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The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel) Paperback – May 25, 2021
Purchase options and add-ons
“A page-turner for booklovers everywhere! . . . A story of family ties, their lost dreams, and the redemption that comes from discovering truth.”—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife
In New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis's latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roils the iconic New York Public Library, leaving two generations of strong-willed women to pick up the pieces.
It's 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn't ask for more out of life—her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children. But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over the city, she is drawn to Greenwich Village's new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club—a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women's rights. Soon, Laura finds herself questioning her traditional role as wife and mother. And when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and institution she loves, she's forced to confront her shifting priorities head on . . . and may just lose everything in the process.
Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the famous essayist Laura Lyons, especially after she's wrangled her dream job as a curator at the New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts, notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie's running begin disappearing from the library's famous Berg Collection. Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-averse Sadie teams up with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However, things unexpectedly become personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family heritage—truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library's history.
- Print length384 pages
- SpracheEnglisch
- PublisherDutton
- Publication dateMay 25, 2021
- Dimensions5.3 x 0.8 x 7.9 inches
- ISBN-101524744638
- ISBN-13978-1524744632
"All the Little Raindrops: A Novel" by Mia Sheridan for $10.39
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Mehr erfahren
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From the Publisher
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The Dollhouse | The Address | The Masterpiece | The Chelsea Girls | The Magnolia Palace | The Spectacular | |
More historical fiction novels from Fiona Davis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Davis delves into the history of the New York Public Library in this delightful mystery. . . . The characters and story are stellar, but the real star of the show is the library, which Davis evokes beautifully.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a book written for booklovers.”—O, The Oprah Magazine
“Davis gives readers a mystery and a historical novel all in one absorbing tale.”—Library Journal
“The magnificent Fiona Davis has written a page-turner for booklovers everywhere! I was on the edge of my seat as Laura Lyons, the ambitious essayist, breaks down social barriers and finds herself adrift in her own life at the end of the Belle Epoque in 1913 New York City. Secrets are revealed eighty years later by her granddaughter, who found her way into the family business, working at the New York Public Library. This is a story of family ties, their lost dreams, and the redemption that comes from discovering truth.”—Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife
“In a compelling novel that's part family saga, part high-stakes heist, and part love story, Fiona Davis creates an intricate and beautiful puzzle that kept me turning page after page as I tried to solve its central mystery along with her characters. A gripping and satisfying story for booklovers the world over.”—Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost
“A captivating ode to the power of books, the bonds of family, and the beauty of finding the strength to be ourselves. Fiona Davis's spectacular setting—the iconic New York Public Library—comes alive across the generations as two women—one in 1913 and one in 1993—struggle with their own identities, a compelling mystery, and a tragedy that impacts both of them. What begins as a search for vanished rare books becomes, for both women, a quest to redefine themselves and open their hearts. This is a novel for all those who believe in the transformative magic of the written word.”—Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Winemaker's Wife and The Room on Rue Amélie
“A love letter to literature, the New York Public Library, and the strength of women, The Lions of Fifth Avenue is classic Fiona Davis—a masterfully executed story about two women living decades apart, mysterious family secrets, and the quest to stake a place in society and history. Dazzling and evocative, with vibrant settings and unforgettable characters, this novel is perfect for fans of female-driven historical fiction. I loved it.”—Karma Brown, internationally bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife
“In this thrilling, poignant, and utterly irresistible novel, we are immersed in the secrets of the famed New York Public Library and the family whose lives are intertwined with it in 1913 and 1993. At once a breathtaking, page-turning mystery and a deeply personal story of women attempting to forge independent lives, it is, ultimately, a glorious tale of love. Love of family, love of vocation, and, above all, the love of the timeless power of the written word.”—Sarah-Jane Stratford, author of Radio Girls and Red Letter Days
