Introduction

Juliette Fay—“one of the best authors of women’s fiction” (Library Journal)—transports us back to the Golden Age of Hollywood and the raucous Roaring Twenties, as three friends struggle to earn their places among the stars of the silent screen—perfect for fans of La La Land and Rules of Civility.

It’s July 1921, “flickers” are all the rage, and Irene Van Beck has just declared her own independence by jumping off a moving train to escape her fate in a traveling burlesque show. When her friends, fellow dancer Millie Martin and comedian Henry Weiss, leap after her, the trio finds their way to the bright lights of Hollywood with hopes of making it big in the burgeoning silent film industry.

At first glance, Hollywood in the 1920s is like no other place on earth—iridescent, scandalous, and utterly exhilarating—and the three friends yearn for a life they could only have dreamed of before. But despite the glamour and seduction of Tinseltown, success doesn’t come easy, and nothing can prepare Irene, Millie, and Henry for the poverty, temptation, and heartbreak that lie ahead. With their ambitions challenged by both the men above them and the prejudice surrounding them, their friendship is the only constant through desperate times, as each struggles to find their true calling in an uncertain world. What begins as a quest for fame and fortune soon becomes a collective search for love, acceptance, and fulfillment as they navigate the backlots and stage sets where the illusions of the silver screen are brought to life.

With her “trademark wit and grace” (Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Murderer’s Daughters), Juliette Fay crafts another radiant and fascinating historical novel as thrilling as the bygone era of Hollywood itself.

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Excerpt

City of Flickering Light
Chapter 11

I’m sick of Cinderella parts, of wearing rags and tatters.
I want to wear smart clothes and play the lover.
~ Mary Pickford, actress, producer


“You two,” said the girl with the tomato-colored hair when they straggled in to Ringa’s boardinghouse at the end of the day. “Want to make some dough?”
“Yes!” said Millie.
“Doing what?” asked Irene. This girl—Louise or Lorraine, Irene couldn’t remember which—was often out at night, probably working at that dance hall.
“Don’t worry, it won’t get you locked up on morality charges.” The girl had obviously seen Irene’s skepticism. “It’s just serving drinks and tiny little sandwiches to rich people.”
As it turned out Louise (not Lorraine) worked for a catering company. “We did a garden party yesterday at Cecil B. DeMille’s house—you’ve heard of him, right? The big director? A spread like you wouldn’t believe. At the end of the day when all the guests leave, Mrs. De Mille gets her knickers in a knot about how much food is left over, what a waste it is, all these starlets refusing even a nibble. Makes us all sit down and eat—which is against company rules, of course. But what could the manager do, it’s all on her nickel, right?” ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay
Questions for Discussion and Book Group Activities

1. Irene, Millie, and Henry each have their own particular shortcomings to grapple with over the course of the story. How do they compare to those of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion in The Wizard of Oz? Are they able to overcome these difficulties in the end, and if so, how?

2. Each of the main characters has been separated from their families in some hostile or tragic manner. Though they don’t know one another very well at the beginning of the novel, Millie claims Henry with the words “you are ours” by its end. How were they able to create this unconventional “family” so quickly and securely? How do you think this bond will impact baby Ivy as she grows up?

3. Were you surprised by Eva Crown’s statement in Chapter 36 that “There are a lot of women directors,” given that there are relatively few today? It’s true that women did enjoy more power in the industry’s early days than they currently do. Do you think there could ever have been a Hollywood #Metoo movement in the 1920s?

4. In Chapter 16, when Agnes offers Millie heroin, did this humanize Agnes for you or make you dislike her even more? Does her pain explain her behavior? Were you surprised by the easy availability of drugs?

5. Each chapter in City of Flickering Light features a quote from a famous silent film star, director, cameraman, or screenwriter. One of these is John Barrymore’s: “Happiness often sneaks through a door you didn’t know you left open.” How does this quote serve as a theme for the novel as a whole? Which was your favorite quote and why?

6. Which stars of today remind you of characters in the novel?

Enhance Your Book Club

Host a movie night with your book club and watch a silent film together. A few suggestions:

Beyond the Rocks, Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson
Robin Hood, Douglas Fairbanks
Stella Maris, Mary Pickford (written by her friend, Frances Marion)
The Kid, Charlie Chaplin
Hell’s Hinges, William S. Hart
The Sheik, Rudolph Valentino (See what made women swoon!)

Have each person make up a silent film star name for themselves.

Talk about the novel with the author! Juliette Fay is happy to discuss the novel by Skype or other video format with groups of five or more, subject to availability. To schedule, contact her at www.juliettefay.com/for-book-groups/book-group-chat-request/

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