my god, another hit from silvia moreno-garcia. i genuinely think she's the most versatile genre writer out there currently, due in no small part to her refusal to write simple crowd-pleasers. her books are complicated, which some find bitter or sour, but i never do. she's just phenomenal. can't help but feel this is her response to the institution of evelyn hugo and perhaps an urge to return to noir style stories. she's unable to miss.

This felt different from other SMG books, but in a really good way! There are 3 characters whose stories are told through two narratives. There is no supernatural/horror element, but there was still "real world" horror such as racism and sexism. This is one story that I will likely need to read again.

Also, this cover is stunning and I can't get over it!

A 3.5 star read I'm rounding up. Of the four SMG books I’ve read, this is my least favorite. But it was still entertaining and well-written, as all SMG books are.

Everything was a little too surface level for this book to truly resonate with me. Lots of different POVs and plot threads and stories. Too many things going on for us to really delve deep with any one character.

Vera’s naïveté and too good for this world personality began to grate a bit. She never seemed to truly change and grow in the way naïve Nina, of The Beautiful Ones (my favorite SMG book), did. She was just lacking a bit in the depth department.

And Nancy, the villain, wasn’t exciting in the scene-stealing way I found Valerie from The Beautiful Ones to be. She was sort just of erratic and over the top.

Both Vera and Nancy’s storylines, in and of themselves, were plenty entertaining and interesting. And I really liked how SMG delved into the many forms of racism and sexism Vera faced. These moments were visceral and painful and well-depicted.

The situations these characters found themselves in were compelling, but the characters themselves? Not so much. Which is something I’ve never experienced with a SMG story before; I usually find her main characters quite interesting.

The third main POV character was Salome, the biblical character. Her story was the most intriguing to me for the first 30% of the book, but I quickly found myself wishing the pages dedicated to her story could have been given to making Vera a more fleshed out, three-dimensional character.

And the ending! I wish we’d gotten one more Vera POV chapter.

This is not a book I’ll likely remember a ton about a year from now, but it was compulsively readable all the same.

I really enjoyed this overall. I'm a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work in general and I'm always impressed at how deftly she writes across so many different styles and genres. Her previous novel, Silver Nitrate, delved into the film editing industry in Mexico in the 1990s, so it was interesting to me that this one is also set in the film industry, though now we get to see the glory days of Hollywood during their "Sword & Sandal" heyday.

The novel is told through three different POVs and starts off pseudo-documentary style, with different people being interviewed, and we know that some big "incident" occured but not what that was. But most of the book is from three viewpoints:

- Vera Larios: an unknown from Mexico who was plucked from her job as a front desk assistant to star in a blockbuster movie about Salome, a mysterious woman from Biblical times. She's thrown right into the Hollywood machine. She's got a major case of imposter syndrome, assisted by her mom constantly comparing her to her much more glamorous sister who was supposed to be the star of the family. I felt most connected to this story. She starts off naive and unsure of herself, and is thrown right into the racism and misogyny of Hollywood, but even from the beginning the reader can sense she has a strong core.

- Nancy: a wannabe starlet who has been in Hollywood for a while but can't seem to catch a break. I know we're supposed to hate her, but I wish she hadn't been written QUITE so much as a horrible, vindictive narcissist. I sense the system broke her and had a hand in turning her into this person, but I had a hard time mustering up any sort of sympathy for her because she was just such a terrible person in every way.

- Salome: at first I was skeptical that this storyline was included, it felt so different from all the others and I wasn't sure where it fit in, but I was won over by the end. Salome really is both women in the story, or maybe even every woman. She's caught in a golden cage and there really are no good options for her. Every choice is terrible for its own reasons but she has to make one.

By the end of the novel all three women's stories begin to feel parallel in a lot of ways. They are all coming of age and trying to assert their power in the limited ways their surroundings will let them.

