Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to sit at the top of my must-read author list She is a wonderful storyteller and develops characters as well as anybody. The Seventh Veil of Salome is a retelling of the Biblical story of Salome told through the perspective of a young Mexican woman chosen to play Salome in a film during the "Swords and Sandals" days of Hollywood. The protagonist, Vera, starts as an innocent, but quickly learns the ways of Hollywood, often the hard way. Just as Salome learns to navigate the politics of her uncle/step-father's court, Vera learns to deal with the back channelling and challenges facing a young Mexican woman in the movie business. Great plot, great characters, a fantastic novel. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this was SO good. SMG can do no wrong when it comes to writing atmospheric, terrifying tales that are both character and plot driven and will have you gasping to know what comes next.

An actress aching to be discovered in the golden age of cinema has to contend with more than just jealousy and betrayal in Moreno-Garcia’s atmospheric novel. Really enjoyed diving into this- received a nice PR package from the publisher and generally thought it was a good story with layered characters and plot.

This historical fiction novel by @silviamg.author was fantastic! Set in Hollywood’s golden age of the 1950s, the author not only captured the time period, but also created characters that jumped off the page. I loved the main character, Vera and her character growth in the story. Nancy is the perfect villain and foil to Vera. Woven in between the stories of these two characters is the story of Salome who is referenced more in biblical art than the Bible itself. The weaving of these three characters and their stories was intriguing and made for a fascinating read.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website).

Another knockout novel from Moreno-Garcia. She has become one of my autobuy authors and I am so grateful to have gotten to read the advanced copy of this. I truly enjoyed the story and the insight into the bias and prejudices shown in old Hollywood. I was intrigued by the drama and the story of our main characters. Definitely check this out if you’re into historical fiction!

✨ Review ✨ The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Thanks to Del Rey and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Okay, I love everything SMG has written and especially love how every book is different in content and genre. Of all of her books, I think this might have the fastest pacing, and because of that, I flew through this one!

The book is set in 1950s Hollywood and instantly immerses us in Golden Age Hollywood, surrounded by wealth and glamour, and the seediness and fight for glory that lay underneath that glitz. The format reminded me a little of Daisy Jones, where we get fragmented clips, told through a variety of people's POVs.

Quickly, we see that there's drama around the casting of Salome, the famous ancient character best known for asking for the killing of John the Baptist. Eventually, an unknown woman, working in the office in her dad's dental office in Mexico, is cast for the role.

The story rotates between 1950s POVs and Salome's narrative then, setting Vera and Salome's stories in parallel. As the story goes on, the quantity of POVs decreases, focusing on main female characters like Vera and Nancy, a jealous competitor. (For me, this change of pace was a weaker spot for me...we went from a whirlwind of POVs to a much smaller pool of perspectives, and it made the pacing feel uneven).

I loved how this merged McCarthy-era fears and censorship, her super deep biographical research of 1950s Hollywood stars, issues of race and urban history in south California, and a richly developed narrative of Salome. I love her writing in general but this felt like TJR + The Book of Longings + a telenovela. Soapy and sensational all around!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Genre: historical fiction, women's fiction
Setting: Hollywood
Reminds me of: Daisy Jones meets The Book of Longings
Pub Date: August 6, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ 1950s Hollywood stardom
⭕️ and the seedy behind the scenes
⭕️ Latina stars and the racism they faced
⭕️ fast-paced multi POV book

Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to deliver immersive historical settings with complex and interesting characters. Set in 1950's Hollywood, The Seven Veils of Salome follows three women - Vera (an unknown who gets the lead role of Salome), Nancy (desperate to become a star but stuck playing bit parts), and the titular Salome (torn between her desire of John the Baptist and the politics of her family). The three stories intertwine and parallel each other while documentary interviews about the making of the (fictional) film and the events surrounding it are interspersed throughout.

The beginning of the book didn't grip me quite as much as I would have liked, but the entire book is much more of a character study than some of her other novels. The ending ramped up the action but was fairly abrupt. Still, it was a worthwhile read and I will continue to devour anything Silvia Moreno-Garcia puts out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random Health Del Ray for an eARC of this book.

