The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
1952 New York City must have been a pretty cool place. Certainly it was a lure to those who wanted to make it on their own, or make it big. It was a place for young women to escape their hometowns and experience freedom, within the confines of 1950's ideals, of course. The Dollhouse was certainly a refreshing break from my usual historical fiction. Yes, this is a dual-history novel; it takes place in 1952 and 2016. I usually don't read much about mid-twentieth century history; it's just not a time that appeals to me. But I was intrigued by the idea of a women's hotel in 1952, and I'm glad I read this novel. I had no idea where the story would take me, and it definitely surprised me. Darby McLaughlin is a young woman from Ohio, sent to New York City by her mother to live at the Barbizon Hotel, a place where young women stayed while attending modeling school, secretarial school, or other suitable educational avenues for a young woman in 1952. Of ...