Title: Golden Hill: The Sensational Novel of Old New YorkAuthor: Francis Spufford
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Richard Smith arrives in the colony of New York in 1746 with a bill for quite a sum of money and an air of mystery. He will only say that he has come from London but gives no hints into his past. News of this mysterious man spreads through the small town of Manhattan raising all kinds of questions? Who is this man? How did he come into so much money? What is his purpose in New York? Love, friendship, and mistakes only a young man in a new place can make reveals more about Mr. Smith than he realizes.
My Thoughts
Beyond children's books and The Scarlett Letter, there is very little fiction set in Colonial America pre-Revolutionary War. I was looking for something out of the ordinary to read and I was excited when I found this novel at Barnes and Nobel.
I really like the style in which it is written, the language feels authentic to the time period. The fact that the reader is kept in the dark about Mr. Smith's purpose in New York, as well as his past, keeps an air of suspense throughout the novel. The author paints a clear picture of Colonial Manhattan, a strikingly different place than what the modern reader knows of Manhattan today.
There was only one portion of the story where the scene felt too long. Mr. Smith's letter to his father from prison was seemingly neverending. I admit to skimming through it because it was repetitive and uninteresting. I'm sure the intention was to give the reader a sense of the monotony of days spent in a prison cell, but for me, it was too much.
The story also has some unexpected elements and as more is revealed about Mr. Smith the more surprising it becomes. I especially loved when the narrator of the story is revealed, providing so much context for the entire story. It may be worth reading it again knowing who is telling to see if there were clues early on that I missed.
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from the author, visit the website linked above
Beyond children's books and The Scarlett Letter, there is very little fiction set in Colonial America pre-Revolutionary War. I was looking for something out of the ordinary to read and I was excited when I found this novel at Barnes and Nobel.
I really like the style in which it is written, the language feels authentic to the time period. The fact that the reader is kept in the dark about Mr. Smith's purpose in New York, as well as his past, keeps an air of suspense throughout the novel. The author paints a clear picture of Colonial Manhattan, a strikingly different place than what the modern reader knows of Manhattan today.
There was only one portion of the story where the scene felt too long. Mr. Smith's letter to his father from prison was seemingly neverending. I admit to skimming through it because it was repetitive and uninteresting. I'm sure the intention was to give the reader a sense of the monotony of days spent in a prison cell, but for me, it was too much.
The story also has some unexpected elements and as more is revealed about Mr. Smith the more surprising it becomes. I especially loved when the narrator of the story is revealed, providing so much context for the entire story. It may be worth reading it again knowing who is telling to see if there were clues early on that I missed.
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from the author, visit the website linked above
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