This follows a couple different story lines - Vera Larios who was discovered in Mexico to play a breakout role as Salome but has no prior experience. Nancy Hartley who has been in the film industry for some time but hasn't had a breakout role yet and is frustrated with how her career has stalled. The titular Salome who struggles with her desire for the prophet/priest and what to do for her country.

This felt like a most historical fantasy version of Daisy Jones - was an entertaining read, interesting characters, also reminded me a little of Marisha Pessl's Night Film as well as Moreno-Garcia's other work Silver Nitrate.

Thoughts

My love for Moreno-Garcia knows no bounds and her writing an old Hollywood story was something I didn't even know I needed in this life.

This story was immersive and fabulous. I loved how it was part Vera's story and also the movie of Salome.

It was dramatic and entertaining in all the best ways.

It also is a look into what it was like for Latinx actors in this time period and in Hollywood as they sought to become part of it.

Obviously, I think you should read this one.

The Seventh Veil of Salome takes place in 1950s Hollywood and mixes historical, romance, and thriller.

It follows Vera, a Mexican actress making her debut in Hollywood, and Nancy, an American actress who has been passed over too many times. The Biblical Salome herself is the third main character.

The characters feel real and fascinating, and Moreno-Garcia made me care deeply about them all — which heightens the suspense in what could have been a fairly standard story. A confrontation between Vera and Nancy feels inevitable throughout.

I also loved the detail about the film industry, which was one of my favourite aspects of Moreno-Garcia’s previous novel Silver Nitrate.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for my review copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

The infamous Seventh Veil of Salome. When Vera, beautiful and naive to the world of Hollywood is cast for the role of Salome herself, it causes quite the commotion in 1950's Hollywood. Told from the perspectives of Vera, Salome, and those who were there to watch their journey, mysteries and stories unfold as love, lust, jealousy and desire change their worlds.

I absolutely love Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I have read almost all of her books and have loved each one of them for their own reasons. When I first began reading this one, it just wasn't the right time and something was quite clicking, I couldn't sink into the story. BUT I knew I loved this author and had so much faith that it was me and not the book, so I put it aside until I felt ready (I am such a mood reader) and I am SO glad that I did, because when the mood and time was write, I devoured this book.

Definitely give this one a read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for an advanced copy of this book.

It’s honestly hard to describe why I enjoyed this book so much. It’s a more in depth look at 1950’s Hollywood and the hardships that Latina actresses had to face in that era. The comparison of Vera’s life to Salome’s was well done and insightful. I myself do not know much about biblical stories but I didn’t let myself look up the story of Salome and instead let the author tell me her version of the story, and how Vera and Salome both are women who face hardships because of their status, their relationships, and their gender. This is my second book by Silvia and so far for me she’s 2/2 .I really love her writing style and her story telling.

3.5/4⭐️

I liked the premise of this book because it seemed so interesting and something different from what I would normally read. I have read Mexican Gothic and I loved it.

This story has multiple point of views which I found cool but I also would get lost sometimes on whose POV it was. The three main POVs being Vera: the actress who is casted as Salome, Salome herself, and Nancy: the actress who wanted to be casted as Salome and is jealous of Vera. There’s also other small POVs here and there, and I felt that it was a little too much at times.

You can tell the author did her research on both Salome’s story and also the old Hollywood time period that the book is set in.

It was a good read, took me a little bit to get through but that’s only because this isn’t a genre I’m used to 😂 but I still enjoyed myself reading it and I’d definitely recommend, I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia!

"The Seventh Veil of Salome" is set in 1950s Hollywood with all of the grit and glamour of that time. There's lots of drama as there is a slow reveal of what occurred around this movie set. Although there are multiple POVs, the main characters are: Vera, who is a new actress discovered in Mexico and cast as Salome in a sword and sandals flick; Nancy, who is an absolute hot mess and will do anything to make it in Hollywood; and Salome, who is the focus of the film. The perspective of Salome honestly slowed the pace of the book for me and I didn’t like the book as much as I hoped I would, but I did enjoy it. I listened to the audiobook and the full cast added to the experience.

