The Seventh Veil of Salome was published on August 6 2024 by Del Ray, and I was lucky enough to get the first available copy from my local library!
I am a big fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing style. One of my favourite books is her Mexican Gothic. So of course I knew that this was going to be a terrific read. We are in old Hollywood, the time of Monroe, Hayworth, Taylor and more. A new star is on the rise, plucked from her father’s dentistry office in Mexico City, Vera is the perfect woman to play the title role of Salome in a new Hollywood movie. She has to learn quickly how things operate on set with jealous extra’s, an overly forward co-star and a director who doesn’t direct so much as holler.
The amount of research that must have gone into writing this book is incredible. We have so many details about what Los Angeles looked like in the 50’s. Diner menu’s, music playing in the clubs and hot gossip about famous actors from Mickey Rooney to Charlie Chaplin being barred from returning to the USA after suspected communist ties.
In all of these amazing pieces of history, we have a romance between our star, Vera, and a young man who catches her eye at a party. Their romance blossoms as we are also reading about the infatuation that Salome has with a young preacher who calls out her mother and declares repentance before it is too late.
This was a bible story I didn’t really know about so it took me a few minute to get into the storyline. It is incredibly interesting to see the Hollywood romance playing out alongside a ancient woman and her hunger for power.
Incredible historical fiction and as always, Silvia Moreno-Garica writes brilliantly and beautifully.
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