mmariericker's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-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
4.0
I wouldn’t have said I loved this book but I also kept wanting to read it, so take that as you will.
It reminded me of Cloud Cuckoo Nest in that there are so many characters and they all come together in the end. The writing itself was exquisite, it’s certainly unique and the epilogue (titled Home and spanning four decades in much the same way the on-screen text at the end of a true movie does) was so, so, so well done.
It reminded me of Cloud Cuckoo Nest in that there are so many characters and they all come together in the end. The writing itself was exquisite, it’s certainly unique and the epilogue (titled Home and spanning four decades in much the same way the on-screen text at the end of a true movie does) was so, so, so well done.
blevins's review against another edition
3.0
The World of Tomorrow--so close to being really good. It should have been had Mathews had a strong editor to help him edit some of this out as the book is too long...with too many offshoots from the main characters and too often getting bogged down in the details to connect it to a specific period, forgetting the story. That said, I did enjoy the book for the most part and was caught up in the story of a trio of Irish brothers and their lives in NYC during the World's Fair...music, photography, IRA members, the long dead poet Yeats's ghost [something in the novel I didn't care for...too cute], all kinds of things went into this story, and as I said, Mathews tries to do too much.
norababora's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a great, long, detailed story. I loved each character even though they were all flawed in different ways. The main story takes place within a week, but it feels like a lifetime that they all live together and their lives are affected in grand ways.
I have a few critiques as well. The book was nicely detailed but at times could be overly detailed where it felt like it dragged on a bit and made it a bit less exciting. There were also already a lot of characters in this book but then there were also characters added that felt unnecessary. ex. the doctor to Anisette's father, a huge chunk of his life story was told in one chapter from his perspective and then we never heard of him again.
all in all, this was a slow read but a very good story with a heartfelt ending.
I have a few critiques as well. The book was nicely detailed but at times could be overly detailed where it felt like it dragged on a bit and made it a bit less exciting. There were also already a lot of characters in this book but then there were also characters added that felt unnecessary. ex. the doctor to Anisette's father, a huge chunk of his life story was told in one chapter from his perspective and then we never heard of him again.
all in all, this was a slow read but a very good story with a heartfelt ending.
bathhalffull's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
4.0
ginger_curmudgeon's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t love this, but I didn’t hate it. It’s not easy to get into this one. There are a lot of characters and there’s a lot of description, some of it not really necessary. I would still recommend it to others.
steph_84's review against another edition
5.0
This book is great fun. It’s full of energy and colour, and reminded me of a smart action movie with a bit of drama, comedy and romance thrown in, plus some politics and a bunch of gangsters. The multiple plot-lines all reach their climax at the same point and the descriptions are so vivid, it’s like watching a film, sitting on the edge of your seat. I laughed, I cried, I spent time away from the book thinking about the characters.
The story is set across one week in New York in 1939, with World War 2 looming around the corner. It mostly focussing on the adventures of three brothers but with many interlinked narratives along the way, and some exploration of class, race, family and the fallout from the creation of the newly-formed Republic of Ireland.
The style is quite unusual, not only with the way the book is divided into individual days (except for the first and last chapters), but how it constantly switches between different characters’ perspectives, including minor characters with whom we’re led to deeply consider for a few pages then they’re never mentioned again. At first it was tiring and confusing but once the book got underway and the main characters were established, the constant shifting and remembering stopped being a chore. That said, I read this book in one weekend and do think it’s written to be consumed quickly. If you tried reading a few pages per night you may lose momentum and forget where the many characters and plot-lines are at.
I agree with some other comments that this book could be edited down a bit, but once the story gets going it’s fun to “see” New York and the characters in detail. Besides, some parts of the story are bordering on so over-the-top and unbelievable that to enjoy the book you just need to suspend disbelief and go along with it. It’s not about efficiency but instead it’s about seeing new perspectives and enjoying the wild ride. 4.5 stars.
The story is set across one week in New York in 1939, with World War 2 looming around the corner. It mostly focussing on the adventures of three brothers but with many interlinked narratives along the way, and some exploration of class, race, family and the fallout from the creation of the newly-formed Republic of Ireland.
The style is quite unusual, not only with the way the book is divided into individual days (except for the first and last chapters), but how it constantly switches between different characters’ perspectives, including minor characters with whom we’re led to deeply consider for a few pages then they’re never mentioned again. At first it was tiring and confusing but once the book got underway and the main characters were established, the constant shifting and remembering stopped being a chore. That said, I read this book in one weekend and do think it’s written to be consumed quickly. If you tried reading a few pages per night you may lose momentum and forget where the many characters and plot-lines are at.
I agree with some other comments that this book could be edited down a bit, but once the story gets going it’s fun to “see” New York and the characters in detail. Besides, some parts of the story are bordering on so over-the-top and unbelievable that to enjoy the book you just need to suspend disbelief and go along with it. It’s not about efficiency but instead it’s about seeing new perspectives and enjoying the wild ride. 4.5 stars.
jclare2's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. The plot was fast-moving, the characters interesting, and the setting of Pre-War NYC fun to visit. Sure, the plot was riddled with unlikely coincidences, but so are most movies. And kinda dude-centric, but ditto. I found the brother living the fake life to be quite unlikable and unsympathetic - and I’m not sure that was the point. But there was enough variety in the points of view that it didn’t detract too much. The most compelling scenes were whenever the whole family is reunited. There was a lot of fun energy in the family dynamics that resonated with me. A fun, quick read. No regrets.
cass_alanna's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book more than I did. The storyline was interesting, and the characters’ pasts really drew me in. However, I did skim through a lot of detail that could’ve been left out. I think the book just really needed a good editor.
sherwoodforest's review against another edition
5.0
A lot of books with multiple viewpoints are hard to follow, but this one wasn’t. It was so good and I could not put it down. It is a lengthy book, but it’s quality makes it seem like it’s not. It was more of story telling, but that made it unique! Highly recommend!
kiercarnahan's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 47%
I couldn't finish this book. I kept trying to stay with it but at 47% I was lost. From the beginning I knew it would be challenging because of all of the characters. I felt like I needed a character map to keep it all straight. There were too many people introduced too quickly, it made it very hard to follow. Sometimes the story would switch characters story lines between paragraphs which confused me as well. There needed to be more a distinctive change on the page to separate them. I also kept waiting for the story to maybe pick up or for things to start making sense but they just weren't for me. Maybe others have had other reactions to this book but it just wasn't for me.
I received this as an arc from netgalley in return for a honest review.
I couldn't finish this book. I kept trying to stay with it but at 47% I was lost. From the beginning I knew it would be challenging because of all of the characters. I felt like I needed a character map to keep it all straight. There were too many people introduced too quickly, it made it very hard to follow. Sometimes the story would switch characters story lines between paragraphs which confused me as well. There needed to be more a distinctive change on the page to separate them. I also kept waiting for the story to maybe pick up or for things to start making sense but they just weren't for me. Maybe others have had other reactions to this book but it just wasn't for me.
I received this as an arc from netgalley in return for a honest review.