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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The dialog wasn't good, the scenery changed fast and was choppy. I came in hoping for an informative read on a topic I knew nothing about with a dash of romance. Super stoked that the main character was getting involved in the Suffragette. I'll pick it up again and try it but today's just not that day.
UPDATE:
Well, I officially hate myself for reading this book. I like historical fiction but this book just was not "it". There was no flow, the dialogue and the descriptions being choppy with very little enrichment.
Wash sucks. Period. I cannot stand behind someone who gives up on themselves and then blames others for doing the same. He was emotionally abusive towards his wife after she gave up LITERALLY EVERYTHING SHE EVER WANTED TO BUILD HIS DAMN BRIDGE TO PROTECT *HIS* LEGACY and I hate him.
I gave up on the fictional writing of this book the first time around and then convinced myself to finish it ONLY because I was interested in how the bridge was built.
I'm sure the author has other fantastic books, but I do not recommend this one.
UPDATE:
Well, I officially hate myself for reading this book. I like historical fiction but this book just was not "it". There was no flow, the dialogue and the descriptions being choppy with very little enrichment.
Wash sucks. Period. I cannot stand behind someone who gives up on themselves and then blames others for doing the same. He was emotionally abusive towards his wife after she gave up LITERALLY EVERYTHING SHE EVER WANTED TO BUILD HIS DAMN BRIDGE TO PROTECT *HIS* LEGACY and I hate him.
I gave up on the fictional writing of this book the first time around and then convinced myself to finish it ONLY because I was interested in how the bridge was built.
I'm sure the author has other fantastic books, but I do not recommend this one.
3.5 stars . I did find much of
This fascinating and of course great for women’s rights especially at the time, but it was a bit too drawn out for me .
This fascinating and of course great for women’s rights especially at the time, but it was a bit too drawn out for me .
I made it 15 pages in and just couldn’t continue. I thumbed through a bit past that to see if it would grab my interest. Nope. Something about the writing style and characterization of Emily and Wash didn’t sit well with me. And no, I’m not going to elaborated - not worth my effort for the amount that I read. I guess I’ll add that the opening felt a bit too much like a bodice ripper. (I like a fun bodice ripper, but wasn’t looking for that here.) I did read the afterword to see where the author departed from history.
*** I received an advanced e-copy from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
This book tells the story of Emily Roebling, wife to Washington "Wash" Roebling, who was the engineer who designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge. When he fell ill, Emily stepped up and filled in for him. She was also instrumental in the suffragette movement.
Parts of this book were really interesting, but other parts read more like a romance novel between Mrs. Roebling and PT Barnum. I would have preferred to have had much more of the first and a lot less of the second. Overall, it was an informative book about a part of history that I was not that knowledgeable about before now.
This book tells the story of Emily Roebling, wife to Washington "Wash" Roebling, who was the engineer who designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge. When he fell ill, Emily stepped up and filled in for him. She was also instrumental in the suffragette movement.
Parts of this book were really interesting, but other parts read more like a romance novel between Mrs. Roebling and PT Barnum. I would have preferred to have had much more of the first and a lot less of the second. Overall, it was an informative book about a part of history that I was not that knowledgeable about before now.
This could have been a good book but the author decided to take liberties with the facts and added an extra-marital affair just as a plot point and I didn't appreciate it.
I am obsessed with this book. I already bought it for a friend and shipped it to her. It is the kind of book you can curl up with in a comfy place and spend all day reading. I got lost in the story, was engaged in the characters, and really felt like the author was taking me along for a ride through history. A great book. Highly Recommend.
Emily Roebling is the wife of Washington Roebling, the Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge. After her husband becomes an invalid due to an injury suffered while working on the bridge and PTSD from the war, Emily becomes his eyes and ears on the project. After a time Washington, Wash as she refers to him, ends up working on the bridge project only from afar and most major decisions are left to Emily, who has no education in engineering or bridge building. While working on the Brooklyn Bridge, Emily must also deal with being a wife, a mother, unexpected attention from a most unusual man, as well as the belief that women should be seen and not heard.
I knew nothing about Emily Roebling prior to picking up this book. I had never given much thought to who built the Brooklyn Bridge as it was something that was always there in my eyes. Emily was a pioneer in the advancements of women's rights and was a known suffragist. This was my first book by Ms. Wood but it will not be my last. She did not shy away from expressing Emily's dissatisfaction not only with her unusual marriage but also how she felt at being in charge of a project with no training and for which she would receive no credit.
I knew nothing about Emily Roebling prior to picking up this book. I had never given much thought to who built the Brooklyn Bridge as it was something that was always there in my eyes. Emily was a pioneer in the advancements of women's rights and was a known suffragist. This was my first book by Ms. Wood but it will not be my last. She did not shy away from expressing Emily's dissatisfaction not only with her unusual marriage but also how she felt at being in charge of a project with no training and for which she would receive no credit.
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
G this is a book safe for New York City loving grandmas
I feel so conflicted writing this review right now! I loved how much I learned about how the Brooklyn Bridge was built and the woman who took over construction when her husband became injured. I honestly think I just know more about building bridges in general after building this book.
But ultimately as a work of historical fiction, I did not find the characters and storytelling to add much to true story of how the Brooklyn Bridge was built. This book undertook a timeline well beyond bridge building and introduced many additional characters that did not add to the story. I wish the editing had modified how this pacing and structure.
But ultimately, the major issue for me was the character development--I'm not sure if I've just been spoiled by romance books recently but Emily proved to be an inconsistent and relatively flat character as a heroine because her inner conflicts were always only surface level without truly delving into her head.
I think the story of how the Brooklyn Bridge was built is absolutely fascinating and I would definitely recommend learning more about its construction. But I don't think I would recommend this book for that. And if you want complex marriage issues which is another theme for this book, I would go find a good marriage in trouble romance book instead like Bromance Book Club or Ever After Always.
I feel so conflicted writing this review right now! I loved how much I learned about how the Brooklyn Bridge was built and the woman who took over construction when her husband became injured. I honestly think I just know more about building bridges in general after building this book.
But ultimately as a work of historical fiction, I did not find the characters and storytelling to add much to true story of how the Brooklyn Bridge was built. This book undertook a timeline well beyond bridge building and introduced many additional characters that did not add to the story. I wish the editing had modified how this pacing and structure.
But ultimately, the major issue for me was the character development--I'm not sure if I've just been spoiled by romance books recently but Emily proved to be an inconsistent and relatively flat character as a heroine because her inner conflicts were always only surface level without truly delving into her head.
I think the story of how the Brooklyn Bridge was built is absolutely fascinating and I would definitely recommend learning more about its construction. But I don't think I would recommend this book for that. And if you want complex marriage issues which is another theme for this book, I would go find a good marriage in trouble romance book instead like Bromance Book Club or Ever After Always.
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No