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ckreads28's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I went into this blind, so my review is mostly on me. I was hoping for more of a old Hollywood glam side of things. This was more lost generation and the impact of propaganda, WW2, and the impacts of Italy.
Now there are very important themes and issues discussed in this book, especially with what is going on in the world right now. All that being said the pace was difficult for me, and maybe it would've been different if I wou'd read the other books. Just slow pace wasn't for me right now.
Now there are very important themes and issues discussed in this book, especially with what is going on in the world right now. All that being said the pace was difficult for me, and maybe it would've been different if I wou'd read the other books. Just slow pace wasn't for me right now.
guylou's review
4.0
๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ข๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ is a captivating journey through post-war Italy, where Vivien Lowry seeks solace and redemption amidst the ruins of her shattered dreams. Jenner expertly weaves together the narratives of Vivien's quest for truth about her late fiancรฉ and the daring exploits of the enigmatic La Scolaretta, a female resistance fighter. Set against the backdrop of Rome's bustling Cinecitta Studios, the novel immerses readers in a world of glamour, intrigue, and political turmoil. I enjoyed the references to stars of a bygone era such as Brigitte Bardot, Gina Lollobrigida, Gene Kelly, and many others. Jenner's evocative prose brings to life the vibrant atmosphere of 1950s Italy, while shedding light on lesser-known aspects of its history. With its richly drawn characters and meticulously researched historical backdrop, ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ข๐๐๐ฌ๐ is a compelling tale of resilience, love, and the search for redemption in the aftermath of war. This is the third book in the Jane Austen Society Series and is a must-read for fans of historical fiction craving a captivating and immersive journey through time.
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Title: Every Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Natalie Jenner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E โข W O R D S
Atmospheric โข Glitzy โข Slow
๐ S Y N O P S I S
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 Romeโs 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 fiancรฉ.
๐ญ T H O U G H T S
I've read and enjoyed The Jane Austen Society, but have yet to read Bloomsbury Girls. Even though I hadn't read book two, I was still interested in reading Every Time We Say Goodbye, the final book in Canadian author Natalie Jenner's Jane Austen Society trilogy, near publication.
Natalie Jenner delivers a well researched, dual timeline historical fiction novel set in post-war Italy with the Italian film industry as a backdrop. She does a fantastic job creating a vibrant atmosphere, setting the scene and showcasing the dichotomy of the time period - a country in transition. I felt like I learnt a lot and it was interesting getting to know how much of a role the Catholic Church had in the industry.
While I thought the story was interesting, some of the plot lines were unnecessary making the book feel longer than it actually was. Because there is so many characters along the way it was a little harder to keep track of everyone, which is similar in book one. Jenner fully flushes out Vivien's character and she came feel like a friend.
I was left with mixed feeling on the narration by Juliet Aubrey. I thought she did a good job bringing Vivien to life, but her voicing of the other characters were sometimes overdone or unrealistic. With such a large cast of characters it is one that is hard to do solely on audio without getting confused.
Steeped in trauma and tragedy, Every Time We Say Goodbye is ultimately about self-discovery and hopeful. It can easily be read as a standalone, although starting at the beginning is strongly recommended as there is some overlap with characters.
๐ R E A D โข I F โข Y O U โข L I K E
โข companion novels
โข the film world
โข Our Darkest Night
โ ๏ธ CW: antisemitism, xenophobia, war, torture, murder, grief, death of partner, death of parent, child death, rape, kidnapping
๐ F A V O U R I T E โข Q U O T E S
"Yet in the end, goodness is fixed and steady, and not so difficult to spot. It is evil that takes a bewildering number of forms and keeps changing its shape, tricking you with false promises and reasoning, taunting you into resignation.โ
Author: Natalie Jenner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E โข W O R D S
Atmospheric โข Glitzy โข Slow
๐ S Y N O P S I S
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 Romeโs 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 fiancรฉ.
๐ญ T H O U G H T S
I've read and enjoyed The Jane Austen Society, but have yet to read Bloomsbury Girls. Even though I hadn't read book two, I was still interested in reading Every Time We Say Goodbye, the final book in Canadian author Natalie Jenner's Jane Austen Society trilogy, near publication.
Natalie Jenner delivers a well researched, dual timeline historical fiction novel set in post-war Italy with the Italian film industry as a backdrop. She does a fantastic job creating a vibrant atmosphere, setting the scene and showcasing the dichotomy of the time period - a country in transition. I felt like I learnt a lot and it was interesting getting to know how much of a role the Catholic Church had in the industry.
While I thought the story was interesting, some of the plot lines were unnecessary making the book feel longer than it actually was. Because there is so many characters along the way it was a little harder to keep track of everyone, which is similar in book one. Jenner fully flushes out Vivien's character and she came feel like a friend.
I was left with mixed feeling on the narration by Juliet Aubrey. I thought she did a good job bringing Vivien to life, but her voicing of the other characters were sometimes overdone or unrealistic. With such a large cast of characters it is one that is hard to do solely on audio without getting confused.
Steeped in trauma and tragedy, Every Time We Say Goodbye is ultimately about self-discovery and hopeful. It can easily be read as a standalone, although starting at the beginning is strongly recommended as there is some overlap with characters.
๐ R E A D โข I F โข Y O U โข L I K E
โข companion novels
โข the film world
โข Our Darkest Night
โ ๏ธ CW: antisemitism, xenophobia, war, torture, murder, grief, death of partner, death of parent, child death, rape, kidnapping
๐ F A V O U R I T E โข Q U O T E S
"Yet in the end, goodness is fixed and steady, and not so difficult to spot. It is evil that takes a bewildering number of forms and keeps changing its shape, tricking you with false promises and reasoning, taunting you into resignation.โ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Murder, Antisemitism, Grief, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Rape, and Kidnapping
death of partnernobookendinsight's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
vlreid's review
3.0
It's 1955 in post-war London and Vivien Lowry is a movie script writer. After a scathing review of the play she wrote, a friend convinces her to move to Rome and work for the famous Cinecitta Studio. Rome in 1955 is an absolutely beautiful setting. We get a peek into the film industry, the Vatican's attempt to censor the films made there, the glamour of the lifestyle, the Italian food and nightlife, and the close friendships that Vivian develops. We also get to see the long-term lingering effects of the war.
We know Vivien from Natalie Jennerโs previous novel The Bloomsbury Girls, which I absolutely loved, along with her first novel The Jane Austen Society. I really wanted to love this book as well, but it just didnโt live up to her other two.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but it helped that she included a comprehensive Cast of Characters along with a brief synopsis of each one. In her author's note she mentions a map, but apparently it was missing from my advanced reader copy. It would have helped to know all the Rome locations she mentioned in the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.
We know Vivien from Natalie Jennerโs previous novel The Bloomsbury Girls, which I absolutely loved, along with her first novel The Jane Austen Society. I really wanted to love this book as well, but it just didnโt live up to her other two.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but it helped that she included a comprehensive Cast of Characters along with a brief synopsis of each one. In her author's note she mentions a map, but apparently it was missing from my advanced reader copy. It would have helped to know all the Rome locations she mentioned in the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.
boiler_bookworm's review
Slow, confusing with too many characters and jumped around too much
katemarcus's review against another edition
I loved her first two books but could not connect to the plot or characters in this one.
anhistorianabouttown's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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. Jennerโs 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 filmโs 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!
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. Jennerโs 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 filmโs 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!
kcherry's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0