Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for this eARC!

I've been a longtime fan of Silvia's work, and, again, this didn't disappoint. I loved the braiding of the main story plot with the biblical/religious story. The narration device worked so well. This is historical fiction novel is yet another jewel from Silvia. I'm always mesmerized by how easily she can write different (but somewhat similar) books. I highly recommend this!

Ironic enough, at the start of this year, I went to a special art exhibit in Houston and saw one of the Salome paintings in person. I didn't know much about The Seventh Veil of Salome—let alone that the woman is a figure from the Bible and other notable works like Oscar Wilde's play. I felt drawn to the painting for some reason, and after reading this book, it feels a bit like foreshadowing and tbr destiny to have seen it months before reading a book about the same figure. I didn't see the painting Silvia specifically references in the book, but instead, I saw Gustav Moreau's Salome Dancing before Herod (aka Salomé dansant devant Hérode). The feeling I find in the painting, especially after reading this book, is chills. In the painting I saw, Salome has her hand raised much like what Salome does in the book near the end of the dance, and it's created a starker image and emotions for that scene in my head. I'm pretty obsessed with the connection between this painting I took a photo of in January to the book following the same figure.

Honestly, at first I was not sure the three POVs combined well. While I saw the correlation between Salome, Vera, and Nancy, I still felt initially that Salome was an odd choice to include. This story could've very well been just a tale of Nancy and Vera along with the documentary style POV interviews sprinkled throughout the book. It wasn't until the very end where I truly felt the deep connection between these three women. Silvia perfectly wrote that scene, much like the perfectly executed dance sequence by Salome/Vera, which I'll discuss more later. I felt the rightness of Silvia's words, and it elevated my feelings tenfold. These three women showed that humanity has not changed over the course of thousands of years—that a woman struggling to make a career or a woman newly fresh in the world of cinema could relate to a princess destined to make religious history. I loved that concept upon reflection, but it took me some time to get to that opinion.

A part of me still wishes Salome could've had her own book to herself, but that's the selfish history nerd within me speaking. I adore Ancient history in fiction (Greek mythology, Babylon, Egypt, etc.), so I loved to see her interactions with the men at the time as well as the historical context since I am Catholic. I think Silvia could definitely write a historical book from this era, and I would gobble it up in one sitting.

The best part of the book? As soon as Vera began dancing for the movie. The writing mimicked the intensity and hunger of the dance, and it balanced the emotional toll as well as the physical. I loved that Silvia started to blend POV realities between Vera and Salome. At first it was wholly Vera on stage, but then midway through the dance, there's a complete shift to Salome in front of the partygoers. it's to the point where readers know the characters have combined within the dance. It's as if the ghost of Salome, the ghost of dance even, came to Vera and took her over. It's very figurative and well done. Like I mentioned above, this scene was the turning point for my enjoyment because the Ancient scenes with Salome truly connected to the modern day ones.

All in all, Silvia wrote another banger. I'll never get over her books, and I cannot wait to read the next one. Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The lovelives and struggles of three women drive the narrative of The Seventh Veil of Salome. The Salome of history and two women in 1950s Los Angeles starring in a Golden Age of Hollywood epic sword and sandal film interpretation of Salome’s life. Nancy has been in Hollywood for four years, and has the looks, fashion sense and training to be a star, but has so far not hit the big time, she thought the role of Salome would be hers. Instead she leaves in a cheap hotel room and her on and off again drug dealing boyfriend Bennie wants more for the two of them. Vera was ‘discovered’ in her father’s dental office in Mexico and given the role of Salome despite almost every other starlet trying out for the starring role.

This Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel is full historical fiction like Velvet Was the Night. The narrative is presented like a movie script or oral history with each section headed by a character's name moving back and forth in time. All of them hint toward the tragic ending of broken hearts and lost loves. All of our main characters are trapped by circumstances, social mores or the authority figures in their lives. Vera is under the strict thumb of her mother, and Vera is not the mother’s ideal child, that would be her sister Lumi the best at everything. Nancy has Bennie and a bookie father who feels he has provided far too many chances. Salome has her mother and Uncle, and the potential of two suitors, neither of them the one she loves.

