party scene portrayed, and it would have been so much more satisfying if the author had put her climax there. But instead the novel goes on another few chapters, which get bleaker and bleaker. In this case the contrast doesn't make the light ending any sweeter or more rewarding, it just makes the reader a little wearier for the effort it took to get there, to say nothing of the poor characters! I also felt like Martha lost some of her vim and vigor once she went to work at the Sewell mansion. I get that she literally had to be on her best behavior so that she didn't lose her job or jeopardize her mothers. Still, there are other ways to accomplish this. I wish there was more connection with the elusive doorman, the French Chef, the other maids. She could have been building allies along the way. Those characters felt fairly flat, and Martha felt more like a dirty dish rag than a saucy minx the longer the story went on.
Still a very fresh plot idea and solidly executed.
May 25, 2020
This story was an absolute delight and I loved every minute of it!
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the description of this book, but my library had it as an audio book, it wasn't that long and it sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! This story has a number of things I enjoy, first and foremost a strong female protagonist.
And what a strong female young Martha O'Doyle - our narrator for this story - is! Even though she is "just" an Irish housemaid in the home of the great and exalted Mr. Sewell - newspaper magnate - our Martha is spunky and cheeky, intelligent and not afraid to speak her mind, and do what she feels is right, no matter what anyone, including her mother, the housekeeper in the Sewell home, tell her. Martha's narration of what went on in this New York home in the late 1920s is just wonderful! She had me hooked from the first moment because she knows how to tell a story [and the narrator of the audio book is also excellent, really bringing Martha to life - if you enjoy audio format give this a try, it's terrific!].
This book has a number of things going on, and you aren't quite sure how they'll all come together at points, but they do come together, with a twist ending, and with a number of interesting segues as we go along.
There's Rose, the supposedly crazy wife of Mr. Sewell, who's been locked in her room unseen for years. There's Martha's happy-go-lucky but ne'er do well father still living his vaudville glory days. There are also a full cast of supporting characters who all have their own back stories, and roles to play in the dramas happening above and below stairs in the Sewell mansion on Fifth Avenue.
I absolutely could not get enough of these characters and the story they told. It was a fast, easy fun read and I highly recommend it!
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the description of this book, but my library had it as an audio book, it wasn't that long and it sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! This story has a number of things I enjoy, first and foremost a strong female protagonist.
And what a strong female young Martha O'Doyle - our narrator for this story - is! Even though she is "just" an Irish housemaid in the home of the great and exalted Mr. Sewell - newspaper magnate - our Martha is spunky and cheeky, intelligent and not afraid to speak her mind, and do what she feels is right, no matter what anyone, including her mother, the housekeeper in the Sewell home, tell her. Martha's narration of what went on in this New York home in the late 1920s is just wonderful! She had me hooked from the first moment because she knows how to tell a story [and the narrator of the audio book is also excellent, really bringing Martha to life - if you enjoy audio format give this a try, it's terrific!].
This book has a number of things going on, and you aren't quite sure how they'll all come together at points, but they do come together, with a twist ending, and with a number of interesting segues as we go along.
There's Rose, the supposedly crazy wife of Mr. Sewell, who's been locked in her room unseen for years. There's Martha's happy-go-lucky but ne'er do well father still living his vaudville glory days. There are also a full cast of supporting characters who all have their own back stories, and roles to play in the dramas happening above and below stairs in the Sewell mansion on Fifth Avenue.
I absolutely could not get enough of these characters and the story they told. It was a fast, easy fun read and I highly recommend it!
April 29, 2020
This was a sweet, if slight, middle-grade book with some historical context that was fun to read about. I liked the protagonist, Martha, but felt like the book would have been vastly better if there had been more interaction with the mysterious woman of the story, Rose, the "madwoman" sequestered in the attic. The 1920s setting was fun, and I enjoyed learning more about the Irish working classes and the rich titans of industry, but the main reason for which I picked the book up—the gallery, which is, let's face it, in the TITLE—was a disappointment. We got a few descriptions of a small percentage of all the supposedly amazing paintings in Rose's collection, a little Greek and Roman mythology thrown in to explain those images, one quick and unsatisfactory trip through the Met, and that was it. I felt like the central ploy—to "save" Rose (and her inheritance) and get her out of the attic—wasn't explored nearly enough, and the ending was abrupt and disjointed from the rest of the story. Also, I will echo another reviewer here on Goodreads who deplored that
March 17, 2018
I wrote a super long detailed review that failed to upload and am way too annoyed to write it all again.
Highlights:
3.5 stars
Good writing, good story but I didn't connect to it much.
I was super into Rose but she wasn't in enough scenes for me! Give me a whole book on Wild Rose.
Lots of things to like but mainly left me with a feeling of despair and hopelessness over how little progress society has made (regarding our impulse to call women crazy, irrational, over dramatic, etc AND allowing news media to become corrupt and simply a place for the wealthy CEO to share HIS opinions and manipulate the people).
Highlights:
3.5 stars
Good writing, good story but I didn't connect to it much.
I was super into Rose but she wasn't in enough scenes for me! Give me a whole book on Wild Rose.
Lots of things to like but mainly left me with a feeling of despair and hopelessness over how little progress society has made (regarding our impulse to call women crazy, irrational, over dramatic, etc AND allowing news media to become corrupt and simply a place for the wealthy CEO to share HIS opinions and manipulate the people).
March 4, 2019
Read the book, didn’t listen to audio-don’t know if I’d like the accents.
Historical fiction with a mystery, first set in 2016, then the majority set in 1928/1929.
It takes while to build, but the book does have a lot of descriptions that make it seem very real in my imagination. Believable plot, no, fun read once you get to the climax and ending, yes.
Historical fiction with a mystery, first set in 2016, then the majority set in 1928/1929.
It takes while to build, but the book does have a lot of descriptions that make it seem very real in my imagination. Believable plot, no, fun read once you get to the climax and ending, yes.
January 18, 2020
Oh, boy. I'm a sucker for mysteries where the children are more competent than the adults! Take this one, set in 1920's New York, and it's even more delightful!
Full of fascinating art, a stubborn 12-year-old housemaid, a lady who is locked away to keep the world safe from her crazy outbursts, and a charming newspaper tycoon, this book was everything I could ask for in a middle grade mystery!
(and that cover! 😍)
Full of fascinating art, a stubborn 12-year-old housemaid, a lady who is locked away to keep the world safe from her crazy outbursts, and a charming newspaper tycoon, this book was everything I could ask for in a middle grade mystery!
(and that cover! 😍)
April 8, 2018
How much I enjoyed this one. I am very surprised. I did not know what to expect from this story. It was so funny and etertaining. Martha was a great character and Rose and her story and how she managed to get Martha to discover the paintings and the clues to help, I loved it. I devoured the story in two evenings. After so many fantasy stories I´ve read this year it was very nice to read something from real life, real history.
Do not feel discouraged to read this if you see the middle grade tag and you are already an andult like me. This did not felt as middle grade at all. A very funy and mysterious story with great characters and bits of history of 1920s in America. And if you are not art fan, do not worry, the art part of this story is more mysterious than schoolar.
This is going to my favourite list.
Do not feel discouraged to read this if you see the middle grade tag and you are already an andult like me. This did not felt as middle grade at all. A very funy and mysterious story with great characters and bits of history of 1920s in America. And if you are not art fan, do not worry, the art part of this story is more mysterious than schoolar.
This is going to my favourite list.
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