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regmarie328's review against another edition
4.0
It was a lot easier to read then I thought it would be. For some reason I imagined a difficult read with a lot ot keep track of, but it wasn't. The only thing I was disappointed in was that it seemed that after spending so much time talking about the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Rutherfurd seemed to speed through other decades. I would have loved to have read about New York during WWII and more on the World Center tragedy, September 11 is such a huge and emotional event that it would have been nice to have had some more time devoted to the tragedy and the aftermat. However, after reading this book I'd like to read his other books.
jennjoy's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The book is truly remarkable, following the Master family from the 1600s to 2008, but the story is really about New York and the people that are affected by the many major events that Rutherford highlights. I found myself unfortunately really disliking the Master family descendents and enjoying the other family storyline more. But it was really the events in history that kept me coming back for more. it really bothered me that Hudsons family line ended and no further mention of them was made. Similarly, I felt there were other family lines that I would have liked to come down the years. What happened to the Boston Masters? The ODonnell family? And what about the Van Dycks from the beginning? I also hated that the Wampum didn't bring g good luck to Sarah, but I guess it gave good luck to Master when he gave it to her. I would have liked to have seen the Dutch coin come back and follow some more of the tribe. overall, too many loose ends to he satisfying but really loved the history.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Antisemitism
Minor: War
Our history is sometimes rough to read, even though it's true. Be ready for slavery and all that comes with it, and poor treatment of Jews, (as well as other groups.)coletters's review against another edition
3.0
My favourite book Mr. Rutherfurd has written will always be London (Sarum playing a close 2nd). Maybe it was because this book only started in the 1600's and didn't have a family tree to follow and remember all the characters. Also didn't like that the people he chose to spotlight, their relationships always had the same outcome - and not what you expected or wanted.
Probably my least favourite of all the books he's written thusfar. Shame really. Wonder if he'll ever do one about Vancouver . . . .
Probably my least favourite of all the books he's written thusfar. Shame really. Wonder if he'll ever do one about Vancouver . . . .
a_mae_z's review against another edition
I almost qualified this book as read considering I was 20 hours into this book. The story line drug on while also having no detail at all. I simply could not finish this book with the amout of times the n word was used and how comfortable the narrator said it. If I would rate this it would be a 1 star.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Yes it is set in history but there is absolutely no reason to use this slur, especially for a white man in 2009.hiltzmoore's review against another edition
3.0
While this book covered an impressive amount of history quite well, I think in general, the story fell short for me. Each segment would have been a great stand alone book, but trying to combine them together left me feeling like the families' stories were sold short. It read more like a non-fiction book. I also started to get the different Masters confused, and found myself disliking them more and more as the years went by. Rutherfurd is a good storyteller, I would just prefer a less daunting time period - covering from pre-Revolutionary times through 9/11 is just silly, really.
_sarah_reads_'s review against another edition
3.0
I find Edward Rutherfurd's books very comforting. They all follow the same formula, there aren't any major surprises, I learn a lot about the history of a particular place. Like all his other books, I found this one engrossing and there were many times during any given day that I thought to myself "I'd rather be reading my book right now."
ailurophile_bibliophile89's review against another edition
5.0
5 STARS
Oh my goodness, I couldn't put it down! Beautifully written! Truly! New York was suggested to me by an associate at the local Books-a-Million and I admit to feeling a slight hesitation upon picking it up. American history is not my forte and though I've been trying to branch out in recent years, I still struggle with finding interesting books that really catch my attention.
This was it. Rutherfurd is an excellent author and he really pays attention to the emotions his characters experience. It's not very obvious, in fact it's pretty damn subtle, but you find yourself cheering for different characters as they go through the motions of life. What's more, he pays attention to different events in the City's history that are not so well known (at least unknown to me). Of course, the War for Independence, the Civil War, and the Great Depression are given their dues, but its the lesser known events that make it so fascinating.
The Masters of New York are old money but like any family, their fortunes are tied to the major events, decisions, and changes that New York City experiences. Additionally, the fortunes of Hudson and his descendants, of the Kellers, and Sarah Adler are tied to the Masters and no one, except the reader, really sees that. Rutherford is a master himself as he weaves the lives of all the characters into a novel that portrays human suffering, loss, gain, and ultimately, survival.
The associate at Books-a-Million was certain I would enjoy the novel (this is his favorite of Rutherurd's) and he was absolutely right. Now I must go back to find him and tell him how much I loved the novel. And perhaps buy another Rutherford novel.
Oh my goodness, I couldn't put it down! Beautifully written! Truly! New York was suggested to me by an associate at the local Books-a-Million and I admit to feeling a slight hesitation upon picking it up. American history is not my forte and though I've been trying to branch out in recent years, I still struggle with finding interesting books that really catch my attention.
This was it. Rutherfurd is an excellent author and he really pays attention to the emotions his characters experience. It's not very obvious, in fact it's pretty damn subtle, but you find yourself cheering for different characters as they go through the motions of life. What's more, he pays attention to different events in the City's history that are not so well known (at least unknown to me). Of course, the War for Independence, the Civil War, and the Great Depression are given their dues, but its the lesser known events that make it so fascinating.
The Masters of New York are old money but like any family, their fortunes are tied to the major events, decisions, and changes that New York City experiences. Additionally, the fortunes of Hudson and his descendants, of the Kellers, and Sarah Adler are tied to the Masters and no one, except the reader, really sees that. Rutherford is a master himself as he weaves the lives of all the characters into a novel that portrays human suffering, loss, gain, and ultimately, survival.
The associate at Books-a-Million was certain I would enjoy the novel (this is his favorite of Rutherurd's) and he was absolutely right. Now I must go back to find him and tell him how much I loved the novel. And perhaps buy another Rutherford novel.
rebeccatc's review against another edition
3.0
This book uses the same formula as Rutherford's other novels in following fictional families throughout history. Here, the main family starts out as the Van Dycks and soon becomes the Masters, a waspy, wealthy family that ends up on Wall Street. Other families include a family of African American slaves, an Irish family living near Five Points, and a family of Italian immigrants. I didn't find this book to be as good as the other Rutherford novels I've enjoyed (particularly Sarum and Russka). I never felt like I really got a sense of New York and how it developed, and much of the story could have taken place anywhere.
ggoldberg626's review against another edition
3.0
Rating: 3.4
Genre: Historical Fiction
Final Thoughts: If you like extensive histories where you get to follow multiple generations of family with the backdrop of a changing world, then this book has that. Some characters that you follow you'll like, some not so much. I learned some new things about New York's history, but considering this book took me just over 2 months to read? Though an interesting read, don't get me wrong, there were certain aspects of it that felt like didn't need to be written. Glad I finally finished it though.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Final Thoughts: If you like extensive histories where you get to follow multiple generations of family with the backdrop of a changing world, then this book has that. Some characters that you follow you'll like, some not so much. I learned some new things about New York's history, but considering this book took me just over 2 months to read? Though an interesting read, don't get me wrong, there were certain aspects of it that felt like didn't need to be written. Glad I finally finished it though.