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City of Light
It is 1901 and Buffalo, New York, stands at the center of the nation's attention as a place of immense wealth and sophistication. The massive hydroelectric power development at nearby Niagara Falls and the grand Pan-American Exposition promise to bring the Great Lakes "city of light" even more repute.
Against this rich historical backdrop lives Louisa Barrett, the attractive, articulate headmistress of the Macaulay School for Girls. Protected by its powerful all-male board, "Miss Barrett" is treated as an equal by the men who control the life of the city. Lulled by her unique relationship with these titans of business, Louisa feels secure in her position, until a mysterious death at the power plant triggers a sequence of events that forces her to return to a past she has struggled to conceal, and to question everything and everyone she holds dear.
Both observer and participant, Louisa Barrett guides the reader through the culture and conflicts of a time and place where immigrant factory workers and nature conservationists protest violently against industrialists, where presidents broker politics, where wealthy "Negroes" fight for recognition and equality, and where women struggle to thrive in a system that allows them little freedom.
Wrought with remarkable depth and intelligence, City of Light remains a work completely of its own era, and of ours as well. A stirring literary accomplishment, Lauren Belfer's first novel marks the debut of a fresh voice for the new millennium and heralds a major publishing event.
Against this rich historical backdrop lives Louisa Barrett, the attractive, articulate headmistress of the Macaulay School for Girls. Protected by its powerful all-male board, "Miss Barrett" is treated as an equal by the men who control the life of the city. Lulled by her unique relationship with these titans of business, Louisa feels secure in her position, until a mysterious death at the power plant triggers a sequence of events that forces her to return to a past she has struggled to conceal, and to question everything and everyone she holds dear.
Both observer and participant, Louisa Barrett guides the reader through the culture and conflicts of a time and place where immigrant factory workers and nature conservationists protest violently against industrialists, where presidents broker politics, where wealthy "Negroes" fight for recognition and equality, and where women struggle to thrive in a system that allows them little freedom.
Wrought with remarkable depth and intelligence, City of Light remains a work completely of its own era, and of ours as well. A stirring literary accomplishment, Lauren Belfer's first novel marks the debut of a fresh voice for the new millennium and heralds a major publishing event.
689 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 11, 1999
444 people are currently reading
3981 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Belfer
9 books480 followersLauren Belfer’s most recent novel is ASHTON HALL. Booklist called it "exquisitely illuminated." Fiona Davis said ASHTON HALL is “a brilliant, immersive story rich with intrigue and historical detail, and a stunning achievement.”
Lauren grew up in Buffalo, New York, and decided to become a writer when she was six years old. By the time she was in high school, her literary work was receiving rejection letters from all the best publications. Some of these letters included the initials of the person doing the rejecting, which she interpreted as encouragement. After graduating from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in Medieval Studies and Art History, she worked as a file clerk at an art gallery, a paralegal at a law firm, an assistant photo editor at a newspaper, a fact checker at magazines, and as a researcher and associate producer on documentary films. All the while, she was getting up early in the morning to write fiction. Her first published short story was rejected 42 times before it found an editor who loved it (this was before the days of self-publishing). Her second published story was rejected only 27 times.
Lauren’s debut novel, CITY OF LIGHT, was a New York Times bestseller, as well as a New York Times Notable Book.
Her second novel, A FIERCE RADIANCE, was named a Washington Post Best Novel, an NPR Best Mystery, and a New York Times Editors’ Choice. It was included in the Goodreads posting, "20 Moments that Changed History: A Reading List."
In a four-star review, USA Today said that Lauren's third novel, AND AFTER THE FIRE, “swells with life’s great themes — love and death, family and faith — and the insistent, dark music of loss.” AND AFTER THE FIRE received the inaugural Book Club Award of the National Jewish Book Awards.
Lauren has an M.F.A. from Columbia University, and she lives in New York City.
To learn more about Lauren and her work, please visit her website and follow her on social media:
LaurenBelfer.com
Facebook.com/AuthorLaurenBelfer
Twitter: @LaurenBelfer
Instagram: @LaurenBelfer1
Lauren grew up in Buffalo, New York, and decided to become a writer when she was six years old. By the time she was in high school, her literary work was receiving rejection letters from all the best publications. Some of these letters included the initials of the person doing the rejecting, which she interpreted as encouragement. After graduating from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in Medieval Studies and Art History, she worked as a file clerk at an art gallery, a paralegal at a law firm, an assistant photo editor at a newspaper, a fact checker at magazines, and as a researcher and associate producer on documentary films. All the while, she was getting up early in the morning to write fiction. Her first published short story was rejected 42 times before it found an editor who loved it (this was before the days of self-publishing). Her second published story was rejected only 27 times.
Lauren’s debut novel, CITY OF LIGHT, was a New York Times bestseller, as well as a New York Times Notable Book.