It seems unfair to compare this to other SMG novels because she has set the bar SO high, but as far as drama and tension go, this one is not quite at the same height as some of her other novels for me. For the most part, we know something bad is going to happen, but I wouldn't say my heart was in my throat at any point in the story really except towards the very end. It was still an enjoyable ride, would recommend for anyone interested in Old Hollywood and behind-the-scenes celebrity drama.

This book merges the new testament era character of salome and 50s hollywood by making a movie about salome, a femme fatale, and taking 3 main characters that have more in common that you’d think: salome, vera and nancy
i think that as a reader it can be confusing to have multiple povs that changed from bible times to golden age hollywood, it can take a while to get into it and understand the pace and writing style of the author but once i did i was so into it, i think that vera is the most likeable character and it was really interesting seeing how hollywood wasn’t all glamour and glory specially for a woman of color
her insecurities and doubts made her feel so human and relatable and as the clear villain of the story you can’t help but hate nancy i understood where she came from but i really had no sympathy for her
i would’ve loved to have one last pov of vera to see what she was feeling by the ending of the book it felt incomplete to end with the last chapter she had

I am so honored to have received a copy of this arc! I love what this author does I think each book is completely a standalone in premise and genre. I loved the documentary style elements. What a good blend of women’s fiction, gothic setting and supernatural elements

gorgeous historical fiction about Salome, as ewell as about Hollywood. Moreno-Garcia has done it again! thanks for the arc

I’m very torn about this book and that’s why I gave it three stars my feelings are somewhere in the middle. I loved the idea of reading a story about old Hollywood in the 50s involving a young bright young actress in the lead role of a blockbuster movie telling the infamous story of Salome and John the Baptist and the B, maybe C level actress needing that one big role to finally make a name for herself and the drama surrounding that. Who wouldn’t want to read that? I know I would have preferred to read Salome alone and not the acting drama. Usually separate storyline in books don’t bother me usually but it didn’t work in this case.

Vera was a bit too naive for Hollywood. Nancy and her associates were such unsavory characters. I did not care for her at all and would skip over her scenes because her behavior became too maddening and erratic especially near toward the end. And don’t get me started on Vera’s mother…

I did enjoy the book overall but it didn’t have the WOW I was expecting from it.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an approval.

I'm a huge Sunset Boulevard fan, and a lowkey opera fan, so reading this book was like a combination of the two things I'd love. Cinema and opera. However, in the end, I think my expectations were way too high for this.

The plot has two narratives, one seems to be in interview format with various people involved or around during the time of the film. The other is a retelling of the tale of Salome. I liked the characters, and I liked what we got of the Salome character, but I felt the story was too... bland? I wasn't gritty enough for 1940/1950 Hollywood. The Salome tale was also bland as well, and didn't seem to mesh well with the Hollywood narrative. To be honest, I think if the author chose one narrative (either one) it would be a better book. That's just me.

There are nods to various actors, films, and research done here and there, but the characters just didn't have that emotional depth that they existed outside what we saw them go through based on what the author wrote. A to B narrative at work, which is sad because again - both stories have depth to them.

It's hard for me, as a film noir and opera fan to check my bias at the door, but I really wanted something meatier and far more dramatic than what was written. The sky was the limit since the author was basing off something that didn't exist but it was too tame.

It took me about 84% for me to become full invested in this story. An extremely slow build with all the action happening in the last 20% seems to be Moreno-Garcia's M.O. The two other books I've read from her had the exact same structure with a lot of character work and not a lot of plot. Even though this is not my favorite story structure I like what Moreno-Garcia generally does with her stories. That said, I've never truly loved one of her books.

I really only enjoyed the "present" timeline and skipped most of Salome's POV chapters. I really loved Vera and wished we got the entire book just from her narrative POV. If you're looking for old Hollywood vibes I think this one does a pretty good job.

This is the kind of book that I spend all my time searching for. Reading this beautifully written and absolutely unforgettable story is an experience that will stay with me forever.

