Review: A Beautiful Rival

Title: A Beautiful Rival

Author: Gill Paul

Publisher: 31st August 2024 by Avon Books UK

Pages: 384 pages

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

In this stunning new novel, bestselling author Gill Paul reveals the unknown history of cosmetic titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein and their infamous rivalry that spanned not only decades, but also broken marriages, personal tragedies, and a world that was changing dramatically for women—perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Marie Benedict, and Beatriz Williams.

Who would have guessed that the business of making women beautiful was so cutthroat?

They could have been allies: two self-made millionaires who invented a global industry, in an era when wife and mother were supposed to be the highest goals for their sex. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein each founded empires built on grit and determination…and yet they became locked in a feud spanning three continents, two world wars, and the Great Depression.

Brought up in poverty, Canadian-born Elizabeth Arden changed popular opinion, persuading women from all walks of life ­to buy skincare products that promised them youth and beauty. Helena Rubenstein left her native Poland, and launched her company with scientific claims about her miracle creams made with anti-ageing herbs.

And when it came to business, nothing was off-limits: poaching each other’s employees, copying each other’s products, planting spies, hiring ex-husbands, and one-upping each other every chance they had. This was a rivalry from which there was no surrender! And through it all were two women, bold, brazen, and determined to succeed—no matter the personal cost.

In this sweeping novel from the bestselling author of Jackie and Maria and The Manhattan Girls, two larger-than life fashion icons come alive with all their passion, bitterness, and ambition as they each try to live the American dream.

My Thoughts

Embarking on a Gill Paul read is always a treat and this time around she gives her readers a wonderfully famous rivalry from history. Most women over a certain age (*cough *splutter) have heard of Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Gill details a wonderful fact/fiction tale of these two highly intelligent women from around 1915-1965 and how they were bitter rivals in their quest for supremacy in the beauty business. 

‘Helena rubbed her hands in glee. Nothing cheered her so much as hearing that her rival’s business was in trouble. When she arrived in America in 1915, it had been her goal to beat Elizabeth Arden and, for now at least, she was in the lead.’

I knew little about the inception of the beauty industry and nothing about the lives of the women behind these iconic products so it was such an interesting revelation with Gill including so much detailed research. Elizabeth Arden comes across as a rather cold person always desperate to reach the upper echelons. Helena comes across as the more personable and astute businesswoman. This is a story of their life journeys and the crazy lengths they would go to in competing against one another. 

“I see Madame Rubinstein wormed her way in,” she said, with an arched eyebrow. “You two should talk,” Edna said. “You have a lot in common.” “I doubt it somehow,” Elizabeth said. “She doesn’t look my type at all.”

What is most enlightening is the time period - two world wars and a Great Depression - along with the role of women in business. It is eye opening. There is also so much to be learnt about the introduction of the cosmetics industry and how it withstood the test of time with both their names and products continuing to be viewed with respect. 

“Ah, but we came first,” Helena said. “We invented an industry that didn’t exist before. They should all be thanking us.”

If books about women pioneering in a man’s world and becoming a business success appeals to you, then A Beautiful Rival is sure to please. If stories about the introduction of cosmetics and the beauty industry tweaks your curiosity, look no further. Gill has undertaken an extensive amount of research about two women whose personal backgrounds could not have foresaw the great success they would achieve. Told from alternating chapters of both Elizabeth and Helena’s perspectives this is a highly interesting and entertaining read. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Perilous Times

Title: Perilous Times

Author: Thomas D. Lee

Publisher: 30th May 2023 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 534 pages

Genre: fantasy, fiction, retellings

Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet—saving the politically polarized, rapidly warming world from itself—in this slyly funny contemporary take on Arthurian legend.

Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully damn tiring over the years—or at least that's what Sir Kay's thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth, yet again. 

Kay fought at Hastings, and at Waterloo, and in both World Wars. After a thousand years, he thought he was used to dealing with a crisis. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, armies have been privatized, and half of Britain’s been sold to the Chinese. The dragon that's running amok, that he can handle. The rest? He's not so sure. 