The thing I love most about Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books is that we can always expect the unexpected. I love her genre-bending novels, and the way she explores various elements of history through her specific lens. The Seventh Veil of Salome was no exception. Here Moreno-Garcia takes on the Hollywood studio system with the story of a newly discovered starlet, Vera, who is to portray the Biblical temptress, Salome, in a swords and sandals epic of the 1950s. The steady, self-contained Vera contrasts with her hot-blooded onscreen persona, but both women find themselves entangled in a web of envy, revenge, and tragedy that unfolds both in Hollywood and onscreen. Another hit from Moreno-Garcia, and, as always, I await her next book with bated breath!

Luscious and sultry, this envelops you immediately, drawing you in with a cast of characters that are each unique in their own way. Every character adds a layer of texture to the storytelling that bring the story to life. I enjoyed how even the characters set up as ‘villain’ like Nancy still feel so deep and richly crafted to have nuance. You want to both judge and condemn the characters, yet you can feel their wounds, taste their yearning, and feel the excitement and glossy allure of Hollywood and moviemaking.

Expertly balanced and paced, this was a fascinating read that although you think you know how it all plays out, manages to surprise and hook you.

This was so different from any of the other books I've read by this author and I enjoyed! But like many of her previous books, it melds together different genres, although this time she leaves out the supernatural horror. At its heart it is historical fiction, with two different times and three different characters. The story focuses on Salome, the daughter of Herodias with a convoluted family tree. Basically Herod Antipas ("King Herod") divorced his wife to marry Herodias. She was originally the wife of his half-brother Philip. However, because Herodias was also the daughter of another half-brother of Herod and Philip, Aristobulus, Herodias ended up being both the wife and niece of Herod and Philip, as well as the sister-in-law to her second husband (ex-SIL?). Since Salome was the daughter of Herodias and Philip, she was both the daughter and grandniece of Philip and the stepdaughter and grandniece (by marriage) of Herod. And yes, she was also the daughter and grandniece of her own mother. When her mother married Herod Antipas, she came with her. I have read the family connections several times and it still makes my head spin!

In the bible, Salome is actually unnamed, though she is named by the historian Flavius Josephus later. But she is infamously known for asking for the head of John the Baptist on a platter after dancing for her stepfather.

The modern story takes place in 1950s Hollywood and centers around two women, Vera Larios and Nancy Hartley and a film that Max Niemann is directing called The Seventh Veil of Salome. Vera is an unknown Mexican ingenue who has been told her entire life by her mother that her prettier, more talented, lighter-skinned sister (yep) is the one who will be an actress and she (just as pretty and talented, but not according to her mother) is destined to be married and become a housewife and mother. Nancy has always thought she belonged in the movies, but things have never quite worked out that way. When she tries out for the part of Salome, she is all but sure she has nailed the role, except the role ends up going to Vera, an unknown Mexican girl (although she puts it much more unkindly).

The story jumps around between Salome's time and the more modern time, but the perspective jumps around all over the place, not just with the three of them. This takes some getting used to and although the audiobook seems to have different voices for all the different perspectives, I suspect that one would want to read along to the audio. Personally, I enjoyed reading the book, although I tend to love audiobooks, and I did notice they have some of my favorite narrators for this book. I will likely be checking out the audiobook.

I absolutely love how she develops all three characters, even if I really disliked Nancy. But she was such a product of the time period and it was almost chilling how similar Salome's circumstances were with the two women in the 50s. I disliked Nancy because she was a user of people and the way she treated Vera was so unfair, but I also understand why she ended up the way she did. SMG did an amazing job characterizing these women and showing the strength that each of them had to develop just to survive. Without a doubt, Vera was my favorite character, but what happened to each of them were connected and I loved how SMG did that.

