Season of the Gods follows key players in Hollywood responsible for the creation of Casablanca from an unproduced play to the staple of classic film we know today. I’ll be honest, it read a little like historical fanfiction(!) but it was well written and there was nothing that made me want to put it down.

We follow Irene Lee, story editor who discovers the play and heavily encourages Hal Wallis to buy it. We imagine the interplays between actors, what was happening at home, and what the movie meant to them, socially, financially, and also in the context of WW2. By using these real people as key characters (see the fanfic element) it was easier to envision them and their actions. The epilogue was more of a ‘where are they now’ rather than a reaction to the film which was a little frustrating.

Having read a little more about the film and the creation - there was definitely artistic license taken, though it was largely historically accurate. Strangely I would have liked to have seen more of the later elements of Irene’s romance rather than a line in the epilogue - they did some rather important things together!

3.75 rounded up to 4!

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc! I appreciate the privilege of reading it and experiencing the world the author has created!

A totally original book based on the making of the movie Casablanca through the fiction genre. The development of all the characters and personalities and their contributions to this classic movie is thoroughly enjoyable and well written. Recommended.

This book is as fascinating as Casablanca: well written, compelling, well researched, and fast paced.
There's a cast of fleshed out characters and a vivid historical background
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was given an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. First off, I wish to thank author Robert Matzen for making one of my dreams come true--I have always wished to be a fly on the wall as a Hollywood classic was in development. Matzen, who normally writes non-fiction books, (excellent ones I might add) brought to life the many characters who were instrumental in bringing us 'Casablanca' (1943). It all started with Warner Bros. story editor Irene Lee when she came across an unproduced play called 'Everybody Comes to Rick's'. She saw great potential and encouraged producer Hal Wallis to buy it. Then she engaged twin script writers, Phil and Julius Epstein to work a little magic--well, ok, a whole lot of magic. It seemed the project was doomed from the beginning, but they all stuck with it despite the problems it presented as well as the personal drama each of them were going through at the time. From screenplay to casting to filming, there were many struggles--especially the script that had no definitive ending. Matzen did a wonderful job recreating Hollywood during the war years and giving us a glimpse of what it must have been like to work in the midst of so much chaos. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and being that proverbial 'fly on the wall' as I listened in on the many meetings and watched how all the players came together and even when they didn't. I always say that Hollywood, during those classic years, was full of colorful characters--and not all of them onscreen. Mr. Matzen proved me right! I highly recommend this book to anyone who once wished to be a fly on the wall during the making of a classic film!

4 stars for an entertaining historical fiction book about the Hollywood motion picture industry in the WWII period. This book is an excellent reconstruction of the making of Casablanca. It starts with the story editor, Irene Lee, who is responsible for finding stories that can be made into movies, and then working with scriptwriters to turn it into a workable movie script.
Many of the people in this book are actual people:
Jack Warner, head of Warner Brothers studio
Joy Page, stepdaughter to Jack Warner
Hal B. Wallis, top boss at Warner Brothers
Philip and Julius Epstein, scriptwriters
Humphrey Bogart Casablanca actor
Ingrid Bergman, Casablanca actor
Claude Rains, Casablanca actor
Alice Danziger, secretary
Dooley Wilson Casablanca Actor
One quote on Jack Warner: "My God was he official now. Gen. Hap Arnold had commissioned Jack and now he was in uniform. Here he stood in his washroom on the happiest morning of his life wishing Errol Flynn could see him now, or Bette Davis, or Hal Wallis, or any of the sons of b*tches who had ever mocked him behind his back."
Thanks to GoodKnight Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley

historical-novel, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, TV/film-industry, relationships, twins, writers*****

If you are into the inner workings of the film industry in the early 1940s you will definitely love this very well written fictional backstory on the creation and production of the film "Casablanca". The players in this are real people who made a difference in their time, and defining just what that was is job one for this book. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from GoodKnight Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

As much as I really wanted to like this book, unfortunately it just wasn't for me. I didn't resonate with the writing style as it felt too based in fact for me and considering Reenie is the main focus of the book, I felt that too much of the opening chapters focused on too many different characters. It was a little hard to get a feel for the characters and I was a little disappointed by this, as the premise is really interesting and different.

This is a fascinating and absorbing account of the making of Casablanca, one of the greatest films of all time. The author, Robert Matzen, has published a number of Hollywood histories and his knowledge of the time, the business and the personalities gives the narrative a powerful silence of authenticity - like the best historical fiction, it leaves you feeling you were there to witness the events. A thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish. My thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting historical fiction all about the Golden Age of Hollywood but sadly this wasn't the book for me. This felt maybe it was for an older audience than me and it read more of a memoir/factual than a story. I didn't fall in love with the characters or feel a connection to the characters; I do think this is really well written and there's definitely an audience that will love this, it's just not for me.