“With The Lions of Fifth Avenue, author Fiona Davis proves she is the master of the dual timeline! Once again she illuminates another New York City landmark—the New York Public Library—and expertly creates two rich, mysterious worlds which she deftly braids together into a compelling, page-turning read. This is a novel for all who treasure books.”—Renée Rosen, author of Park Avenue Summer
“Fiona Davis takes readers on a journey into the heart of one of New York's most venerable landmarks, the New York Public Library, in a story that follows two generations of strong-minded women, both connected to a mysterious series of rare book thefts. This novel is brimming with juicy literary details and fascinating feminist history.”—Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light
“Davis's latest NYC-set historical novel is grounded in researched detail, transporting readers between the 1910s and the 1990s. Bibliophiles and fans of Naomi Wood and Paula McLain will especially enjoy this glimpse inside the history of the institution and the tireless dedication of those who serve it.”—Booklist
“Fiona Davis has again produced a first-class tale. . . . Intrigue seeps through until the final pages, revealing New York in the early 1900s, the beginnings of the feminist movement, and the insidious sale of stolen rare books. It’s a literary delight.”—Authorlink
“This novel is made for booklovers. . . . A literary mystery that’s full of surprises.”—Modern Mrs Darcy
“The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a lovely story that brings you in and keeps you there. . . . A wonderful addition to anyone’s summer reading list.”—Bookreporter.com
More Praise for Fiona Davis and Her Novels
“A fascinating and wholly immersive celebration of friendship, love, loyalty, and courage during a turbulent and often underrepresented period in American history, The Chelsea Girls will delight.”—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of When We Left Cuba
“Davis tells a very good story and deserves all the praise she won for her other books set in famous New York landmarks. . . . What finally emerges from the mix of detailed research and solid writing is a tale that is intricate and subtle, unpredictable and exciting.”—The Washington Post on The Chelsea Girls
“A satisfying read about the bonds between women.”—Brenda Janowitz, PopSugar on The Chelsea Girls
“Fiona Davis in The Masterpiece continues a winning formula that showcases the stories behind New York City landmarks. . . . A hard-to-resist and timely reminder that for far too long the work done by women has been dismissed and disrespected.”—USA Today on The Masterpiece
“Fiona Davis achieves a world in which fictional characters and real life seamlessly meld. . . . The Masterpiece is a beautifully crafted, meticulously researched story.”—New York Journal of Books on The Masterpiece
“Fiona Davis delivers another stunning narrative.”—Us Weekly on The Masterpiece
“A delicious tale of love, lies, and madness.”—People on The Address
“The Address is compelling, historically minded fiction with unexpected—and entertaining—twists and turns. . . . The novel delights.”—Ms.
“Lively and detail-rich . . . Easy to enjoy, hard to put down.”—Family Circle on The Address
“Spanning over one hundred years, Fiona Davis's mystery is packed with deceit.”—Us Weekly on The Address
“Rich both in twists and period detail, this tale of big-city ambition is impossible to put down.”—People on The Dollhouse
“The Dollhouse is a thrilling peek through a window into another world—one that readers will savor for a long time.”—Associated Press
“An ode to old New York that will have you yelling for more seasons of Mad Men.”—New York Post on The Dollhouse
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
New York City, 1913
She had to tell Jack.
He wouldn't be pleased.
As Laura Lyons returned from running errands, turning over in her head the various reactions her husband might have to her news, she spotted the beggar perched once again on the first tier of the granite steps that led to her home: seven rooms buried deep inside the palatial New York Public Library. This time, the beggar woman's appearance elicited not pity but a primal fear. It was certainly some kind of ominous sign, one that made Laura's heart beat faster. A woman on the verge of ruin, alone and without any resources. Unloved.
The beggar's black mourning gown was more tattered than it had been last week, fraying at the sleeves and hem, and her face shone with summer sweat. Every few days for the past month, she'd taken up a spot off to one side of the grand entryway under one of the towering stone lions, one of which had been named Leo Astor and the other Leo Lenox, after two of the library's founders, John Jacob Astor and James Lenox. Laura's children had admired them right off, with Harry claiming Lenox as his pet and Pearl doing the same for Astor, neither caring that the sculptures had initially been mocked in the newspapers as a cross between a dachshund and a rabbit. Only last week, Laura had just barely prevented her son from carving his initials into the sinewy rump of Leo Lenox.
The beggar woman shifted, finding what shade she could. The miserable-looking child who typically filled her lap was missing. Laura wondered where he was.
"Money or food, please, miss. Either will do."
Laura reached into her shopping basket and pulled out two apples. One of the library's employees would shoo the beggar away soon enough, and she was glad to have caught her in time, even if the act of offering the poor woman assistance was inspired, at least in part, by a ridiculous, superstitious bargain that existed only in Laura's mind. As if extending a kindness to someone in need would smooth the conversation ahead.
"Thank you, miss." The woman tucked the fruit away in her pockets. "God bless."
