The Masterpiece: A Novel
by Davis, Fiona
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Like New
- ISBN 10
- 1524742953
- ISBN 13
- 9781524742959
- Seller
-
Stamford, Connecticut, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Dutton, 2018-08-07. hardcover. Like New. 6x1x9. Author inscribed to previous owner and signed First edition, first printing. As new clean tight and bright Please email for photos.
Reviews
On Sep 15 2018, a reader said:
The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis is a dual timeline novel. It is April in 1928 in New York City where Clara Darden works as an illustration teacher at Grand Central School of Art. She is the only female faculty member and looked down upon because she is woman and an illustrator. After being taken under the wing of Oliver Smith, a poet and Levon Zakarian, a brash artist, Clara's star starts to rise. Clara becomes the go-to illustrator for Vogue and she even designs a car. But looming on the horizon is the great depression and a horrible accident.
Virginia Clay has been divorced almost a year and is forced to get a job in 1974 New York. After being unsuccessful as lawyer's secretary, Virginia is assigned to the information booth at Grand Central Terminal. The building has deteriorated over the years and now there is a lawsuit to demolish the historical landmark to pave the way for a skyscraper. Virginia gets lost one day and stumbles into the area that once belonged to the Grand Central School of Art. She spies a beautiful painting hidden behind a cabinet in the storage room after an unexpected encounter. Virginia is drawn to the work of art and decides to take it with her. Little does she know that this one act will propel her into a mystery that goes back to 1928 and will include threatening letters.
I found The Masterpiece to be an engaging story. It is well-written and has steady pacing. The POV switches between Clara and Virginia as the tale unfolds. The transitions were smooth, and it was easy to keep track of the various characters. Fiona Davis is a descriptive writer which brings the book alive. I could picture Grand Central Terminal in my mind along with New York from Ms. Davis' word imagery. I cannot believe that people wanted to demolish this architectural masterpiece. I felt she captured the time-periods with the language, clothing, the lifestyles and attitudes. I could tell that the author did her research and it was interesting to learn the history of the Grand Central Terminal. Ms. Davis created realistic characters that fit into their time periods. I preferred Clara over Virginia. I loved the descriptions of Clara's artwork and how she evolved as an artist. I liked that Virginia cared for Grand Central Terminal and was willing to do what was needed to help save the building. The mystery was clever, and readers will be surprised at the reveal. Fiona Davis crafted a historical novel with a complex plot that will capture readers attention and hold it until the very end. The Masterpiece is my favorite novel by Fiona Davis and it is one of the best books I have read in quite some time.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Griffin Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 118012
- Title
- The Masterpiece: A Novel
- Author
- Davis, Fiona
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- New
- Quantity Available
- 1
- ISBN 10
- 1524742953
- ISBN 13
- 9781524742959
- Publisher
- Dutton
- Date Published
- 2018-08-07
- Size
- 6x1x9
- X weight
- 20 oz
Terms of Sale
Griffin Books
Return Policy: All items subject to prior sale. Returns are accepted with prior notification within 10 days of your receipt for items returned in the same condition.
About the Seller
Griffin Books
Biblio member since 2003
Stamford, Connecticut
About Griffin Books
General stock of approximately 12,000 titles with a concentration in non-fiction. The more unsual the better if we can find it. We are always buying libraries and collections in the Greater NYC and CT area including Fairfield, New Haven and Westchester counties.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...