The Seventh Veil of Salome: A GMA Book Club Pick

I was really looking forward to reading this after enjoying Mexican Gothic. Old Hollywood, jealous rivals, a femme fatale. What's not to love? A lot apparently. The multiple POVs were too much and unneeded. It would be much tidier and more interesting if we only read from Vera and Nancy's POVs. I found Salome's completely unneeded and wooden, and her love for John the Baptist not believable at all. In the end I still didn't understand Salome's motivation and wanted to get back to the conflict between Vera and Nancy who were meant to embody the dual natures of Salome. Wish I could have enjoyed this more.

Ahoy there mateys! There is something about Moreno-Garcia's writing that always works for me.  This historical fiction novel was no exception.  It takes place in 1950s Hollywood where a big budget film about the life of Salome is preparing for production.  Everyone is surprised when the director casts Vera Larios, a Mexican woman with no experience as the lead.  Another American actress named Nancy is appalled and wants revenge for "her" part being stolen.  The novel focuses on how the film changes their lives forever.The two elements I loved best about the novel were the atmosphere and the characterizations.  The Hollywood of the 1950s was not always as glamorous as the films themselves would suggest.  There was rampant racism, misogyny, and studio control over the talent.  In addition the Red Scare caused actors to be blackballed.  Studios also could influence who actors dated and, in the case of gay men, encourage them to marry to hide their sexual preferences.  Vera Larios, as a Mexican, is treated with disdain.  She is not considered white.  Getting the part of Salome is a big deal but Hollywood treats the young actress more as a possession of the studio than a real person.  I thought the undercurrent of Hollywood politics was extremely well done because the overt and subtle impacts to the talents' lives were woven throughout the novel.I also loved the characterization.  Vera is controlled by her mother and familial obligation of the Mexican culture.  She is a bit naive but also resourceful in her own way.  She lives in the shadow of her sister being the family favorite.  I was rooting for every gain she made towards personal freedom.  I also had a lot of sympathy for how poorly Hollywood treated her.  Nancy, on the other hand, was someone I loved to dislike.  She has a lot of freedom but also has family pressure in trying to obtain her father's approval.  Nancy has truly horrible taste in men.  She is manipulative, abusive, and cunning.  Her focus on blaming Vera for all her woes was ridiculous yet realistic and the conflict this entailed was excellently done.  I felt that both women's endings were so sorrowful in their own ways.  The other interesting character in this novel was Salome herself.  We learn about her life in the palace, her uncle's desire for her, her marriage prospects, and her fascination with John the Baptist.  This storyline was my least favorite but it did add for some interesting parallels with the 1950s.Overall, I loved this novel even if I will likely not reread it.  I love the author's work and am looking forward to The Bewitching coming out later this year.  Arrrr!

I really enjoyed how different this book was from her others. She truly sucked me in as usual and I’m super thankful I got the ARC through NetGalley. I wish I had the physical copy now. I’ve already recommended it to others!! Thank you to the publishers, I absolutely love Silvia Moreno Garcia! The characters in this book were really well written and the pace and description were perfect. Such a great version of a historical story mixed with some drama. I felt like I was right there in the mix and have been digesting the feelings I got from it since I finished.

I loved this book. I wish it was one chapter longer….i want to know how an arrest came to be. I want to know how others walked away unscathed. That final chapter would have made this book remarkable instead of “ really good!”

I loved the suspenseful buildup and the descriptive language right up to the highly anticipated crescendo of the dance and the story!!!