Though I expected a happy ending it felt like a very near miss in the middle & impossible for it to end well... was interesting to notice how distressful I found well-played skulduggery to be. Thankfully the author turned things around quickly and spared her reader more pain.
The description of the Hudson River area at the start of its heyday was a nice touch. I found it interesting for having visited the region, and can appreciate the natural beauty described here.