The Spectacular is a very well written historical drama set in NYC in the late 1950s. Released 13th June 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Dutton imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
The story revolves around a mostly-appealing upper middle class young female dancer who is feeling stifled within the constraints of the life her family and society have given her. She auditions for the Rockettes on a whim and wins a place in the troupe, which turns out to be more challenging than even she had anticipated.
Loosely based around a series of real historical bombings in NYC in the late 1950s, author Fiona Davis has used dual timeline narrative and flashbacks to very good effect to create an engaging and readable story. The scenery and background research are also impressive (and must have been a prodigious task).
Four solid stars. It would make a good choice for library acquisition, gifting, personal reading, and would be an excellent book club selection.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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