Shrines of Gaiety

A Novel

By: Kate Atkinson

Narrated by: Jason Watkins

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The award-winning author of Life after Life transports us to a restless London in the wake of the Great War—a city bursting with money, glamour, and corruption—in this spellbinding tale of seduction and betrayal.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: WASHINGTON POST, TIME, THE GUARDIAN, BOOKLIST

"Set during Jazz Age London, in all its fizzy madness and desperation.... As dark as [Atkinson's] stories can get, within them always shines a beacon of humanity.” —Gillian Flynn, bestselling author of Dark Places

1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time.  
 
The notorious queen of this glittering world is Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven, whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie’s empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho’s gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost.
 
With her unique Dickensian flair, Kate Atkinson gives us a window in a vanished world. Slyly funny, brilliantly observant, and ingeniously plotted, Shrines of Gaiety showcases the myriad talents that have made Atkinson one of the most lauded writers of our time.

Rich characters of all stripes

Kate Atkinson does not disappoint. This was another atmospheric book and it was performed beautifully. The performance gave life to the many highly developed characters both female and male.

The book is a deep dive into the London nightclubs and underworld coming alive after WW1. It portrays what a woman’s options were during that era in a way that helps you understand the challenges they faced and the choices they made. Atkins takes the time to delve into the characters often painting a full picture of where they came from and how they came to and existed in London.

If you want to get swept up and delivered to London in the 20’s this book delivers you there. I loved that Atkinson wrapped it up with what happened to them all.

Entertaining.....

I forgot how much I enjoy Kate Atkinson books. This was highly enjoyable, and narrated well too, makes all the difference. Only criticism was the story finished very abruptly, seems like the author was thoroughly enjoying writing this, then decided all the ends needed tying up promptly.

Abundance of characters

If you have read Atkinson, you know she likes to weave the tales of many people, eventually connecting them all together. It was a bit difficult to keep everyone and their stories together, so I’d advise paying close attention at the start of this amazing book. Another hit for Kate Atkinson.

Great

Great narration and wonderful characters. Lots of historical references and a dark understory about crime and survival

Great narrator, and wonderful use of the English language

I love all the literary references and expressions and I loved the great vocabulary. Kate has a wonderful way of describing her characters not again