Max is a young lady struggling to make it in journalism. She loses the internship she wanted at the New York Times to a man. She was given the internship at the Worlds Fair news paper. Not exactly what she wanted at all.

Vivi is an up and coming actress and she is replaced in film. She is then sent to NYC to perform in the Aquacade show at the Worlds Fair. She is under the impression that if she does this, she will be given a starring role in a film in the fall.

These two ladies struggle to overcome the male world during 1939. They are both unique characters in unique situations. I loved each storyline and the author did a great job melding them together. And the historical setting of the Worlds Fair is amazing.

This is great story about friendship, feminism, and strength with a good bit of history thrown into the mix. Grab your copy today. You will not be disappointed!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Although I have read many Historical Fiction novels set in New York, I have never read one that focused on the 1939 World's Fair. I think the concept of such an event can't even be imagined in today's world. It would be like a Pop-Up Epcot Center in New York! We Came Here to Shine, by Susie Orman Schnall, puts the reader in this amazing place in such a convincing way, that I felt like I could walk around the Fair and see all the wonders of it. That being said, I wish the author had included more of the social ills of the time, to round out the picture. Because, for some, life in 1935 was certainly no day at the Fair.

What I Liked:
Setting:
Both Max and Vivi work in different capacities at the World's Fair. Max works behind the scenes for the Fair's daily newspaper, while Vivi is front and center as the headliner of the elaborate Aquacade show. This gives the author ample opportunity to show just how complex an operation this was.

Who knew that a World's Fair would even have its own newspaper? The level of coordination between the many departments within the Fair for special events, such as the visit from the King and Queen of England, showed what a massive undertaking was at hand.

For Vivi, the Aquacade show was the ultimate theatrical production, with costumes, music, comedy acts, special effects, and complicated choreographed swim routines. Vivi is thrown into this world where she literally has to sink or swim to stardom! This came with all the usual personal dramas among cast and crew. It would have been such an exciting production.

Characters:
I really liked both Max and Vivi. While both young women were determined to succeed in their chosen career, they had opposite types of approaches. Max was very confrontational. This was helpful as a woman trying to make it in a workplace filled with men. But it also meant she put some people off with her impatience, and made it hard for her to form alliances with others.

Vivi knew how to get along with others. She made friends, and had a reputation for being easy to work with. Her issue was that she was reluctant to rock the boat. She was far too trusting that her bosses had her best interests at heart.

I loved how the two women became friends and helped each other with their challenges.

Story:
The story follows how Max and Vivi each work through setbacks that happen at the beginning of the novel. Max doesn't get her dream internship at the New York Times. Instead she is placed in a clerical post at the World's Fair newspaper where her boss prevents her from doing any writing. Vivi was set to begin filming her first big movie role, but instead was sent to New York to work (albeit, star) in the Aquacade.

I liked how the resolved itself. Everything did not work out perfectly for our main characters. Instead, they learned more about themselves and realized that what they wanted would change over time. This was much more realistic, and was ultimately a positive message.

What I Was Mixed About:
Washing Over Prejudice:
As I said in my introduction, I wish the author had delved more deeply into some of the problems of living in the 1930's. While there were a few cursory references to discrimination, the author painted them as minor inconveniences, not the huge hurtles they would have been.

For instance, Max, who is Jewish, has a crush on one of her fellow students. He comes from a rich, society family (most likely WASP). She makes a fleeting reference that his mother wouldn't like her because she's Jewish. But in 1939, it would be unheard of for a Christian and a Jew to marry. Both would be cast out of their social circles. Max also would have had a tougher time finding a job as a journalist. But the book spends no time exploring the realities for Jewish people at that time.

There is also a gay character who willingly outs himself to get fired from a job he doesn't want. But in 1939, a man could go to prison for being gay. I hardly think anyone would be so glib as to take the threat of jail so lightly.

Obviously, this was not meant to be a book about the tough realities for marginalized people in the 1930's. But by glossing over these issues, the author creates a less authentic reality.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. I really love learning about new parts of history, so the backdrop of the World Fair in 1939 in New York was really interesting, but this book was really slow for a large portion of it. Also, I didn't love how the author randomly inserted asides into the story. The writing style also felt choppy in parts. I did like Vivi and Max and enjoyed the book overall, but I do think it could have been a bit more interesting.

Some books deserve five stars, and then there’s books like We Came to Shine that deserve at least 10. I devoured this novel about women empowerment and the 1939 World Fair. The writing was so well done and the characters really came to life. I missed them when I wasn’t reading and had to make myself stay away until my “adulting” was done.

