The bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls returns with a brilliant novel of love and art, of grief and memory, of confronting the past and facing the future.
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 in 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.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 14, 2024 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781250285195
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781250285195
- File size: 5830 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 25, 2024
Jenner picks up where Bloomsbury Girls left off as protagonist Vivien Lowry pivots from bookselling to a new career as a playwright in 1950s London. The opening night of her second play feels “like a dream,” but harsh reviews cut its run short. When Vivien’s famed socialite friend Peggy Guggenheim helps her score a script-editing gig in Rome, she jumps at the chance to work on When All Else Fails, the story of an Italian police officer falling in love with an American singer on tour. Also preoccupying Vivien is the question of how her former fiancé, David, died, since she recently learned of his last-known whereabouts as a POW in Italy during WWII. In Rome, she embarks on an affair with producer John Lassiter, who is estranged from his Italian movie star wife. To make matters even more complicated, the Vatican shuts down production on the movie, partially due to its disagreement with the portrayal in another film from the studio of the Vatican’s policy of neutrality during the war. Jenner provides an insightful view into Italy’s postwar reckoning, and she imbues the novel’s many celebrity cameos—including actresses Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida—with authentic flair. Jenner’s fans will love this. -
April 15, 2024
At the end of 1954, after her second play's disastrously poor reception, Vivien Lowry heads to Italy to join other writers working on films. Equally important is the opportunity to look into her fianc�'s disappearance. Mindful of the tense political and religious powers controlling the film industry, Vivien is one of many wanting to bring the story of Italian resistance fighters to light. Can they finally honor such lost heroes and put their ghosts to rest? Jenner introduced Vivien in Bloomsbury Girls (2022), and picks up her story in a tale of the continuing chaos in postwar Italy as citizens try to recover from deep political divisions and cope with the Vatican's power, the House Un-American Activities Committee in the U.S., and the beleaguered worlds of filmmaking in Europe and Hollywood. Real-life figures appear, including legendary film actors, directors, and figures in the art and literary movements of the 1950s. Amidst all this fresh and intriguing history, Jenner keeps core human experiences and relationships on center stage. Fans of Kristine Harmel, Michaela Carter, and Louis de Berni�res should dive right in.COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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