A Dazzling Historical Novel Set in 1920's Oregon

THE PARAGON HOTEL
Lyndsay Faye
G.P. Putnam's Sons
January 8, 2019



We first meet Alice James, AKA "Nobody" in 1921 on a cross-country train from Harlem in Nw York City to Portland, Oregon. Alice is suffering from a gunshot wound sustained six days previously and is running for her life. She is losing the battle with the injury and is taken in charge by an African-American Porter named Max Burton. Max is a veteran of WWI and knows the effects of a neglected gunshot wound when he sees them. He takes her to The Paragon Hotel, the only hotel in Portland that welcomes African-Americans. The other denizens of The Paragon are not at all pleased. A white woman staying there can bring only trouble, but the fact is that a crisis is coming, whether Alice is there or not. This dazzling historical novel tells the tale of Alice's life on the streets of Harlem and her new life among the people of the hotel, jumping from one place and time to the other.

Alice had spent several years in the employ of Mr. Salvatici, a crime figure who is waging war on the Corleonisi, the premier Mafia family. Alice's ability, to disappear into disguises suitable for any situation and not be noticed has proved invaluable to Mr. Salvatici. On the surface, he is kindly and treats her like a daughter. She also mourns the loss of her closest childhood friend, Nicolo Benetati. Nicolo is not dead but has been transformed into a monster by tragedy and gang violence. All the events of her childhood and choices end in her running for her life. The people of The Paragon have their own problems and secrets, and the KKK is rising in Oregon. A missing child and an assassination end in more changes for not only Alice but all the people she has come in contact with through the hotel.

I find myself thinking about the characters of The Paragon Hotel, even after closing the book. The characters are so vividly drawn and fleshed out that they became almost real to me. I was dimly aware of the racism built into the fabric and even the constitution of the state of Oregon, but I admit I was shocked by its virulence. Things have changed, but I wonder just how much, given our present environment. Can America ever get past its prejudices? One can only hope. The Paragon Hotel is a fabulous read, taking the reader back to a long-gone time and place that somehow still exists.

Thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for a digital advance copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING- 5 Stars