I’ve no previous knowledge of the fair other than a Magic Treehouse book written about the one in Paris, but I had no trouble imagining what it might have looked like or how the experience might have felt to those that were there. This book felt well researched with just the right amount of fiction.

I also loved the Subway Girls tie in—that was so cool!! I’d love a short story where Max writes about that competition for a publication, just throwing that out there in case Susie reads this review!!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

We Came Here to Shine is a perfect summer read filled with wonderful details about the 1939 World's Fair, which was held in Queens, New York. The two main characters -- Max and Vivi -- are talented and bold women each striving to achieve their dreams while running into obstacles along the way that are beyond their control. The novel has some twists in it that move the plot along and make for a fun and entertaining story.

I enjoyed this story of 2 women and the 1939 NY Worlds Fair. Vivi is an actress hired to work the pool routine display, and Max is a journalist hired to work at the Worlds Fair newsletter. Max thought she'd get to write articles, but she is relegated to gathering and organizing the daily events section of the newsletter, while her male coworker writes all of the articles. Vivi thought she'd work one season at the fair and then return to CA to do a movie. Vivi also has a secret. The 2 women meet and help each other...

We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall is a great story set in 1939.

It’s so hard to find a historical fiction novel that isn’t about the war!


We have Max & Vivi, two young women living in the 1930's trying to make it in a man's world.
It’s a coming of age story with friendship and the backdrop of the New York City World’s Fair.

I enjoyed this book a lot and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "We Came Here to Shine" by Susie Orman Schnall.. A entertaining work of historical fiction. The premise is during the 1939 World Fair. I have personally never read any historical fiction from this time so that was what initially caught my interest. I also love the cover! The store revolves around two different characters, Vivi and Max. Vivi is a small time movie star looking to make it even bigger but ends up getting signed up for doing a summer long synchronized swimming show for the fair. Max is in college, looking to have a career in journalism after college. Eventually, the two meet and become friends. They both deal with sexism and the inequality that women faced at that time. I loved the characters and what they had to face to follow their dreams. There were some twists and turns I was not expecting. I would love a book 2 to continue Vivi and Max's stories.

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from St. Martin's Griffin through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Susie Orman Schnall, St. Martin's Press Griffin, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is just so wonderful. Another fabulous book that I was privileged to read in the "time of COVID". I adore historical fiction - especially about time periods that I know nothing about. This is the second book that I have loved by Susie Orman Schnall!!

The time period is 1939 during the World's Fair in New York. There are two protagonists - Maxine, NYU journalism major, and Vivi, Hollywood starlet. Their lives connect and a story evolves. I always enjoy books about women - especially historical women. This book did not disappoint.

It was an interesting, fun, and educational read. I loved that it was an easy, yet meaty read. The writer really created a story in my head with the way that she described the characters, setting, and time period.

DEFINITE RECOMMEND!! Most especially for my fellow historical fiction lovers or for anyone wants a good read!!

This Book Should Be A Movie!
This a wonderful book. I couldn't put it down and stayed up until 3 am to finish it. This a neat historical piece that looks at the 1939 Wold's Fair in NYC, the unfair Hollywood movie contracts that made a young actor into an indentured servant, and the unfair labor practices and social mores against women in the workforce (especially in positions of power). Two young women become friends and open up huge doors into their future. The book is so well written! While reading it I could see the movie in my mind. This would make a great film. I would also enjoy a sequel or two. I received this ARC book from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

We Came Here to Shine is a fascinating historical novel. The story is set in 1939 at the New York World" fair. The plot revolves around two young women. Max is a NYU journalism student interning at the fair's daily newspaper. Max's editor feels women should not be allowed to write articles and deems her only capable of covering the daily schedule of events. Vivi is a Hollywood starlet who is happily under contract to a studio. When her starring film role is given to someone else she is reassigned to the fair as the star of the Aquacade. She will appear daily in an elaborate water show with Johnny Weissmuller. Both women struggle with their assignments as they work diligently to find their way in a "mans" world. There are several other interesting story lines and Scnall's characters are all very endearing. This novel is the perfect combination of being both entertaining and informative.

We Came Here to Shine is historical fiction set in the summer of 1939. The World's Fair is in NYC and it is there that two young women are going to meet and strike up a friendship. Vivi is an actress under contract with a studio in Hollywood and is upset when her studio drops her from a movie and instead sends her to NY to star in a water dance show at the World's Fair. Max is a journalism student who dreams of a summer internship at the New York Times but instead is assigned to work at the daily paper of the World's Fair.

These are two different women but they are drawn together to do MORE with their lives...to pursue their dreams and achieve happiness. They both want to break out of the role that they have been assigned by their male bosses.

