4.5
stars
The
third and final entry in this series of related stand-alone Gold and Gaslight
Chronicles from talented historical fiction author Andrea Berthot.
Book
Blurb:
“After
surviving the deadly scandal at Tom Casey’s Broadway theatre, Bonnie Campbell
jumps at the chance to accompany Cambrian Branch to his new film studio in
Paris. She doesn’t particularly enjoy swooning and making ridiculous faces for
the camera, but she hopes the City of Light will help her find her own
illumination. She is determined to escape the past, gain her independence, and
- most of all - never be trapped or controlled by a man again.
At first, Paris is a dream come true. Bonnie finds a progressive, like-minded friend in Laura Sayer, and a handsome, entrancing mystery in Laura’s twin brother, Leslie. When Bonnie discovers her own talent for directing, the three of them - along with a fierce, proud actress named Marie - team up to create new, daring films that electrify Paris.
But, the city isn’t without its dangers. Laura’s uncle, a doctor at the famous Salpêtrière insane asylum, is obsessed with curing hysteria and believes Tom Casey’s hypnosis victims could provide the answers. Bonnie fears if he uncovers her past she’ll be imprisoned once more, and the city’s growing hysteria over her films only sharpens the doctor’s obsession and focus on her. Meanwhile, the film studio has been beset by sudden, strange disappearances, and Bonnie is worried she or one of her friends could be the next victim.
Both fans of The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles and new readers alike will enjoy this stand-alone/final chapter in which Bonnie and her friends from London, New York, and Paris struggle to find themselves, find love, and finally end the destructive legacy of Dr. Jekyll.
The City of Light might be hiding the darkest, most dangerous secret of all.”
At first, Paris is a dream come true. Bonnie finds a progressive, like-minded friend in Laura Sayer, and a handsome, entrancing mystery in Laura’s twin brother, Leslie. When Bonnie discovers her own talent for directing, the three of them - along with a fierce, proud actress named Marie - team up to create new, daring films that electrify Paris.
But, the city isn’t without its dangers. Laura’s uncle, a doctor at the famous Salpêtrière insane asylum, is obsessed with curing hysteria and believes Tom Casey’s hypnosis victims could provide the answers. Bonnie fears if he uncovers her past she’ll be imprisoned once more, and the city’s growing hysteria over her films only sharpens the doctor’s obsession and focus on her. Meanwhile, the film studio has been beset by sudden, strange disappearances, and Bonnie is worried she or one of her friends could be the next victim.
Both fans of The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles and new readers alike will enjoy this stand-alone/final chapter in which Bonnie and her friends from London, New York, and Paris struggle to find themselves, find love, and finally end the destructive legacy of Dr. Jekyll.
The City of Light might be hiding the darkest, most dangerous secret of all.”
Review:
Similar
in tone to the rest of the series, in this third stand-alone novel, we follow a
minor character from the second book – Bonnie – as she travels with Cambrian
Branch to Paris to work on films. Cambrian’s presence in this book, along with
appearances by several other characters from the series’ earlier books helps to
recreate the atmosphere I so loved in ‘The Heartless City’.
Paris
does wonders for Bonnie; she discovers her natural talent for directing, proves
to herself just how strong she is and how much she has grown from her
experience in New York, and she falls in with some really great
forward-thinking people. Her path to romance with Laura’s twin brother, Leslie,
is tons of fun; as the pair start off on the wrong foot.
The
Gold and Gaslight Chronicles conclusion, ‘The Hysterical City’ will be
available on July 31, 2018.
This
series is LGBTQ+ friendly historical fiction, with themes of equality vs abuse
of power, and a hint of steampunk.
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