Unless you are quite new to An Historian About Town, you will know that I am an avid reader. And as such, I love receiving and giving books as gifts. (I have my list of the best historical fiction to give, if you are looking for suggestions!) I was excited to see that Fiona Davis has another book coming out this year, just in time for Christmas gifting- it is out on 8 December 2020. Today I’m sharing my review of The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis, and why you need to buy it this December! Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Chelsea Girls, Fiona Davis
From the dramatic redbrick facade to the sweeping staircase dripping with art, the Chelsea Hotel has long been New York City’s creative oasis for the many artists, writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and poets who have called it home—a scene playwright Hazel Riley and actress Maxine Mead are determined to use to their advantage. Yet they soon discover that the greatest obstacle to putting up a show on Broadway has nothing to do with their art, and everything to do with politics. A Red scare is sweeping across America, and Senator Joseph McCarthy has started a witch hunt for Communists, with those in the entertainment industry in the crosshairs. As the pressure builds to name names, it is more than Hazel and Maxine’s Broadway dreams that may suffer as they grapple with the terrible consequences, but also their livelihood, their friendship, and even their freedom.
Spanning from the 1940s to the 1960s, The Chelsea Girls deftly pulls back the curtain on the desperate political pressures of McCarthyism, the complicated bonds of female friendship, and the siren call of the uninhibited Chelsea Hotel.
Why You Should Read This…
I will admit, the second half of the twentieth century is definitely a blind spot for me, history wise. I’ve got a general idea of the Cold War, but other than the British royals, I’m lost. I wasn’t sure if this would affect my reading of The Chelsea Girls. However, I’m happy to say that I loved this book. Davis does an incredible job of weaving in the history and the general “points” of the period without feeling like a textbook. (Yes, I was spurred to do more reading afterwards, but I didn’t have to stop reading to Google anything.) As an historian, I more than appreciate that she provides a short bibliography at the end including her own sources if you want to read further.
Hazel and Maxine are two very complex characters. I thought I “knew” within the first few chapters, but they continued to grow and evolve from start to finish. They also both felt like real people that you would actually know, which I find somewhat rare. My only slight quibble is that I would have enjoyed a slightly longer ending with both of them. However, even without that, they were some of the most compelling characters that I’ve ever read, and when I was reading more on McCarthyism after, Hazel and Maxine gave me a much better sense on what individuals would have gone through. If you love strong characters, you need to read The Chelsea Girls.
Is Fiona Davis’ The Chelsea Girls on your reading list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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