I enjoyed this book. It was a nice, light historical fiction read. Nothing too dark or upsetting happened. You can't help but root for these women even though we know sitting in 2020 that women still have a way to go from 1939 to have better experiences pursuing careers. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction but wants something lighter and more uplifting.

Set at the 1939 World Fair in New York City, a young Hollywood starlet is sent to perform at the Aquacade and a budding journalist is assigned to the fair’s daily newspaper. Neither thought they’d spend their summer at the fair, and yet it is one they will never forget. I loved this glimpse into a glamorous past, and the realities behind it. I found myself cheering for the two women as they learned about feminism and how to use it. The narrator broke the fourth wall a few times to talk directly to the reader. For me, it broke the flow a little bit, but it also increased the suspense! You’ll love this if you liked The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!

The 1930s aren't a time that I read about often but I really enjoyed this look into the 1939 World's Fair. It sounds like it had everything! This was a great backdrop to this book and was almost a character itself. I loved the 2 main characters and seeing strong women in that time trying have careers and stand up for themselves. This book will make you want to try synchronized swimming (I don't recommend) and have a glass of scotch (that doesn't sound like a bad idea!).

We Came Here to Shine transported me back to the New York World's Fair in 1939. It was fascinating to see how much has changed in the last 80 years, and yet we still grapple with some of the same problems encountered then. The main focus was on women asserting themselves in the workplace, a theme that I keep encountering in my recent reads. It makes me realize how far we've come during my own lifetime and how much we still have to work for equality. Susie Orman Schnall was a new author to me and I will be adding her other books to my must-read list. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I found this to be an engaging story about Vivi and Max, two young women trying to start careers in 1939. It is set against the backdrop of the New York World’s Fair, something which I knew absolutely nothing about. Each woman is trying to be true to herself, to be a success in a world very much dominated by men. They strike up a chance friendship and end up helping each other navigate some tough times and become lifelong friends.

The 1939 World’s Fair has always held an outsize appeal to me because my father attended it as a youngster and told amazing tales of it. WE CAME HERE TO SHINE seemed like a novel I would love, placed squarely at that memorable World’s Fair offering detailed information about people and activities. Author Susie Orman Schnall has developed two protagonists, a budding actress and a journalism student, each facing her own career challenges. They both find themselves at the World’s Fair despite their wishes, hoping for a way up and out. The plot didn’t quite work for me because I didn’t feel as though the two stories really meshed; they just co-existed. I expected that they would somehow solve one another’s dilemmas but that isn’t really a compelling feature for me. I kept wishing for something more in this book and never found it. It is a fast book and the setting is well-explored. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

This was an enjoyable book, historical fiction, but a bit less intense as it wasn’t focused on war. I loved the characters and how strong and dedicated they were. It was so frustrating to see the struggles they went through being women in a man’s world. This was my first time reading this author and I would definitely read her work again. It kept my interest and she drew you into the story with just the right amount of detail. I had never read much about The World Fair so this was also interesting and a fun change. I would definitely recommend this book.

I love historical fiction and "When We Came To Shine" focuses on a subject I haven't read about before - the 1939 World's Fair - and the effect is has on two women's lives.

Vivi is an up-and-coming Hollywood starlet sent by the studio she's contracted with to perform in the Fair's Aquacade water spectacular. Maxine (aka Max) is an NYU student and aspiring journalist assigned a summer internship at the Fair's daily paper. Neither wants to be there but as was often the case for women in the 1930s, men dictated most of what happened in their lives.

I liked both the characters of Vivi and Max and the World's Fair was an interesting backdrop for the novel. Schnall's writing brought the time period and the Fair to life, and the focus on women finding their voices, fighting for equality and trying to find a balance in their lives was relatable and is applicable now, almost a century later. There were a lot of secondary characters I had a hard time keeping straight and I didn't love all of their subplots but overall this was a quick read that will entertain historical fiction fans. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, GalleyMatch, and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

(I would maybe give this 3.5 stars, but went ahead and rounded down).

We Came Here to Shine tells the story of two young women who end up working at the World's Fair in NYC in the summer of 1939. While I enjoyed both Max's and Vivi's perspectives, I found their stories to be a little slow moving at times. I definitely appreciated Max more overall, but by the novel's conclusion I felt I had a better understanding of Vivi and her situation too. All in all, this just seems to be another one of those historical fiction novels lately that just hasn't blown me out of the water. We Came Here to Shine was a fun, enjoyable read that also had its serious and heartfelt moments and touched upon the injustices meted out to working women during that time, simply for being working women. But there wasn't anything about the overarching story that really struck me or will end up sticking with me in the long run.