The Jewel of the Blues is a decent read with a solid plot and interesting characters. The story unfolds in a vibrant setting, capturing the essence of the blues music scene beautifully. However, the pacing at times feels a bit uneven, with certain parts dragging while others rush by too quickly. Additionally, some character motivations could have been explored more deeply to add depth to the narrative. Overall, a good book for fans of music-themed fiction, but not without its flaws.

I enjoyed learning about Lucille’s story and I loved how this book was different from those I usually read set in this time period. The descriptions of costumes and theaters were pretty good and really filled out the settings of the novel. The characters all had distinct personalities and rounded out the crew. I usually saw what the writer was trying to do and say, but often found the implementation heavy handed and the dialogue stilted. Overall I did not feel like the writing was engaging and it seemed like the author just gave everything away at the beginning.