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Jul 24, 2011

Bird Brian rated it:

"City of Light", huh? It's been a long time since Buffalo had such a flattering nickname. These days, when the media tries to portray Buffalo NY favorably, they show the anaseptic skyline of passably-maintained (from a distance) buildings in downtown. The pictures are always from afar, taken by helecopters floating in mid-air, viewing the city at impossible angles its inhabitants will never experience. They aren't images of a real place, they're more like a movie set of what they want More...

4 comments like (13 people liked it)

Apr 12, 2011

Kirsten rated it:

Although this book is just shy of 500 pages, I read it in 3 days, and I also managed to grade stack of essays and read part of another book. I also made myself slow down to enjoy all the description and really try to soak in some of the history. I have always enjoyed historical fiction, but rarely do I pay much attention to the details of the place since I don't really KNOW the place personally. However, City of Light takes place at the turn of the last century when Buffalo hosted the Pa More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 06, 2008

Meghan rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 19, 2007

Karen rated it:

Really liked this book: a good story, compelling. Takes place in late 1890s to early 1900s, in Buffalo, NY. The backdrop is the Pan-American Exibition and city fathers/businessmen are readying the city, as this event will draw thousands, including politicians, and getting your city noticted never hurts. But that is just the backdrop (and, no it is not a murder story as in Devil in the White City, also featuring a world's fair, and the wonder of electricity). Louisa Barrett is the headmistress o More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 16, 2007

Catherine rated it:

I was loving this historical fiction novel at first - I felt it made Buffalo NY at the turn of the century - when it was known as "The City of Light" come alive and the author was sensitive to roles of race and gender at the timeframe (instead of glossing over that). The main character is independent and likable and I was learning history at the same time. <sigh> Unfortunately, and maybe this was her trying to be true to the realities of an independent woman during that time f More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jan 02, 2009

Jan rated it:

The city is Buffalo, New York, and the light refers to the hydraulic elcrtric plants being installed at the first of the century near Niagra falls to create electricity.
The main character is the mistress of a girl's school. she doesn;t know until late in the book that she was offered up as a sacrifice to President Grover Cleveland when he visited her city when she was college age. She bor his child and offered her annonymously to her good friend and jusband as a private adoption, and she More...

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Jun 10, 2011

Harmonybites rated it:

I love novels that are a mix of genres, and the back of this book billed it as a mix of murder mystery, romance and historical fiction--set in the Buffalo, New York of 1901. The story is told by Louisa Barrett, a progressive thirty-something headmistress of an elite girls school for the daughters of the wealthy and powerful. She's close to the wealthy Thomas Sinclair, the adoptive father of nine-year-old Grace. (I guessed the so-called secret of her birth and parentage as soon as she was mention More...

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Apr 22, 2011

Jean rated it:

I had read this author's other book ( A Fierce Radiance) and really liked it so I was motivated to read this one. She does a good job of presenting factual issues in a fictional setting. This book takes place in Buffalo, NY and is about the mass production of electricity at the turn of the century. Since I spend time near there every summer at Chautauqua, NY, I was most interested in reading it. Surprisingly, I almost gave up. It took a while for the story to capture my interest. Once it di More...

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Aug 05, 2009

Swanbender2001 rated it:

This is a well written historical fiction set in the late 1800's, early 1900s. The power station at Niagara Falls is being constructed and at the same time the Pan-American Exposition is occuring. President McKinley is assassinated towards the end of the book. The 'City of Light' is Buffalo where electricity is being brought into the buildings and homes to replace gas lamps and release the city of the pall of darkness the gas clouds leave hanging over it. Automobiles are a rare occurence but wil More...

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Jun 14, 2010

Sarah rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 06, 2007

Bonnie rated it:

This was one of the best books I read all year! I am so glad I decided on it for one of my Sept. reads! I am orginally from near the Buffalo area so enjoyed learning some interesting history of the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area, plus at the same time, enjoying a great story! This book has it all-murder, intrigue, racial issues, women's rights issues, a little romance...don't let the length of the book scare you off. You won't want it to end.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 25, 2011

Pam rated it:

It was a little longer than I think it needed to be and that is because there was a lot of information about the Falls, all of which I had to assume was correct. That is always a problem, trying to determine what is fact and what fiction in these books that use real names. The author does give historical information at the back of the book and of course, the Presidents mentioned were real people but their interactions with her characters was not.
I always wonder why, in these many novel More...

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Apr 08, 2011

Marilyn rated it:

Two and a half, maybe. I finished this book several days ago and still can't make up my mind about it. It's beautifully written, very much in accordance with novels from 1900, rich in detail and using the precisely correct word for descriptions. The city and the time came alive in this book. The FMC seems true to her time in her repression, at least. Her thought patterns seemed familiar to me, very similar to those of my grandmothers.

But it was busy-busy-busy while at the same time ki More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 26, 2008

Nell rated it:

Women have made much progress toward becoming equal members of society, and we seldom, if ever, think about civil rights that were once denied to us. Around the turn of the 20th century, Louisa Barrett enjoys a certain freedom of movement and professional success as headmistress of the Macaulay School for girls, but she has achieved it at the cost of remaining unmarried, and events remind her that she is still vulnerable. Civil rights for African Americans, the rights of workers, and a nascent e More...

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Mar 03, 2011

Aliza rated it:

I loved this book, so much so that I was crying near the end. Yes, there are many melodramatic elements, and I disliked the way that it turned out Louisa's life was largely predetermined (both of these seem to be common complaints). But I found Louisa to be a compelling, sympathetic heroine, someone I felt I really understood and rooted for, even while understanding that circumstances would not allow her the ending I wished for her. I liked the Buffalo setting (not a common city for a book) and More...

