Set during the iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair, two intrepid young women–an aspiring journalist and a down-on-her-luck actress–form an unlikely friendship as they navigate a world of endless possibility, stand down adversity, and find out what they are truly made of during the glorious summer of spectacle and opportunity…“An ode to female friendship that pulses with momentum and left me … 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
Vivi Holden is closer than she’s ever been to living her dream as a lead actress in sun-dappled L.A., but an unfair turn of events sends her back to New York, a place she worked so hard to escape from. She has one last chance to get back to Hollywood–by performing well as the star of the heralded Aquacade synchronized swimming spectacular at the World’s Fair. Everything seems to be working against her, but her summer in New York will lead to her biggest opportunity to find her own way, on her own terms…
Maxine Roth wants nothing more than to be a serious journalist at the iconic New York Times, but her professor has other plans. Instead, she’s landed a post at the pop-up publication dedicated to covering the World’s Fair–and even then, her big ideas are continually overlooked by her male counterparts. Max didn’t work this hard to be the only–and an unheard one at that–woman in the room.
When Max and Vivi’s worlds collide, they forge an enduring friendship. One that shows them to be the daring, bold women they are, and one that teaches them to never stop holding on to what matters most, in the most meaningful summer of their lives.
PRAISE FOR THE SUBWAY GIRLS
“Feels perfect for fans of Beatriz Williams and Liza Klaussmann.” –Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Daisy Jones and The Six
“Feminist at heart …Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Camille Di Maio will adore this book.” –Jennifer S. Brown, bestselling author of Modern Girls
“Perfect for fans of Fiona Davis’s The Dollhouse, this engrossing tale highlights the role that ambition, sexism, and true love will forever play in women’s lives.” –Amy Poeppel, author of Small Admissions
more
“Set at the wondrous 1939 World’s Fair, Orman Schnall’s latest bursts like a technicolor movie right off the page, as her two heroines battle for their rights in what’s very much a man’s world, forging a remarkable bond in the process. An ode to female friendship that pulses with momentum and left me breathless.
The 1939 World’s Fair. What fun!
At the end of the Depression, Maxine Roth is striving for a scholarship to finish her education at NYU so she can fulfil her dreams of becoming a journalist at The New York Times. Vivi Holden, an exquisite beauty under contract at WorldWide Films, is about to make her debut as a leading lady in Hollywood. Yet life intervenes for both of them, and instead they are consigned to working at the 1939 World Fair in New York where Max is relegated to typing listings at Today at the Fair and Vivi is to star in the Aquacade synchronized swimming show.
At the Fair, Max and Vivi form an unlikely friendship, as they strive to make their way in a world where men make the rules. As in The Subway Girls, the story focuses on the women and their ambitions, and while love interests factor in, the novel is about what women have to overcome in the sexist world of the not-so-distant past.
Part of the magic of this novel is the thrilling backdrop of the Fair, which is described in such vivid detail that it’s easy to picture, and the exhibition becomes a character, making the novel even richer. I truly appreciated the surprising turns the story took. Fans of Beatriz Williams and Taylor Jenkins Reid will devour this book.
We Came Here to Shine is an exceptional work of historical fiction, illuminating the challenges of women in a world that wants to control them. There are conflicts and challenges at ever turn, leaving the reader wondering how the characters can emerge from it all. Yet the skillful storytelling of Schnall succeeds at creating an ending that is both surprising and believable. Pick this one up if you enjoy books with friendship, love, struggle, triumph, and a bit of Hollywood in New York.
Susie Schnall has done meticulous research to bring the 1939 World’s Fair to life. This book transported me to the NY Fair, and made that world come alive. Such a fascinating and entertaining story, one you will not want to miss!
XO
Lynda
At its heart, WE CAME HERE TO SHINE pulses with tenacity, ambition, and friendship as two enterprising women find their paths to the future through the power of sisterhood. This wonderful story glows with colorful historical details and delivers a behind-the-scenes ticket to the wonders and woes of New York’s 1939 World’s Fair.
This novel is about two women who appear to be complete opposites but end up becoming friends at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City. Viva is an actress from Hollywood and Max is a journalism student. They both are forced to work at the fair not by their desire but by a studio owner and a professor but the more they see of the extravaganza, the more they get settled into their new jobs.
Viva is an up and coming actress who has just been hired for her first starring role in a movie after several years of playing bit parts. The morning that the movie is supposed to start filming, she is called into the office of the studio owner and told that she looks too innocent to be playing the main role in this movie and that someone else has been hired for the role. She’s told that if she’ll go to New York to be the lead in the Aquacade with Johnny Weissmuller for a year, there will be a starring movie role waiting for her when she gets back. With no other choice, she packs up her apartment, tells her long time boyfriend that she’s leaving and takes the train to NYC. When she goes to the pool the first day, she’s met with resentment by some of the cast and by a huge role that she needs to learn right away but she knows that she has a starring role waiting for her back in Hollywood so she starts learning the dances and keeps her upbeat, though nervous, attitude.