Her second novel, A FIERCE RADIANCE, was named a Washington Post Best Novel, an NPR Best Mystery, and a New York Times Editors’ Choice. It was included in the Goodreads posting, "20 Moments that Changed History: A Reading List."
In a four-star review, USA Today said that Lauren's third novel, AND AFTER THE FIRE, “swells with life’s great themes — love and death, family and faith — and the insistent, dark music of loss.” AND AFTER THE FIRE received the inaugural Book Club Award of the National Jewish Book Awards.
Lauren has an M.F.A. from Columbia University, and she lives in New York City.
To learn more about Lauren and her work, please visit her website and follow her on social media:
LaurenBelfer.com
Facebook.com/AuthorLaurenBelfer
Twitter: @LaurenBelfer
Instagram: @LaurenBelfer1
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 750 reviews
July 23, 2016
Boring. Slow. Depressing. Too long. Too many infodumps. Not even Rapey Grover Cleveland could inject any zip. And let's face it -- if Rapey Grover Cleveland isn't enough to get your story moving, you need to rethink your plot cycle. :P
In short: blatant bookclub fodder that's fully aware of its Literary Aspects, thereby ruining the enjoyment of reading.
2 stars for the occasional pretty turn-of-phrase. The story itself had potential, but it was squandered by the erudite flag-waving.
In short: blatant bookclub fodder that's fully aware of its Literary Aspects, thereby ruining the enjoyment of reading.
2 stars for the occasional pretty turn-of-phrase. The story itself had potential, but it was squandered by the erudite flag-waving.
May 17, 2013
This started so well. The distinctive unmarried heroine. Life in the high society of Buffalo. An all-girls school. Electricity, when it first arrived on the scene. Then the fluff took over...
July 28, 2013
City of Light
This is Lauren Lefler’s first novel, and it’s easy to see why it won so many plaudits. (I’m reading it because I was so impressed by her second novel.) Her protagonist, Louisa Barrett, is the headmistress of a school for girls in Buffalo, NY, in 1901. The city is on the verge of hosting the Pan-American Exposition (during which President McKinley is assassinated) and as the Niagra Falls hydroelectric plant expands the city will become even more prominent. In this dynamic context Louisa delicately balances her role in a society which has strict limits for women. She succeeds and is treated as an equal by the city’s power brokers. Gradually we learn of secrets in her past. And in the final pages we see how various threads of her life resolve.
Woven through this tale are several subplots: a struggle between preservationists and “progress” oriented businessmen, a muckraking journalist probing the levers of power, Louisa’s attractions to Tom Sinclair (director of the hydroelectric plant), how wealthy blacks “must” behave in the dominant culture, and mysterious deaths (the chief engineer at the power plant and his replacement) which may or may not be accidental. A key theme is how a core group of wealthy individuals manipulate economic and social developments in the city.
Lefler crafts her characters with great care, as they are seen through the eyes of Louisa, whether it is Tom Sinclair, the pretentious nouveau rich, the men of standing, or the minor characters.
In many ways, the city of Buffalo is also a character. Lefler’s novel shows how the strategically sited city was once a powerhouse destined for greatness. At a time when Detroit (a former powerhouse itself) has just declared bankruptcy, it is a poignant reminder of how changing technologies and population movements, among other things, alter the destiny of a city and its inhabitants.
This is Lauren Lefler’s first novel, and it’s easy to see why it won so many plaudits. (I’m reading it because I was so impressed by her second novel.) Her protagonist, Louisa Barrett, is the headmistress of a school for girls in Buffalo, NY, in 1901. The city is on the verge of hosting the Pan-American Exposition (during which President McKinley is assassinated) and as the Niagra Falls hydroelectric plant expands the city will become even more prominent. In this dynamic context Louisa delicately balances her role in a society which has strict limits for women. She succeeds and is treated as an equal by the city’s power brokers. Gradually we learn of secrets in her past. And in the final pages we see how various threads of her life resolve.
Woven through this tale are several subplots: a struggle between preservationists and “progress” oriented businessmen, a muckraking journalist probing the levers of power, Louisa’s attractions to Tom Sinclair (director of the hydroelectric plant), how wealthy blacks “must” behave in the dominant culture, and mysterious deaths (the chief engineer at the power plant and his replacement) which may or may not be accidental. A key theme is how a core group of wealthy individuals manipulate economic and social developments in the city.
Lefler crafts her characters with great care, as they are seen through the eyes of Louisa, whether it is Tom Sinclair, the pretentious nouveau rich, the men of standing, or the minor characters.
In many ways, the city of Buffalo is also a character. Lefler’s novel shows how the strategically sited city was once a powerhouse destined for greatness. At a time when Detroit (a former powerhouse itself) has just declared bankruptcy, it is a poignant reminder of how changing technologies and population movements, among other things, alter the destiny of a city and its inhabitants.
