Hosack's Folly by Gillen D'Arcy Wood
Book Title: Hosack's Folly
Author: Gillen D'Arcy Wood
Genre: Historical Fiction, Old New York
My Grade: C
# of Pages: 388
Summary: Set in 1820s Manhattan, Hosack's Folly weaves a vibrant tapestry of a time, a place, and a people on the verge of surrendering their innocence and idealism for the greed and glory of the Gilded Age. In a cast of fictional characters as rich and colorful as any in Dickens stands one fascinating historical figure: David Hosack, the doctor who attended Alexander Hamilton during the fatal duel with Aaron Burr and who went on to found Bellevue Hospital, Columbia University Medical School, and the first Botanical Garden in New York. The novel opens twenty years after the ill-fated duel and Hosack is once again at the center of controversy. Struggling to contain an outbreak of yellow fever on the New York docks, Hosack must also contend with the malice of powerful merchants and corrupt politicians who aim to cover up the fever threat at all costs. Brought down by scandal, Hosack turns to his brave young assistant, Albert Dash, to expose the truth. Meanwhile, a powerful newspaper editor and a visionary architect team up on a scheme of their own to save the city: the Croton Aqueduct, the most ambitious public works project since Roman times.
Climaxing in a mass exodus as a deadly fever epidemic sweeps through old New York, Hosack's Folly is historical fiction at its most thrilling. Generously seasoned with comedy and romance, it is a thoroughly satisfying reading experience.
My Thoughts: I think if you're more familiar with New York City than you'll appreciate this book more than I did. Certain things were presented in such a way that I felt like I should know about it already and think how cool it is that this is how it's being presented! Wow! No... not really.
While this was an interesting read it was also a confusing read. With so much going on at once and a lot of politcal jargon being used, it was very hard to follow most of the time. The characters were also pretty... blah. The characters were either too flat or too annoying to like any of them.
Yet there was something about this book kept me reading. Something kept pulling at me and wouldn't allow me to just stop. It was slightly hard to focus, but I was able to keep getting back on track. Perhaps it's Woods skill as a writer, that was something that was definitely a plus about this book.
So who knows if you'll like this book or not. Maybe you'll be like me and not be too fond of it, but still unable to put it down. Let me know. It's a toss up, who knows what you'll think.
Next Book: Cane River by Lalita Tademy • review
Back to the Book List.
Author: Gillen D'Arcy Wood
Genre: Historical Fiction, Old New York
My Grade: C
# of Pages: 388
Summary: Set in 1820s Manhattan, Hosack's Folly weaves a vibrant tapestry of a time, a place, and a people on the verge of surrendering their innocence and idealism for the greed and glory of the Gilded Age. In a cast of fictional characters as rich and colorful as any in Dickens stands one fascinating historical figure: David Hosack, the doctor who attended Alexander Hamilton during the fatal duel with Aaron Burr and who went on to found Bellevue Hospital, Columbia University Medical School, and the first Botanical Garden in New York. The novel opens twenty years after the ill-fated duel and Hosack is once again at the center of controversy. Struggling to contain an outbreak of yellow fever on the New York docks, Hosack must also contend with the malice of powerful merchants and corrupt politicians who aim to cover up the fever threat at all costs. Brought down by scandal, Hosack turns to his brave young assistant, Albert Dash, to expose the truth. Meanwhile, a powerful newspaper editor and a visionary architect team up on a scheme of their own to save the city: the Croton Aqueduct, the most ambitious public works project since Roman times.
Climaxing in a mass exodus as a deadly fever epidemic sweeps through old New York, Hosack's Folly is historical fiction at its most thrilling. Generously seasoned with comedy and romance, it is a thoroughly satisfying reading experience.
My Thoughts: I think if you're more familiar with New York City than you'll appreciate this book more than I did. Certain things were presented in such a way that I felt like I should know about it already and think how cool it is that this is how it's being presented! Wow! No... not really.
While this was an interesting read it was also a confusing read. With so much going on at once and a lot of politcal jargon being used, it was very hard to follow most of the time. The characters were also pretty... blah. The characters were either too flat or too annoying to like any of them.
Yet there was something about this book kept me reading. Something kept pulling at me and wouldn't allow me to just stop. It was slightly hard to focus, but I was able to keep getting back on track. Perhaps it's Woods skill as a writer, that was something that was definitely a plus about this book.
So who knows if you'll like this book or not. Maybe you'll be like me and not be too fond of it, but still unable to put it down. Let me know. It's a toss up, who knows what you'll think.
Next Book: Cane River by Lalita Tademy • review
Back to the Book List.