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The Gilded Hour
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
The international bestselling author of Into the Wilderness makes her highly anticipated return with a remarkable epic about two female doctors in nineteenth-century New York and the transcendent power of courage and love The year is 1883, and in New York City, its a time of dizzying splendor, crushing poverty, and tremendous change. With the gravity-defying Brooklyn Bridge nearly complete and New York in the grips of anti-vice crusader Anthony Comstock, Anna Savard and her cousin Sophieboth graduates of the Womans Medical Schooltreat the citys most vulnerable, even if doing so may put everything theyve strived for in jeopardy. Anna's work has placed her in the path of four children who have lost everything, just as she herself once had. Faced with their helplessness, Anna must make an unexpected choice between holding on to the pain of her past and letting love into her life. For Sophie, an obstetrician and the orphaned daughter of free people of color, helping a desperate young mother forces her to grapple with the oath she took as a doctorand thrusts her and Anna into the orbit of Anthony Comstock, a dangerous man who considers himself the enemy of everything indecent and of anyone who dares to defy him. With its vivid depictions of old New York and its enormously appealing characters, The Gilded Hour is a captivating, emotionally gripping novel that proves Sara Donati is an author at the height of her powers. A Seattle Times Best Book of 2015! From the Hardcover edition.
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Maria514626
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Mehso-so

There was no wind down or wrap up or epilogue. It just abruptly ended. Sure, there‘s a second book. But there was way too much left up in the air at the end of this one. And after 31 hours (audiobook edition)! I was very annoyed. That turned it from a pick (3.5/5) to a so-so.

The book also had trouble with its identity. Mystery? Romance? Courtroom drama? Family story? Historical novel? #nutsinmay

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Maria514626
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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An interesting and infuriating* novel about two women doctors in 1880s NYC. There are some great side stories going, too.
But it is dragging on. Holy moly. 21 hours in. 10 to go.

*It‘s infuriating how women were treated.

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intothehallofbooks
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Pickpick

I finished!! Over 700 pages of life in 1880‘s NYC thru the eyes of two female physicians, one black and one white. I loved the focus on medicine during that time, especially women providing it and women receiving it. I didn‘t expect the story to have so much mystery, but as things progressed, I really loved that angle. There are still a couple of things unfinished, so I‘m glad I grabbed the second book before the library shut down. #chunkster

Maria514626 It‘s crazy to read how women were treated not too long ago. Yikes! And Comstock! 😡🤯 5y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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intothehallofbooks
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Look at this cute little baby puzzle next to the book I‘m #currentlyreading!!

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intothehallofbooks
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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I‘ve seen some people say this book is too detailed, too descriptive, could have been shorter etc. But that sort of drew me to it. I LOVE being immersed in a really long, all-encompassing story. Started it earlier today and I really do feel like I‘m a female physician inside of 1880‘s New York City.

Over 700 pages!! #chunkster

RaimeyGallant Oh wow, this sounds fabulous. 5y
intothehallofbooks @RaimeyGallant It‘s super good so far! I‘m about 1/5 of the way thru. 5y
37 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Pickpick

I finished! Finally! While I really liked it Did Not need to be a 700+ page book! Holy cow was there too much extra everything inside! Perfect book if you loved My Name is Mary Sutter and My Notorious Life like I did.

Now onto the sequel! Another chunkster though!

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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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I'm only 8% of the way through?! Looks like I'll be reading this one for awhile! Which is fine because I'm enjoying it 🙂

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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Looking forward to this one. Have the follow up one on my shelf - another huge chunky one!

Tamra This is on my kindle ....... soooo many books! It sounds good, I will look for your review. 5y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Tamra I know!! I've been wanting to get to this one! Hoping it's great! So many books is right!! 5y
21 likes2 comments
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robinb
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Pickpick

This 742-page saga went faster than I thought it would thanks to an interesting and compelling hodgepodge of storylines. Set in 1880s NY, it boasts both a romance and a mystery and touches on women‘s rights, racial/ethnic/social inequality, and political corruption. It centers on two women doctors, their struggles/triumphs in their vocation and their steadfast support system of family/friends. I enjoyed it but felt it was just too long. 4.5/5⭐️

Crazeedi Agree, good one! 5y
robinb @Crazeedi 👍 Now on to the sequel which is a measly 670 pages...🤪😩🤣 5y
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robinb
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Started this chunkster because I have the ARC of the sequel to read, and I wanted to start at the beginning. But at almost 750 pages 😳😳😳 I MAY be finished by Christmas!!! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤪🤣

Crazeedi I can't wait to read the sequel!! I enjoyed this one, and all the other books she's written 5y
robinb @Crazeedi I‘m really enjoying it, and surprisingly it‘s going much quicker than I thought it would. 😊 5y
53 likes2 comments
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REPollock
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Mehso-so

I‘m torn about this one. Lots of great details about 19th century family planning and the persecution of women by Comstock. The plot is both too complicated and too simplistic, and the writing is not the best. The sex scenes are particularly tepid, and every sentence could lose 10% of its words and be stronger for it. As a result, I struggled to sustain interest and I likely won‘t read the sequel.

