The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis – 368 pages
ARC thanks to Dutton and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Book Blurb:
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.
My Review: 4 stars
The Chelsea Girls was an easy to read story about the McCarthy years and his hunt for Communists and/or Communist sympathizers. Although this time period is covered in high school history, it’s always easier and more fun to revisit when a story is wrapped around it.
The Chelsea Hotel, a place for entertainers and artists to stay, and often live, is its own character in the book. And boy does it have a history; if only walls could talk! Davis does a great job at integrating the history of this iconic hotel with the tense years after WW2.
McCarthyism put a strain on everyone, and especially took its toll on the art, music and film industry. One small joke, an introduction to someone who was on the suspect list or one’s sexual orientation could put you on the blacklist. The blacklist disallowed you from working and often put you in prison. False accusations were made all the time, just to destroy someone’s life. It was hard to know who you could trust, even amongst friends and family.
The two main protagonists, who met on a USO tour, became each other’s yin and yang. When one is accused of being a spy and the other is not, loads of drama is woven into the story. I’m stopping here, so I don’t spoil the story. This is an enjoyable read, as all of author’s books have been.
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