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Metropolis
Metropolis
Author: Elizabeth Gaffney
Elizabeth Gaffney's magnificent, Dickensian Metropolis captures the splendor and violence of America's greatest city in the years after the Civil War, as young immigrants climb out of urban chaos and into the American dream. — On a freezing night in the middle of winter, Gaffney's nameless hero is suddenly awakened by a fire in P. T. ...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780812970852
ISBN-10: 0812970853
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 480
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 13

3.7 stars, based on 13 ratings
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

perryfran avatar reviewed Metropolis on + 1164 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel of 19th century New York. It was very Dickensian and reminded me a lot of Oliver Twist -- Undertoe was very similar to the menacing character Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist and he like Bill received his just desserts in the end. I did have some difficulty buying into the way the gang communicated through singing or "Whyoing" -- a little hard to believe. But otherwise, I really thought the author captured the feel of old New York and the story was obviously well-researched including Barnum's entertainment, the city sewers, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the gangs. She also based many of her characters on real-life people including Elizabeth Blackwell who was a professor at the radical Women's Medical College. A very enjoyable read - I was sorry to see it end.
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