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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I love historical fiction. To the point, where if it sounds even remotely interesting I'll read it.
When I saw this title, I was hoping for a great addition to my library, but the characters weren't padded enough. Reading about bland characters is not a way I enjoy passing my time.
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. However, I know a lot of readers adored this one, so I'm figuring maybe it's just me.
My thanks to Tracey Emerson Wood, Lume Books, and NetGalley for the eARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.
When I saw this title, I was hoping for a great addition to my library, but the characters weren't padded enough. Reading about bland characters is not a way I enjoy passing my time.
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. However, I know a lot of readers adored this one, so I'm figuring maybe it's just me.
My thanks to Tracey Emerson Wood, Lume Books, and NetGalley for the eARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.
emotional
informative
inspiring
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Emily Warren is not the conventional woman, and knows what she wants in life. She is all for women's right, and is not afraid to speak out about it. Her brother G.K. is back on leave from the war, and brings along the man who will become her husband, Washington Roebling. The man who will allow her to be who she is, but also will change her life unlike she could have ever imagined.
Washington makes it back safely from the war, although there are scars internally that he carries with him. However, he soon dives back into helping his father build bridges, he is an engineer after all. Wash's father passes away, and the torch gets put one hundred percent onto Washington. He is determined to fulfill his father's dream of building a bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The will be bigger than anything built currently in the cities, and will take years. As Wash puts his all into building this monstrosity, he becomes sick. Eventually he becomes so sick from the work, that Emily is pushed into being his eyes and ears while he recovers. She was happy doing the paperwork, even though some were grumbling at that. Now she is supposed to be his eyes and ears on the worksite, as well as give orders, how is that going to work?
Emily has to break many barriers and fight to prove herself, and that her husband is still behind it all, just that he physically cannot be on site. She steps into a role that no other woman has. Men and workers are relying on her for everything with this bridge. Demands are made for Wash to come back to the worksite or there may be repercussions, such as he being removed.
Emily is so deep and entrenched into this bridge that she cannot let that happen. With the help of a favor called in from a male friend, she proves her worth and over comes obstacles put in her way being a female. As things progress, Emily has taken the reins full in her hands. Wash, due to his illness has traveled back home and the two of them only correspond occasionally about the construction.
She has taken it upon herself to read Wash's books, to learn the math. The different symbols, the calculations, the construction terms and no one seems the wiser that she is essentially running and building this all. But as she begins to feel she has become something as a female, right under men's noses her marriage is falling apart and temptation is near her, as rumors cross lips.
One of New York's, still standing architectural icons is still standing today, and the story behind the wife of the engineer is quite amazing. This was a very well written book. Very detailed and quite amazing that Emily didn't just give up when it seemed that Wash had. She must have even a very smart woman to have learned all of that scientific and mathematical formulas as well.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves to read about historical architecture.
Washington makes it back safely from the war, although there are scars internally that he carries with him. However, he soon dives back into helping his father build bridges, he is an engineer after all. Wash's father passes away, and the torch gets put one hundred percent onto Washington. He is determined to fulfill his father's dream of building a bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The will be bigger than anything built currently in the cities, and will take years. As Wash puts his all into building this monstrosity, he becomes sick. Eventually he becomes so sick from the work, that Emily is pushed into being his eyes and ears while he recovers. She was happy doing the paperwork, even though some were grumbling at that. Now she is supposed to be his eyes and ears on the worksite, as well as give orders, how is that going to work?
Emily has to break many barriers and fight to prove herself, and that her husband is still behind it all, just that he physically cannot be on site. She steps into a role that no other woman has. Men and workers are relying on her for everything with this bridge. Demands are made for Wash to come back to the worksite or there may be repercussions, such as he being removed.
Emily is so deep and entrenched into this bridge that she cannot let that happen. With the help of a favor called in from a male friend, she proves her worth and over comes obstacles put in her way being a female. As things progress, Emily has taken the reins full in her hands. Wash, due to his illness has traveled back home and the two of them only correspond occasionally about the construction.
She has taken it upon herself to read Wash's books, to learn the math. The different symbols, the calculations, the construction terms and no one seems the wiser that she is essentially running and building this all. But as she begins to feel she has become something as a female, right under men's noses her marriage is falling apart and temptation is near her, as rumors cross lips.
One of New York's, still standing architectural icons is still standing today, and the story behind the wife of the engineer is quite amazing. This was a very well written book. Very detailed and quite amazing that Emily didn't just give up when it seemed that Wash had. She must have even a very smart woman to have learned all of that scientific and mathematical formulas as well.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves to read about historical architecture.
the whole "relationship" with PT Barnum felt very contrived and distracting for me. Did not care for it.
adventurous
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Would put it well up with The Personal Librarian in terms of mood and tone
An excellent historical fiction that entertained and made me learn new things.
The historical background is vivid and well researched, the characters are fleshed out and interesting, the plot flows and keeps you hooked.
It was an excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The historical background is vivid and well researched, the characters are fleshed out and interesting, the plot flows and keeps you hooked.
It was an excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
A fascinating, feminist glimpse into the creation of one of the country's most iconic structures.
Through the beginning of this book, the author covered a vast expanse of time, giving very little detail about major life moments of the main character, which made it difficult to emotionally engage with the story. However once we reached the part of the story where construction of the Brooklyn Bridge began, I was completely hooked.
The author did a brilliant job of interweaving historic events and people into the narrative and certainly gave me much more insight into and appreciation for a bridge I've crossed multiple times without ever thinking much about. Watching the main character's struggle with sexism, the women's suffrage movement, grief, and a challenging marriage definitely tugged at my heartstrings.
So while I struggled a bit in the begging of the reading experience, by the end I was so glad I picked this one up and would certainly recommend it.
Through the beginning of this book, the author covered a vast expanse of time, giving very little detail about major life moments of the main character, which made it difficult to emotionally engage with the story. However once we reached the part of the story where construction of the Brooklyn Bridge began, I was completely hooked.
The author did a brilliant job of interweaving historic events and people into the narrative and certainly gave me much more insight into and appreciation for a bridge I've crossed multiple times without ever thinking much about. Watching the main character's struggle with sexism, the women's suffrage movement, grief, and a challenging marriage definitely tugged at my heartstrings.
So while I struggled a bit in the begging of the reading experience, by the end I was so glad I picked this one up and would certainly recommend it.