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The Masterpiece: A Novel
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The Masterpiece: A Novel
Unavailable
The Masterpiece: A Novel
Audiobook11 hours

The Masterpiece: A Novel

Written by Fiona Davis

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

In her latest captivating novel, nationally bestselling author Fiona Davis takes listeners into the glamorous lost art school within Grand Central Terminal, where two very different women, fifty years apart, strive to make their mark on a world set against them.

For the nearly nine million people who live in New York City, Grand Central Terminal is a crown jewel, a masterpiece of design. But for Clara Darden and Virginia Clay, it represents something quite different.

For Clara, the terminal is the stepping stone to her future, which she is certain will shine as the brightly as the constellations on the main concourse ceiling. It is 1928, and twenty-five-year-old Clara is teaching at the lauded Grand Central School of Art. A talented illustrator, she has dreams of creating cover art for Vogue, but not even the prestige of the school can override the public's disdain for a "woman artist." Brash, fiery, confident, and single-minded--even while juggling the affections of two men, a wealthy would-be poet and a brilliant experimental painter—Clara is determined to achieve every creative success. But she and her bohemian friends have no idea that they'll soon be blindsided by the looming Great Depression, an insatiable monster with the power to destroy the entire art scene. And even poverty and hunger will do little to prepare Clara for the greater tragedy yet to come.

Nearly fifty years later, in 1974, the terminal has declined almost as sharply as Virginia Clay's life. Full of grime and danger, from the smoke-blackened ceiling to the pickpockets and drug dealers who roam the floor, Grand Central is at the center of a fierce lawsuit: Is the once-grand building a landmark to be preserved, or a cancer to be demolished? For Virginia, it is simply her last resort. Recently divorced, she has just accepted a job in the information booth in order to support herself and her college-age daughter, Ruby. But when Virginia stumbles upon an abandoned art school within the terminal and discovers a striking watercolor hidden under the dust, her eyes are opened to the elegance beneath the decay. She embarks on a quest to find the artist of the unsigned masterpiece—an impassioned chase that draws Virginia not only into the battle to save Grand Central but deep into the mystery of Clara Darden, the famed 1920s illustrator who disappeared from history in 1931.

Editor's Note

Take a trip…

Take a trip to New York City to see one of its greatest landmarks: Grand Central Terminal. You’ll gain a new appreciation for this station that you might otherwise pass absentmindedly through in Fiona Davis’ mystery revolving around the Grand Central’s old art school.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 7, 2018
ISBN9780525631170
Unavailable
The Masterpiece: A Novel

