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146th out of 535 books
—
551 voters
Gods of Manhattan (Gods of Manhattan #1)
by
Scott Mebus
Look. What do you see? Sidewalks, skyscrapers, pigeons? But there?s more. More that only twelve-year-old Rory Hennessey can see. More that only Rory can reveal to others. So, look again. What do you see? Layered on our own New York is a spirit city inhabited by warrior cockroaches, malevolent subway trains, kung fu rodents, hungry gargoyles, and children made entirely of p...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
April 17th 2008
by Dutton Juvenile
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Fantasies for children that are set in New York take the surreal aspects of the city itself and extend them to their natural extremes. Luli Gray's, Falcon's Egg discussed the possibility of dragons in Central Park (and Nancy Springer's Dusssie did the same thing with Gorgons). Changeling by Delia Sherman covered a range of magical areas, from Broadway to the very sea. And Neal Shusterman's Everlost did some questionable, if original, things with the Twin Towers. The difference between these...more
This is another bells-and-whistle circus act that does not quite know how to become a deeply affecting art form. I had quite high hope for it. Now I'm moving on to other books! It also seems preachy, example: p.77 Environmental messages alert!
As I read, I definitely was reminded of a much more exciting book for adult called American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Of course, the authors are presenting different issues and for very different audiences, but just examining the sentence structure and imagery a...more
As I read, I definitely was reminded of a much more exciting book for adult called American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Of course, the authors are presenting different issues and for very different audiences, but just examining the sentence structure and imagery a...more
Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
Rory Hennessy is firmly rooted in reality. In some ways, far too much so for a thirteen-year-old boy, but that's sometimes what happens when it's just a boy, his mom, and his little sister. Regardless, Rory has always been able to see through and explain magic tricks. So in the interest of not spoiling his sister Bridget's ninth birthday party, Rory is avoiding the magician she insisted on having. The magician, however, is intent on Rory's particip...more
Rory Hennessy is firmly rooted in reality. In some ways, far too much so for a thirteen-year-old boy, but that's sometimes what happens when it's just a boy, his mom, and his little sister. Regardless, Rory has always been able to see through and explain magic tricks. So in the interest of not spoiling his sister Bridget's ninth birthday party, Rory is avoiding the magician she insisted on having. The magician, however, is intent on Rory's particip...more
An amazing and exciting read! I really like it! I am interested in Gods of Manhattan because it has elements of immortal gods in it. As you know, I really like books with some sort of mythology in them. Also with the historical figures and events, it makes this book even better. For the first 50 pages, I was very confused to what was going on however when it was all explained later on, I really enjoyed it. The pace also gets faster after the incident in the First City Bank. I can't turn the page...more
I liked this book & am glad to have read it once. That being said, while I enjoyed it when reading it, I had to push myself to pick it back up after a break. This is very unusual for me & I can't say why I felt this way, but ultimately, for me, it wasn't very compelling.
There are a lot of characters to keep up with in this book, which makes it confusing at first. I suggest just focusing on Rory & Bridget, the rat riding cockroach Fritz, and the members of the Rattle Watch. Just let t...more
There are a lot of characters to keep up with in this book, which makes it confusing at first. I suggest just focusing on Rory & Bridget, the rat riding cockroach Fritz, and the members of the Rattle Watch. Just let t...more
his one got rave reviews from Diane at Diane's Books so I picked it up. First thing I noticed -- it comes with a map of Manhattan island. I think that's usually a good sign of a fun fantasy story. 13-year-old Rory has lived in the Inwood section of Manhattan all his life. At his little sister's birthday party, a magician's trick opens his eyes to the world of Mannahatta, the spirit city that exists alongside the modern Manhattan. Mannahatta is ruled by the immortal Gods (people who were famous o...more
This might please some Percy Jackson fans. What they have in common: Lots of fast-paced action, tough dilemmas for boys who discover secret powers and the big responsibilities that come with them, mythical themes set in the modern world. Where they differ (in a good way): Gods of Manhattan creates a whole new pantheon of gods based on real historical figures from New York City and sets them in a creative version of the city, drawing on legends like giant albino alligators in the sewers. Where th...more
Rory is a Light, a person born with the unique ability to see the spirit world of Manahatta superimposed over New York City. That world is run by a council of past denizens of the area, from Hamilton Fish and Babe Ruth to Dorothy Parker and Walt Whitman--names that for the most part probably won't be familiar to the reader. Because of the powers Lights have, they are more often extinguished long before they reach Rory's age of thirteen. But Rory hadn't acknowledged his abilities, used them, unti...more
Well, this was an interesting read. It was about a boy named Rory, who was the "Light".