Crazeedi I liked this one,actually I've read several of her books and have enjoyed. But I get what you are saying 5y
20 likes1 comment
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REPollock
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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As a milliner myself, I always think about the lives and careers of women who worked in hat shops in earlier times. This is just a peripheral character, a patient in the hospital, but I loved reading a little glimpse into her life.

megnews Really liked this book. Can‘t wait to read the sequel that was recently released. 5y
17 likes1 comment
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REPollock
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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I am 90% loving this book, but the romantic relationship is expressed with such cheesy language but every time those two characters interact, I have to just skim through it so my eyes don‘t fall out of my head from rolling. But all the stuff about 19th century birth control is fascinating!

julesG 😍 5y
13 likes1 comment
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REPollock
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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1870‘s, two pioneering women physicians in New York City battle the oppression of the Comstock years to bring gynecological healthcare to patients of all income levels. I am so on board for this book. ✊💪🤝

Crazeedi It was a great book, and there is a sequel, did you know? 5y
REPollock @Crazeedi omg no! Yay! 5y
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REPollock
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Bedtime book! It‘s also on sale rn for like $2 as an ebook, FYI. 📚

julesG That gate! 😍 5y
REPollock @julesG It‘s for the children‘s garden at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden! 5y
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margreads
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Keeping me company at the theme patk

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JSW
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
Pickpick

Donati‘s books suck me in and I emerge, hours later, dazed and disoriented. It‘s a delightful feeling.

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Chrissyreadit
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Any other fans of Sara Donati/Rosina Lippi? I‘m so excited- she is one of my favorite authors.

Crazeedi I love her books! 6y
66 likes1 comment
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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I almost never use my credits for a straight-up choice. I just hold them until I can get a two-fer like this. Yay! #audiobooksale #audiblecreditmanagement #cheapolistener

CoverToCoverGirl Big score! 😊 6y
megnews The Gilded Hour was so good. 6y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage @CoverToCoverGirl I‘m excited for both—need to do better at listening to all my audio though!! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @megnews Yay! I thought the ratings and reviews looked really promising and I love the genre. So win-win, right? 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cinfhen It‘s not so much perseverance as it is indecision for how to use credits. And then the sales narrow down my choices which helps! 6y
93 likes6 comments
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Sharpeipup
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Took a lazy day in Paris & started reading this epic saga. #vacationread #holiday

Libby1 Beautiful photo. I hope you have a wonderful time in Paris! 6y
Ajessgirl One of my absolute favorites! 6y
Sharpeipup Thank you @Libby1 Today was actually our last day but it has been a lovely trip! 6y
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DebBates101
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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This was a wonderful surprise in the mail today! Ham is excited too 😆💝 Thank you @Ajessgirl You‘re a rockstar!

OriginalCyn620 Loved Eleanor! Love the doggie bookmarks too! 6y
whatsthEStorey I love that your bulldog's name is Ham! 😍 6y
DebBates101 @whatsthEStorey ty! I named him after the NASA chimp but he took that name and owned it like a pro. He is a complete and total ham in every way possible 6y
75 likes3 comments
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megnews
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Jules7
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
Pickpick

Such a good story! Now I can‘t wait for the sequel! This is a story about a family I can see myself sitting at the dinner table with....I didn‘t want it to end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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morgan_lionheart
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Mehso-so

The main reason I wanted to read this is that the author lives in my town and I see her at the dog bar a lot (yes, my town has a dog bar) and her dog and my dog like to play together. I gave up after 4 hours. It wasn't bad, but not much was happening and I think there are better ways to spend 30 hours of my time. #dnf

DivineDiana Well, the dog bar sounds cool! 7y
10 likes1 comment
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Jules7
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Falling into this book, but wow, over 700 pages? I‘ll be back in a few days Litsy.

AmyG This looks wonderful. 7y
Jules7 I enjoy Sara Donati, and this book is no exception. If the first 100 pages is any indication, the next 600 or so will read quickly! 7y
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Ajessgirl
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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1. Anna & Jack
2. Sookie & Jackson (Gilmore Girls)
3. Gerber Daisies
4. Sourpatch 🍉
5. Pink

