Why a Booktrail?
1928, 1974: The Grand Central Terminal sees a lot of passengers across the years, but two stand out …
The Masterpiece
What you need to know before your trail
Welcome to the glamorous lost art school within Grand Central Terminal, where two very different women strive to make their mark on a world set against them. In 1928 25 year-old Clara is a talented illustrator, with dreams of creating cover art for Vogue. But she and her friends have no idea that they’ll soon be blindsided by the Great Depression.
Nearly fifty years later, in 1974, the terminal has declined almost as sharply as Virginia’s life. Recently divorced, she accepts a job in the information booth and stumbles upon an abandoned art school within the terminal and discovers a striking watercolour hidden under the dust.
Travel Guide
BookTrail Travel to New York
Virginia Clay works in the information centre in the station. She finds a painting entitled Siren and there’s an auction coming up, so time is of the essence if she is to find out what the painting means. The nearby art school should be able to help!
These are dangerous times as the Terminal itself is under threat from developers. There are plans to build a skyscraper there and people are protesting about this. Virginia wants to save the building and the valuable artwork and decor that the building showcases so well. There are some famous faces who pass through this terminal – Jackie O for example
The Grand Central Terminal
The iconic building at the centre of the story. It’s not a station – as no trains pass here so it’s a terminal. (Important fact) It’s an impressive Beaux Arts building built in 1913 which is quite stunning, inside and out.
There are many places featured in the terminal such as Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel. Barbetta and the famous Oyster Bar in Grand Central, are all places where the characters meet up.
The Grand Central School of Art
The school in the novel closed in 1944 but it provides a major link in the story between the two timelines. It used to be located on the 7th floor in the East Wing.
Streetview Maps
A) USA - NYC - Grand Central Terminal
A) USA - NYC - Grand Central Terminal
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Masterpiece
Destination: New York City Authour/guide: Fiona Davis Departure Time: 1928, 1974
Back to ResultsWhere Next?
