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Book Review of North River

North River
North River
Author: Pete Hamill
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
jscrappy avatar reviewed on + 59 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


Dr, James Delaney wakes up one morning to discover his infant grandson, left by his estranged daughter, in a baby carriage on his doorstep. The sudden appearance of this baby in Delaney's life pulls him abruptly out of the sad routine of his life in the grim Depression world of 1934 Brooklyn, and into a world of new possibilities.

This is a quiet little story, full of details about the vanished world of 1930's-era New York City. I liked it, but didn't love it--the conflicts resolve a little too easily, and the characters are a little flat, especially the character of Delaney's daughter, who makes an unsatisfying appearance at the end of the book.

What IS appealing is the author's obvious love of the era and the city, and his portrayal of a grandfather and grandson getting to know each other.