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born_reading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, and Death of parent
jedore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Eddie had come to understand that what a man saw and what actually existed in the natural world often were contradictory. The human eye was not capable of true sight, for it was constrained by its own humanness, clouded by regret, and opinion, and faith. Whatever was witnessed in the real world was unknowable in real time. It was the eye of the camera that captured the world as it truly was.”
This book will takes you on a journey to early 20th century New York City, where you'll get to know Coralie Sardie, a girl with webbed fingers who performs as a mermaid in her father’s Coney Island freak show, and Eddie Cohen, a Jewish immigrant and photographer who has fled his father's strict faith. Set against the backdrop of significant historical events, including the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, Hoffman's novel weaves an interesting tale of love, mystery, and the quest for identity.
Having read four of Hoffman's books now, I can conclude that while she may not be my favorite author, I do generally enjoy her work. One consistent theme in her novels, including this one, is the presence of at least one Jewish character, which offers readers a glimpse into Jewish history and culture. One of the reasons I like her books is their combination of storytelling and education.
Hoffman's character development is, as always, a highlight. She has a knack for creating well-rounded and believable characters. However, despite her skill, I haven’t yet fallen in love with any of her characters, although I came close with Magic Lessons. This trend continued with this book...the characters were compelling, but none fully captured my heart.
One of Hoffman's strengths is the meticulous research she puts into her historical novels. As someone who loves New York City history, I particularly appreciated the detailed depiction of the Shirtwaist Factory fire and its impact on the city's landscape and labor movement.
While the plot was overall predictable, there were enough surprises to keep me engaged. I always appreciate when a story can still catch me off guard, even if I can see some twists coming.
I'd definitely recommend this book to any historical fiction lovers. Hoffman's blend of history, romance, and mystery makes for an enjoyable read, even if it doesn’t top my list of favorite books. Her attention to historical detail and her ability to create vivid, if not entirely lovable, characters, ensures that her novels are always worth picking up.
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Sexism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Drug use
librarymouse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Genocide
shoham's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Misogyny, Self harm, Slavery, Transphobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Alcohol
justagir1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
joensign's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder
booksbooks1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
livlostinstereo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
What a fantastic book. I struggled to put it down. Once again, Alice Hoffman delivers a masterclass on writing characters that feel so vividly real. Coralie and Eddie are wonderfully well-rounded characters.
The ONLY reason this isn't a 5 from me is because the ending felt slightly rushed. That's not to say it wasn't good - it just felt a bit rushed in comparison to the pace of the rest of the book.
But nothing will stop me from rereading this with the same love I have reread The Rules of Magic with time and time again.
The historical fiction of this story is truly immersive and just makes you want to read and learn more about the various events referenced.
If you read anything this winter, please let it be this.
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Violence, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Torture, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
meg_elyse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Antisemitism, and Alcohol
Minor: Pedophilia, Kidnapping, and Murder
wildestdreams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Antisemitism, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty