This is another wonderful book from Kate Atkinson. Set in 1920s London, it follows a set of interesting characters who find themselves drawn into the nightclubs of Nellie Coker.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of and then switching between them all meant that it took me a little while to get to grips with who was who and really get involved with them. This did lend to the slow burn that I felt in this read, I grew to know everyone and was thoroughly invested in their lives by the end.
The books was written in a distinctive style that I enjoyed.
An absolute must for Atkinson fans.

Lots to love with this story, it is a rollicking read from the very beginning! Based on a real person and their life back in the 1920s London club scene, a fair amount of poetic licence has been used interwoven with actual facts.

Kate Atkinson is incredibly talented at world building and drawing the reader in, and this book is no exception. As the different characters are introduced to the reader, it doesn't seem possible that they could be all part of the same story - and yet they are skillfully interwoven with everyone having their part to play.

The pacing is fast throughout and the narrator chops and changes between characters, so there are a lot of different perspectives which help to tell the tale as you go. At times it feels like there's a bit too much going on and a few too many people to keep track of - I found I had to backtrack a couple of times to remember who was who and what was what.

There were some things which were never fully explained (Florence disappearing/reappearing; the trafficking storyline; what the licensing laws were at the time etc) and the end of the story was clever but I felt wrapped things up a bit quickly.

An enjoyable read, I can see this being adapted into a TV series for sure.

This was an absolutely incredible novel, I read that it has a Dickensian flair and that it absolutely spot on. The writing is incredible and full of rich descriptions and vivid imagery, the storyline was absolutely riveting and the characters were well developed. I loved it.

Nobody writes like Kate Atkinson. Her books are shrines of enjoyment and appreciation, if not always gaiety. Sometimes, when reading, I skim, wanting to find out what happens. Not so with a Kate Atkinson novel; every word is a word to be savoured. She writes poetry in prose. As always, there is a fascinating story line and multi faceted characters. There is humour, wit and pathos, with every line delving into and exploring the human condition. How does she manage to capture, so vividly, the spirit of an era? Suffice to say, I loved every word of this novel, which combines an ultimately feel good plot with a satisfactory literary read. Brilliant, as always.

A fun romp through the seedy underside of the glittering clubs of 1920s London. There's a large cast of characters, with chapters dedicated to each of their stories, which could be confusing if they weren't all clearly defined with their own distinctive voice. I enjoyed the twists and turns and was not expecting the overall outcome at all. One thing that I found slightly disappointing was that the ending felt a little rushed - there was a lot of conclusion packed into a small number of pages, making the overall pacing feel a little disjointed.

I would read a shopping list if Kate Atkinson published it! Another winner, beautifully researched, beautifully written and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Another wonderful read.

A fabulous story that's given room to breathe and build.

Kate Atkinson at her best - full disclosure, I am a huge fan of the author and Shrines of Gaiety did not disappoint.

Highly recommended.

I'm still not sure what I think about this book. I like the author and I like her writing but maybe it was something about the jumpy structure that I didn't appreciate or that some of the threads were unfinished or terminated rather abruptly and Gwendolyn's character was somewhat inconsistent.
It was interesting to understand the era somewhat better - my maternal grandmother worked at Woolwich Arsenal during WW1 so it resonated. She was a great beauty and was allegedly invited to the Chelsea Arts Club Ball. We never learned the details which is probably just as well given its louche reputation :)
It would not have taken much for it to be a 4*, bit today it's just 3*.

I am a big fan of Kate Atkinson’s work and this did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this novel and the fact it was based on a real person really added to the realism.

The book is well written and eventful as we follow Nellie and her many children. It’s imaginative and really brings the glamour (and the grit) of the 1920s to life.

