rakesandrogues
Written on Sep 1, 2013
I continued to enjoy the different perspectives in Diva by Jillian Larkin because I loved seeing how the storylines would intersect. Diva continues through the perspectives of Gloria, Clara, and Lorraine in the 1920's Prohibition in New York City. I was a little sad at first that Vera was no longer in the picture but it seemed like she already had her happily ever after.
Basically, the theme for this book is redemption. Lorraine wants her friends back, Clara wants Marcus back, and Gloria just wants her life back with Jerome. Jillian Larkin manages to keep me engaged into the different plots with various surprises along the way.
However, Gloria's subplot to uncover the mystery behind the rich Forrest Hamilton became a little predictable. The Flappers series is pitched for fans of The Great Gatsby, and it became a little too clear by the time I finished the book: Gloria's subplot mimics the storyline of F. Scott Fitsgerald's famous novel. If it were any other novel, I probably would have been aghast. But since The Flappers is a fun series, I looked at it as a nice homage to the author that inspired the books.
For the most part, I read Diva to hope for my happily ever afters. After reading Ingenue, I wasn't satisfied with the ending, so I just had to finish up the series to get my fix of romance.
It was also a treat to travel back to the 1920's. I think that Jillian Larkin captures the best in her series is the music. I really get a lot of the setting's mood and atmosphere through the different types of music that we are exposed to as a reader. I actually wished that there was a playlist that I could listen to while I read Diva. It made me crave for jazz and a little bit of showtunes. I also would have loved to hear Gloria sing!
What makes Diva a little different from the other books in the series is that there is a lot less emphasis on the nightlife in the Prohibition era. The characters in the first two novels were so involved in speakeasies and gin joints. But in Diva, there are only mentions of these places. A lot has to do with the fact that the characters have grown since the last book: Gloria has been arrested, Lorraine has finally matured, and Clara has lost her one true love. For the most part, their partying days are behind them.
Instead, Diva focuses on the life of the young and the rich in the 1920's. Lorraine is a Barnard girl, Clara is a successful writer for a popular magazine, and Gloria is hanging out with the rich in Long Island. It was a nice change of pace, and it prevented Diva from being too similar from Ingenue, the previous book.
Diva is not the best conclusion to a series that I've ever read, but it was good enough. I got my fix of romance and history.
