juliana_aldous's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent historical novel of colonial New York--filled with good characters and enough plot twists to be a fun read.
decoachwife's review
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
kduhy's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.0
The main character, an adventurer, Richard Smith arrives in New York in the 1840's. From the start he is a man of mystery with a promissory note for £1,000. Because he refuses to say what he will do with the money he is held in suspicion by most of the other characters. A novel full of unexpected tales and events which romps along right to the end.
Themes; racism, class, slavery, gender, colonialism
Themes; racism, class, slavery, gender, colonialism
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I almost can't presume to praise this novel. A few pages in, I realized how powerful and terrific it was; how immersive and how completely effective was the descriptive language. It took me a long time to read this because of the pacing, but I always remembered where I was and what was happening. It's terrific storytelling and the setting (New York in 1739) is done so well. And I am not someone who reads for the setting. Richard Smith arrives in New York and is somewhat of a mystery man. He is cagey about what brings him there, and finding out why is one of the plot elements that is answered at the end of the book. He meets a merchant/banking family, the Lovells, especially their temperamental daughter, Tabitha. This book is well-written and deals with a period in history not often appearing in historical fiction. Bravo, Mr. Spufford.
cloranger's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
- 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
5.0
caitsidhe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Autumn 1746 and Richard Smith arrives in the city of New York fresh off the boat from England. He carries a bill promising £1000 with the guarantee to following parts on subsequent boats which throws the merchants of the city into disorder - who is this man? What is his purpose? Smith is feted by the Lovell family and their friends and he falls for strange, awkward, cynical Tabitha Lovell. When Smith is robbed of all his ready cash and the second boat turns up without the promised bill, Smith is thrown into jailer as a debtor - but things are about to get worse.
This book has had outstanding reviews and I was curious to read it because of that and also because of the setting in 18th century New York, a city one hundredth of the size of London at the time. Spufford has chosen to write the novel using various viewpoints in first and third person and this works extremely well. The level of detailed research about the layout, the customs and life in the setting are incredible, one feels as though one can imagine it clearly. I also found Smith an interesting character, he has values but variable morals. Cleverly there is a huge twist at the end which vindicates Smith completely and ties up all the mysteries neatly and with a sense of purpose. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This book has had outstanding reviews and I was curious to read it because of that and also because of the setting in 18th century New York, a city one hundredth of the size of London at the time. Spufford has chosen to write the novel using various viewpoints in first and third person and this works extremely well. The level of detailed research about the layout, the customs and life in the setting are incredible, one feels as though one can imagine it clearly. I also found Smith an interesting character, he has values but variable morals. Cleverly there is a huge twist at the end which vindicates Smith completely and ties up all the mysteries neatly and with a sense of purpose. I look forward to reading more by this author.
swanjovi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
5.0
This book hit all of my favorite reading zones: historical fiction, mystery, adventure. It opens with Mr. Smith's arrival in New York from London, and two basic questions: how does a 23 year-old come by a bill for 1,000 pounds (about $200,000 in today's money), and what does he plan to do with all this cash once he has it in hand? These questions simmer and build among the citizens as Mr. Smith adventures around New York, never far from their prying and gossiping tongues. For me the questions often slipped to the background as one after another heart-stopping moment bubbled up; at times I was racing through passages because if I lingered the tension would have killed me. We are never very far from the start, however - suddenly readers are given tantalizing glimpses into Mr. Smith's mind, and we are urgently swept right back to those two original questions.