‘Shrines of Gaiety’ by Kate Atkinson is a sparkling portrayal of London in the 1920s, a heady mixture of madly-themed nightclubs, teenage runaways and the Bright Young Things. It is 1926 and the generation most damaged by the War to End All Wars is dancing to forget. But 1920s London is not as glittering it seems. Though the nightclubs sparkle by night, they are dank and dowdy in daylight. London has a dark, dangerous underbelly.
When veteran gangland boss Ma Coker is released from Holloway prison, a train of events is set in place. Her six children jostle for her attention, approval and power. The police at Bow Street station are either in her pay or are trying to convict her. Meanwhile, others are plotting the takeover of her rich kingdom - the five nightclubs the Amethyst, the Sphinx, the Crystal Cup, the Pixie and the Foxhole. Each is carefully targetted at specific clientele, each is managed by one of her five eldest children. The Amethyst is the jewel in the crown but Nellie, post-prison, is acting oddly and has taken to sitting alone in the immaculate, unoccupied, pink-decorated flat above the Cup. Is she losing it?
Two young women arrive in the closed world of the Coker family and will change things forever. Fourteen-year-old Freda Murgatroyd has run away from York with her bovine friend Florence, desperate to dance on the stage in London. Gwendolen Kelling, a former librarian and also from York, follows them to London with the aim of returning them to their families. Though Gwendolen’s tweed skirt and plain cardigan may suggest timidity, she is not what she seems.
What a wonderful read this is, this hybrid part-historical, part-literary, part-mystery novel. Atkinson juggles a huge cast and given this it takes a while to settle into the story, but as the pages turn the parties become more hysterical and people begin to die. There are three main viewpoints - Nellie Coker, Gwendolen and Freda - supplemented by Inspector John Frobisher and Nellie’s three eldest children Edith, Niven and Ramsay. But always Atkinson reminds us of the dark side. The Bright Young Things dazzle at the beginning of the evening in beautiful extravagant costumes, but their syringes and drugs become visible at twilight. Meanwhile, Nellie seems to be losing her iron grip on the clubs. When Gwendolen is recruited by Frobisher to visit the Amethyst undercover one night, with a policeman as her dance partner, things spin out of control. There is no sign of Flora or Florence, Gwendolen’s dance partner disappears, a fight breaks out and her beautiful dress from Liberty is covered in blood. The identity of her saviour is unexpected.
The story has been described as Dickensian and I can see why. Atkinson never wastes a sentence and, with a sure hand, she directs this complicated plot full of richly-drawn characters, criminal gangs, two-faced policemen and blotto partygoers. The historical detail stretches from the richest to the poorest, plus there’s a touch of romance and plenty of wry and witty anecdotes to make you chuckle. Some of the minor characters are classics to delight in, particularly Vanda and Duncan aka The Knits.
Excellent.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

I rarely give up on books but sadly struggled with this one. I just couldn’t “get into” the story or fell invested with the characters. I’ve really enjoyed other books by this writer so not sure why this was

Apologies for my late feedback on this one.

Set in 1920's gangland London this is a great, well-written book and I really enjoyed reading it. It is the first book that I have read by this author and I was unsure how I would get on with it. You would think that the author had lived in 1920's London as the story is so detailed about society and the way of life in the underbelly of the city at that time and it is clear that the author has done a great deal of research on that period of time.
Parts of the story is based on fact but it is clearly a work of fiction and the author gives some great notes at the back of the book about how she got the idea for the book and some of the research she did.
The book centres around one gangland family and their dealings with the police whilst running their nightclubs and dancing girls around Soho and there are some great characters that you really get to know.
If you like gangland crime fiction and want something a little different then give this book a read. The writing is different and the author has a great way with words and language. I did have to look up quite a few of the terms she used but that was all a part of the journey for me and her style of writing really suits this historical fiction.
Many thanks to Random House UK, Netgalley and Kate Atkinson for providing me with an electronic advance copy of the book in return for an honest, unbiased review,
The book was issued on the 27th September and is available in hardback, paperback, e-book and audio book formats

Set in the post World War I years this book tells the story of several separate but intertwined lives. Nellie Coker runs several notorious nightclubs in London and many people would like to see her topple from her great height. We meet her as she leaves Holloway Prison after a short stint there for breaking licensing laws. Detective Chief Inspection John Frobisher is an enigmatic individual with things to hide in his personal life and an obsession with cleaning up the nightlife of the city. Gwendolen Kelling used to be a librarian, is on a mission to find two missing girls. She is now joining forces with the Inspector to see if Nellie’s nightclubs have anything to do with the girls who are disappearing across London. Gwendolen is searching for Freda and Florence who are both fourteen and have run away from home. Freda is determined to make her name in show business and not to have to sell herself in the process.