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Oct 17, 2010

Sonja rated it:

I applaud anyone who wants to bring the rich history of western New York to the world through writing or art. The novel includes much information and research and provides a good "feel" for Buffalo at the turn of the century and what was at stake for the landscape and the people. That said, the main character was inconsistent and unbelievable, and the plot veered over the falls about a third of the way through. I enjoyed several of the strands of story, and was hooked enough to find More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 11, 2011

Pam rated it:

I'm not a big reader of historical fiction for adults, but this book piqued my interest in concept. In execution, however, I felt like this story was missing something. The characters were semi-compelling, the setting was vivid and there are secrets enough for everyone. But I wasn't surprised by anything that was happening as it was revealed. The main character spent so much time speculating over what might be behind whatever the latest events were that by the time the answer was revealed, it ju More...

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Jul 27, 2010

Tosha rated it:

This is a very good piece of historical fiction. It's part murder mystery, part intrigue, and a large helping of a tragedy of manners. Being from NY and having a family that loves the falls, I really enjoyed the facts that are incorporated into this novel.

SPOILER:The characters are very engrossing and the reader is taken on a trip of hope and disappointment with the many female characters. Although feeling anger for and being appalled by the injustice, and as much as I would have More...

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Aug 04, 2010

Claire rated it:

Some books effortlessly conjure up a time in history. If you could read these books in a vacuum, you wouldn't know if the author is contemporary or long dead. This is not one of those books. The author never manages to shed her modern sensibility- her protagonist might as well be a modern woman sent back in time to turn of the century Buffalo (of all places) trying to fit in as well as she can (and not acting particularly brave or heroic in the process).
I did stick with the book, and I le More...

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Mar 14, 2008

CLM rated it:

I liked this book and admired the author's research but (and I never say this!) it was too long. The last third really dragged.

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 28, 2011

Sonal rated it:

Interesting historical fiction set in the late 1800s Buffalo and set against the backdrop of Niagara Falls and its magical capacity to generate electricity, which was a novelty at this time. I really liked the main character; she was enigmatic, sympathetic and seemed to be beyond her years. Simultaneously she was suffragette, civil rights activist and worker rights supporter/sympathizer. At a time when women held very traditional roles and were "seen and not heard" (like children!), Lo More...

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Aug 23, 2010

Michel rated it:

Intriguing. I enjoyed this turn-of-the-century (previous turn) novel for what it really is. Ignore the misleading USA Today review (on the book cover) which claimed it to be a "remarkable blend of murder mystery, love story, political intrigue, and tragedy of manners," as the book could disappoint if approached from any of those perspectives. Rather, it works perfectly as a whimsical portrait of life in what was poised to become the greatest modern city on earth (Buffalo), showcasing h More...

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Aug 25, 2010

Donna rated it:

This a re-read for me! Just read a book call THE DAY THE FALLS STOOD STILL about this same time in history at Niagara Falls. This is another book where I wish there were more stars to give! There is so much history and suspense in this story! My second reading was even more enjoyable than the first. Placed in Buffalo, NY at the turn of the century, the history of the Niagara Falls and the powerful men who wanted to tame and use the water unwinds an excellent story.

There are sec More...

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Oct 21, 2007

Dottie rated it:

A first novel as electrifying as its subject matter. An outstanding reading experience.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 03, 2012

Sarah rated it:

A narrator more concerned with social protocol than Maisie Dobbs! I didn't think it was possible. Slow, but an interesting read, well worth finishing when it gets tedious. Some of the historical content may be questionable, but this is clearly a meticulously researched book. The facts appear correct, it is the character reaction to them that I found questionable. Perhaps this is related to the author overwhelming attempt to have a perfectly behaved lead character. The setting, Buffalo, NY, More...

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Nov 11, 2011

Maryann rated it:

This novel (FICTION, I must remind you), written in the style of Devil in the White City, takes you through the dawning era of hydroelectricity and its impact on the Buffalo- Niagra community. The characters are a mix of real and fictionalized, the story line pure fiction, and the background information well- researched. The combination of all three is interesting. I found it a good read yet shallow; written in first person, the main character is very self-serving, justifying her every decision More...

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Jun 11, 2011

Tracy rated it:

I am in two minds about this book. It is really well written with an enjoyable story. I really felt as if I was there in turn of the century Buffalo, the author built up society so well. But I felt the book dragged on for too long and nothing really happened, too much was eluded to and not enough action. I also didn't really like the ending and for something that was touted as a thriller there was really nothing scary at all. That said I did enjoy it and definitely wanted to keep reading and fin More...

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May 11, 2011

Robin (RBBR) rated it:

I read this one as a selection in a Book Club I use to be in at Church. The wife of our Minister at the time suggested it and not only was it a good book but it was interesting to hear her talk about it because having grown up in the area the book takes place she was able to add details about it to the group. The American side of Niagara is crumbling but numerous years ago before this occurred it was possible to walk behind them. As I recall walking behind the falls is mentioned in the book and More...

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Mar 11, 2010

Jennifer rated it:

Excellent historical fiction. Belfer blends historical fiction and a bit of a murder mystery for an engrossing look at a particular place and moment in time that changed America. This novel actually reminded me of a recent non-fiction read, Devil in the White City . Both beautiful evoke the atmosphere of turn of the century America when industrialization and electricity seemed to promise a brave new world at the same time the country was mired in all the old world divisions of class, race and More...

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Sep 23, 2008

Karen rated it:

I kept feeling that I ought not to like this book, given that the most evil, crazy character is an environmentalist lesbian. But it's just the kind (or A kind) of book I like - historical with real people and politics mixed in. It is about the city of Buffalo, which was a big deal in 1900 because it boasted the country's first electricity plant (producing electricity from the water currents at Niagara Falls) and President Grover Cleveland. The narrator, a strong independent unmarried woman, i More...

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