An enthralling tale of Colonial life begins in 1661 when Lucas Turner, a barber surgeon, and his sister Sally, an apothecary, start their new life ...
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May 11, 2008
Erin
rated it: 
This is a well written novel. My only complaint is that the author builds interest in certain of the characters' lives and then drops them without notice, moving the reader forward by 50 years or so. Actually, that also was the very thing that caused me to feel somewhat melancholy. The reality that I'm going to age, and yikes, die, is a little bit painful. The reality that my little boy is going to grow up and have children of his own someday is a lot painful! But there is no (happy) altern
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Nov 24, 2008
Just started this but am really enjoying it so far. Susan recommended it. (Actually, it is her book.)
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Jan 16, 2009
Phoebe
rated it:
Beverly Swerling's first novel is an incredibly ambitious look at the pre-revolutionary history of New York. Swerling focuses on one family, but because her novel spans 150 years of history within that family it touches on a tremendous wealth of subject matter, from early surgery to conflicts with Native Americans to the status of Jews in the early colonies to the status of slaves to the revolutionary war itself. Unlike some authors penning historical fiction--Phillipa Gregory, for example--Swer
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Jan 25, 2010
Randi
rated it:
I'm a sucker for all NYC history -- and this was well worth it! Recommended by brilliant cousin Mindy, it's number one in a trilogy--it earns the moniker, "sweeping generational saga," as it takes us, via two strong, fascinating fictional families, through the settling of "New Amsterdam" in the 1600s through the Revolutionary War. Who knew NYC made a fortune on the backs of slavery?? Who knew about surgeries without pain killers, and beginnings of pharmacies? Who knew Delance
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 25, 2011
Kindra
rated it:
This was a hard one to rate. Nothing new to say really: didn't enjoy the constant sex scenes (if I was looking for a sexual novel, I'd go to the romance novel section of the bookstore and pay 10 cents), and didn't enjoy the explicit, graphic nature of the various violent activities that went on. I didn't really enjoy the way the plot/timeline jumped around so wildly, and agree with previous reviews that it made it more difficult to really care about, follow and invest in the characters. Nonethel
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Oct 05, 2009
Kathy
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City of Dreams has all the worst and the best of historical fiction. It goes on and on and on through several generations for nearly 600 pages with detailed descriptions of raw sexual practices and gross medical procedures, although in the latter case she seems to have gotten them anatomically correct. Well, probably in the former case as well. Some of her characters are forward-thinking 'way beyond their time and place, although most of them not too radically. However, I wasn't tempted to put t
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Nov 15, 2010
ChristinaRae
rated it:
I really liked this hostorical novel about New York during the colonial period. The characters were intriguing, the drama was satifying, there was a little romance, and a lot of gross-out medical facts. There were some fairly disturbing scenes of both botched and successful abortions; I am admittedly squeamish about such things. The only drawback is that this novel covers a family tree, so that no one character is given the treatment that I enjoy in novels such as Outlander (it seems while th
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Mar 23, 2009
Barbara
rated it: 
This was the first of Beverly Swerlings historical novels for me. Because it gives such good background about NYC - a very important part of my life - I gratefully took all of it in. Also the healing/surgeon/doctor lineage story. And the wildness of life on the frontier. The stories of the operations were rough but real. We are lucky is many ways to be alive in the US of A at this moment. I went on to Shadowbrook, very romantic and full of adventure as well as history I didn't know about i
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Oct 30, 2011
Frmaselli
rated it:
Riveting historical fiction that "goes down like M&Ms" to quote an old book friend. City of Dreams is the story of the growth of Nieuw Amsterdam later to become Manhattan and a colorful cast of characters. The book explores themes of immigration, religious differences, slavery and the medical profession and the early thinking of healing. The book sacrifices character development for lighting fast plot but it is so interesting that you forgive the author (although I can't give it fiv
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Nov 16, 2011
Lena
rated it: 
This was the first to come to mind as a book to which I could give the lowest possible rating. Frankly, I don't know why I finished it -- I suppose the fact that I did indicates that the writing itself isn't too bad. Still, it left me feeling dirty. I had been expecting an interesting glimpse into medical history in colonial America. What I found embodies the very definition of bodice-ripper. The author seems to glory in the lurid and the gory without regards to the necessity for the actual plot
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Jan 10, 2009
Michaela
rated it:
This was fascinating. I love historical fiction, and the fact that this book was about the early history of Manhattan and involved Irish immigrants was a perfect match for me. The descriptions of early surgery, while a bit gory at times, were equally fascinating. I was sorry to see some characters go as time advanced ahead, but not sorry enough to stop reading or dislike the book. If you enjoyed this, definitely look for the second book which follows the grandson of the main character and t
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Apr 30, 2010
Melissa
rated it: 
I really enjoyed the journey of the innovation of surgery and medicine in this book. As one who frequently uses essential oils, the apothecary descriptions and uses were of much interest to me. I wish greater cultivation of medicinal herbs was a more common domestic practice.