Lights were people who can see what was hidden truly in Manhattan. He didn't know what he was until he met Hex, a mysterious magician who told him. And after that went through this whole mission, there is a HUGE twist in the end...that was my favorite part:)
I like the characters and the brother-sister bonding, I thought Bridget (Rory's sis) was fun to read.:) And Rory was an interesting character:) I liked h...more
Lights were people who can see what was hidden truly in Manhattan. He didn't know what he was until he met Hex, a mysterious magician who told him. And after that went through this whole mission, there is a HUGE twist in the end...that was my favorite part:)
I like the characters and the brother-sister bonding, I thought Bridget (Rory's sis) was fun to read.:) And Rory was an interesting character:) I liked h...more
I think I bought this book because I had finished Harry Potter and Percy Jackson and wanted to enter another world of magic and the like, that took place in a variation of our world. Honestly, when I thought about it being about famous people who became gods after death, I kind of expected it to be a bit of fluff; a lot of comedy about who they had been in life. That's not what I got. In fact, this book was far deeper and darker than I expected. It was so much better than I expected. They didn't...more
An exciting new fantasy sure to delight readers age 10 and up. What if the famous figures in NYC history lived as Gods as long as they were remembered? Nobody sees them until one young boy does and finds himself trying to save his younger, feisty sister and NYC, too, from warring gods. Twists and turns of plot and interesting, sympathetic characters make this a real winner.
Love history, love Manhattan and love fantasy, but somehow these didn't come together for me with this book. Rory Hennessey is a 13 year old Light, that is, he can see the gods and other creatures of Manhattan that the rest of us can not. These gods are people that were important in the history of the city, such as Peter Stuyvestant and Aaron Burr. Many lesser gods clutter the plot, such as Margaret Corbin, Colonel Butterfield and Caesar Prince, people I don't think young kids had heard of, let...more
ok, so I'll out myself as an avid and unapologetic reader of ya books, though i might hide the book covers on the subway. I didn't have great expectations of this book when i found it on the shelf of a brooklyn house-sit but i like to read books about the places I am visiting while i am there, so I went for it. Blazed through it, it was pretty unremarkable, but not too offensive until the ending...when there was no ending! one of the things i really hate about the craze for 'series' books is tha...more
When a mysterious magician named Hex reveals Rory to the secret world of Mannahatta, he is stunned by what he is seeing. Rory can't believe what he is hearing when Hex tells him he is a “light.” Everyone in the world of Mannahatta is telling Rory he is so important. He has no idea what they are talking about until he has to save Lenape Indians that have been captured by they gods. Does Rory have enough strength to save the people?
For thirteen years Rory Hennessy's life has gone smoothly. When...more
This was enormous fun, and had some delicious ideas in it. The ending, however, irritated me beyond measure. Some of the characters did, too. I strongly suspect I will read the next installment, but I hope it is better, and just as much fun.
This book caught my eye in the library on the shelves near other series I've loved - Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, etc. It seemed like an interesting premise with myriad possibilities. Unfortunately, I don't have the patience to finish reading it. The whole notion of Rory needing to save the Native Americans trapped in another dimension in Central Park - it did not have the spark necessary to hook me. I wanted to want to read it, but no such luck. Without a character with a clear, passionate desi...more
I thought this book had an interesting premise, was pleased with the brisk pace, and really enjoyed the suspense that built up throughout the story. As a YA novel, I think it performs quite nicely. I actually wanted to score it as a 4 star novel... But I just can't. Perhaps my biggest gripe lies in the fact that the author peppers the story with all of these wonderful historical New Yorkers (the "Gods of Manhattan"), yet tells us absolutely nothing about them. Only the villian's backstory is som...more
This book was about a boy who is discovered by a private organization that is in charge of the gods in Manhattan. Each god has a special thing that they are gods of, and they are the sprits of famous people that were citizens of New York. This boy is 13, and has a special power that is calls him a Light. He can see things normal people can not. A man named Hex shows him this Indian tribe trapped in the heart of Central Park. There is only one way to free them. Do they even want to be freed after...more
I expected a read-alike to the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series by Riordan. The story did contain elements similar to the Percy Jackson series (and the Underland Chronicles by Collins): boy and sister find alternate world that no one else can see, leaders of alternate world expect the children to go on a quest to help them, animals and inanimate objects can speak, etc. However, the gods in this story are actually the spirits of real historical figures (Walt Whitman, Babe Ruth, Peter Stuvye...more
Thirteen year old Rory is a "Light" - one who can see the truth. Lights rarely last past age 3 or 4 as the Shadows usually get them by then. As a Light, Rory is sought after by various Gods and spirits in Mannahatta (the world that exists alongside/within Manhattan) for both good and evil purposes. The Gods of Manhattan are figures from its history - Peter Stuyvesant, John Jacob Astor, Hamilton Fish and hundreds of others who were important or loved enough to remain. Mebus's fantasy world of NYC...more
Mebus, S. (2008). Gods of Manhattan. New York: Puffin Books.
340 pages.
Appetizer: When thirteen-year-old Rory witnesses a magic trick at his little sister's ninth birthday party that can't be explained, he starts to realize that magic is real and that he has the special ability to see magic throughout New York City.
But when a sorcerer, the gods of the city (who are historical figures--Walt Whitman is the god of optimism!), the gods' children, the memory of the Munsee Native Americans who original...more
340 pages.
Appetizer: When thirteen-year-old Rory witnesses a magic trick at his little sister's ninth birthday party that can't be explained, he starts to realize that magic is real and that he has the special ability to see magic throughout New York City.