Max is a journalism student and ready to start her last year of college. She’s wanted to be a reporter at the New York Times since she was a child. The professor hands out papers telling all of the students where they will do their internship for the summer and she is very disappointed when she sees that she’s been given a summer job at the newspaper at the World’s Fair and not the New York Times job that she requested. When she starts the job, she is told that she won’t be allowed to write any articles but will instead be writing the daily list of activities and working in the office while a fellow male student gets all the work that she desires. She decides to make the best of it but to try to find chances to undermine the male student and write some articles.
Vivi and Max are both facing sexism in a very blatant manner – their lives are totally determined by the men that they work for and they are both unable to break out of their roles. When they meet each other, they quickly become good friends and share their disappointment with each other. As the summer goes on, will their friendship help give them the strength to obtain their goals? This is a story about love and friendship, sexism and meeting personal goals all taking place at the beautiful World’s Fair.
A fun look at the 1939 New York City World’s Fair through the eyes of two young women from different worlds and a chance meet at the Fair. I did not know much about the 1939 Fair and was interested in the story of it and the lives of these young women from page one. I could not put this down and enjoyed it from page one to the end. Engaging characters, great world building, attention to details, makes this a very enjoyable book.
Susie Orman Schnall’s WE CAME HERE TO SHINE offers readers a perfect escape. It’s the absolutely delightful story of Vivi and Max, two young women who are chasing their dreams at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City. This novel beautifully illustrates the importance of female friendships and how, at certain times in life, they can help you be strong enough to live the life you’ve always imagined. In many ways, the third fascinating character in this book is the 1939 World’s Fair itself, as Schnall’s lush descriptions of the fair’s pavilions and amusements leap off of the page. I cannot recommend it enough!
This lovely historical fiction story is just what I needed right now. Set at the 1939 World’s Fair in Queens, New York, the novel follows two women in alternating chapters. Vivi is a Hollywood actress employed by one of the major studios. When her first lead role is stolen from her, she’s sent to be the star of the Aquacade, a synchronized swimming show at the fair. As she tries to swim her way to success, a secret from her past forces her to decide what is truly important to her. Her path crosses with Max, a budding journalist assigned to work at the fair’s newspaper for the summer. Max struggles to thrive, bucking male chauvinism every day on the job. When the two women meet, they see characteristics they wish they possessed themselves. Max envies Vivi’s looks and soft way, while Vivi wishes she could be harder and more goal driven, like Max. As their friendships develop, they learn from each other while their lives changes in ways they never would have imagined.
My favorite part of the book is the historical elements about the fair. I work a mile away from the fairground in Queens. While the Perisphere and trylon no longer exist, the unisphere from the 1964 fair stands as a reminder of things past. Every time I drive by, I wonder what those fairs were like and imagine how wonderful it must have been to attend. Schnall clearly did loads of research and it paid off. The little details about the exhibits, restaurants and fashion all made the scenes jump right off the page. Both Vivi and Max’s stories are well developed and interesting. I loved spending a few days hearing their stories and rooting for them to make their way in the male dominated world of 1939.
This book is set during the Iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair. It follows two ambitious young women during a glorious summer. One of the women is an actress who is down on her luck. The other is an aspiring journalist. They are an unlikely pair but they form a friendship.
Vivi is the actress. She is gorgeous and about to begin filming her first starring role. The studio ships her off to New York as a favor to a friend. She is to be the leading role in the synchronized swimming show at the World’s Fair. She thinks this will destroy her film career, but she is not sure if it will lead to opportunity or failure.
Max is plucky and dreams of becoming a serious journalist. He job at the Times doesn’t pan out, so she begrudgingly starts working for the daily paper of the World’s Fair. Her ideas are continually overlooked by her male counterparts and it puts her career prospects in jeopardy. Max will have to risk everything to change the direction her life is heading.
Enjoyed the story, especially the descriptions of the times.