As with Atkinson’s other books the descriptions of the characters and the way we are able to get under their skin makes fascinating reading. The various nightclubs and nightlife are brought to life in the pages in all of their hedonistic glory. All of our main protagonists meet and interact with each other and the other characters with lots of drama and intrigue. The Great War is in the past but the effects of it are still apparent in the losses felt by the characters particularly by Nellie’s son, Niven and Frobisher’s wife, Lottie. The shadow of conflict is still very much present with the nightclubs providing light relief for those who choose it.

Part historical novel and part mystery, we join Frobisher, Gwendolen and Nellie in their quest for the truth behind the strange goings on. A really enjoyable read with a plot that keeps you hooked until the end.

I liked it but didn't love it.

This was my first Kate Atkinson novel and I found it an enjoyable read.

The novel takes us back to London in 1926 and follows the life of the Nellie Coker, night club owner and her many children. It was witty and had a decent storyline but for me had too many characters that I was getting confused, and I had to keep going back a few pages to familiarise myself.

I would recommend but I would like to read previous books by the author as I don't think this could be their best.

1926, Nellie Coker, notorious nightclub owner, is released from Holloway Prison. She's tired and haunted by the ghost of a murdered girl, other crime bosses and corrupt police officers are converging on her to steal her empire out from underneath her, while her adult children play their own games and betray her with their avarice and weakness. At the same time, Gwendolyn Kelling - a librarian from York, teams up with Detective Chief Inspector Frobisher to infiltrate Nellie's criminal underworld and investigate the disappearance of two girls.

This book has a vast ambitious scope, a huge cast of characters and a wide range of POVs which made the story a little difficult to follow and to know who to root for at first. But the characters are all so well-drawn and vividly conjured that they all come into focus and the plot draws all the strands together by the end. A satisfying meal of a novel.

This author has such a way with words. I wanted to give this a full five stars because the era was enchanting but I resisted because I did struggle to keep up with all the elements and characters at times

Shrines of Gaiety is a slow-burn novel with a large cast of characters. It took me a little bit of time to get my bearings with it but once the main characters were established I found the book, for the main part, to be very readable and quite enjoyable.
Kate Atkinson's writing is embellished with lively descriptions of London in the 1920s and I really felt like I was experiencing that time and the places described.
With the narrative jumping between different character's points of view, I found that I liked some of them more than others. I was most interested in Freda, Gwendolen, Frobisher and Niven. Nellie as the owner of the night clubs should have been a very interesting character but I found that the most entertaining about her was the ghost of Maud who was haunting her conscience.
For a slow-burn novel I found the ending disappointingly rushed and I didn't like the way things ended for some of the characters. I didn't feel it necessary to map out the rest of their lives for the reader and it left a sour note for knowing what was to come.
So, overall a mixed bag for me- I loved the setting, the descriptions, the dialogue and the humour but, was left disappointed with the ending.

1920's London and the City is full of debauchery, depravity, degradation, and decadence...for the wealthy. If you are poor life is hard, if you are poor and female life is hard and dangerous. Nellie Coker, along with her five children, has control of the City after hours. She owns the Wildest clubs, as well as the classiest ones. Nellie has wealth, power, and respect, and enemies that want to steal her fortune. She is she too quick witted and sure footed for her adversaries though?...set to a backdrop of police corruption, PTSD, prostitution, murder, and ambitions...
An excellent well written book, with characters that come alive on the page. A true page turner of a tale.

At first, I struggled to get into this book because there is a large cast of characters!

Once I had formed the characters in my mind, I was able to get into the story and I enjoyed it. Set in the 1920s London night scene, this book was entertaining, sometimes poignant or funny, but without becoming distasteful despite the subject matter.

Sometimes, the chapters don't all align chronologically – similar to 3 steps forward then 1 back – and this was a little jarring at times. I also disliked the way the tale ended with a newspaper-type report of what happened to the characters afterwards.

It's an enjoyable book and the writing is engaging, therefore I give it 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

A witty romp through the dark underbelly of the roaring 20s, featuring Atkinsons trademarked sparkling prose, careful character work and engaging themes. Thoroughly enjoyed.