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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
The Broken Lands is set in an alternate version of New York in 1877; the Civil War is over and slavery has been abolished, but the country is still in a state of unrest. Walking amongst the humans are human-like roamers, one of whom is looking to claim New York City for his own. Sam is an orphan who earns his living as a card sharp on Coney Island. Jin is a young Chinese girl who creates beautiful fireworks displays with her uncle Liao. The two meet by chance at The Broken Lands Hotel where Fata Morgana Fireworks Company is putting on a display. When Jin stumbles upon the victim of a gruesome murder, the two are drawn into a world they didn’t know existed, and the become instrumental in saving New York and Brooklyn from roamer Jack Hellcoal, who is determined to take it for his own.
The Broken Lands is an interesting mix of supernatural and historical fiction. The sights, sounds and smells of late 19th century New York really leap off the page and draw the reader into the setting. The yet-to-be-completed Brooklyn Bridge figures prominently into the novel’s setting and plot; it also functions as a symbol of a time when New York and Brooklyn were on the cusp of coming together to form the New York City that we know today. The characters are realistic and well developed. Both Sam and Jin have had difficult lives, but neither succumbs to self-pity, and it’s hard not to admire their spirit. Some of the minor characters are based on real people which gave the story a feeling of authenticity; for example, Ambrose Bierce, writer of horror stories and stories about the Civil War, plays a significant role in the plot. The plot starts out a bit slowly, and there are some head scratching supernatural elements that didn’t really work for me, but overall this was a unique and enjoyable read.
The Broken Lands is an interesting mix of supernatural and historical fiction. The sights, sounds and smells of late 19th century New York really leap off the page and draw the reader into the setting. The yet-to-be-completed Brooklyn Bridge figures prominently into the novel’s setting and plot; it also functions as a symbol of a time when New York and Brooklyn were on the cusp of coming together to form the New York City that we know today. The characters are realistic and well developed. Both Sam and Jin have had difficult lives, but neither succumbs to self-pity, and it’s hard not to admire their spirit. Some of the minor characters are based on real people which gave the story a feeling of authenticity; for example, Ambrose Bierce, writer of horror stories and stories about the Civil War, plays a significant role in the plot. The plot starts out a bit slowly, and there are some head scratching supernatural elements that didn’t really work for me, but overall this was a unique and enjoyable read.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was quite agreeable. I've ordered the next one.
Evidently it is a trend for me to stumble upon Kate Milford's books by accident; I found [b:The Boneshaker|6909642|The Boneshaker|Kate Milford|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1258612594s/6909642.jpg|7134937] because I thought it was a different book, and I found this because I wanted to see if the title had been taken (I was trying to find a title for this year's NaNoWriMo attempt). Needless to say, Milford's books are a delightful surprise. The combination of the setting (Coney Island, late 19th century) the story (mysterious murders, fireworks, pillars of the city) and the characters (teenaged card sharps, fireworkers, old soldiers) made for a fantastic story. As much as I enjoyed The Boneshaker, I think this book is even better. I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next! (As a note, I adore the illustrations by Andrea Offerman too...they add a lot to the book.)
In terms of the road trip genre, New York is one of the terminals for road trips: either being the starting point, or the ending point. New York isn't a city that can contain a road trip. A crossroads battle in the middle of a metropolis, even one that at the time was more than one city being in the process of becoming a single city, just doesn't work.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comments_08/broken_lands.html
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comments_08/broken_lands.html
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoyed this story and I can't wait to read more from Kate Milford.
This book was even better than the first. It truly gave me everything I wanted -- so much more insight and back stories into the hints from the first book. Of course, it seeded even more questions and wonders... But that's I want. I want to keep exploring this alternate America with the roaming tall tales and to learn more about the past that created these wonderful characters.
4 stars without the next to last chapters. must say I could have done with the end chapters and all that lectures and the meaning of the life and enlightenment like stuff!!! too lecture-y...