Book Review

This is an intriguing novel encompassing a grand saga about several generations of a large family during the earliest years of America, centered around New Amsterdam, later called New York City. Even those who aren’t history buffs will find this book hard to put down.

This fine writer, using historical diaries and journals weaves a wonderful tapestry, bringing alive the struggles her distinctive characters endure as they live their lives up to the time of the American Revolution. This is an historical novel, but it’s not the history that dominates. The author uses colorful, imaginative language to tell of protagonists striving through poverty, wealth, crime and disease all the while up against a rigid social structure.

The connecting thread and driving theme throughout this dramatic tale is that one member in each generation is blessed or cursed with the talent to heal. All in the name of saving lives, there are grisly details of amputations, leeching, unsuccessful surgeries and worse. The reader will be mesmerized. What this reader found amazing is all are authenticated medical events.

This fascinating novel evokes New York City in it’s earliest days and brings to vivid life her striving citizens tempted by it’s eternal promise of success and wealth. "City of Dreams," an entire world created by a gifted storyteller, should top your list of reading choices.