If you're looking for her usual gothic horror stories, this is not going to be that. But SMG shows just how versatile she can be as she moves out of her usual lane and writes another engrossing story. If you're looking for good characterization and strong female characters with a dose of danger and suspense, give this book a chance! I definitely recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In The Seventh Veil of Salome, Sylvia Moreno-Garcia returns to the subject of film history, this time taking us to 1950s Hollywood- particularly during the time of the ‘sword and sandal’ films like Ben-Hur and Cleopatra. In this story, we hear about the making of a fictional movie about Salome, a woman in the Bible who is said to have captivated King Herod with her dance to the point that he was willing to grant her anything she wished for. What she asked for– and was dutifully given– was the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

When the unknown but beautiful Mexican actress is given the role of Salome, she becomes the focus of admiration, speculation, and hatred, for nearly every woman in Hollywood was hoping to be cast as Salome. At first, Vera seems to be handling the process very well: she attends the parties she’s told to attend, makes friends, and meets a young man who is very interested in her. She is the talk of the town. But multiple forces are working against her: constant racism and misogyny, an overbearing mother, a jealous fellow actress, and a press as eager to tear down celebrities as it is to build them up.

Interspersed with Vera’s tale is a story of Salome. Perhaps it is historical, perhaps it’s the story of the film Vera is making. But in both cases, Salome’s dance is the pivotal moment upon which both stories turn, and both Vera and Salome’s lives will be changed forever afterward.

Though told with Moreno-Garcia’s usual skill and attention to detail, I found this particular novel to feel a little unfocused thanks to the inclusion of one-off point-of-view characters whose purpose is to give background to the story and provide a sense of foreboding. Personally, though, I thought they were distracting and killed some of the book’s tension, as I was almost told what to expect. Had the narrative stayed with the three main female perspectives, I think it would have helped both the pacing and the tension. As it was, I found the first half to be slow going, but things started to pick up around the halfway mark.

The Seventh Veil of Salome is not my favorite of Moreno-Garcia’s books, but this is partly due to my own tastes. I don’t have a lot of interest in the golden age of Hollywood. I was mostly interested in this because I enjoy Moreno-Garcia’s work in general. This is a generally well-crafted book about a subject that a lot of people are fascinated by. Sadly, I am not among them, but I am looking forward to whatever Moreno-Garcia writes next.

I really struggled with getting into this book. It took me over 2 weeks to read which is very unusual for me.

The story is told with multiple narrators and multiple perspectives. One group of people are in the future and reflecting on a tragedy that happened in the past on the set of "The Seventh Veil of Salome". Those characters are being interviewed and are very clearly talking to someone.

The second group are in the past and it's a more traditional story in the 3rd person POV where we're watching the story unfold. You, as the reader, don't feel like you're a character being talked to - you're just reading the story.

Then, the story also jumps to Salome's perspective and we're reading the story of what's happening with Salome in the fictionalized movie. The author might have done this to avoid having a movie script within the book, which was appreciated. However, it's a bit strange, especially the first time it happens. It was like a book within a book. Anytime we jumped from the Hollywood movie set to the Salome world and then back, it felt disjoint and took me out of the story.

The last 10-15% of the book was good and I enjoyed how the author wrote the climax scene. But the initial 85-90% was a slog, which hasn't been my experience with other books by this author.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.

This story is partly set in 1950s Hollywood and inspired by the author’s deep research into the period. 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 director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingénue, 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, 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. And honestly, I loved this part of the story the most.
It is told in multiple points of view, including those of various minor players in Vera’s life. These perspectives affect how we see and understand Vera and Nancy. Alongside our three main characters, Moreno-Garcia injects stories from other characters, some of which we meet through the story, these are told in different formats, some interview style, some like reading a diary and they all add to the intrigue of the story. From the first page we know it is building to some big event, and these little additions add to the tension and the build up to the ending.
The book also addresses the pervasiveness of racism, misogyny, sexual assault and double standards that were once so explicit. It’s a story of ambition, of romance, but it’s also one of three women simply trying to survive, to thrive in worlds that will never accept them as they are.
If you enjoy historical fiction, and don’t mind a slow burn plot, especially with characters this well written, I would highly recommend.