Reviews

Unseen City by Amy Shearn

thain's review against another edition

4.0

Quirky ghost story that delves into Brooklyn’s history and racial heritage. A self-proclaimed spinster librarian helps a library patron research a house owned by his family that may be part of
the forgotten free Black community of Weeksville from the 19th century that was absorbed into Crown Heights. A second timeline follows a Black girl who ended up in the house - and never left. Her reason for not moving on was a bit murky, but her story was compelling.

lyricallit's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

This was a great disappointment. I really think it was trying to do too much. It had a lot to say in gentrification, racism, and grief; some were handled better than others. The best scenes I think were between Meg and her brother James, who pushed back against her and questioned her in necessary ways. Because quite frankly her interior narration was often tinged with hipstery condescension, despite trying to recognize her white privilege. 

There's also a (what seems to be significant) repetitive image that never comes to anything. When I realized I was 95% thru the book and it was still unexplained and not any closer to being so, I got really frustrated. And sure enough, it is never explained.

Spoiler

Honestly, I think it might have made more sense to have the ghost storyline unresolved for Ellis & Meg. If the idea is to emphasize the unseen histories layered under our present and how they affect our today, even without our consciousness, it would make sense that they can never find out who this ghost is and what she wants. That seems like it would fit better with other themes of the book rather than a hasty "resolution" slapped down in the last couple pages with no time for processing by either the characters or reader.

joellie's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

shelf_reflect10n's review against another edition

funny hopeful 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? No

4.0

teannedavis's review against another edition

Put down the moment I read "what happened to gender anyway" when the White ~quirky librarian~ narrator is bothered about misgendering a kid, not my kind of "humor" 

suzyk's review against another edition

3.0

This was a really good story until the end. I think the author either ran out of time or didn't know how to wrap up because they went with the super predictable AND non-committal. bummer.

mcurry1010's review against another edition

4.0

After reading Subduction, I decided to keep an eye on Red Hen Press and was rewarded with discovering Unseen City. It appealed to me that the main character, Meg Rhys is a 40 year old librarian based in the local history collection of Brooklyn Public Library and she shares the story with a ghost. I also enjoyed the glimpses of the Weeksville community. Shearn explores grief, family dynamics along with white privilege.

zoltar's review against another edition

I did not understand the hype around this book. The narrator was so annoying, and not in a relatable way. The whole thing was trying so hard to be witty, without really landing any jokes. It had a weird British lilt to it, despite being set in NYC with an American author

joyinnj's review against another edition

5.0

Very, very NYC/Brooklyn in a way that resonated with me. And also a ghost story. Really liked it.

marybecca's review

mysterious

2.0