Laura hurried up the steps and into Astor Hall, past the dozens of visitors milling about, their voices echoing off the marble steps, the marble floors, the marble walls. Even the decorative bases for the bronze candelabras were made from Carrara stone sliced from the Apuan Alps. The choice kept the building cool on steamy September days like this one, even if in winter it was like walking into an icebox, particularly in the evenings when the library was closed and the furnaces only lightly fed.
She turned left down the grand South-North Gallery, passing under a series of globed pendants of thick, curved glass that broke up the long lines of the coffered ceiling. About halfway down the hallway, she took a right, then another, before climbing up a narrow set of stairs that led to the mezzanine-level apartment where her family had lived for the past two years.
Their seven private rooms formed a right angle that hugged a corner of one of the library's two inner courtyards, the bedrooms and Jack's study along one side, and the kitchen, dining room, and sitting room along the other. The open area that formed the crux of the right angle, and where the stairway emerged, had become the kids' playroom, where Harry laid out his train tracks in one corner and Pearl parked her doll's pram under the door of the dumbwaiter. When they first moved in, Jack had had to give them a stern warning when they were caught poking their heads inside the dark shaft, but soon enough the family had settled in and adjusted to their new surroundings.
The director of the library-Jack's boss-had pointed out during their orientation how the classical architecture of the building followed a progression from hard materials to soft, starting with the stone entrance hall before yielding to the wood paneling of the interior rooms. Laura had done her part to stay true to the continuum, softening the hard floors with a mishmash of Oriental rugs and hanging thick drapes over the giant windows. On the fireplace mantel, she'd framed the newspaper article about their unusual living arrangements, which had been written the year they moved in.
She called out the children's names as she headed to the kitchen, and the sound of their heavy stomping behind her brought a smile to her face.
"Harry lost another tooth." Pearl dashed in first, her eyes flashing with glee from scooping the news out from under her brother.
Laura would have thought living in a library would turn them into a couple of bookworms, but Pearl wanted nothing to do with stories unless they involved ghosts or animals. Harry was different, although he preferred not to read himself but rather to be read to, particularly from his worn copy of Maritime Heroes for Boys. Earlier that summer, when Jack quoted a line from one of Shakespeare's sonnets into Laura's ear in a silly falsetto while she washed the dishes, Harry had demanded to know what it meant. At his bedtime, Laura had taken down the volume from the bookcase and read some of the poems aloud to him. Harry interrupted to ask questions about the more ribald phrases, which Laura dodged as best she could. Later, when she and Jack were lying next to each other in bed, they laughed quietly about their son's natural-and thoroughly innocent-ear for the smuttier bits.
Where Pearl could be bossy, Harry was sweet, if sometimes dim when it came to the vagaries of human nature. When Laura dropped the children off at the school on Forty-Second and Second Avenue for the first time two years ago, Pearl had taken a moment to analyze the groups of schoolgirls arrayed around the playground, figuring out the best approach, while Harry had recklessly stumbled over to some boys playing marbles, accidentally kicking several with his foot in the process, which resulted in a hard shove and a quick rejection.
Harry, at eleven, was older by four years, but Pearl was wiser, faster. Laura and Jack had discarded the original name they'd picked for their daughter-Beatrice-after she showed up with a white frost of fine hair covering her head, more like a little old lady than a baby girl. Her eyes weren't the vivid blue of Laura's but more a gray, and her features and coloring gave her an ethereal appearance. "Pearl," Laura had said, and Jack had agreed, tears in his eyes. "Pearl."
The last school year had been tough for Harry, who, unlike his sister, never brought friends home to play or got invited to birthday parties. Laura hoped this year would be different and he'd gain some confidence, especially since, if everything went according to plan, she wouldn't be around as much.
Pearl ushered her brother into the kitchen. "Show her the tooth, Harry."
He opened his palm, where a baby tooth sat like a rare jewel. Laura took it and held it to the light. "It's a beauty, let's see your gap."
He smiled wide, showing off the space where one of his canines had been. "It didn't hurt at all, I was playing with it with my tongue, and suddenly, pop, it was gone."
"You're lucky you didn't choke on it," said Pearl. "I know a girl who did and she died."
"Pearl, that's not true." Harry looked up at Laura for confirmation.
"You don't have to worry about that." Laura pocketed the tooth in her apron. "Now go get cleaned up before your father comes home."
She cut up the roast beef and potatoes from the other night, glad to not have to turn on the stove in this heat, and was slicing apples for dessert just as Jack came in.
Jack yanked at his tie and looked wildly around the tiny room. "I don't have time for dinner, the payroll still needs to be done."