The descriptions of surgical procedures are not for the faint of heart nor mind as there is quite a bit of crass language used to describe what is going on during many of the surgeries. Also, there is quite a bit o More...
The descriptions of surgical procedures are not for the faint of heart nor mind as there is quite a bit of crass language used to describe what is going on during many of the surgeries. Also, there is quite a bit o More...
Aug 19, 2011
Linda
rated it:
The author explores slavery, medical science, the early American bordello, and politics of the Ameican Revolution in this engaging novel set in New York City, originally the Dutch city of Nieuw Amsterdam. Among interesting historical trivia, Beverly Swerling gives us the origin of the term "grog," first used in the 1740s. This is the term applied by British sailors to their watered-down rum rations administerd by Admiral Edward Vernon, a naval officer always identified by his heavy g
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Oct 01, 2009
Amy
rated it:
Epic historical novel. Spans many generations of one family and over a century in time, from the early Dutch colony in New York, to just after the American revolution. A fair amount of murder, intrigue, sex, and scandal. The historical backdrop is really detailed and interesting, with a lot of connection to major events and people in New York City history. However, since it quickly covers so many generations and sub stories, some of the characters and plot lines seem very flat and not developed.
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Jul 14, 2009
This book is about early New York (when it was New Amstedam) and early Manhatten. I enjoyed reading about the history of pre-Revolutionary and Revolutionary War NY. I knew some of the history but not a lot. It was also about early medical practice which was fascinating. There is a fair amount of violence in the book and it is a bit of a potboiler but it was worth reading. I understand it is part of a trilogy so one of these days I may get around to reading the other two books in the series
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Jan 08, 2012
Scott
rated it:
STORY = C+
WRITING = C-
While this is a a number of steps above a Harlequin Romance [although love is not of major importance herein] and many, many staircases above a nonsenseical NYC 'Romance' of four or so years back, "Gramercy Park", one *does* have the feeling that Swerling is well researched. In it's examinations of early NYC medicine and politics, is where the major reward lies.
Simon and Schuster would profit more by relegating these books to one of its im More...
WRITING = C-
While this is a a number of steps above a Harlequin Romance [although love is not of major importance herein] and many, many staircases above a nonsenseical NYC 'Romance' of four or so years back, "Gramercy Park", one *does* have the feeling that Swerling is well researched. In it's examinations of early NYC medicine and politics, is where the major reward lies.
Simon and Schuster would profit more by relegating these books to one of its im More...
Jun 21, 2010
Bryce
rated it:
City of Dreams takes readers through 130 years of the early history of New York City, following a few specific families through their generations as they fight, marry, grow apart and grow together.
Edward Rutherford has become the master of this particular storytelling conceit, often following families through many hundreds of years of history. He tends to focus on historical detail and accuracy, while Beverly Swerling is more interested in the dramatic and emotional interactions bet More...
Edward Rutherford has become the master of this particular storytelling conceit, often following families through many hundreds of years of history. He tends to focus on historical detail and accuracy, while Beverly Swerling is more interested in the dramatic and emotional interactions bet More...
Sep 22, 2010
Marie
rated it: 
Not my cup of tea. I was hoping from the back cover for a character-driven story of two siblings struggling to make it in the New World. What I got was a lurid "high points of history" look at Manhattan that rushed passed characterization for shock-factor, dumping our struggling siblings less than a quarter of the way through the book to follow their grandchildren instead!
And then the GRANDCHILDREN were skipped passed to focus on THEIR children. UGH.
Every gen More...
And then the GRANDCHILDREN were skipped passed to focus on THEIR children. UGH.
Every gen More...
Dec 30, 2010
Leah
rated it:
This book was a massive undertaking, but I think it was worth the effort. It was well written and historically accurate, but dear Lord, was it ever disturbing. The book is the story of Manhattan back in the day before America was a country, up until we became one. The book is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. It was horrifying. The medical procedures that were performed were described in horrific gory detail that made me want to barf on several occasions. There are also storie
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Sep 16, 2009
Alleluialu
rated it:
I read this book because I wanted to read an historical fiction and I've always liked American history. It was okay, but it had lots of sex and brutal killings and many vividly-detailed surgical procedures. The family it depicted was definitely woven in and out among the branches of its family tree. I did have a few favorite characters though: Roisin Campbell, Morgan Turner, and Andrew Turner. They were quite different from each other but true to themselves.
