THE GIRL FROM THE SAVOY was an intriguing story even before
I started reading it. The cover and title alone pulled me in
and compelled me to uncover who the Girl is and what the
famous Savoy hotel of London got to do with her.
Since it's a story based around the early 20th century the
Great War is a part of the canvas. Besides war shaping the early
lives of the characters, the story is so very much more than
that. Dreams, ambitions and adventure shape the mesmerizing
fabric of the story.
War not only shapes nations and its geography, it also plays
a defining role in shaping the human characters, their
ambitions and lives on the whole. Many falter and disappear
like smoke under the pressure, others just survive like
nothing much has happened and a precious few flourish and
emerge stronger, like winners from the aftermath of all the
cruelty, shame and devastation of war. The unique characters
of this story endure loss, grief and broken hearts; hearts
which though broken manage to care, protect and keep alive
their dream of being more than what they were born with. Not
just for fame, praise, recognition but also to forget the
hole left in their hearts due to the war. What I
particularly love or say respect about that time is all, any
kind of work was done with dignity and pride. Ladies of
class and title, girls from nothing equally immersed
themselves in the service life - be it as nurses, maids or
something equally bone tiring. Dreams were considered a
beacon of hope, like a shining light to survival in the
midst of loss, darkness and scrubbing floors. What was
amazing about this generation was, after a long, tiring day
of physical labor, end of the day and on days off there was
dancing, cinema hopping and picnics or a swim in the nearest
river. No chance of a laugh, dance or happiness was pushed
away. People embraced work and play in whatever measure they
got it and still managed to find a reason to smile.
The characters in this story--be it the sweetheart of the
theater, Loretta, the soldiers struggling to make sense of
civilian life and after effects of war or, Dolly, the maid
dreaming to be a shining star--won my heart with their
simple yet high thinking. Their dreams were too big to be
suffocated and their patience and hard work worthy of
appreciation. Amidst the gloom, death, loss and war they
shone through; their dreams and path to success made them
heroes. Despite sadness they had a sense of humor towards
life, which made them so very endearing. Their individual
journeys, to their time together and how their lives come
full circle made me weep with tears of sadness, joy and
happiness. The story of difficult, simpler yet times full of
hope and dreams made this a luxurious read and there wasn't
a single character I did not like. Every one excelled in
playing their part and took me to a time of theater,
dancing, London, The Savoy, the stars and their music.
If you love historical fiction, Hazel Gaynor's books will
make you fall in love with the simpler times where dancing,
music, dreams and hope ruled the lives of people. This is
one author whose writing I find simply striking and
mesmerizing, THE GIRL FROM THE SAVOY is no exception.
Presenting a dazzling new historical novel … The Girl
From The Savoy is as sparkling as champagne and as
thrilling as the era itself.
‘Sometimes life gives you cotton stockings. Sometimes it
gives you a Chanel gown …’
Dolly Lane is a dreamer; a downtrodden maid who longs to
dance on the London stage, but her life has been fractured
by the Great War. Memories of the soldier she loved, of
secret shame and profound loss, by turns pull her back and
spur her on to make a better life.
When she finds employment as a chambermaid at London’s
grandest hotel, The Savoy, Dolly takes a step closer to the
glittering lives of the Bright Young Things who thrive on
champagne, jazz and rebellion. Right now, she must exist on
the fringes of power, wealth and glamor—she must remain
invisible and unimportant.
But her fortunes take an unexpected turn when she
responds to a struggling songwriter’s advertisement for a
‘muse’ and finds herself thrust into London’s exhilarating
theatre scene and into the lives of celebrated actress,
Loretta May, and her brother, Perry. Loretta and Perry may
have the life Dolly aspires to, but they too are searching
for something.
Now, at the precipice of the life she has and the one she
longs for, the girl from The Savoy must make difficult
choices: between two men; between two classes, between
everything she knows and everything she dreams of. A
brighter future is tantalizingly close—but can a girl like
Dolly ever truly leave her past behind?
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