Alison McMahan

Una modesta secretaria de los célebres Estudios Gaumont y aficionada a la fotografía, recibiría un día el encargo de probar una de las nuevas y sofisticadas máquinas inventadas para filmar imágenes en movimiento. Lo que en un principio era considerado un artefacto poco útil por sus propios fabricantes y distribuidores iba a convertirse de la noche a la mañana en la máquina de generar espectáculo más importante del siglo XX y ella, en la primera mujer directora de la historia del cine.

Más de cien años después de que empezara a hacer películas (lo cual ocurrió bastante antes de que D.W. Griffith, Mabel Normand y Lillian Gish iniciaran sus carreras) la vida y la obra de Alice Guy Blaché sigue estando envuelta en el mito y la controversia. Solo se conserva una pequeña parte de las aproximadamente mil películas que dirigió y casi la mitad han sido encontradas muy recientemente.

Es generalmente aceptado que fue la primera mujer cineasta, pero existe mucha controversia sobre si es la autora de la primera película narrativa de la historia. Jugó un papel clave en la producción de las primeras películas sonoras y sin embargo esta parte de su carrera es casi siempre ignorada. Hasta el día de hoy es la única mujer que ha sido propietaria y directora de su propio estudio de cine. De todo esto, y mucho más se trata en esta apasionante obra.… (meer)

A fast paced, young adult read filled with the mystery promised and so much more.

It speaks of a time when women were respected and yet only so much. They were permitted to be seen but not speak their own minds freely. They were allowed to visit with male callers but not without a chaperon in attendance. They were given the chance to let their voices soar in song, but only in the venues chosen by the men that surrounded them. Yes ladies, it was a man's world. *grumble grumble* For our leading lady Isabella, that proved a very difficult point to accept for she desired to sing in the infamous all male choir and wouldn't you know it, between fate and circumstance...she got just what she wanted. Or did she? You see, that "dream come true" came at a price most high with consequences undesired and a change of heart most unexpected. Though it fulfilled one wish, it opened the door to so many more...good thing she's not a girl to take things lying down.

I really enjoyed getting to know Isabella. She was full of spunk and a healthy appetite for life despite the fact that society wasn't really in her favor at the time. She didn't let the day rule her though it tried; she let her heart and mind work together to sort through the good, bad, and deadly. Her unanticipated (yet arranged to some degree by his own mother, Margherita...who has an interesting past of her own!) connection with Rafaele packed a punch, though little in any form of "action" actually occurs. That's right ladies and gents, it's back to a time when the words both said and unsaid really made a difference as well as the belief in one another. Speaking of Rafaele, though he acted the spoiled brat at times, he wasn't without his good qualities, the more of which came out as he learned about his own history. It was great watching him grow from the experiences he had as well as the reciprocated feelings from one lovely girl. The tortures he survives are certainly stomach clenching but the limited detail included won't have you face first over any buckets any time soon. (Good balance!)



**review copy received in exchange for my honest review....full post can be seen on my site ***… (meer)

I hadn’t realized when I accepted this book for review that it was a young adult novel – I do read them I just didn’t take particular note when reading the synopsis. This tale of mystery, murder, song and romance takes place in Venice. Our heroine, Isabella, has a remarkable singing voice and longs to sing in public. Her singing teacher, Margherita, has a magical voice and a history. Not to mention a very handsome son, Rafaele. Margherita has never told her son who his father is. She gives him a special gift and promises to tell him his parentage but the next night she is found murdered.

Secrets abound in this story and for an adult reader most of them are easy to discern but a younger reader would be intrigued by the breadcrumbs left by the author as Isabella tries to help Rafaele find who killed his mother and then help him get out of serious trouble.

It is a sweet tale with a few twists and turns along the way to keep the young reader very engaged. The time period was complicated for political and religious reasons and Ms. McMahan weaves the necessary information into her story well. The ugly aspects of history are handled discretely enough so that they won’t offend sensitive readers. I read the book on a flight from Nashville to Denver and it made the time enjoyable.… (meer)