Mariam's devoted her life to fighting what's wrong with her country. But she's just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, a figure straight out of legend, she dares to hope that the world's finally found the savior it needs.

As the two quest through this strange land swarming with gangs, mercenaries, and talking squirrels, they realize that other ancient evils are afoot. Lancelot is back too--at the beck and call of immortal beings with a sinister agenda. And if their plans can’t be stopped, a dragon will be the least of the planet’s worries.

In perilous times like these, the realm doesn't just need a knight. It needs a true leader.

Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach - and Kay's starting to suspect that the hero fit to carry it is close at hand.

My Thoughts

Perilous Times is a book that defies genres with its quirky mix of Arthurian lore, futuristic dystopian themes set against an environmental stance on climate change. Yup! You read right, an eclectic mix that really works! Set in future England when global warming has all but ruined the world, it is the Knights of the Round Table that are called upon to save the day - or not?!

‘So the idea was, whenever Britain was in peril, we'd come back from the dead and sort things out. … Whenever people need help. So maybe it was the dragon, or maybe it was you, but … that’s why I’m here. I’m here to help.’

The overall combination is what attracted me in the first place and the witty, clever writing is what kept me to the very end. It is a clever premise with compelling characters, rich world building and a thrilling plot. It’s crazy but somehow it works. I feel that resurrecting Arthur and the Knights is not just for novelty but also to illustrate the complex issue of past solutions not working in the present climate (pardon the pun).

‘I've been working for a very long time to try and save men from their own stupidity. To try and stop them from poisoning their own planet. And it hasn't worked. So my intention is to bring back the one man who might actually listen.’

Apart from the central theme of climate change there are really rich themes under the microscope here - the role of women and refugees, governments and politics and the capacity of individuals to make a difference. Woven throughout (so as not to get bogged down) is much humour. These poor Knights have been called upon throughout the ages and are forced to confront a range of time periods that throw at them everything from guns to helicopters. So why not add a dragon to the story with some serious magic and you just about have it covered. 

‘I can see the earth rendered barren . .. a lifeless husk with burning skies. It looms ahead of us. Almost inevitable, now. So few shoots of green. We've ignored so many of them. So many chances wasted. Now we have so few left.'

This is an entertaining and compelling read that cleverly balances out the serious with the silly. It is a clever mix and I think it’s a winner in turning legends around and highlighting the plight of our planet in an engaging and memorable way. It’s crazy but somehow it works.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: The Visitors

Title: The Visitors

Author: Jane Harrison 

Publisher: 30th August 2024 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Pages: 300 pages

Genre: historical fiction, play

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

On a steamy, hot day in January 1788, seven Aboriginal men, representing the nearby clans, gather at Warrane. Several newly arrived ships have been sighted in the great bay to the south, Kamay. The men meet to discuss their response to these visitors. All day, they talk, argue, debate. Where are the visitors from? What do they want? Might they just warra warra wai back to where they came from? Should they be welcomed? Or should they be made to leave? The decision of the men must be unanimous -- and will have far-reaching implications for all. Throughout the day, the weather is strange, with mammatus clouds, unbearable heat and a pending thunderstorm ... Somewhere, trouble is brewing.

From award-winning author and playwright Jane Harrison, The Visitors is an audacious, earthy, funny, gritty and powerful re-imagining of a crucial moment in Australia's history - and an unputdownable work of fiction.

My Thoughts

“Let's get back to the simple task at hand. We need to decide whether we let them land today or not.”

The Visitors by Jane Harrison is based on her successful play of the same name - therefore it is written with a play-like structure in parts. Inspired by the film, ‘ 12 Angry Men’, Jane has certainly done her research into one of the most impactful and ultimately painful days in Australian history. In just under 300 words, Jane successfully imagines what could have been senior leaders from the local tribes watching and arguing over the arrival of the First Fleet into Botany Bay in 1788. This is a reimagining of first encounters from an Indigenous  perspective and it is truly something every Australian should be reading. 

‘Is he being too optimistic about their intentions? Can he imagine a scenario in which they do not leave, for example? In which they take over land, water and sky? What if Gordon is right about these visitors? Could he be?’

