We Came Here to Shine
A Novel
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3.9 • 20 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Set at the iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair, Susie Orman Schnall's We Came Here to Shine is historical fiction featuring two bold and ambitious women who navigate a world of possibility and find out what they're truly made of during a glorious summer of spectacle and potential.
“An ode to female friendship that pulses with momentum and left me breathless.” —Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls
“A remarkable novel about the challenges women face and the courage they must summon in order to lead the lives they deserve." —Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House
Gorgeous Vivi is the star of the Aquacade synchronized swimming spectacular and plucky Max is a journalist for the fair's daily paper. Both are striving to make their way in a world where men try to control their actions and where secrets are closely kept. But when Vivi and Max become friends and their personal and professional prospects are put in jeopardy, they team up to help each other succeed and to realize their dreams during the most meaningful summer of their lives.
Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Beatriz Williams, We Came Here to Shine is a story of ambition, friendship, and persistence with a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary NY World's Fair.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Schnall (The Subway Girls) sets this inspiring tale of friendship between two driven women at the 1939 World's Fair. Vivi Holden is a young Hollywood starlet poised for her first leading role, while Maxine "Max" Roth is an NYU student intent on a summer internship at the New York Times. But after test audiences disapprove of Vivi as a conniving lead, her studio sends her to the fair's Aquacade water ballet. Max, meanwhile, doesn't get the internship and instead ends up at the daily World's Fair publication, where her male counterpart writes the articles while Max manages the schedule. Vivi returns to her native New York City and learns she has four days to learn the Aquacade's intricate swimming sequences to perform in front of thousands. At the fair, Vivi and Max meet after listening to a talk on women's rights and begin going out for drinks. After photos surface of Vivi with Dean, the new lead swimmer, management informs the duo they are to act as a couple. Vivi then devises a plan with Max to spin the story to their advantage. While a melodramatic subplot leads to an outlandish scene of violence, Schall makes Max and Vivi's struggle to fulfill their dreams palpable. Schnall's engrossing period piece offers two characters worth rooting for.