This wasn't the right time for her news. She gave him a quick kiss, then turned and slid the letter that she'd left out on the worktable back into the pocket of her apron.
"Of course you have time for dinner, it's still early."
But she knew what he meant. He meant that if he skipped dinner, he would have time to do both the payroll and work on his manuscript. The book he'd started several years ago and was so close to finally completing.
"Can I take it into my study?" He shifted the payroll file to his left hand and grabbed a slice of apple. "I can do the numbers for payroll and eat at the same time."
His beseeching eyes reminded her of their son's. She made a plate and carried it into the extra bedroom, where he'd pushed one of the library desks up against the window. It was all out of proportion to the room, like a huge wooden barge squeezed into a tiny boathouse.
He was already working his way down the rows of the ledger, filling in each one with the name, position, and monthly salary of the eighty people under his employ at the New York Public Library. She looked over his shoulder at the list: attendants, porters, elevator runners, carpenters, steamfitters, electricians, stack runners, janitors, coal passers. And at the very top, Jack Lyons, superintendent.
When he'd been offered the job, back when they still lived at the Meadows, Laura had been reluctant to return to the city. Reluctant to give up the sunshine and fresh air that living sixty miles north of New York provided the children, as well as the kind community of fellow workers who lived within the perimeter of the ramshackle estate where Jack oversaw the grounds. The decision to move out to the country in the first place hadn't been her idea, either, but the position had offered them an escape of sorts: a way for Laura to avoid the worst of her father's wrath and disapproval at being an expecting bride. Together, she and Jack had decided to forgo the city lights for a quieter life, where Jack diligently oversaw the estate during the day and wrote at night. Every winter, Harry and Pearl marched out to sled down the big hill behind the owners' mansion after the first snowfall, and every spring, they picked daffodils from their cottage garden and presented them to Laura as if they were made of spun gold.
But then the wealthy old couple who owned the estate died, and their grown children decided to sell off the land, sending the employees packing.
Laura, Jack, and the children had moved into the library just before it opened to the public. Laura's view of the giant oak tree outside the caretaker's cottage window had been replaced with the harsh whiteness of twelve-inch-thick blocks of marble. Not a speck of green to be seen. The walnut paneling in the salon and the modern kitchen had appealed to her at first, as did the idea of living within the walls of the most beautiful building in Manhattan, but the isolation had eventually worn her down. While the library had lived up to its founders' expectations as the largest marble building in the world, an inspired example of classical design that took sixteen years to complete, Laura hadn't realized how remote their lives inside the white fortress would be. There were no neighbors to wave hello to each morning, as there had been at the brownstone where she grew up, nor picnics down by the river with the other families, as at the Meadows. Instead, just an endless parade of anonymous visitors who came in to see if the building lived up to its reputation for grandeur and beauty (the answer was always a resounding yes), or those who simply wanted to pull up a chair in the Main Reading Room.
Jack swaggered about the building as if it were his own castle, which, in some ways, it was. He knew all the secrets, every nook and cranny. He bragged about the place to the children so often that they easily parroted back his statistics: thousands of visitors a day, eighty-eight miles of stacks holding one million books.
And in the very middle of it all, their small family, tucked behind a hidden stairway.
She couldn't wait any longer. Once he started in on his manuscript, her interruption would be even less welcome. She thought of the beggar woman squinting in the harsh sunlight, one bare hand lifted. That would never be her.
Slowly, she withdrew the envelope from her pocket and slid the letter out, the only noise the scratch of Jack's fountain pen.
"I heard back," she finally said.
He placed his pen down on the desk without looking up. "Is that right?"
She waited.
"And?"
"I've been accepted."
The Main Reading Room on the third floor was the best place for a good late-night cry. Laura had discovered this soon after theyÕd moved in. SheÕd always been easily moved to tears, and the vastness of the space, with its fifty-foot ceilings adorned with puffy clouds, was as close as she could get to the fields behind the upstate cottage where sheÕd retreat when her emotions overcame her. During the day, the roomÕs gleaming tables, punctuated with desk lamps, were flanked by the curved backs of patrons, reading or making notes with the quiet scratch of a pen. Laura often imagined what it would look like if all their thoughts became visible, the enormous cavern above their heads suddenly crammed with words and phrases, floating in the expanse like bubbles.
Tonight, though, the room was the repository for only her own wretched musings.