‘Visitors’ had come and gone eighteen summers before (eg. Captain Cook) but that was just the point, they visited and then left. Would these visitors likewise be leaving? The story involves a lot of discussion about whether to engage in war or allow the visitors to come ashore. 

Joseph holds up his hand. So are we definitely fighting? We can't

just ignore them and wait for them to go away? Joseph is hopeful.

He isn't designed for warfare, only its aftermath, healing.

Gary. We tried that last time. Now they're back.

Joseph. If they've come and left before, won't they leave again?

Albert. Yes, but do we want them trampling all over country like

last time?

Gordon. No. We don't want them doing that.

Nathaniel. No way.

There's nodding around the circle.

Albert. So let's vote.

After lengthy debates the men notice that the visitors are landing and they make their fateful decision. We all know where it goes from there but there is something incredibly real about getting to know these tribal elders (and Lawrence) and witnessing how events play out for them all. 

This book certainly packs a punch for its less than 300 pages. Not only about the crucial decisions made on that day but also the witty dialogue between the men and the insight into Indigenous living and tribal protocols. I will admit to being somewhat confused by the use of Anglo-Saxon names and the reason behind their being dressed in suits and ties (I did research that it symbolised their status in contemporary terms) but wish that had been addressed somewhere in the book. All things considered, I feel this is an important book for especially non-indigenous people to read and learn from. Enlightening, humourous, somber and very, very real. 

“Do you really think that, just because they came ashore, we might fade into

nothingness like smoke into the sky?”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard

Title: The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard

Author: Natasha Lester

Publisher: 27th September 2023 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 425 pages

Genre: historical fiction, mystery

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

History said she was just a man's muse. History was wrong. The exquisite new novel from bestselling author Natasha Lester.

In November 1973, a fashion legend vanished, leaving behind only a white silk dress and the what really happened to Astrid Bricard?

Paris, 1917: Parentless sixteen-year-old Mizza Bricard makes a to be remembered on her own terms. This promise drives her and her designs through the most exclusive couture houses in France until, finally, a legend is created - one that will endure for generations to come, but not the one she wanted.

New York, 1970: Designer Astrid Bricard arrives in bohemian Chelsea ready to change the fashion world. And she does - but cast in the role of muse to her lover, Hawk Jones. Just as Astrid's star is finally poised to ascend in its own right, she mysteriously disappears, leaving her family in tatters and perpetuating the infamous Bricard family myth.

French Countryside , Present Blythe Bricard is the daughter of fashion's most infamous 70s power couple, but she turned her back on that world, and her passion for it, years ago. Fate, however, has other plans, and in a chateau over a whirlwind couple of weeks, Blythe will discover there is more to her iconic mother and grandmother - and herself - than she ever knew.

These three generations now have one chance to prove themselves. Can the women of the Bricard fashion dynasty finally rewrite their history?

My Thoughts

Natasha Lester books have all been five star reads for me. So it was with great anticipation that I took up her latest novel, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard. Yet again Natasha has floored me with her storytelling, almost to the point of speechlessness. Where to start with a read that was so powerful, so raw and intense, taking the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. This book consumed me as it is astoundingly told from three viewpoints, three generations of Bricard women, over multiple decades. Unbelievable.

‘.. she starts to emerge from something she hadn't realised she'd been buried in. It's funny how, only when a little light comes in do you understand you've become so used to darkness that you've forgotten stars exist.’

This novel is so powerful and beautifully written, each and every character brings something to the story. Through pain and loss, sacrifice and sorrow Natasha takes you on a journey where seemingly impossible decisions will have to be made with the ramifications transcending through the years to come. Exploring the lives of Mizza, Astrid and Blythe Bricard who were famous … or was it infamous? Are the stories really true? Is it a myth or the media playing sensationalism? Or, more to the point, is it the stories these women are telling themselves that has lost its focus and reliability?

‘She wants things to be different … (she) also wants them to be right, as if she believes the truth time has left them with is the one that was easiest to assemble - as if there's another account out there of lost facts that could be reconstructed if someone cared enough.’