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Reviews for The Masterpiece

Rating: 3.9579425233644856 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This novel follows two women, Virginia and Clara. Both are amazing! Clara is a young woman in the 1920's. She becomes a famous illustrator...in the 1920's, an awesome feat! Virginia is learning to be a divorced, single mom in the 1970's. When Virginia discovers the abandoned art school in Grand Central Terminal, it leads her on a path unlike any other.
Clara and Virginia both are unique women determined to make their way in this world. They both struggle to make a go at it. Clara trying to be an artist/illustrator. And Virginia is just trying to survive after her marriage has fallen apart. I loved both of these characters, especially Clara. Or maybe I just enjoyed her time period better.
Y'all! This book!!! This book is super! It grabs you from the first word and never lets you go! The history is abundant and the mystery surrounding Clara is completely captivating.
This novel is inundated with rich details of the Grand Central Terminal. Makes me want to go back and explore. This story is superbly written and well researched. I fell in love with the characters and the setting. I could go on and on...riveting, captivating...but you get the idea!
I received this novel from the publisher via Netgalley.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fiona Davis’ new novel “The Masterpiece” is as brilliant as a shining star, a magnificent historical tale that takes the reader back in time to both the 1920s and the 1970s. Fiona’s talent wondrously builds the lives of two courageous strong women by weaving the past into the present, alternating back and forth in such a seamless manner that you believe you are in one world, not two. Near the end of the Roaring Twenties, young Clara Darden runs from family disgrace back in Arizona and lands underneath the bright city lights of New York City. Back home she taught art in a local school but found her life empty and without purpose. Hoping to turn her life around, she lands a job working as a teacher of illustration in the train terminal’s Grand Central School of Art. Meeting many interesting people, fellow teachers and talented young students, she begins to outshine them and everyone involved has a thing or two to learn. Surrounded by Bohemian artists and men to fall in love with, Clara’s life soon rockets to success as she becomes a famous magazine illustrator. But all does not end well for Clara. Broken hearts, scandals, and the coming economic depression, twist her life into a tailspin of doubt leaving her future dim and uncertain.Fast forward to 1974 and we meet Virginia Clay. Coming hard off the heels of a bitter divorce, and a tragic secret she guards with her life, she is a single mom trying to keep a roof over her head by accepting a job in Grand Central Station’s information booth. Prowling the station’s empty hallways and dusty abandoned rooms on her time off, she one day finds a beautiful watercolor illustration behind a cabinet in the old art school and decides to keep it. Settling into her new life, Virginia and her daughter Ruby find great interest in the history of the train station and both begin to photograph and research the fascinating history and sad future of its architectural glory. Just as things are looking up for Virginia, threatening notes arrive in her mailbox demanding she return the painting adding danger and intrigue to her world. Fiona magically brings Grand Central Station to life for fans of historical fiction. She blends each woman’s lives masterfully as both stories soon captivate the reader with art history, romance, intrigue, scandal, and drama. This author does all with finesse. The characters in both eras are lifelike and I felt both eras of New York were told in an evocative and atmospheric way. From the shining brass and art décor of the times to the flapper style high fashion of the day, as I read this literary jewel I felt I was standing in Grand Central station on the sidelines watching the story unfold and could clearly hear the whistle of the trains pulling in. As brass ages with a coating of patina, and as mirrors fog over in time, both can slowly glimmer and shine again with a little effort and hard work to rub off the grime revealing beauty beneath. This is what Fiona does with The Masterpiece. She creates the lives of two ladies that at first glimpse are a bit worn and faded. But with time, determination, tears, and creative talents, Virginia and Clara beam with radiance!Five stars once again for another bestseller for Fiona. Standing ovation please!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Moving between the late 1920s and the 1970s, this novel takes on Grand Central Station (excuse me, Grand Central Terminal) in both its glory days and its decay. At the center of the story are two women struggling to make their way. Clara is an artist who for a brief period is the highest paid female illustrator in the country - until the crash of 29 hits her hard. Virginia is a divorcee determined to make a new life for herself and her daughter after her husband leaves. As their stories intertwine, Clara and Virginia might just find a way to save each other.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved the history of Grand central station. The best part of the book
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    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.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    ERPIECE” BY FIONA DAVIS Penguin Group/ Dutton Publishing August 2018Bravo to Fiona Davis , Author of “The Masterpiece” for writing an amazing, captivating, intense, riveting, entertaining and enthralling novel. I love everything about “The Masterpiece.” I appreciate the historical research that the author has done. Fiona Davis is a creative force when it comes to writing and describing the vivid images and colorful characters, combining fiction and historical fiction. The Genres of this novel are Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery with a dash of Romance. The spotlight and center of interest in the story is The Grand Central Station Terminal in New York City. There are two timelines, with different characters that depict the historical and fictional events.Part of the history in The Grand Central Station is the former ART school, where famous artists worked on their creative inspirations. There also was a ritzy apartment, that later housed a famed bar.In 1928, Clara Dane is teaching Art in the Grand Central Station School of Art. Clara’s strength is illustrations. Unfortunately women were not treated