Vera Bellington is a beautiful bird in a gilded cage, living a life of wealth and privilege but with the constraints society and family impose. A Fine Imitation by Amber Brock is her story against a background of art and the roaring twenties. This book is completely Vera's story, and it remains true to that narrow focus throughout. A static main character? Yes. Predictable? Yes. Entertaining and a quick read? Yes. Memorable? Probably not.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2016/07/a-fine-imitation.html.
Reviewed for the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2016/07/a-fine-imitation.html.
Reviewed for the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program
I enjoyed this tale so much that I am wavering between a 4 star and that illusive 5 star. There is a bit of a mystery, as just who is the artist. Vera's husband was a bit more cliche', as we will probably be able to date when books were written by that one clue. Vera's mom was a wonderful "loving" villain, always were she needed to be with just the right questions. Pure entertainment, I wish I could find more books that are just entertainment. Book received in goodreads contest, with expectation of fair/unbiased review.
In 1923, Vera Longacre Belllington, has been married for 10 years to Arthur Bellington, a successful businessman who is often absent physically and emotionally distant when present. This book alternates between 1923 and 1913, the year that Vera was a senior art history major at Vassar and a pivotal year in her life. As a single child of very wealthy parents, Vera's life is controlled by an overbearing mother who never deviates from upper class expectations for her daughter. Arthur owns the building in which he and Vera live in the penthouse; the people who also live in the building provide Vera's social interactions. When an artist is hired to paint a mural in the building's pool area, Vera becomes increasingly involved with the man and his mysterious past. The novel provides an interesting look at the mores and conventions of that time frame. I am grateful to have received this as an ARC from Librarything.