The Seventh Veil of Salome is a parallel narrative of tragedy homage to Hollywood at the zenith of the major movie studio and a behind the scenes story of making a movie. With all the baggage of egos, casual racism, gossip and societal expectations that stardom entails.

Recommended to readers of historical fiction, making of features, or tragic stories of lost opportunities.

The Seventh Veil of Salome was so, so enjoyable. I was not familiar with the play Salome, but I am familiar with the biblical story of the daughter of Herodias. Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s adaptation of the story was riveting and full of intrigue and emotion. The Old Hollywood parallel story was also enjoyable, and it brought to mind another recent novel set during the golden age of Old Hollywood, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.”

Vera is a relatable, strong main character, and it was easy to root for her throughout the novel. Salome is an engaging character as well, although her motivations were sometimes unclear to me. The two stories continuously ran parallel to one another and never seemed to fully intersect (outside the making of the movie). I noticed a few lines from Joe Kantor’s fictional script that made it into Salome’s story, but that was the clearest indicator I found that demonstrates the stories relate.

I enjoyed: the references to real actors and real Hollywood anecdotes, the political intrigue of Salome’s story, the edge-of-your-seat anticipation of dealing with ruthless and unpredictable characters, and the romance. Ultimately, I really like this book! Once again, I find that Silvia Moreno-Garcia is adept at combining an engaging, well-paced plot with highly developed characters. I think this would be a great selection for a book club. It’s clear that Moreno-Garcia did a lot of great research, and there is so much to ponder and discuss in this book! 4.5/5 Stars

"A young woman wins the role of a lifetime in a film about a legendary heroine - but the real drama is behind the scenes in this sumptuous historical epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.

So when the film's mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.

Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood - a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue - make for a sizzling combination.

But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.

Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga."

Well, I'm glad that someone is at least talking about Salome herself!

I continue to be in awe of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's versatility and execution in writing across an array of genres and time periods. Every single book I've read by her thus far has the uncanny ability to transport me to its respective setting, and The Seventh Veil of Salome is no exception.

In this novel, Garcia transports us to the glamorous yet challenging world of 1950s Hollywood. The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, following three women who are each striving to carve out a space for themselves in a society that strips them of agency. We first meet Vera, a talented Mexican actress cast as the lead in Salome, and Nancy, an ambitious American woman determined to achieve her dreams. Interwoven with their narratives is an alternate storyline that brings the tale of Salome to life, adding a rich layer of intrigue and drama.

I might be in the minority here, but I find that I most enjoy Garcia's works that don't include speculative elements. Her research into different time periods pays off in her vivid portrayal of her setting and characters. The Seventh Veil of Salome is purely historical fiction, free from any fantastical components, and I loved every second of it. The detailed exploration of the era and the depth of the characters made this my favorite book by her so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an advance reader's copy of The Seventh Veil of Salome.

The Seventh Veil of Salome is a lush look into old Hollywood and the realities of racism, classism, and greed.

Vera Larios is plucked from obscurity to play Salome in a big budget Hollywood film. Unfortunately, because of her quick rise to fame and her ethnicity being Mexican, she finds it can be very easy to make enemies along the way.

This is the story of a scorned woman, a naïve woman, and a fictionally underrepresented woman who’s lives all become intertwined. I loved the Salome chapters and the depth they added to the current story as well as breathing life into a not well-known biblical character.

Moreno-Garcia’s writing is always so beautiful and engaging. She’s really done her homework on the time and place of The Seventh Veil of Salome and you can feel the sense of place like its it’s own character.

A truly tragic story with artful execution.

I’ve been a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s novels since reading Mexican Gothic and I must say that The Seventh Veil of Salome feels sure to be another hit.

In this novel, we follow Vera, a young Mexican actress who has been cast as Salome in the 1950’s Hollywood film The Seventh Veil of Salome, Nancy, a bit player with a stalling career who was shut out of the role and relegated to the background and the biblical story of Salome, a princess who is consumed with desire of a fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather Herod. The story oscillates between these three perspectives and the people surrounding the Hollywood production in the 50s, showcasing a story that demonstrates that the struggles these women went through were not all that different.