She cried not for herself, but for how upset Jack had been to not be able to grant her that one wish: to go to Columbia Journalism School. They simply couldn't afford it. He had such a pleasant face-open and quick to smile-that to see him distraught made her twice as disappointed in herself for bringing him pain.
When she'd first brought up the idea with Jack earlier that year, he'd approached it with his usual meticulousness. Together, they'd made a list of advantages and disadvantages, and decided that it would be feasible only if she received a full scholarship. Which she had not. As a matter of fact, she'd hadn't even been accepted, only wait-listed. Until today.
She hadn't considered the idea of going back to school until several months ago, when the assistant director of the library, Dr. Anderson, had heard her joke about her life raising children within the library's walls and suggested she write a piece on the subject for the employees' monthly newsletter. She'd dashed off a silly article about the difficulty of keeping Pearl and Harry quiet during the day, especially in the summer when they weren't in school, and how she'd come up with the idea of a ten-minute "stomp" every evening, after the patrons had drained into the streets and the administrative offices had emptied. At her signal, the three of them would leap about the hallways, dancing and singing, Harry running laps and Pearl practicing her yodel, bringing the night watchman sprinting to the second floor to find out what on earth was going on. He'd stood there, panting, hands on his knees, and Laura had worried he might collapse from the fright. After that first time, though, he'd gotten used to the idea, sometimes even joining in, offering up a yowl that echoed down the stairwells and probably frightened the rats rooting around in the basement.
Product details
- Publisher : Dutton (May 25, 2021)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1524744638
- ISBN-13 : 978-1524744632
- Item Weight : 9.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.3 x 0.8 x 7.9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #11,591 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #313 in Family Saga Fiction
- #1,197 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #1,218 in Historical Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author
![Fiona Davis](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amzn-author-media-prod/ng2m2nr28nu8tvf62om7f3o8sq._SY600_.jpg)
FIONA DAVIS is the New York Times bestselling author of seven historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including THE SPECTACULAR, THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, THE ADDRESS, and THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her novels have been chosen as “One Book, One Community” reads and her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Oprah magazine. She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages and she's based in New York City.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the storyline interesting and fascinating with lots of hidden nuggets to uncover. They also say the writing style is beautifully written and brings the library and books to life. Opinions are mixed on the characters, readability, and vocabulary. Some find the characters well-developed, while others say they're not.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the storyline interesting, riveting, and historical. They also say it gives an interesting perspective on the history of women's rights and struggles. Readers say the book is a real page turner during the last chapters. They say the characters and the overall depth of the changing times keep them guessing from start to finish. They mention that the situations are believable and well drawn.
"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There was so much history and mystery that I couldn't put this book down." Read more
"...What a unique subject matter. The author was able to tantalize the reader with the knowledge she has of the library and its content. Very readable...." Read more
"...So although the story is fictional it is interesting and definitely a gateway to beckon readers to read more about the time period...." Read more
"...A great story but so sad." Read more
Customers find the time settings in the book nice back and forth, with great transitions. They also say the book flows nicely between time periods and explores family relationships.
"A quick moving story highlighting the NY Public Library, the family that lives in it, and the collection of rare books they care for...." Read more
"...It covers a number of topics and and jumps between two time eras...." Read more
"The author did a fantastic job switching past/ present and the facts of the apartment inside the NYPL was fascinating...." Read more
"The first half of th book was a little slow, but the second half moved along very well. Good story!" Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style. Some find the book beautifully written, adding interest to the events and beautiful architecture. They also say it's a quick read and the places 80 years apart are woven together beautifully. However, others say the book is slow going in the beginning, and the writing is overly dramatic and wordy. They feel the dialogue is stilted and there is no real feeling or emotion between characters.
"...Very readable. I love a good mystery!" Read more
"...It also brings the library and books to life...." Read more
"...I found the first ½ of this novel rather slow and dull, it really wasn’t until we get into the story of who done it, the bookstore stings and a..." Read more
"I will say this of Fiona Davis- she sure knows how to write an intriguing setting. Her tale centered around The New York Public Library...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the characters in the book. Some find them well-developed, while others say they're not.
"I enjoyed the storyline and characters. The author does a good job of connecting characters between time periods and tying up loose ends...." Read more
"...Dialogue was stilted and there was no real feeling/emotion between characters. Amelia may have been the only likable character...." Read more
"...Fiona's deftness of language makes her characters come alive...." Read more
"...Fiona Davis' books and they end the same way for me: characters and storylines that fizzle out and can't hold their own against the interesting..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the readability. Some find the book very engaging and hold their attention, while others say the story is long and not very interesting.