This is a wonderful historical fiction book about 2 unlikely friends! The 1939 World’s Fair is the setting for the book and it is so wonderfully described, you feel like you are there. Vivi is trying to become an actress in Hollywood when she is sent to the fair to work as a synchronized swimmer. Max wants to be a journalist and finds herself writing for the fair’s paper. I loved Max and Vivi’s friendship. 2 strong women looking out for each other. I really enjoyed this book. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Set against the backdrop of the 1939 New York World Fair, We Came Here to Shine, by Susie Orman Schnall, is a remarkable work of historical fiction. Packed with fascinating details about the fair—including a visit by the King and Queen of England—this engaging novel follows a budding actress and an aspiring journalist as they try to make their way in fields dominated by men. Friendships develop, romance blooms and fades, careers are threatened, a family secret is revealed, and courage and the bonds of friendship prevail. Scheduled to be released in June 16, 2020, We Came Here to Shine is a winner.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall is a fabulous and delightful historical fiction novel that takes place in Queens, NY the summer of 1939 during the World’s Fair.
The book alternates between two main female characters in their early 20s: Vivi and Max. I really enjoyed not only the alternating chapters and viewpoints, but also the chapters that intertwined both women. The way that the viewpoints and dialogue was set up was quite ingenious.
I loved both characters. Both women were at a point in their lives in May of 1939 were they were both a crossroads on what they thought they wanted and where they wanted to go in life, and what was actually in store for them and what they truly needed. I loved the transformation that both experienced, not only with their friendship, but also in themselves. Max and Vivi both realized that even though the cards are stacked against them as young women in the 30s, they were able to work together and with their friends and loved ones and were able to triumph and find love, acceptance, friendship, purpose, and reach their goals in the end.
I loved how realistic and flawed both women were and that they both had complicated pasts, however were able to use those barriers towards finding their paths forward. Both women complimented each other well and brought out the best in one another.
I loved the timeline chosen and also the backdrop of the World’s Fair. It was so unique and I learned so much about a huge event that I knew so very little about. It was amazing. I literally felt as if I was there from the author’s descriptions. Excellent.
I also loved the twists and turns that were scattered throughout the story, and I really, really liked the ending. Was it perfect? No. And that is ok. I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any different.
Truly memorable and a wonderful read.
5/5 stars enthusiastically
This was a different focus of historical fiction than I typically read. It was interested to see how female actresses and journalists struggled against the male-oriented mindset in that time period (early 20th century). The author does a great job of describing the synchronized swimming specifically and the World’s Fair overall. Interesting read that would appeal to those who appreciate well-researched historical fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
This was ok but never
We came here to shine’ is just what the Doctor ordered. A bright, cheerful, enjoyable book – neither too fluffy nor too deep – it was just right. I learnt a lot and didn’t want the book to end.
Likeable characters, interesting situations, fun dilemmas in the hands of a very accomplished author- what’s not to like? I recommend this as a perfect holiday (or staycation) read and I would love to read more by this writer.
I love historical fiction and “When We Came To Shine” focuses on a subject I haven’t read about before – the 1939 World’s Fair – and the effect is has on two women’s lives.
Vivi is an up-and-coming Hollywood starlet sent by the studio she’s contracted with to perform in the Fair’s Aquacade water spectacular. Maxine (aka Max) is an NYU student and aspiring journalist assigned a summer internship at the Fair’s daily paper. Neither wants to be there but as was often the case for women in the 1930s, men dictated most of what happened in their lives.
I liked both the characters of Vivi and Max and the World’s Fair was an interesting backdrop for the novel. Susie Orman Schnall’s writing brought the time period and the Fair to life, and the focus on women finding their voices, fighting for equality and trying to find a balance in their lives was relatable and is applicable now, almost a century later. There were a lot of secondary characters I had a hard time keeping straight and I didn’t love all of their subplots but overall this was a quick read that will entertain historical fiction fans.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, GalleyMatch, and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Love this novel’s well researched setting. The World’s Fair, New York, burgeoning science and synchronized swimming. Max and Vivi are great characters, bold and ambitious. The book highlights the importance of female friendship in a male dominated society. This is the first novel I have read by Susie Orman Schnall and can’t wait to go check out the Subway Girls.
The 1939 World’s Fair is the backdrop for this historical fiction novel. The Fair reminds me of a precursor to Disney World, with the exhibits, rides, and worldly restaurants. Such a great time to read about, the seedy side of Hollywood contracts for starlets, women’s rights and the then dark little secrets, that now are not even looked at twice. Characters are vivid, courageous and will have you cheering them on. Page turner, that builds towards an acceptable ending.
The friendship of Max, a lovable, journalism student at NYU who has a likable boldness about her, and is trying to get the men in power to see her worth. Vivi, hiding a secret of her own, is a starlet, starting out in the movie business when things take a different turn. Different, but the same, these two meet as they are working at the Fair and become friends, confidants, and supporters. Dont count these women out when they come together for a single purpose. Loved the writing and the storyline.
Thanks to Ms. Schnall, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.