This author does an incredible job at painting two different worlds in 1950s Hollywood and biblical times. The story seamlessly blends these worlds together and kept me captivated throughout. I felt sympathy for Vera as she navigated Hollywood for the first time, especially in the way she is oppressed by the men surrounding her. Nancy’s fury and jealousy surrounding Vera is palpable and though less sympathetic, Moreno Garcia doesn’t shy away from showing us the ugly side of the business. Salome’s biblical world is also beautifully crafted and we do go on a journey for her as she weighs her feelings of the prophet and the other men surrounding her.

This is a delightful novel that is well paced and engaging. I highly recommend picking it up when it comes out on August 6th!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

In 1950s Hollywood, the filming of The Seventh Veil of Salome begins with unknown actress Vera Larios cast in the career-defining role. She had been working as a receptionist at her father's dental practice in Mexico City when she was discovered by the director's assistant and encouraged to audition after half of Hollywood had been rejected. She has to contend with her own doubt about her abilities to play this role, her family's doubt about her move to Hollywood, the pressures of the director and the studio, jealousy and racism from her costars, and falling in love for the first time. The story is told through the eyes of Vera, the character Salome, actors, producers, writers, and reporters who were all involved at the time, alluding to a tragedy that occurred during filming. I enjoyed all of the characters' perspectives and the way the tension was built up as Vera and Salome's narratives intertwined and mirrored each other was wonderful writing. This will appeal to fans of historical fiction and especially to people who enjoy old Hollywood.

All is not as it appears in this historical novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia where three different women fight for their survival in a world dominated by the men around them, and they will ultimately end up forging their own destinies in fame or infamy. The Seventh Veil of Salome by SMG sucks you into the Golden Age of Hollywood where actors are living in a dreamy illusion of grandeur and luxury, but we soon learn that even the most gilded of dreams can tarnish, becoming indistinguishable from devastating tragedy.

Vera Larios is a debut actress. She is plucked from obscurity---she’s supposed to be a nobody, arisen from nothing. However, she’s everything the explosive director, Max Niemann, has ever coveted for the only remaining role yet to be cast in his newest and much anticipated film, The Seventh Veil of Salome. To begin with, Vera is this obedient, polite, and decorous individual, but along the way she finds her voice, which quickly reveals a more confident, assertive, and autonomous version of herself. She’s also able to uproot a deeply embedded conviction, planted and carefully cultivated by her mother, that she will never be enough compared to her more fair, more beautiful, more talented sister. These character transformations eventually help her move beyond a bad case of imposter syndrome, one that develops from self-deprecating guilt she harbors due to the alienating belief that she is living her sister’s life.

Nancy Hartley is no new player on the board in Hollywood but is so desperate to make it as a big actress, she is consumed by her own jealousy and avarice. Vera Larios becomes the expected target of her ire, and Nancy is an adversary you love to hate. Racist, impulsive, and living on the scraps she’s been thrown from the tables of Hollywood legends for far too long, she’s a woman possessed with a single-minded purpose to accomplish her life’s dream of stardom, ostensibly at any cost. The harder she tries to regain some measure of control in her quickly spiraling career, the greater amount of damage she inflicts upon her situation. With the devasting losses mounting and failure looming, she ends up condemning Vera, which only succeeds in whipping her anguish and rage into a murderous passion.

Princess Salome is a woman plucked from the very pages of the bible. Her character is strong, clever, resilient, and resourceful---all things she must be to survive in biblical antiquity. She is caught in a web of her own desire, and as always, women can never have it all, so she must sacrifice everything to fulfill only one of them. Will it be love, vengeance, or power Salome decides she must have beyond all else? Dependent upon what she chooses, her fate will be paired with Jakanaan to indulge the love she has for this heretical preacher, her usurping Uncle Herod to exact her burning vengeance in the name of her murdered father, or her cousin Marcus Agrippa and the power he represents to seize her rightful crown and title.