Aug 01, 2009
Lorraine
rated it:
Full of graphic scenes of surgery and sex, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I took it as a good representation of the founding of New York. I thought Swerling's story telling was very good, drawing the reader into the lives of her characters and the turmoil that surrounded them, but I did dislike the large jumps in time between sections of the book. I would have liked to experience the end of the characters lives rather than hearing about what had happened to them from t
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Sep 26, 2011
Sharon
rated it:
Really really liked this book. It is long, but is so fast paced and moves so quickly that I finished in just a few days. The characters are richly developed, and it was fascinating to see how much (and how little) the art of practicing medicine and apothecaries have changed through the years.
I found that I learned much about the history of that time period, and it was much more interesting than anything that I may learn from a history book itself.
I found that I learned much about the history of that time period, and it was much more interesting than anything that I may learn from a history book itself.
Aug 17, 2011
Susan
rated it:
This is a historical fiction novel about two feuding families living in early Manhattan. It started out promising: intriguing characters, detailed historical research, even some juicy sex scenes. But it spans over a century, and the author sacrifices meaningful character development by dropping plot lines and skipping ahead 30 or 40 years at a time. It's an interesting look at the evolution of medicine in early America, but the characters and plot lines are somewhat shallow.
May 26, 2009
Jeanene
rated it:
It was a little too disturbing for my tastes, at least in a non-horror genre book.
I also found the quick progression through several generations didn't work for me. It was like I read the beginnings to like 3 or 4 different novels, but the ending to only one. I felt cheated. For me I'd have rather seen a series than this giant novel of multiple stories that never get resolved in any satisfying way.
I also found the quick progression through several generations didn't work for me. It was like I read the beginnings to like 3 or 4 different novels, but the ending to only one. I felt cheated. For me I'd have rather seen a series than this giant novel of multiple stories that never get resolved in any satisfying way.
Nov 02, 2011
Cate
rated it:
This was a good read. I haven't read a lot of historical fiction set in America - well, not for a long time. This is set in New York, or New Amsterdam as it was known at the time. The story goes up to the American War of Independence and focuses on the Turner family. The story commences with Sally & Lucas migrating from Holland so Lucas can practise as a surgeon. The lead characters are those in the family who carry on the surgical & apothecary trades. The description of early surgery & me
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Oct 04, 2011
Shawn
rated it:
New York felt more like a painted backdrop in front of which a clan of doctors in colonial New York procreated, fought, procreated some more, fought some more, plotted (to further the plot), feuded (for unfathomable reasons), cut people open, vaccinated, procreated some more (graphically), and just plain acted like pieces of trash towards one another. The only line missing was "Which one of you bitches is my mother?" The pot boileth over, as did my patience.
Dec 31, 2008
Darla
rated it:
If you like historical fiction about early Manhattan, this is for you. The story follows a brother and sister as they find their fortunes in the new World. The brother is a barber/doctor and the sister is an herbalist. Worth the read for the history of Manhattan alone, but the writing and story makes it even better.
Aug 23, 2007
Jen
rated it:
I was really excited about finding this at the used book sale because I enjoyed The Island at the Center of the World so much and thought historical fiction set in the same time/place would be interesting. But I was disappointed.
The ratio of amputations:pages was far too high for me. I got to page 122 and then stopped to flip through and confirm my suspicion that if you open to any page, there's probably something gory on it.
Also, the chapters I read seemed too much like More...
The ratio of amputations:pages was far too high for me. I got to page 122 and then stopped to flip through and confirm my suspicion that if you open to any page, there's probably something gory on it.
Also, the chapters I read seemed too much like More...
Nov 26, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
I kind of gave up on this. I couldn't renew it from the library and had to return. I might try to finish it some day. I had trouble jumping to new characters every chapter. I've read books like that before so I know it can work, but I think Ms. Swerling didn't spend quite enough time developing each new character. The first section really drew me in, but I had trouble maintaining interest after that.
Nov 05, 2008
Misfit
rated it:
I am sorry, as much as I love historical fiction, and as much as I LOVED Shadowbrook: A Novel of Love, War, and the Birth of America, I could not get into this book. While I appreciate the amount of research the author did into medical history of this time and treatment of slaves, the gore factor is WAY OVER THE TOP. Page after page after page, compounded with unappealing characters who even if one started to care, disappeared into another generation.
I gave up after 200 pages. I giv More...
I gave up after 200 pages. I giv More...