in equal measures to the men. Women Artists were looked down upon. Clara was not treated fairly. Clara’s claim to fame is that her illustrations land on the cover of Vogue Magazine. When the Great Depression occurs, it forces the owners to close down the Art School. Clara has two men that play a significant part in her life. Clara also dabbles in other forms of Art. With the Depression, things change.Fifty years late, in 1978 the Grand Central Station Terminal is in much need of a Facelift. Things are dirty, and there are homeless people as well as people dealing drugs hanging around. Virginia Clay, a divorced mom with a young daughter needs a job. Virginia finds employment working in the information booth in the terminal. When Virginia is wandering around, she finds the location of the old art school. Virginia also finds a gorgeous painting, actually a masterpiece. Virginia is determined to find out who the painter is. As Virginia investigates, she finds that she in possibly in danger.Sadly there is a discussion of tearing down the Grand Central Station Terminal. Led by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, there is a group trying to preserve the history and integrity of this landmark.I love when the past and present merge. There are some Uh- Oh moments, and twist and turns. I highly recommend this fantastic intriguing novel , especially for those that enjoy Historical Fiction. I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Overall, this was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading about Grand Central Terminal at both one of its highest and one of its lowest points. I also liked the scenes describing the creation of some of the paintings as well as the glimpses into the overall world of art. I found myself immediately sympathetic to both Virginia and Clara (though I wasn't always sure whether I liked Clara), so I was invested in their attempts to rebuild their lives. I wouldn't have minded a few more chapters before the final one, but I did find the ending satisfying. Thank you Penguin Random House First to Read for the ARC.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    New York City's Grand Central Terminal in the 1930's and 1970's is at the center of this historical fiction novel by Fiona Davis. Virginia Clay finds a piece of art in 1974 and in attempting to learn more about the artist turns up information about the Grand Central School of Art which operated in the terminal prior to the depression. We are introduced to Clara Darden, an instructor in the school 1930's. Virginia and Clara's stories are told in alternating point of view until their stories intersect in a surprising conclusion. Well researched, the reader is also introduced to the movement to save Grand Central Terminal as a historical landmark.A great story, Fiona Davis has done it once again!Thank you First to Read and Penguin for supplying this book in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It's 1928 and twenty-five-year-old Clara Darden is teaching at the Grand Central School of Art. But it's not without its challenges as most people don't want to be taught by a woman. But Clara is fierce and determined and she isn't afraid to work hard for what she wants. Unfortunately Clara and her friends have no idea of what's to come with the Great Depression. Having no job, no money and no food won't be the worst things for Clara.Now, in 1974, Grand Central terminal is run down. It's dirty and dangerous, and it's at the center of a lawsuit - is the once-grand building a landmark to be preserved or is it to be demolished? Virginia Clay is a recently divorced mother whose last resort is to take a job in the information booth in order to support herself and her daughter Ruby. Taking a wrong turn, Virginia stumbles upon an old abandoned art school within the terminal. She finds a watercolour hidden under the dust which sets her on a quest to find the artist of the unsigned masterpiece. This not only draws her into the mystery of Clara Darden, who disappeared into thin air in 1931, but it also draws her into the fight to save Grand Central.Fiona Davis has the amazing ability to transport the reader back in time as well as bring New York City landmarks to life. If you've enjoyed her other books then this one will be no different. If you've never read any of her books - what are you waiting for?! I could feel Clara's frustration at being treated differently because she's a woman. I could feel the desperation and worry as the Great Depression settled in. I loved Clara's story and I did eventually grow to love Levon Zakarian. There's something about that era, being taken back and seeing the beauty of the Grand Central terminal. But Virginia's story was good as well. I liked that she and her daughter were close and could get strength and support from one another and I liked seeing Virginia grow into someone who can be comfortable in her own skin. And that cover - gorgeous!Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for an ARC.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Powerful story, inspiring, hopeful with solid foundation on real facts.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I enjoyed reading this book and looked forward to learning more about the world of art and Grand Central Terminal while I read. Both of the alternating timelines had me hooked. Virginia was a mom struggling in the 70s and her strength was remarkable. Clara was an amazing artist working to be a trailblazer for women in the 1920s. This is the 2nd book by Fiona Davis I have read and the second time I have felt that I am living in NYC right along with the characters with her wonderful writing style and details. Highly Recommended. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read this fabulous book!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Masterpiece: a novel is an interesting story with unlikeable characters. The lead character is a woman who is afraid to speak up and thereby not likeable. There is a woman artist who does have the courage to speak up for herself, is successful but does not thank the people who without their help, she never would have succeeded. She too was an unlikeable character. Consequently, the book received three stars in this review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Story set in two time periods, describing the cultures of the 1920's and the 1970's. The art culture of the '20s is described through the life of a female artist, the culture of the '70's thro the life of a recently divorced woman. The story brings together the two women, and the preservation work of Jackie Kennedy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is my fav Fiona Davis novel so far. I really enjoy how she creates a story using a heritage building. In this case it is Grand Central Terminal in NYC. In the 1920s there was an art school there and we get interesting characters in an illustrator ( Clara Darden) and a tempramental artist in( Levon Zakarian.) We meet Virginia, recently divorced who is trying to find work and winds up in the information booth at Grand Central and sees the beauty in the faded art deco building. She discovers the abandon art school and her interest is aroused. The 1920's art world, architecture and history of this novel is cleverly woven together by different decades and two unigue and interesting women. I feel for them both.