The Secret of the Nightingale Palace: A Novel

The Secret of the Nightingale Palace

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The Witches of New York. The View From Here. If You Lived Here. How to write a great review. The review must be at least 50 characters long. The title should be at least 4 characters long. Your display name should be at least 2 characters long. At Kobo, we try to ensure that published reviews do not contain rude or profane language, spoilers, or any of our reviewer's personal information. You submitted the following rating and review.

We'll publish them on our site once we've reviewed them. Item s unavailable for purchase. Please review your cart. You can remove the unavailable item s now or we'll automatically remove it at Checkout. Continue shopping Checkout Continue shopping. Chi ama i libri sceglie Kobo e inMondadori. Surprisingly and originally, center stage wasn't taken by the young widow, but the year-old grandmother. Goldie pops into life on the first page and it's clear that she isn't the typical matriarch; if Anna "had known it was her grandmother calling, she would not have answered at all.

At the onset of World War II, Goldie was given a portfolio of priceless Japanese prints to keep safe for a friend who faced internment. Now she wants to return them to her friend's brother, who owns a large antique business on the opposite coast--and what Goldie wants, Goldie gets. What begins as a simple road trip novel is soon usurped by Goldie's story, Goldie's style, Goldie's secret. The story folds back into San Francisco of the s, where a smart and charismatic young woman finds her footing in one of the city's leading department stores.

She falls deeply in love with a man she can't have and has the brains to go on with her life without him. She educates herself in deliberate ways.

She's too smart for that. And she's smart enough to never tell everything she knows--her inner life remains wrapped in Armani and Jean Paul Gaultier until the last page of the last chapter. Nothing in this delightful novel is exactly what it is expected to be. The Nightingale Palace itself is an elegant joke, Goldie's successful first marriage is based upon an unspoken truth, the reason for her cross-country odyssey with her granddaughter becomes almost irrelevant as the trip progresses.

What is always marvelously clear is Goldie's allure, undimmed by age. By the time she is done, everyone who meets her is cognizant of how love of life can keep a woman vibrant, attractive, and a force of nature well into old age. Oct 10, Jennifer rated it it was ok. Or rather, its characters frustrated me. The story and plot were quite good, and kept me interested despite the nasty grandmother and her emotionally stuck grandaughter. Sometimes personal character details were introduced, but didn't really add to the story; Goldie's twisted feet - why mention them so much?

I already understood she was poor, and I already understood she was insecure, so their continual mention was unnecessary. Anna's waffling about her husband's ring also seemed unnecessary. Even with these heavy-handed hints, I still felt like I was missing out on other details. I wanted more about Henry and Goldie - when did they get back in touch? And why was Goldie such a bitch? Not my fave characters. Bummer, because it's a good story. View all 3 comments. Mar 24, Nada rated it it was ok Shelves: Review first published on my blog: Goldie and Anna were close during Anna's childhood, and yet, they have been estranged for five years since Anna entered into a marriage Goldie did not approve of.

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Now, Anna is a widow, and Goldie has asked for her help in a cross country journey to return artwork to an old friend. Through this journey, the reader learns of Goldie's past Review first published on my blog: Through this journey, the reader learns of Goldie's past and of Anna's past.

The reader discovers many secrets not shared and a story that intermingles with the story of the Japanese in the United States during World War II. The story had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it started to encompass way too many elements and became a bit like reading a soap opera. Betrayals both real and perceived. It becomes a story with too many emotional elements such that for me, it lost its reality. Apr 13, Sara rated it liked it. It was a little odd in parts and it took me awhile to engage fully.

I think in some ways the author tried to stuff too much into one book. Grandmother is haughty and granddaughter is mourning a husband who died of leukemia. The parts of the book on her husband and his diagnosis are painful—not in the usual way, but because it was all very ugly. Mar 08, Kelly Hager rated it it was amazing. Based on the summary, you may think "Why do I want to read this? But this is an amazing book, one that completely transcends the "grandmother and granddaughter don't see eye to eye And the summary doesn't even begin to do justice to this book.

The writing is gorgeous good luck reading only a ch Based on the summary, you may think "Why do I want to read this? The writing is gorgeous good luck reading only a chapter or two at a time! Do yourself a favor: Mar 11, Karen White rated it really liked it. This novel doesn't fit neatly into any categories, but I think if you enjoy historical fiction as well as stories about families and relationships between women, it's for you.

The major characters are prickly, but they grow on me, especially as I learned more and more of their backstories. I found the way that Anna's husband's illness progressed to be particularly striking. I have a close friend whose mother's life ended in a similar way, with a lot of anger and lashing out at her loved ones, so This novel doesn't fit neatly into any categories, but I think if you enjoy historical fiction as well as stories about families and relationships between women, it's for you.

I have a close friend whose mother's life ended in a similar way, with a lot of anger and lashing out at her loved ones, so it resonated with me. Sep 19, Allison rated it really liked it Shelves: What a nice story. At first, I wasn't that interested in the flash backs, but soon, they came to reveal details I wanted.

One thing I liked about the book was how the author shared the story indirectly - it's a refreshing way to experience a book. The other thing I enjoyed was unraveling the truth of a history. There's the facts, and there's what we let people know, and the differences between the two can be significant. Lastly, I like how bits were dropped that became significant later, like "y What a nice story.

Lastly, I like how bits were dropped that became significant later, like "you can learn something from anyone" - the last scene showed what she learned from Marvin, which was an unexpected surprise. Apr 20, Maria rated it liked it Shelves: Loved the premise, loved Goldie. The storytelling started off promising, but lost some of its luster in the last third or so of the book. Would be a good read on a long trip I would think. The s portion of the story was probably my favorite part.