"This book was one of my favorite reads lately. It keeps you turning the page from start to finish...." Read more
"...I found the first ½ of this novel rather slow and dull, it really wasn’t until we get into the story of who done it, the bookstore stings and a..." Read more
"...I found it interesting, fun and intriguing...." Read more
"...The characters you just can't get into they don't captivate you...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the vocabulary of the book. Some find it rich, interesting, and easy to read, while others say it's implausible, poorly executed, and disorienting.
"I'll be brief, this is a light topic, an easy read during this stressful political time. Definitely a plus...." Read more
"...This is not the best book you will ever read nor is it the worse book you will ever read but I recommend you wait until the price is lower or just..." Read more
"...Through it all, the library provides a sense of continuity and place." Read more
"...It covers a number of topics and and jumps between two time eras...." Read more
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“It’s a luncheon club held in Greenwich Village every other Saturday, for women who aren’t afraid to speak their minds. You might enjoy it.” She pulled out a card from her satchel and scribbled an address, date, and time on the back. “Do come.”
Between School, getting involved with the Heterodoxy Club and developing a romantic interest with Amelia which resulted in some serious conflicts between Laura and Jack, add in the mysterious thefts of several rare books the Lyons are in for some troubled times.
In 1993 we meet Sadie Donahue granddaughter to Laura Lyons, she works at the New York Library as the temporary curator and is preparing for as big exhibit called Evergreen from the Berg Collection and then similar mysterious thefts of rare books are taking place again and she is a suspect.
The main story line of the The Lions of Fifth Avenue revolves around the mystery surround these stolen rare novels, how it affects both these families.
I found the first ½ of this novel rather slow and dull, it really wasn’t until we get into the story of who done it, the bookstore stings and a little love interest did I felt the author started to engage me in the story. I did feel that Ms. Davis does a great job in delving into the history of the New York Public Library and feel this is one the real star of this story. My 3 Star rating is being generous
Laura Lyons had it all - the perfect stereotypical package that was supposed to be an American woman's best destiny in the early 20th Century. But despite her marriage to a good-looking man and being the mother of two children, Laura wanted more. She dreamed of becoming a reporter, so she enrolled, over her husband's objections, in the Journalism School at Columbia University. As one of only a few female journalism students, she was subjected to the indignities of discrimination by her journalism professor. However, during her year at Columbia, Laura met a cadre of feminist thinkers who awakened in her a thirst for living outside of the box of traditional female roles. Meanwhile, while working his full-time job at the library, her husband is struggling to complete a book that he thinks will make the family rich. Unfortunately, priceless original editions of books begin to go missing from the secured stacks. A chain of events leads to tragedy for Laura and her family.
By 1993, when we meet Sadie Donovan, she is named interim department head when her boss unexpectedly takes another position out of state. Sadie is recently divorced, but enjoys spending time with her brother's family. She is thrilled to be placed in charge of an upcoming exhibit of the library's collection of valuable books and relics. But history begins to repeat itself. Some of the most priceless books disappear. This reflects poorly on Sadie, who is originally unaware that her grandfather had once been in charge of precious volumes that disappeared. Worse yet, she has never revealed to anyone at the library that she was related to her grandmother, Laura Lyons, now a deceased but renowned essayist, who once lived at the library. As the investigation into the missing items heats up, this secret will not play well when exposed.
So as to avoid spoilers, suffice it to say that the past and present are inexorably intertwined in this marvelous novel. Fiona Davis alternates the storytelling from 1913 to 1993 throughout the book, divulging information about Laura, Sadie, and the thefts at a tantalizingly slow (but not boring) pace. I wanted to know more and read late into the night.
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A estória se desenrola na Biblioteca Municipal de New York. Nos incentiva a valorizar a preciosidade dos livros históricos de literatura.
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This is a beautiful story of two women, Laura and Sadie, decades apart whose lives and those of the ones they love are centred on the goings on at the New York Public Library. Both women, particularly Laura, chafe against the societal restrictions placed upon them as women in the home and workplace. Both stories are interesting, especially Laura’s, and the descriptions of the library are gorgeous. The two time periods work very effectively and show the consequences that decisions can have decades later. It is also fascinating to see how the role of women has slowly evolved since the early 1900s to the 1990s.
If you love books, libraries, and well-depicted female characters, this book is for you. Beautifully done.