Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie JennerMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
It's 1955 in post-war London and Vivien Lowry is a movie script writer. After a scathing review of the play she wrote, a friend convinces her to move to Rome and work for the famous Cinecitta Studio. Rome in 1955 is an absolutely beautiful setting. We get a peek into the film industry, the Vatican's attempt to censor the films made there, the glamour of the lifestyle, the Italian food and nightlife, and the close friendships that Vivian develops. We also get to see the long-term lingering effects of the war.
We know Vivien from Natalie Jenner’s previous novel The Bloomsbury Girls, which I absolutely loved, along with her first novel The Jane Austen Society. I really wanted to love this book as well, but it just didn’t live up to her other two.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but it helped that she included a comprehensive Cast of Characters along with a brief synopsis of each one. In her author's note she mentions a map, but apparently it was missing from my advanced reader copy. It would have helped to know all the Rome locations she mentioned in the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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