Women's Hotel

A Novel

By: Daniel M. Lavery

Narrated by: Mara Wilson

National Bestseller

ONE OF FALL'S MOST ANTICIPATED READS—New York Times, Vulture, BookPage, Kirkus Reviews, and more

From the New York Times bestselling author and advice columnist, a poignant and funny debut novel about the residents of a women’s hotel in 1960s New York City.

The Biedermeier might be several rungs lower on the ladder than the real-life Barbizon, but its residents manage to occupy one another nonetheless. There’s Katherine, the first-floor manager, lightly cynical and more than lightly suggestible. There’s Lucianne, a workshy party girl caught between the love of comfort and an instinctive bridling at convention, Kitty the sponger, Ruth the failed hairdresser, and Pauline the typesetter. And there’s Stephen, the daytime elevator operator and part-time Cooper Union student.

The residents give up breakfast, juggle competing jobs at rival presses, abandon their children, get laid off from the telephone company, attempt to retrain as stenographers, all with the shared awareness that their days as an institution are numbered, and they’d better make the most of it while it lasts.

As trenchant as the novels of Dawn Powell and Rona Jaffe and as immersive as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Lessons in Chemistry, Women’s Hotel is a modern classic—and it is very, very funny.

Time period

I thought the character development was sadly absent. Even some of the ‘scenes’ concluded abruptly. I think the author should stick to column writing.

Eclectic stories

Enjoyed the various characters. Some of the stories were rambling. Good narrator. Liked learning about this time in history.

Too much history

There was way to much information about history and not enough character development. I kept waiting to learn more about the characters, but it didn't happen fast enough for me.

Nice presentation of facts, but without a compelling voice

I wanted to understand the experience of the women’s hotel in the era. Although this book nicely provided facts and context, the women’s voice was flat.

Completely read in third person

Sheesh I rarely do not finish a book … but made it to chapter 6 and gave up. Very little character development. Boring. I think this may have been okay if not told in third person and the characters became relatable.