Scan barcode
defarge66's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
mhmissey's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent view into the dynamics of science during the Victorian era
ben_r's review against another edition
4.0
Make that 4.5 stars. This is a satisfying book of suspense and drama permeating the laboratories of the future of post Civil War Massachusetts. Ellen Swallow is special. Follow her to the end.
duparker's review against another edition
2.0
I need to give up on Matthew Pearl. I really enjoyed the Dante Club, and since then the books have been ones I love the idea of, but can't process. In this case the post Civil War era Boston is vivid and sensual (not in the erotic way), but the story itself is flat and really goes nowhere. It was a slog to get through the first third of the book, and then I was really worried that I didn't want to finish it. I kept expecting the slowness to creep back in. Overall it was good.
The ebook lead in was a much better read, and much more fun. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that wasn't by design.
The ebook lead in was a much better read, and much more fun. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that wasn't by design.
jjmclellan's review
2.0
Was expecting science fiction or steampunk, but it's actually a sort of fictionalized history of the origin of M.I.T. That would not normally be a big problem and might actually be interesting, but I didn't find any of the characters compelling and some of the events that occur in the book were impossible for the times or even for present day.
susie_books2brl's review against another edition
3.0
Whilel this book was slow to start, I found it an enjoyable read, with a satisfying ending.