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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
:OO absolutely loved it!!!
Seemly disconnected stories put me away at first, but the moment the story starts fitting the pieces back together (in ways that I did not expect) it was just such a beautifully-crafted book!!
Kinda took me out of my book slump, excited to find other books similar to this one
Seemly disconnected stories put me away at first, but the moment the story starts fitting the pieces back together (in ways that I did not expect) it was just such a beautifully-crafted book!!
Kinda took me out of my book slump, excited to find other books similar to this one
I was inspired to read this book when I saw the documentary "Man on a Wire". It is true that Philippe Petit walked a tightrope between the twin towers of the World Trade Center on August 7, 1974 and was consequently arrested. Colum McCann peoples that event with a cast of seemingly unrelated characters: the Irish priest Corrigan and his hooker friends Tillie and Jazzlyn, Jazzlyn's daughters Janice and Jaslyn, Corrigan's brother Ciaran, bereaved mothers Claire and Gloria, and Justice Solomon Soderberg. I had a hard time keeping track of the multiple storylines until they started to merge. Then I felt compelled to read. I think I would have given this 4 stars if it had moved a little faster in the first half or so.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This wasn't the asiest book to get into but once I did, I was hooked. This is a series of short stories, all in some way related to the time the tightrope walker walked between the twin towers. The way the author brings all the stories together is amazing.
I often think there must be a limit to the number of ways we can combine words to convey meaning. Then I read a book like this. But it's more than just McCann's incredible way with the English language - it's the way he demonstrates our connectivity as human beings. It's the stories he tells of men and women who seem so real, they could walk up to you at any time, on any street corner - but particularly on a street corner in New York. This is one of the great New York novels. I loved it.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book changed how I thought about life when I read it almost a decade ago. A beautiful illustration of balancing life and reflection, the big picture and the small.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unbelievably good. Each chapter is its own universe yet they all take place in New York on the same day in 1974. The kind of book you can tell every sentence was agonized over, yet it just flows beautifully. Highly highly recommend.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes