Natalie Jenner’s debut novel, The Jane Austen Society, was absolutely a high point of 2020 for me (even more so given what we were all going through). She is a talented author who builds stories so beautifully, stories that use history and emotion equally to create a new world. I was happy to see that the story would be continuing on and we now have a third story in this universe. Luckily, I was invited to be a part of the book tour, and I am so excited to be able to share Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner with you!
Thank you to NetGalley and Austenprose PR for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Every Time We Say Goodbye, Natalie Jenner
In 1955, Vivien Lowry is facing the greatest challenge of her life. Her latest play, the only female-authored play on the London stage that season, has opened in the West End to rapturous applause from the audience. The reviewers, however, are not as impressed as the playgoers and their savage notices not only shut down the play but ruin Lowry’s last chance for a dramatic career. With her future in London not looking bright, at the suggestion of her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, Vivien takes a job as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios. There she finds a vibrant movie making scene filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors, and famous actors in a country that is torn between its past and its potentially bright future, between the liberation of the post-war cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church that permeates the very soul of Italy.
As Vivien tries to forge a new future for herself, she also must face the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the mystery of what really happened to her deceased fiancé. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a brilliant exploration of trauma and tragedy, hope and renewal, filled with dazzling characters both real and imaginary, from the incomparable author who charmed the world with her novels The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls.
Why You Should Read This…
Before I dive into my thoughts, I should say- this is in the Jane Austen Society universe but is a stand-alone book; you could absolutely read it without having read the first two. However, TJAS and Bloomsbury Girls are wonderful books, so I would recommend reading them regardless!
Every Time We Say Goodbye was not what I expected, in a wonderful way. As an historian, this novel spoke to me like few truly do- I feel like Jenner dove into a little known area of history and brought it to life for us. I think that many of us are familiar with Hollywood in the 1950s and how communism affected it. However, I had never considered the film industries elsewhere, especially not somewhere that the church could play a role.
I was immediately pulled into this complex and seemingly-almost dangerous situation where things could change in a second. Many of us (myself included) have the impression that things largely calmed down in Europe after the Second World War, but other forces continued to push and pull society into these difficult and fraught situations. Jenner’s characters show us the longer lasting effects of war, even on those who were not on the battlefield themselves. Although Vivien has carried on with her life, we see how drastically both she and her life have changed in the aftermath of the war.
The secondary plot (the film’s plot) also pulled me in. I think that it is a creative way to touch on another story line without jumping around too much within the story itself. While I normally find dual timelines to be distracting, this set-up worked perfectly. I was entirely invested in this gorgeous novel, and I think it is a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction!
Is Every Time We Say Goodbye on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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