Every actress wants to play Salome in a big budget movie. An unknown Mexican is casted in the lead role and become an obsession for another actress who wants the role too. Jealousy, twists, angst filled this book. A terrific book about 3 very different women...

I love the writing especially. It's suspenseful and stylish. I love the commentary about sexism and racism. A book that lingers in your mind.


Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary authors, and it’s almost guaranteed at this point that if she writes a book I’m going to end up loving it. The Seventh Veil of Salome is no exception. I loved the stylistic choice to split the story up into first person character accounts, the second hand stories of Vera and Nancy, and finally the tale of Salome herself. And the ending! Reader, I cried.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Seventh Veil of Salome. This was my first time reading Moreno-Garcia’s work and I absolutely loved her writing style and will be reading through her previous work. The reason for my three star rating is really solely on personal preferences. The book was split following Nancy, Vera, and Salome — I was not a fan of following the Salome plot. I loved reading Nancy and Vera’s storylines - highlighting Hollywood in the 50s and the blatant racism actors faced. It read to me similarly to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work in that capacity, along the lines of Daisy Jones and the Six vibe. So, I do wish that portion was expanded even more.

I think folks will really enjoy this and I look forward to reading more of Moreno-Garcia’s work in the future.

This is my ninth Silvia Moreno-Garcia book and like always, the story drips with desire, revenge, and the rough road of love–for it truly never runs smooth when passions run this hard! I love how Ms. Silvia’s novels feel like they’re from another world, an intriguing place where an artistic pianist, a dope-selling fool, a wannabe actress, and the girl next door interact with one another in deeply fascinating ways. Do you love old-timey Hollywood? Then “The 7th Veil of Salome” is for you. It’s a fairy tale turned on its head with bittersweet undertones, like a whisky sour consumed under fading starlight in Los Angeles.

Firstly, I want to thank Netgalley and Random House/Del Rey for letting me read an eARC of The Seventh Veil of Salome. Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues her excellent run of novels with The Seventh Veil of Salome and continues to be one of the most exciting authors writing today. Shifting from last year's Silver Nitrate and horror, The Seventh Veil of Salome is a historical drama set in Hollywood that is centered around the lives of three women. The plot revolves around the making of a film about Salome, specifically two women vying for the lead role. The narrative structure alternates between the two women and the historical Salome herself, along with supporting characters that enrich the story. The character development of the aforementioned three women is at the heart of the novel and makes it a fun read.

There’s a very good chance there’s something in Moreno-Garcia contract that has her writing one romancey garbage for each two or three solid thrillers. Or else, it’s just her own weird preference. But inexplicably, for a writer who is so immensely talented and so good at producing terrific supernatural and otherwise thrillers, every so often she feels the need to put out crap like The Beautiful Ones or The Return of the Sorceress or The Lover or now this.
Maybe she is trying to branch out or prove to herself and the world she can do other genres. Sure, that’s admirable. But it also seems like a monumental waste of talent, especially talent that has a very specific genre lean.
And yes, this is also from a reviewer who dislikes fantasy and romance as genres, so take that under consideration. There might be some people out there who only know the author through her romance work. Pity that, but to each their own.
Anyway, onto this book: The Seven Veils of Salome is a book I would have never picked up without Moreno-Garcia’s name on it. The laughably cheesy bodice ripper cover alone would have put me off. But it did have her name on it, and I do very much love books about movies, so I read it.
And here’s the thing: yes, the book by and large lives up to the cheesiness of its cover—it’s all about young love, past and present. It’s a romance, but a kitchen sink of one, because the author took a rather manic, let’s-see-how-many-perspectives-we-can-cram-in-here approach. There’s no need for this—this isn’t World War Z—but it’s there anyway. When it reality there ought to be only three POVs. One of them is that of Salome. Because Moreno-Garcia is ambitious enough to cram deeply historical fiction into an already historical fiction. So not only do you get to spend time on movie sets in 1950s but also in palaces of antiquity.
It’s all very, very girly with strong vibes of women’s lit. But then there’s the undeniable fact that Moreno-Garcia is good enough of a writer to even make that work and be compelling enough.
So the book ends up being a perfectly readable if frustrating mess.
Books about movies are all the rage now. The weird thing is that the author just put out a novel about a movie. And Silver Nitrate is an amazing novel. This is like doubling down to show that she can write about movies for everyone. And I suppose she can, the question is more along the lines of, should she?
Either way, it’s entertaining and certainly much more intelligent than that terrible cover suggests. Now, with that nonsense out of the way, hopefully, the author can return to form. Thanks Netgalley.