This is also a story of gender inequality, yes in the fashion industry, but can easily be woven through broader society. Three generations of women who were made to feel so much less than their ridiculous abilities would allow for. Uniquely, it was the men closest to them who were supportive and the power of the media and social constructs that were unaccepting of these women. 

‘This man couldn't possibly imagine how good that would feel for a woman - to truly be powerful. But it's what Astrid dreams of, and the smile that settles onto her face as she walks away is both her stay and her strength - but not her undoing.’

How delightful to also have appearances from characters in Natasha’s past novels. Remy from The Riviera House and Alix from The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre are important components to this story. For me, it was such a thrill to have those connections made. But, I mean think about it for a minute …. three timelines/narratives, past characters - how does Natasha do it? This is truly a masterpiece of writing. The balance Natasha strikes and the links made between chapters and events are mind-blowing.

‘… the world is only half of what it could be when power is defined as someone losing something and when women are merely the beautiful and the damned.’

Do yourself a favour and walk the tunnels of Paris with Mizza in war torn France, embrace all the glitz and glamour with Astrid in the 1970s and finally, start putting all the pieces together with Blythe in the present day. I challenge you not to be shocked as secrets are revealed at just the right points throughout the story, or feel triumphant when your heartfelt hopes are realised. This is historical fiction, indeed storytelling, at its finest. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from Better Reading in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: The Hidden Book

Title: The Hidden Book

Author: Kirsty Manning

Publisher: 29th August 2023 by Allen & Unwin

Pages: 368 pages

Genre: historical fiction

Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Jade Lily comes a compelling novel based on a true story of a WWII European heirloom that brought down war criminals and travelled through history ... to be found in an Australian country shed in 2019.

Europe, 1940 Imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, Spanish fighter and photographer Mateo Baca is ordered to process images of the camp and inmates for a handful of photo books being made for presentation to top Nazi figures. Just five books in total, or so the officials think ...

 

Mateo manages to make a secret sixth book and, with the help of a local woman, Lena Lang, it remains hidden until the end of the war.

 

Australia, present When thirteen-year-old Hannah Campbell's Yugoslavian grandfather, Nico Antonov, arrives in Australia to visit his family, one of the gifts he brings with him is an intriguing-looking parcel wrapped in calico cloth which Roza, Hannah's mother, quickly hides.

 

Later, Hannah sneaks off in search for the mysterious package. She is horrified to find in it a photo book full of ghastly historical photographs of a terrible place full of people suffering.

 

At first Hannah has little context for what she sees, but over the years as she experiences love, grief and trauma, she understands what these photos came to mean, for herself, her freedom and for those who risked their lives to 'bear witness' to history.

A startling story of clandestine courage and treachery in World War Two, and how we must meet and overcome our pasts to move into our futures.

My Thoughts

Australian author Kirsty Manning is a firm favourite with readers and this time offers a fictional story wrapped around historical facts. Kristy sets out to honour the people involved with saving clandestine photos from Mauthausen Concentration Camp that were used to convict Nazi war criminals. History buffs are sure to appreciate her research efforts in creating compassion and awareness from this sad time.

‘There are so many stories, big and small. We need to tell them all.’

The Hidden Book is a dual time narrative based on true events surrounding a book of photos that was smuggled and then hidden from Mauthausen during WWII. The first timeline is from 1944 with several narrators at the time the book was being made. The second timeline is the present day when Hannah (grandchild) embarks on a journey to discover the history behind this mysterious book. 

‘… if she destroyed the images the prisoners had entrusted to Lena, how would anyone eventually know what went on inside those dark walls?’

Whilst I honour and respect the topic, I just found this book lacked depth in the contemporary timeline. I found the inclusion of Hannah’s story troubling at times with huge time jumps and began questioning the reasoning behind it being there at all. The links - not to her grandfather's story but that of her own storyline - were too tenuous especially concerning her romantic relationships - that I began to question why they were even alluded to. I found her personal life story irrelevant and detracted from the book as a whole.

The Hidden Book at its heart is a story about WWII and the brave actions of those to ensure the truth of the trauma be revealed. Readers who enjoy historical fiction that is based on real events are sure to find value in this tale. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.