Interestingly, aspects of Salome’s character will have significant influence over how both Vera and Nancy evolve and the resulting fateful decisions they make in their own lives. What disturbs me is the story of Salome, set during biblical times, is still so applicable to what these women are going through during 1950’s Hollywood. These women are cherry picked by men, stripped of their identities, assigned new names, new personas, and new backstories to make them more marketable towards the white male gaze. They are told who to be with and where, what to think or not to think at all, how to dress, how to eat, and what to say. Both Vera and Nancy contend with conflicting demands from all sides. Men in the industry are doing their best to coerce and program them to become Hollywood starlets, responsible for ushering in a new era of filmmaking, but their families are mounting increasingly higher expectations for them to attain this success and settle down for a properly deadened, mechanical existence as homemakers, housewives, and mothers. Shockingly, they are all alive during a time where everything is chosen for women by men, even their very thoughts are carefully manufactured to be congruent with the politics or beliefs of the patriarchy. Horrifically, all three of these women must smile through everything while silently raging for their stolen freedoms. They are simply fighting for basic rights: to be heard and to be seen, for identity and agency to oversee their own lives.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is so unbelievably versatile! She has a toe dipped in multiple different genres, and each time she is able to flawlessly and effortlessly deliver bestselling titles. She is one of my favorite authors, and I love how she’s able to immerse you in her story telling. When I saw that this book was in the works, I was beside myself with excitement---I mean come on, set in old Hollywood with promised drama on and off the screen, sign me up immediately!! If you would enjoy a sizzling period piece set in 1950’s Hollywood laced with lots of glitz and drama, then this would be for you! Tragic and beautiful, this one is an easy pick for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Normally I am not usually a fan of numerous shifting points of view, but how it’s done is not confusing, gives context seasoned with a dash of foreshadowing, and helps drive the story forward. I also really enjoyed getting to know these women and following them through their stories. I really, reallyyy love to hate Nancy, and I get the impression that she’s written to be that dislikable, but I also think I could understand her. That soul consuming desperation can fuel the rashest of decisions and feed the deepest, darkest parts of human nature like nothing else. Salome….oh my goodness! Big fan over here. She finally has enough of obedience and oppression and takes what she needs to cleverly gain the upper hand against her uncle and secure her own future. She is celebrated by her own mother for her brazen choice in her story, but no one realizes that a campaign of bloody retribution has likely just begun…

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and Random House/Del Rey for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! I have already posted my review to both my Goodreads and Facebook Group (The Book Banquet), but I will also be posting my review to my Amazon and B & N on publication day.

A riveting story that winds through biblical history and 1950s Hollywood. The story of Vera, a newly discovered actress in her first major role blends seamlessly with the story of her character Salome. The multi-viewpoint storytelling adds intrigue and mystery. Another phenomenal story from Moreno-Garcia!

Vera's story left the taste of blood in my mouth. A tragedy was promised and delivered. She wouldn't succumb to the insecurities her mother heaped on her over a lifetime, nor would she settle for a half-love. Because of this strength, she was set to embark on the pursuit of becoming so much more than she'd dared dream before and with a full, real love . . . for a moment she was poised to have it all. 

Nancy's spiral into embittered madness was told so perfectly that I didn't hate her. Her rage was too long ingrained, and her self-destruction too well documented to not see the inevitable. I was left wondering how she didn't suffer more severe consequences as she truly deserved though. Was Benny that loyal to her in the end that the extent of her role never fully got out? This question keeps the story turning in my mind.

The last woman from this tale: Salome. Or rather the dream of her story in a story. To borrow words from Vera, Salome's tale felt as if a note was missing so the melody couldn't be whole. I kept waiting for the moment that would solidify her chosing the inevitable. In my opinion that unmistakable and defining moment never came. But I'll say no more to avoid spoilers aside from that moment when she last meets her love's eyes stuck with me.

There are other POV that gave the story a tell all, tabloid feel but it did muddle the pace in the beginning making it unclear when the meat of the story had started. I did love how it made introducing our heroine fashionably late though.

A co-worker and I sigh a lot at each other about how much we love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books and how there's seemingly nothing she can't do. I cannot wait for this co-worker to read Salome and sigh some more with me. I was riveted the whole time, pushed along by the subtle sense of unease underlying each scene. I have a fondness for Old Hollywood and it's captured so well here, seedy side and all. I will be recommending this to everyone, just like everything else I've read from Silvia.

