My mom saw this novel featured on a table at Barnes & Noble and couldn’t resist picking it up for me, since I have been talking about being a New Yorker since I was twelve years old. She gave it to me for Christmas and I began reading it in January – a few pages a night before bed, which is why it took me six months to get through it!
I have not read much historical fiction, but this book might be a foray into a new favorite genre for me. It is longer than most novels I read – 880 pages – and is filled with many characters, most of whom are related by family line or societal interaction (servants to masters, etc.)
While I agree with the Washington Post reviewer who warns readers not to spend too much time asking whether certain details are true or not, I feel like I know many things about New York’s history better having read this book. Rutherford clearly did his research.
The thing that is so cool about New York The Novel is that it begins with a man in the 1600′s in what is now called New York, and follows his family line – the Masters – through to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. Now, when I ride my bike from the Staten Island ferry up to my office near Bryant Park, I picture things I did not imagine before, because Rutherford has done such a great job of depicting the ages in New York City, as seen through the lens of what essentially evolved into an upper-class family. I was especially impressed by the pre-Civil War and Civil War eras in New York City.
I’ve been eying this one at the B&N where I work. Like you, I’ve been dreaming of this city since I was tiny and can’t believe I’m finally here. I’ll have to add this one to my Must-Read list!