Knowing our family history is such an incredible gift. This story was told so lovingly and joyfully AND honestly. I have fallen in love with Goldie Anna and Henry Mar 16, Maria rated it it was amazing. I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 4. Just how well do we really know the members in our family and our background? Likable characters, good dialogue and plenty of emotional angst, make this an unforgettable tale. Balancing a mixture of history and the perspective of I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Balancing a mixture of history and the perspective of the present and the past, this tale captured my attention and never let go. Dealing with her husband's recent death, Anna Rosenthal is surprised when she receives a call from her grandmother Goldie. Estranged for over five years, Anna doesn't know if she's up to dealing with Goldie, but because she's family, she knows she doesn't really have much of a choice. Only once in New York, she finds herself agreeing to travel cross country to San Francisco.

It seems her grandmother has a collection of valuable Japanese art which needs to be returned to a long lost friend. Goldie Rosenthal has spent her life protecting her family's secrets. A widow herself, Goldie is deeply private, independent and somewhat mysterious. She also knows she's the only one in the family who might be able to help Anna cope with her loss and get on with her life. Will sharing the secrets of her past, help Goldie give Anna a way to handle the future? The scenes between Anna and Goldie are well written, though occasionally emotionally difficult to get through.

While a generation, and lifestyles apart, both women are independent, opinionated and stubborn. Especially Goldie, who's set in her ways. While Goldie grew up poor and made herself into the wealthy woman she is today, Anna has spent her life trying to atone for her middle class life. It's only as Anna learns of her grandmother's past, and the people that helped shape it, that Anna realizes life always marches on. I really enjoyed how Ms. Sachs brings both women together by sharing the past.

As their journey to San Francisco ends, will what Goldie shares shape the woman Anna needs to become? You'll have to read The Secret of the Nightingale Palace to find out. I know I enjoyed it and I think you will too. Mar 29, Karen Blinn rated it really liked it. This is a fun book about a cross-country trip in an old Rolls Royce made by an five-year-old grandmother and her thirty-five-year-old granddaughter. Grandma Goldie summoned Anna, her granddaughter, to New York City to drive her to San Francisco, ostensibly to return a set of Japanese prints to their rightful owner.

Anna and Goldie had been estranged for the past five years when the summons arrived. Anna's husband, Ford, of whom Goldie never approved, had died of leukemia. The first section o This is a fun book about a cross-country trip in an old Rolls Royce made by an five-year-old grandmother and her thirty-five-year-old granddaughter. The first section of the book consists mostly of sniping between Goldie and Anna about Ford, and it gets rather tiring. After they finally hit the road, the book starts to gel with flashbacks from Goldie's past in early 's San Francisco.

She was close friends with a Japanese girl and fell in love with her brother. For the most part, the flashbacks are what make the book although the ending, which takes place in the present, really has a big surprise. Goldie is quite a character.

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One keeps hoping that Anna will pull herself together and get on with her life, but five years and two weeks is not long enough to fix all that ails her. Nonetheless, it's a good read once you get going. Stick with it and enjoy. Jan 24, Jennifer rated it liked it. Anna, still grieving over the death of her husband drives her also widowed grandmother, Goldie, across the country from New York to San Francisco.

They have been estranged, and the first part of the journey emphasizes their differences and the reasons they may never completely reach an understanding. Goldie grew up in a poor Jewish family and through hard work, managed to marry up the social ladder and achieve success and a sort of safety.

Anna, growing up with everything her grandmother had to Anna, still grieving over the death of her husband drives her also widowed grandmother, Goldie, across the country from New York to San Francisco. Anna, growing up with everything her grandmother had to work to achieve lacks appreciation for her status in life. Interwoven into the story of their travels is the story of Goldie's youth, her marriages and her one true love.

The second part of the journey highlights the love they have for each other, in spite of their differences. It is also a love story, Anna coming to terms with her relationship with her late husband, a new relationship and culminating in Anna's discovery of the great secret romance of Goldie's life.

Overall, I enjoyed it. For those who are sensitive to sexual content - be warned. Aug 21, Susan rated it it was amazing. This is a lovely story on many levels. Anna is a 35 year-old Memphis widow who feels lost in all aspects of her life.

Her 85 year-old grandmother, Goldie, is a widow two times over and lives the good life in Manhattan. Anna feels that Goldie never approved of Anna's late husband, which resulted in a rift between grandmother and granddaughter. But when Goldie summons Anna to New York and asks her to drive with her across the country to deliver some Japanese artwork to its owner, their relationshi This is a lovely story on many levels. But when Goldie summons Anna to New York and asks her to drive with her across the country to deliver some Japanese artwork to its owner, their relationship changes forever.

On the road, the reader learns about Goldie and her secrets from long ago. Anna tries to come to terms with her late husband's death and their relationship before he fell ill. By the time grandmother and granddaughter arrive in San Francisco, they have a new appreciation and understanding of each other. The ending is one of the most memorable I've read. Jan 25, Georgie Wiebe rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a book I won thanks to firstreads, and not a book I typically would have picked up on my own.

However, it turned out to be a great story of family that doesn't always see eye to eye and a long lost love. I can completly relate to Anna losing her husband, as I have lost a fiancee a few years ago. And the hopelessness that comes from losing someone so close, it can feel enveloping. As the book progressed it was an encouraging look into someone else's life and that we don't have to have a This is a book I won thanks to firstreads, and not a book I typically would have picked up on my own.

As the book progressed it was an encouraging look into someone else's life and that we don't have to have a plan for the future, but that something good can happen at any time so keep living each day. I love the fact that the author went back and forth from the present to Goldie's past.

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