Holy smokes, Silvia Moreno-Garcia did it again. This book is luscious, dramatic, and layered and delicious like honey cake. I'm a huge SMG fan, and while I didn't like Silver Nitrate (3 stars for me), Seventh Veil seems to take all the movie-making goodness from Silver and combined it with the drama, romance, and darkness of Velvet was the Night (another 5 star read for me).

The POV rotates between the characters making the movie of Seventh Veil of Salome, little interviews in the time after making the movie, and the actual characters of Biblical time living out the mostly factually accurate drama. The many POVs and how they weave together is incredible! The history and the making of the movie are a stunning mirror image of each other--but in unexpected ways! Salome and the Salome actress, Vera, are complex, beautiful characters that rang so true to the story SMG was painting.

Much like Velvet was the Night, this book is sooooo musical! You can all but hear the piano and the harp, vinyl spinning, and a radio cackling.

I was nervous going into a story recorded in the Bible, as I'm religious, but according to her note at the end, it's more inspired by the painting. With that said, I didn't find anything offensive to the Biblical telling or John the Baptist.

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, and I'm very thankful to NetGalley and Del Rey for an e-book to read and review honestly and voluntarily.

In 1950s Hollywood, it seems that every other movie is a sword-and-sandal epic, often with Biblical stories at the center. At the moment, every actress wants to play Salome in the titular film, so many are shocked when an unknown Mexican immigrant named Vera lands the coveted role. But while drama unfolds onscreen, bigger issues unravel behind the scenes, with jealous rivals, overt racism and misogyny, and family drama.

I'll be completely honest: I didn't particularly enjoy this book. It was a decent look at the 1950s Hollywood, but the alternating chapters between real life and the movie were a bit awkward (as in, it wasn't clear that it was the movie and not a historical Salome being featured) and I found it hard to root for any of the characters. Read Nghi Vo's Siren Queen for a better book about old Hollywood.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia excels at historical suspense. There's always something a little different and exciting—one might be fantasy, one might be sci-fi, one (okay, several) might be horror. This one is two historical suspense stories for the price of one! A great, intriguing mix of tenses and perspectives, with interview-style epistolary sections, adds to the drama and suspense. Every time there's a new Moreno-Garcia novel, I know I am in for a page-turner. One of the most dependably excellent authors currently working.

Silvia Moreno Garcia is an auto read for me. I enjoyed this book, but I didn't LOVE it. I really loved Vera's story and the old Hollywood glamour of it all. I got very bored with Salome's story, and wished that those chapters were more gripping. I liked how the two stories interwove in the end, so I wouldn't want them cut, but I wish that they were more engaging. Vera's story is so well done. You get all those old Hollywood vibes, and it's just so well characterized and written. The atmosphere is 100% perfect. I FELT like I was in old Hollywood. The plot was well developed, and I was eager to find out what would happen next. I would give Vera's story a 5/5. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel like Salome's story was as well done, and it loses a star for me. I still really enjoyed this book. Not Moreno Garcia's typical horror genre, so don't go into it expecting that.

Thank you to Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Del Rey via NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia hits it out of the park every time. “The Seventh Veil of Salome” follows two young women, Vera in 1950s Hollywood and Salome in the 1st century BC. I was enthralled by both characters and their journeys. I couldn’t put this book down.

This author is a master at her craft. She blends the two storylines perfectly and utilizes a wide array of perspectives to tell us the story of Vera. The uncomfortable undercurrent of suspense brought about by one supporting character gives this novel a breathless quality. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time wondering how it was all going to play out. I can’t wait to read more from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Each of her books somehow seem to be even better than the one before.

Heart racing, heartbreaking and insightful, Moreno Garcia has done it again. There’s no genre she can’t write.

As an avid fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I will automatically pick up each of her books and chances are very high that I will love the book. Like all her books, The Seventh Veil of Salome was expertly crafted with several layers of themes and parallels that made each POV interesting. I liked the documentary style of Vera's story against the backdrop of the story of the movie she stars in as Salome. Each character felt well developed and fully dimensional, and it was hard to put the book down to do other things! Overall this was a solid story, and the author's clear love of film and music shone through. A huge thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for my thoughts!