Loved this book!
A great combination of story and history:
Henry, Millie, and Irene are all friends by choice and by need in the beginning of the novel, as they escape the thug who runs the traveling show they work for. Literally escape- train jumping! They head for where else- Hollywood land of promise and sunshine. It was so interesting to read about Hollywood in its golden era. To be frank, it seems like a horrible and soul crushing industry to me nowadays, but this projects a different side. Yet still the tabloids to deal with, secrets to cover up- but at the same time Hollywood in the 1920’s was oddly liberal and progressive for the time period. All three characters have compelling stories and I love their friendship for each other. I definitely recommend this book.

City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay

Irene, Millie and Henry jump from a moving train to escape lives of no possibilities to ones of endless hopes and dreams. This story, set in the 1920s, is of lasting friendships built from hard times in a new land-Hollywood, CA. The reader gets a researched view of fast-paced Tinsel Town before it was such as it is today.

Times were tough for everyone then, and those trying to make it in the “flickers” were no different. Depending on new acquaintances for a hand up, our young protagonists are very quickly noticed and in record time make it big in their own ways. Surrounded by alcohol, drugs and unorthodox lifestyles, they find their true selves in the mix. Things which are unacceptable elsewhere in America are viewed with a wink and a nod here.

This book is an easy read and will be enjoyed by those interested in a slice of old Hollywood and the cinema in its early stages. Every chapter begins with a quote from a former Hollywood legend. It is fairly predictable with no real surprises, but the more I read, the more I enjoyed it.

I couldn't put this down. I'm not normally interested in Hollywood but this story kept me spellbound and I couldn't wait to find out what happened.

I loved this novel! The characters were well developed and real. You grout for them in the first chapter. I hated to put it down and couldn't wait to pick it back up The only thing I could think of was that the the last chapter felt a little bit rushed at the end.

As a resident of southern California, I have a particular interest and affinity for novels featuring this part of the country. Juliette Fay has written a page-turner of a historical novel set in the Hollywood of at the early 1920's. The book engaged me because of the strength of its characters and seemingly effortless descriptions of the residences, restaurants, work scenes and "playgrounds" of the period.

Although early Hollywood is the star of this book, Fay's three protagonists bring warmth, drama and life to the story. The descriptions of studio life and the struggles to get ahead feel right, but the most engaging aspect of the book is the central theme of the power of friendship.

Fay's "buddy book" brings together three very disparate personalities who come to rely on each other in very profound ways. Initially they needed each other for courage and financial support, but in a very short time they realized their relationships were much more substantial than that. Each assumed responsibilities they never expected to take on and each person morphed in to a person who experienced far more than they anticipated.

Juliette Fay is a gifted story teller and her novel was the perfect escape for a rainy weekend.

Wonderfully captures a time and place and peopled by fully-dimensional characters whose fates are poignant, surprising and always compelling.

THE CITY OF FLICKERING LIGHT by Juliette Fay
No one ever said it would be easy to break into the movies, or “flickers.” Still, jumping from a moving train and fleeing for one’s life might be beyond all normal expectations of difficulty. Only by sticking together do Irene, Millie, and Henry have a chance, pulling each other out of trouble, making new friends and allies, sharing, and standing up to threats and challenges. At one point, they reminded me of Dorothy and friends in Oz, and then, feeling validated, I saw a question on that exact theme in the book club section at the end of the book. It would, in face, be a good book club choice. I liked our book club’s discussion last year of THE TUMBLING TURNER SISTERS, and I was happy to see Gert appear in this book, like reconnecting with an old friend. Speaking of which, . . . no that would be a spoiler.
Inside glimpses of the film industry’s beginnings made this adventure feel real, a benefit from the careful research, and issues of ethics and tolerance added depth. I thought about my own youthful “naive and stupid” attitudes as I read, and I hope that more open discussions and portrayals will help us all be less negative in judgements and more aware of others’ histories.
This was a most compelling book, hard to put down and now hard to leave behind. Good writing is addictive, but in a benign way, encouraging us to read more, explore more, live and love more.

Writing: 3/5 Characters: 3.5/5 Plot: 4/5 Historical setting: 5/5

A great story! It grabs you from the first page and won’t allow itself to be put down. It’s a fascinating piece of historical fiction taking place in Hollywood during the Silent Era (1890s - 1920s). The history comes to life through the experiences of our three main characters: Irene Van Beck, Millie Martin, and Henry Weiss. In the opening scene, the three jump off a moving train to escape their current employer — the Burlesque company Chandler’s Follies — and its enforcement goons. They make their way to Hollywood for a chance at a better life.

This is my favorite kind of historical fiction — the author embeds as many of the personages, events, and mechanics of the era into the story as possible: vaudeville, burlesque, and films; jobs within the studios (scenarists, costumes, editing, etc); prohibition and speakeasies; taxi dancing and prostitution; (legal) use of heroin; housing issues (No Jews or actors!); unintended pregnancies; a budding studio Publicity department and the power of the Press to destroy; fancy Hollywood parties; and most interesting — the feel of the small Hollywood enclave within which social mores are relaxed, and many kinds of “forbidden” love are possible (though only with great discretion — hence the budding Publicity department).

