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The Glimmer Palace (2008)

by Beatrice Colin(Favorite Author)

3.69 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1594489858 (ISBN13: 9781594489853)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Riverhead Hardcover

review 1: The eponymous Lilly is girl born into theatrical chaos, and her life never really slows down from there. Preternaturally beautiful and alone in the world, she tries to survive as best she can. Set amongst a backdrop of the First World War and Weimar Berlin, there is plenty of peril at hand.'The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite' proved to be a much less whimsical read than I had initially thought. The book starts almost playfully with Lilly's birth and childhood. Then, darker elements make themselves known, and set the tone for the rest of the novel.Arguably the main character is not Lilly, bu Berlin itself. The author makes the city live and breathe in the readers mind, every street, every train, even background details are beautifully described. Colin also effortlessly b... moreuilds a solid picture of the conditions that lead to the rise of Nazism through her portrayal of the Depression and the lives of Germans during this time.All this does come at slight cost to her characters, some of whom feel a little broadly painted (Eva and Stefan in particular). Lilly herself feels distant and nebulous throughout, and it is difficult for the reader to ever to feel a real attachment to her.An enjoyable read, but one that would have been more enjoyable still had Lilly been a little less otherworldly and given more emotional depth.
review 2: The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite focuses on the story of film making in Germany’s Weimar Republic and the development of Hollywood’s golden age. Alongside this, is the depiction of the First World War and how its aftermath impacts upon Germany, with years of consequent political upheaval and economic hardship, the resulting rise of the Nazi party and the persecution of Jews.Binding together this broad sweep of social, cultural, political and military history, is the golden thread of the novel's heroine whose life is played out against, and within it. Lilly's life begins with the dawn of the 20th century and at a very tender age she is orphaned. As the century unfolds, Lilly's circumstances change too.There is a sense of impending tragedy throughout the novel as Lilly’s life plays out – a life which encompasses hardship, sadness and success – and there are a number of deeply sad and moving twists, events and circumstances which she endures. At the end of it all though, because of, and in spite of what happens to her, Lilly is seen to be a survivor.The novel is evocative, poignant and spellbinding, and gives the reader a real sense of immediacy, with its portrayal of the frenetic decadence of post-war Berlin, descending into something much more sinister and foreboding.This is a novel which has a broad range, but it is deftly handled, and Beatrice Colin as produced a great read as a result. Recommended. less

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