So fun, thanks @JoScho ! #manicmonday

monalyisha I love Sookie, & I love that Jackson “sleeps with the zucchini” but... how about when he tells her he got a vasectomy and he DIDN‘T? 😱🤮 7y
[DELETED] 3803335244 Oh sour patch kids! I love them!!! I haven‘t watched Gilmore Girls but I love Sookie from trueblood. Sookie & Eric!!! Oh Eric 😍😍😍 7y
Ajessgirl @monalyisha I know, that was unbelievable!! 7y
Ajessgirl @ForeverNerdy Do you also lack self control to stop eating them, resulting in a hurt tongue? 😂 7y
[DELETED] 3803335244 Yes! I don‘t like the green one though. I wish there were more orange & red! ❤️🧡❤️🧡 7y
26 likes5 comments
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Foragingfantasy
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Have any of you read this? I was doing a "my life is over because I've read all of the available books in the Outlander series" search, and this came up. I found it on bookmooch so, of course, I mooched it. #tbr

annahenke It's so good!! And the family featured is distantly connected to the Bonner family, which is from Sara Donati's Into the Wilderness series. I recommend both the series and this one! Although I liked Gilded Hour best. There is a Fraser cameo in one of the Into the Wilderness books! 8y
Foragingfantasy @annahenke 😱 I'm going to have to get those too!! 8y
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annahenke
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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My #yearinbooks #goodreads I definitely have room for a few more this year!

jessdean That's awesome! I love how they break it up. Great job👌🏽📚🎉 8y
James 👍👏🍾😀 8y
MicheleinPhilly I love looking at the Least Popular book everyone read. I'm weird like that. 😛 8y
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JulieAnn Yay!!! 😃 8y
Suzze @MicheleinPhilly Me too! Lots of text books and very specialized books. 8y
Cinfhen 💗📚😊 8y
annahenke @MicheleinPhilly @suzze @ephemeralwaltz What was yours? Mine is a book published by the indie publisher I work for. 8y
Suzze @annahenke Mine was a kids' picture book titled Vampoodle that 1 other person had read. But it's not out yet, so that makes sense. 8y
MicheleinPhilly With 287 other readers... 8y
LauraBeth Nice! 👏⭐ 8y
ephemeralwaltz @annahenke that's awesome! Mine was portuguese lit! (Bought in Portugal.. The only "souvenir" I got ?) Pretty good btw. I've read that his style has been compared to Oscar Wilde 8y
annahenke @Suzze only one other reader? That's awesome! Cool! @ephemeralwaltz @MicheleinPhilly 8y
Kitty_Rochsmith @annahenke how did you get that from goodreads? 8y
annahenke @Kitty_Rochsmith It's a new thing just up today. You can just go to your newsfeed page and there will be a banner at the top that says See Your Year in Books. 😊just click on it! Accessible through app as well. 8y
161 likes1 stack add15 comments
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Lynnsoprano
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Hurricane shutters are up, and the house is like a cave. Nothing to do but obsess about the weather and read.

Hornsby78 Sending thoughts y'all's way. I hope y'all don't have any damage or flooding. 8y
Shemac77 Stay safe. 8y
Bookzombie Hope that you are all safe and have no damage. 8y
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bookishkai Stay safe! 8y
I-read-and-eat Stay safe! 8y
BookishMarginalia 💜💜💜 8y
Zelma Sending safe thoughts your way! I hope it passes right by with no problems. 8y
LauraBeth Hoping that it won't be that bad 8y
JacqMac Fingers crossed for you. Stay safe. 8y
PurpleyPumpkin Take care and stay safe! 8y
25 likes10 comments
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Karenlovesbooks
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Pickpick

I loved this book! I was hooked by the end of the first chapter! This book has all my favorite things: historical fiction, strong women, romance, and mystery. Plus, I often had to remind myself that the book is set during 1883. It amazes me that so many issues of that age are still relevant today. It's a great look back at life in NYC during that age. This is the first in a series, so there are a few loose ends!

BookishMarginalia Gloaming - best word ever! 💜🤓💜 8y
MrBook Nice review 😊👍🏻 8y
Bakingbookworm Have you read her first series, Into the Wilderness? It's fabulous!! Some characters made appearances in Gilded Hour too. 8y
19 likes3 comments
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Hazel0303
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Lots of books all of a sudden! Two book came from the library and the day isn't even over yet! #booknerdproblems

annahenke Loved four out of five of these! The other I haven't read. 😊 8y
Megabooks I still have a book hangover from Sleeping Giants! The After Party is good, too. 8y
22 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Viji
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati

Just started the audiobook today. Enjoying it so far ☺️. Reminds me of Lindsay Faye's "Gods of Gotham".

MamaGina Oh that gets my attention, I loved the Timothy Wilde trilogy! 8y
[DELETED] 2232195534 I loved Gods Of Gotham! 8y
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Lauren.Archer
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
Pickpick

EPIC. Such a strong female character. Loved what this story encompassed. So many genres. Can't wait for the sequel.

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Lauren.Archer
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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Picked this up in the library. Really liked Into the Wilderness, so hoping this is good.

30 likes5 stack adds
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JulAnna
The Gilded Hour | Sara Donati
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So far, the combination of historical fiction and medical history is resulting in a satisfying summer porch read.