In summary — a terrific story with a real feel for what life was like, embedding historical facts and figures without fictionalizing real people (I hate that!). The characters are very likable, with fully fleshed out, historically accurate, backstories (but not the rich interior life that I like). Excellent pacing, decent writing, the story “sticks” with you for a long time…

As an aside, the author lists many sources in the afterward, including a reference to a 13 part documentary called Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film. All the episodes (listed here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_(1980_TV_series)#Episode_list) are available on you tube. Start at Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mo3Z8IkLnU.

This was an enjoyable read about the Golden Age of Hollywood, Set in the 1920's it was fascinating and sad to recognize that many of the social issues we wrestle with today have not changed that much. The characters were believable and the descriptions brought the whole story to life.

City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay is one of the best, most enjoyable historical fiction novels I have read.

The three main characters, while completely fictional, are so well drawn, so real seeming, that I had to Google them just to double check! All three were so engaging, I felt as if I knew them.

Many supporting characters are based on well known members of the Silent Movie Era. The locales are accurate to the time, many of which are still present today.

I recommend this book to all, I'm sure you'll have as much fun as I did.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Simon & Schuster in exchange for my honest review.

What’s your favorite movie? I can’t wait to see his latest film. Hollywood…Tinseltown…dream factory…La La Land… dazzling phrases that conjure dreams of glamour, sophistication, power and beauty. Movie, and movie stars have captivated us for well over 100 years now. What was it like back in the early days of Hollywood, back in the silent film era?

According to Author Juliette Fay, life in Hollywood hasn’t changed too much. Prohibition is over, but the cars are still shiny, the stars are still glittering, and hopes are still high. (There has been one big change. Arc lamps are no longer used in film projectors. Their unsteady light is why early films were called “flickers.”)

The word flicker means “shining with a light that is sometimes bright and sometimes weak”. The title of this book, The City of Flickering Light is a good description of the silent movie era- a time that flickered between the gritty and the fabulous.

And into this unique southern California world jump our friends Irene, Millie and Henry. Each has their own reason for wanting to brave Hollywood. Together they are friends who would do anything for one another as they experience the flickering ups and downs of Hollywood. Author Fay is an experienced and compelling storyteller and readers will devour their story.

Many real people from Hollywood appear in the book, too, as well as a great cast of lesser characters. The author skillfully blends great details about the actual business of making movies, as well as truthfully capturing the morals and thoughts of the times, as seen through the characters’ eyes.

Each chapter features a quote from someone famous in the silent movie era. These sayings fascinating and serve like a “title card” to introduce the next part of the story. The author has included notes to supplement her research. I plan to watch a silent film now. I highly recommend this book.


My thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster, Gallery Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book starts off well enough - there are three main characters and the story line moves them along nicely. Once they get to Hollywood, everything bogs down. The characters reveal themselves in a rather contrived manner so much so that you can't keep track of whose sad story goes with which character. I read about 1/4 of the book and quit because the story didn't seem to go anywhere and I no longer cared about the characters.

Irene, Millie, and Henry jump from a moving train to escape their life in a traveling burlesque show. The friends make their way to Hollywood, where they are determined to break into the pictures. Henry immediately finds work at the movies as a tailor. Irene eventually finds work in the typing pool, and Millie waits on the benches, hoping to be picked as an extra. Together, the three friends navigate the exciting, and often treacherous, world of Hollywood.

This was a dynamic, fun, and entertaining book. The characters were well developed and interesting. They story moved at a nice pace, and showed a depth of emotion and range. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I have a few Juliette Fay novels on my TBR list. This is the first of hers that I have read, Reading just the small blurb about this novel, pulled at my interest. I was not 100% as to the story line, but I can say I was satisfied and enjoyed every word!
A story of three friends who are learning together and also learning about themselves. Set in a time when so many things are new and terrifying at the same time. This one tugged at my heartstrings. I am looking forward to reading more from Ms. Fay.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this wonderful story.

I had high hopes that I would immediately be drawn into this book. Unfortunately I was underwhelmed and did not have the desire to continue reading.

Extremely readable novel about three friends who help each other survive in the Hollywood of the 1920’s. Their stories feel much more real than most Hollywood novels.

Wow! I was originally drawn to this book because of the description and the title, and I got everything I expected, hoped for, and more! Following three different aspiring actors' perspectives, the reader is immersed in the realities and hardships of 1920s Hollywood. Familiar names such as Mary Pickford, Clara Bow, and Rudolph Valentino are dropped, which makes the novel feel even more realistic. Even though I'm an Old Hollywood buff and have spent two years working with the Ava Gardner Museum as well as her trust, the silent film era is one I'm not as familiar with, and if you had told me that the fictional characters mentioned in this novel were the real names of 1920s stars, I would have believed it because of how compelling Juliette Fay is in telling their stories.

On top of all the realism, I especially admire Fay's commitment to including diverse stories. LGBT+, black, Native American, and sex work are all openly, directly addressed in the novel, and it's so refreshing to see. Also the fact that the minorities who are represented here don't have stories that revolve completely around tragedy, which is something that seems to happen in so many pieces of media that focus on diverse narratives.

Overall, this novel is lovely. It's captivating, adequately written, believable, and above all, it's hopeful. In a world where so much bad is seen every day, it's encouraging to be reminded that love (whether from friends, lovers, or both!) exists all around us, even when it's difficult to see it.

What could be better than Hollywood in the 1920s? Amazing story! Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.