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I've liked her other books better. About the art school in NY in the 20s and 70s. In her latest captivating novel, nationally bestselling author Fiona Davis takes readers into the glamorous lost art school within Grand Central Terminal, where two very different women, fifty years apart, strive to make their mark on a world set against them.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well written, interesting story about the beautiful Grand Central Terminal, not station and we learn why. Davis manages to combine the real & made up in these wonderful time periods. She's done the research, and also makes a very readable, enjoyable story respecting and enhancing the history.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love her stories. Lots of fiction around a smattering of non... so enjoyable!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I wasn't totally thrilled with a couple of Fiona Davis' earlier books which were written with dual timelines, so I was all set to not like this one as well. I was pleasantly surprised that I found the story captivating (both of them!), and the history of Grand Central Terminal was quite interesting. As I started this book, I wondered why the author must always write a story that takes place during two time periods - is she a one-trick pony? - but this time it worked very well. Recommended.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    See above stars, enjoyable to listen to as I was driving.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Separated by about 45 years, this dual timeline touched on some interesting historical facts as it told the story of the demise of an Art School and the re-ignited zeal for living in the more modern 1970's. Clara Darden is an illustrator and teacher at the school, during a time when there weren't many women doing what she did. I thought it was really interesting to read about how she was more of a commercial artist of the time--illustrating for Vogue and doing almost industrial design for a car manufacturer. In 1974, Virginia Clay is having to start over after a divorce. She throws herself whole heartedly into an information booth job at the grungy, seen better days Grand Central Terminal. Whether or not the building makes landmark status, and what happened to the art she found at the now abandoned school also made these sections interesting. I wasn't a big fan of how things came together at the end. But that's ok, it was worth the read for the interesting historical bits about a NYC landmark.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A really interesting and intimate look at Grand Central told through two women from very different time periods.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    4.5 Stars rounded up to 5. I very much enjoyed The Address by Fiona Davis and was looking forward to this book. She is a masterful storyteller with the ability to completely transport her readers into a different world. The Masterpiece is another wonderful story, but I did not connect to the characters as well as I did in her previous book. Saying that, I still enjoyed this story quite a bit and felt for both Clara and Virginia. The Masterpiece tells the story of two women, who both work at Grand Central Terminal, fifty years apart. Clara is an illustrator, who is teaching at the art school housed at Grand Central. She is not considered an artist, but she has more talent than some of the male teachers and artists. Virginia is a recent divorcee and single mother, who is trying to support herself and her daughter. She is working in the information book at the Terminal. Both of these women are trying to find their way in a world dominated by men. I absolutely loved this storyline, and doing it all within the confines of Grand Central Terminal was very interesting. There was so much going on in the story that I was not familiar with, and the story was so realistic that I felt like I was there. I loved the inclusion of Jackie Onassis trying to save the Landmark status of the terminal. Her descriptions, down to the smallest details, are so realistic. It truly feels like you are reading memories. I love the way she is able to blend the lives of these two women so well adding in art history, romance, intrigue, scandal, and drama. Throw in some amazing secondary characters and it is hard to put this book down.

    I listened to the audiobook of this story and it was amazing. She did a great job of sharing this story without worrying about voices, she told the story to me. Overall, I loved this story. It is important that you read the Author's Notes at the back of the book as she gives information about her research, what parts of the book are real and which fiction, and what and who the characters are based on. If you are a fan of of historical fiction and books that are character driven, then you need to pick up The Masterpiece, or any books by Fiona Davis.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    So. Badly. Written. I could hardly get through it. The writing was blunt. The characters flat. The plot uninteresting. Hard to believe this writer is a bestseller.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In the 1920's, Grand Central Station housed an art school. Clara, the only female teacher at the school, began to achieve fame and notoriety, until the Great Depression derailed the art world. Fifty years later, Virginia, recovering from a divorce, takes a job at the dilapidated, run-down Grand Central Station. By accident, she discovers the art school, and is enraptured by a painting she founds. When the painting she finds is linked to one up for auction, painted by the mysterious Clyde, Virginia tries to track down the author of her painting.This was a quick, easy read. The back and forth between the characters and timelines worked really well and came together nicely. Overall, well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.