Thank you SO much to Random House for the opportunity to read Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s newest book, The Seventh Veil of Salome. I have read almost every one of SMG’s titles. All of them are so different from each other, but the one thing they have in common is a gorgeous prose. Examples from The Seventh Veil of Salome: “We are women. All we can do is survive.”
“You are damnation, and yet I long to be damned.”

I struggled reading this one. All of the name dropping in the first 30% was overwhelming. The multiple POVs containing both first and third person were confusing. Was I reading an interview or was I reading someone’s personal POV? It was hard to tell. I had a hard time keeping up with the characters. There were so many of them to keep up with. Especially since most of them ended up not being very important to the storyline. Reading this as an eARC probably enhanced how difficult it was to follow since I couldn’t tab or highlight anything.

As always, SMG expertly writes stories that point out racism and misogyny in such a raw way. This story reminds me very much of a mix between of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones And The Six, but written better. The Biblical retelling didn’t do much for me, as I think how confusing the story is for people who don’t know who Jokanaan or John The Baptist are, will be part of what pulls readers from the story.

All in all, I always love Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing, as you can tell she has a passion for storytelling and does her research, but this was just not for me.

Full review posted on Goodreads on release.

In The Seventh Veil of Salome Silvia Moreno-Garcia shows us the Hollywood of the fifties while we follow Vera navigation the world of movie production. The story is told on multiple levels which come together nicely in the end.
While the author writes in the Author’s Note that she wanted to place the story in the town that made woman into myths, it is demystifying the industry it lives off of. Racism, Sexism, Homophobia are all big themes and create an oppressive uncomfortable atmosphere at times that gets you thinking. Being viewed from a mostly female perspective it shows how woman were trapped in a system in which they can’t win (even more if you weren’t white), only choose which evil they will go with. Where living the American dream means to stay on the good side of the few man who decide over your destiny. As Nancy is clearly portrayed as the villain you keep wondering how much of her behaviour is due to her character and how much she was made by her circumstances. I am not sure I picked up all levels of this book and will certainly think about it for a while.

Overall a great book, I deducted one star because of the heavy name dropping, especially in the beginning, which made it a bit hard to get into the story and I think the “biblical part” could have been a bit more compressed.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley to provide me with an earc!

I was so excited to be chosen to receive an arc of this. There are a few old Hollywood stories that have become some of my favorite reads (hello TJR!), so I was more than ready to dig into this time period again. This would be my first time reading anything written by this author, but I was expecting something great given the success of her previous work. The description sounded fantastic and the cover was simply stunning! It definitely drew me in and had my attention and hope up.

I understand that she has some die-hard fans who are extremely enthusiastic about this upcoming release, so I hide a little behind a curtain to sadly admit that I struggled to get through this. This book jumps from one characters view point and story to the next, and I'm okay with that, but I did not enjoy the Nancy or Salome parts. Nancy was awful, and I get it, she's meant to be...but I just didn't find it entertaining. The Salome parts made me want to just skip past them. The writing wasn't my style and I just wanted to get back to the old Hollywood stuff. It was choppy and I never felt like I was sinking into the world. If you're a fan of her previous work, I honestly have no idea if you'll like this or not since I have nothing to compare it to. But it wasn't for me.

Thank you to Goodreads and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Del Rey for an advanced copy so that I could give my honest feedback and review.