But when a sorcerer, the gods of the city (who are historical figures--Walt Whitman is the god of optimism!), the gods' children, the memory of the Munsee Native Americans who original...more
I liked this one, partly because it is very kooky. There are a million and one stories about a supernatural city that exists within (or sometimes underground, or sometimes side-by-side) with another city, usually London or New York, but this one is pretty unique. Rory witnesses an impossible magic trick one day at his sister's birthday party, and suddenly he sees crazy things everywhere, like a squirrel and a rat fighting kung fu (the squirrel wins, btw, but only because it has help); a cockroac...more
When an individual that has made a difference in NYC dies, he or she becomes a spirit in Mannahatta, a parallel world that the inhabitants of Manhattan cannot see. Some become gods, governed by a Mayor (Alexander Hamilton) and his Council of Twelve (including Dorothy Parker, Babe Ruth, and John Jacob Astor). The murder of one of these gods starts off the book, which coincides with Rory Hennessy’s sudden ability to see Mannahatta. Rory, it turns out, is a “Light,” someone who “can see the truth.”...more
Mebus, Scott. 2008. Gods of Manhattan.
The 'gods' in question in Scott Mebus' Gods of Manhattan are not Greek gods. Just so you know. They are men and women immortalized by legend and fame and success. The mayor of the gods, of Manhatta a world that is invisible to most mortals, is Alexander Hamilton. (All of the gods started out as mortals, but their fame, their success, their ingenuity made them be reborn as immortal gods in this spirit world residing side by side with modern Manhattan.) It's a...more
The 'gods' in question in Scott Mebus' Gods of Manhattan are not Greek gods. Just so you know. They are men and women immortalized by legend and fame and success. The mayor of the gods, of Manhatta a world that is invisible to most mortals, is Alexander Hamilton. (All of the gods started out as mortals, but their fame, their success, their ingenuity made them be reborn as immortal gods in this spirit world residing side by side with modern Manhattan.) It's a...more
This is a fun new series.I was a little confused in the beginning as the characters were being set up, as to what their role was going to be, but it all came together nicely. These books need to be read in order. The second installment is "Spirits in the Park".
Rory is boy who can truly see the world around him. They call him the light. Layered on our current New York City he can see a spirit city inhabited by warrior cockroaches, malevolent subway trains, kung fu rodents, hungry gargoyles, and...more
Rory is boy who can truly see the world around him. They call him the light. Layered on our current New York City he can see a spirit city inhabited by warrior cockroaches, malevolent subway trains, kung fu rodents, hungry gargoyles, and...more
I think this had some of the worst dialogue I have seen in a book. A nine year that speaks like a 40 year old from the 1920's, an assassin character that speaks like a poorly crafted 1920's gangster, and a multitude of characters that kids will have no knowledge of people the book. I couldn't finish, I just couldn't. I got about 1/2 way through then scanned the end to see if it got better....no dice. Oh yes, and global warming...is due to a tribe of NY Indian spirits being kept in Central Park a...more
I usually read books for older teens, but this one aimed at preteens and younger teens was an enjoyable fast-paced book filled with enough action, imaginative characters, impossible quests, and harrowing ending. Manhattan is not just a city, but an entity. Rory, a young teenage boy and his sister Bridget are extraordinary humans. He is a "Light" who can see past illusions and see the Mannahatta's spirits. I recommend this book to all ages.
I don't know how interesting this book is to people who don't live in New York, but I thought it was fantastic. Mebus perfectly captures some of what I find so amazing about New York, that sense of undiscovered magic and layers of the past all interacting in one huge, crazy city. Mebus does an great job of weaving in actual historical information with plenty of action, strong characters, and an intriguing world. Got to check out the sequel.
This book is really interesting to read because there are so many characters helping each other out and there are surprising twist to the story. For example, at the beginning Hex seems like a good magician trying to free the Munsee, a group of indian tribes that were locked inside Central Park by a magic spell a long time ago, and asking Rory for help. Later, when Rory did tried to help so he can have his ordinary life back, Hex betrayed him and his sister and ran off, leaving Rory, Toy and his...more
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“He brought the knife down. Helplessly, Nicholas watched it head for his chest, but before but before it got there, a hand flew out of nowhere to meet it. The knife passed through the hand like it was water, but the the hilt jammed into the palm, trapping it an inch before the knife point could pierce Nicholas's chest. Albert turned in confusion to see Simon standing there with the knife clear through his hand. He looked too amazed to feel the pain.
"Simon? But your useless," Albert said, shocked.
"I'm just as surprised as you are," Simon replied,”
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3 people liked it
"Simon? But your useless," Albert said, shocked.
"I'm just as surprised as you are," Simon replied,”
“Give me the knife!"
Simon held out his hand. Lincoln glanced over as he struggled with Albert. "Could you take it out of your hand first?" he said. Simon gritted his teeth and pulled the knife out.”
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3 people liked it
More quotes…
Simon held out his hand. Lincoln glanced over as he struggled with Albert. "Could you take it out of your hand first?" he said. Simon gritted his teeth and pulled the knife out.”
Apr 15, 2008 04:51am