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david_brent's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Car accident, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Racial slurs
plattcraig's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my top reads in recent memory. I especially enjoyed McCann's ability to change voices and create a rich and realistic fiction that could make me laugh and cry. I would recommend this book to all comers as I think it's take on history, the world, politics, poverty, religion and 9/11 are flawless and pitch perfect.
natashaball's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: War
anjugrao's review against another edition
4.0
Both uplifting and heartbreaking, it tells the story of 5 New Yorkers whose lives intersect dUring the famous 1974 tight rope walk between the Twin Towers. Its a really well written novel that's worthy of your bookshelf and would make a great summer read for the back half of the season.
eggjen's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting book - it's told from multiple perspectives around the same time period; some intersperse with each other and some don't. It all revolves around a tightrope walker who walked between the twin towers back in the 70's - telling the stories of various people who saw the event happen or heard about it, etc.
Of course there are some major story arcs and some smaller ones, but I felt that because a new person was narrating each of the (fairly long) chapters that it was hard to get too close to any of the characters, for better or worse. The book deals with some fairly heavy subject matter - from the mothers of boys who had died in Vietnam, to ladies "strolling" the streets in the Bronx and a minor roadside scrape that turns fatal.
There were some things I really liked about this book - the writing itself was beautiful and very well done, but the format of the book kept me from loving it. There were parts of the story that I would have loved to have read more about and other parts that I felt were verging on pointless that never connected back to anything - those chapters could have been used to lengthen and develop the major stories. I'm sure this was the author's intention but that doesn't mean I have to like it!
Of course there are some major story arcs and some smaller ones, but I felt that because a new person was narrating each of the (fairly long) chapters that it was hard to get too close to any of the characters, for better or worse. The book deals with some fairly heavy subject matter - from the mothers of boys who had died in Vietnam, to ladies "strolling" the streets in the Bronx and a minor roadside scrape that turns fatal.
There were some things I really liked about this book - the writing itself was beautiful and very well done, but the format of the book kept me from loving it. There were parts of the story that I would have loved to have read more about and other parts that I felt were verging on pointless that never connected back to anything - those chapters could have been used to lengthen and develop the major stories. I'm sure this was the author's intention but that doesn't mean I have to like it!
smusie's review against another edition
3.0
I have a feeling I was supposed to like this book more than I did, but why? Why did I hear that it was so wonderful? A lot of it seemed forced, contrived--it just didn't sing to me. Is it because New Yorkers have to love a novel that is about (however obliquely) September 11th? Of course I love the story of Philippe Petit, but this book added little to my appreciation of that story. Several of the characters were drawn too strongly against type, as if to prove some point--an ascetic Irishman, a fat African-American woman who lives in the projects, but is college-educated, does not go to church, and loves opera. I appreciate the effort that went into the writing, and there are some nice moments, but it never came together for me.
jackthelad's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ttodd86's review against another edition
5.0
An award-winning book, so it is obviously great. The best compliment I can give it (or any book) is that I am slightly sad to be done reading it, and that is definitely the case here. One of my all-time faves.