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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Waste of my time. Wooden expository writing and annoyingly un-diverse. The story line of the black family just withered away and any other characters of non-WASP ethnicity either got killed or hung around on the periphery. I kept reading to see how 9/11 was treated, but even that was held at arms-length.
The premise of this book is so promising and it had so many possibilities, mostly unrealized.
The premise of this book is so promising and it had so many possibilities, mostly unrealized.
I enjoyed Rutherfurd’s novel Paris some time ago and had been meaning to pick up his other works.
I’m afraid I ended up disappointed by his historical saga set in New York City.
I can forgive the general historical overview of a book like this. There is the regurgitated American mythology of the Revolutionary War period to the Southern Lost Cause propaganda that should clearly spell out the kind of history that is being presented in this book.
The choice to have the Masters, a family of English descent, to be the central focus of the narrative was a misstep. It colored the entire novel with a privileged, Anglocentric view that missed out on the economic and racial diversity that had always colored New York. There are voices and perspectives of the non-Anglo characters that are included, the African American, the German American, the Irish American, the Italian American, the Puerto Rican, and the Jewish voices, are all swallowed up by the Masters storyline.
While 800+ pages seems like a lot, when you have to cram in 300+ years of history, you realize how paltry 800 pages really is. I understand that Rutherfurd had to keep the story moving and not get bogged down by the history. But I’m really surprised by what didn’t get included. There isn’t anything about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, a marvel of engineering in its day. There isn’t much about Broadway or the fledgling movie industry in the late 1910s/early 1920s. I’m actually really surprised that there isn’t a single mention of the Harlem Renaissance??? The Cotton Club makes an appearance but it’s a backdrop for the Masters to slum it for the day.
I wish the central family of this book was of Quash’s descendants, the African American family. Unfortunately, the family’s narrative is unceremoniously dropped halfway through the book when the last known decedent gets lynched during the Draft Riots of 1863. Although if I had to factor in how Rutherfurd had handled their story to that point, perhaps it was for the best he focused on the Masters instead. I don’t think Rutherfurd would have been able to write the Civil Rights movement from an African American perspective in a satisfactory manner.
Also, I did manage to spot a historical error in this book. From my edition, this quote is from page 423:
“True, Lee had been turned back, with terrible losses, up at Antietam last year, and General Grant had just smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg, but it wasn’t over yet.”
The error is that General Grant was not the Union General in command during the Battle of Gettysburg. That was General Meade. Concurrent to Gettysburg, Grant was securing a Union victory at Vicksburg over in the Western front.
I spent all this time and effort complaining, but I did sort of enjoy this book. It’s very hard for me to dislike a multigenerational historical saga.
I’m afraid I ended up disappointed by his historical saga set in New York City.
I can forgive the general historical overview of a book like this. There is the regurgitated American mythology of the Revolutionary War period to the Southern Lost Cause propaganda that should clearly spell out the kind of history that is being presented in this book.
The choice to have the Masters, a family of English descent, to be the central focus of the narrative was a misstep. It colored the entire novel with a privileged, Anglocentric view that missed out on the economic and racial diversity that had always colored New York. There are voices and perspectives of the non-Anglo characters that are included, the African American, the German American, the Irish American, the Italian American, the Puerto Rican, and the Jewish voices, are all swallowed up by the Masters storyline.
While 800+ pages seems like a lot, when you have to cram in 300+ years of history, you realize how paltry 800 pages really is. I understand that Rutherfurd had to keep the story moving and not get bogged down by the history. But I’m really surprised by what didn’t get included. There isn’t anything about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, a marvel of engineering in its day. There isn’t much about Broadway or the fledgling movie industry in the late 1910s/early 1920s. I’m actually really surprised that there isn’t a single mention of the Harlem Renaissance??? The Cotton Club makes an appearance but it’s a backdrop for the Masters to slum it for the day.
I wish the central family of this book was of Quash’s descendants, the African American family. Unfortunately, the family’s narrative is unceremoniously dropped halfway through the book when the last known decedent gets lynched during the Draft Riots of 1863. Although if I had to factor in how Rutherfurd had handled their story to that point, perhaps it was for the best he focused on the Masters instead. I don’t think Rutherfurd would have been able to write the Civil Rights movement from an African American perspective in a satisfactory manner.
Also, I did manage to spot a historical error in this book. From my edition, this quote is from page 423:
“True, Lee had been turned back, with terrible losses, up at Antietam last year, and General Grant had just smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg, but it wasn’t over yet.”
The error is that General Grant was not the Union General in command during the Battle of Gettysburg. That was General Meade. Concurrent to Gettysburg, Grant was securing a Union victory at Vicksburg over in the Western front.
I spent all this time and effort complaining, but I did sort of enjoy this book. It’s very hard for me to dislike a multigenerational historical saga.
When this book first came out, I remember Barnes & Noble pushing it pretty heavily on their Web site. I lived near New York City for 15 years, and in that time, I developed a love for it—I think New York is one of those cities that either inspires love or hate, there is no middle ground. So, after seeing it for a couple of weeks, I decided to buy it and read it. I bought it and it joined the TBR pile (I don’t have a TBR stack like other people: I have too many books to be in a stack without it falling over).
The novel traces the development of the city of New York, from its origins as a Dutch city trading primarily with the upstate Indians to today’s modern skyscraper-filled island. It pretty much follows one family as it traces the almost 350 years that it covers (1664-2009). Other families and famous people weave their way in and out of the story.
One thing that struck me was that you see the development of the “New York” attitude, the “we’re better than anybody else and we are the center of the Universe,” and it’s even ironic in a way given that the original settlement of New Amsterdam was clustered around what is now Wall Street.
Another thing that I found fascinating in the beginning is how places that I know like the Bronx and Yonkers (and even Wall Street) got their names. It adds that little extra touch to the area—“Oh, that’s where that came from!”
Within the family through the generations, you can see in a small way the positions and fights that engulfed the nation during the same time. For example, the head of the Master family (the main characters) is loyal to Great Britain during the Revolutionary War, but his son sides with the Americans. During the Civil War, the wife of the family becomes an abolitionist after reading “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” but her husband, while not liking slavery, feels it’s wrong to force the South to free all of their slaves—mainly because he thinks they will all come North (an early NIMBY drama, if you will).
And, of course, there are chapters on September 11, which I had to get through hurriedly because that day is still burned into my memory and it is hard for me to read about or watch.
All in all, this is a solid historical novel. Some of the coincidental meetings strain credibility, but that’s forgivable in a novel like this, since some historical figures have to show up. It is a dense read, but it does not read like a text book. If you have some time and are interested in the area, check it out.
The novel traces the development of the city of New York, from its origins as a Dutch city trading primarily with the upstate Indians to today’s modern skyscraper-filled island. It pretty much follows one family as it traces the almost 350 years that it covers (1664-2009). Other families and famous people weave their way in and out of the story.
One thing that struck me was that you see the development of the “New York” attitude, the “we’re better than anybody else and we are the center of the Universe,” and it’s even ironic in a way given that the original settlement of New Amsterdam was clustered around what is now Wall Street.
Another thing that I found fascinating in the beginning is how places that I know like the Bronx and Yonkers (and even Wall Street) got their names. It adds that little extra touch to the area—“Oh, that’s where that came from!”
Within the family through the generations, you can see in a small way the positions and fights that engulfed the nation during the same time. For example, the head of the Master family (the main characters) is loyal to Great Britain during the Revolutionary War, but his son sides with the Americans. During the Civil War, the wife of the family becomes an abolitionist after reading “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” but her husband, while not liking slavery, feels it’s wrong to force the South to free all of their slaves—mainly because he thinks they will all come North (an early NIMBY drama, if you will).
And, of course, there are chapters on September 11, which I had to get through hurriedly because that day is still burned into my memory and it is hard for me to read about or watch.
All in all, this is a solid historical novel. Some of the coincidental meetings strain credibility, but that’s forgivable in a novel like this, since some historical figures have to show up. It is a dense read, but it does not read like a text book. If you have some time and are interested in the area, check it out.
I loved his book Paris. London was a huge disappointment and New York a mild one. I think I’m done with Rutherfurd.
this book was a good mix of fiction and history. some parts were not as interesting as others but for my first ER book, I did enjoy it.
Started reading and couldn't finish - the way he had the slave speak at the beginning of the novel was dissappointing and felt like an inaccurate representation of slavery.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I bought this book on my second trip to NYC, while at the public library. I love historical fiction and thought this was a great book. It could have been better, yes, but it took me on a real ride through the history of New York. There is so much that it was hard to include everything, but the stories included were great. I learned quite a bit and walked away with a stronger love for NYC.
Some of the stories were better than most (I loved Hudson and his family as well as the Carusos) and some were not as strong. I cried, I laughed, I researched, learned and more. I would recommend this book.
Some of the stories were better than most (I loved Hudson and his family as well as the Carusos) and some were not as strong. I cried, I laughed, I researched, learned and more. I would recommend this book.
Another great read by Rutherfurd, almost makes me want to move to New York. It certainly made me appreciate the spirit of this great city.