Historical Fiction set in NYC

Recent Reads

Photo by Adam Borkowski on Unsplash

I am currently working on a difficult article—difficult in the writing and the emotional tightrope. And since the vibe on Substack is, “Write! Publish! But, Write well!”, I want to give the subject some time to clarify before releasing it into the wild.

Meanwhile, this week I finished reading Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. Set in 1938 NYC, it traces the events and transformations that take place among a group of young people through the eyes of one main character. I hesitate to say more because it would not do to even hint at what unfolds. I’ll only say, read it if you haven’t yet done so. It is the rare book that I want to read a second time. It is also daunting to know this gem was Amor Towles’ debut novel. Many thanks to

Dale Mahfood

for the strong recommendation.

Prior to Rules of Civility, I finished The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, also set in NYC, this time beginning in 1899. I’d seen this Golem and Jinni floating around the book lists for years and had wanted to venture into historical magical realism, so I finally committed. As always, I dove in without reading back matter or reviews. I was surprised to find much of the story takes place in Little Syria with references made to locations in modern Syria and Lebanon that appear in my Work in Progress, although over twelve hundred years prior. With the book’s fascinating premise and its staying power in lists and starred reviews, I was surprised to find the first half somewhat of a slog. I kept wondering why I was not more in love with it. I’d wanted to love it. However, the second half builds to a marvelous crescendo and ends with full satisfaction. Its unusual characters, and creativity of plot, overcome the somewhat plodding beginning and make the experience well worth it.

These two books followed two others I’d recently read with significant scenes set in the Big Apple during the late 19th and early 20th centuries: West With Giraffes (Lynda Rutledge) and Carnegie’s Maid (Marie Benedict). (Both excellent). I’m not sure how I stumbled into a NYC cluster, it wasn’t planned and most of my reading is much longer ago and farther away, but New York is always fodder for story, whether in a novel or in real life. More on these at another time.

I’m excited to announce: last night I started reading a full-length historical novel that was released on Substack. I’ve dedicated an old iPad to use as a Substack reader for long-form fiction and it is working perfectly—partly because this writer set the book up so that it looks and functions like a typical ebook. There is no bouncing around, searching and clicking for the next chapter. (Well done! And one to study!)

I won’t disclose the book title until I’m finished because, if I were to DNF (Did Not Finish) the story, I would not want to cause any grief to the writer. I will say though, so far, so good! In fact, quite good! Hurray!

P.S.  News is that Tan Twan Eng’s third novel, The House of Doors, is to be released in October. This one is also set in Malaysia, as were his first two. It involves a fictionalized W. Somerset Maugham and a murder. Mr. Eng has me with “Penang” and so, I will look forward to it! See my prior comments on his first two here, here, and here.

Have you read any of the books listed above? Do you have a favorite historical novel set in NYC?