November 13, 2012
Meh. I really wanted to like this, but it was a struggle. First, history isn't so much inter-weaved as it is patched on. It's jarring to just have historical anecdotes thrown in like footnotes that don't know their place. Things like (not an actual example): We went to X park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1897. Ok, interesting, but not exactly a seamless addition to the narrative.
My second problem is that the whole thing was way too blunt and transparent. The narrator explains everything, holding the reader's hand throughout the story. Oh, you're doing this to be close to Grace? Right, I remember you mentioning that 10 pages ago and every single time something uncomfortable happens. Thanks for the update!
Third, I just didn't care about the characters. There just wasn't enough there to justify a 500 page book. The story could have been told in 200 pages, even with the historical asides. There were just too many words wasted on explaining the narrator's feelings about everything.
Still, it had its moments and I did enjoy learning more about Buffalo. I just wish there was a story in here that I cared about.
My second problem is that the whole thing was way too blunt and transparent. The narrator explains everything, holding the reader's hand throughout the story. Oh, you're doing this to be close to Grace? Right, I remember you mentioning that 10 pages ago and every single time something uncomfortable happens. Thanks for the update!
Third, I just didn't care about the characters. There just wasn't enough there to justify a 500 page book. The story could have been told in 200 pages, even with the historical asides. There were just too many words wasted on explaining the narrator's feelings about everything.
Still, it had its moments and I did enjoy learning more about Buffalo. I just wish there was a story in here that I cared about.
November 1, 2013
I love this book for two reasons; it takes place where I grew up in Buffalo, NY, and because I have a particular interest in this era. The detail and historical references of the city of Buffalo take me to the time when our city was bustling with richness and possibilities while preparing for the Pan-American Exhibition. I had to take a drive through it with a new vision and appreciation for buildings that we have seen thousands of times. I have lived here my entire life and never knew the history behind the architecture and many of our well known buildings, such as the Richardson Complex. The explicit detail in what people believed and how they managed to figure out a way to extract electricity for the very first time from the thundering water of Niagara Falls was fascinating!
August 1, 2019
1901: Buffalo city of New York state is experiencing extraordinary economic prosperity and civic optimism.
The lines of the Niagara Frontier Power Company “carry electricity from the Falls to light the city’s streetlamps and to operate its streetcars.” This magic, of turning water into light, makes the people of Buffalo very proud.
Louisa Barrett is a headmistress of the Macaulay School for Girls. Her Monday evening salon is a place where men and women can mingle as equals. And she is very proud of it. Now, at the salon, there is a talk of a world’s fair called the Pan American Exposition to be held in Buffalo.
Mysterious death happens at the power plant and right away Louisa suspects who is the killer.
What interested me into this story was the Buffalo city at its peak, which comes through in the story. But I didn’t care for the mysterious tone associated with the death at the power plant. Some descriptions were vivid and interesting; some were too wordy with stagnant dialogue.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
The lines of the Niagara Frontier Power Company “carry electricity from the Falls to light the city’s streetlamps and to operate its streetcars.” This magic, of turning water into light, makes the people of Buffalo very proud.
Louisa Barrett is a headmistress of the Macaulay School for Girls. Her Monday evening salon is a place where men and women can mingle as equals. And she is very proud of it. Now, at the salon, there is a talk of a world’s fair called the Pan American Exposition to be held in Buffalo.
Mysterious death happens at the power plant and right away Louisa suspects who is the killer.
What interested me into this story was the Buffalo city at its peak, which comes through in the story. But I didn’t care for the mysterious tone associated with the death at the power plant. Some descriptions were vivid and interesting; some were too wordy with stagnant dialogue.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
February 26, 2016
One of the only books I’ve read with a historical basis in American history outside of wartime, this novel opened a window to a realm of our history I had no knowledge of, and did it with such clarity and such empathetic characterization, it must be rated A+. Belfer’s portrait of the male community leaders and the incredible power they wielded over even highly independent women was most enlightening, though I suspect that’s one aspect of society that has changed less than I might imagine, at least in those upper reaches where real power exists.
June 21, 2016
Buffalo NY in 1901 is one of the most important cities in the US, if not the world. With it's numerous ports it is a gateway for shipping to the world. It's industry and electrified streets have made it a model city for the new century and many important people have made it their home.
The city is finishing plans to open the much anticipated Pan-American Exposition at which a new
hydroelectric power plant will be opened. The plant is causing much unrest in the city between power brokers supporting it and the conservationists who believe it is taking too much water from Niagra Falls. When one murder and then another mysterious death implicate any number of people involved with both the plant and the conservationists, they begin to worry not only about danger to the plant but to themselves and the secrets they are hiding.
Laura Barrett is Headmistress of Buffalo's most influential school and has many options open to her that most women of her time do not. She has remained in Buffalo because of secrets of her own, but she has no idea how many others know of them and how deeply it involves her in everything that is going on around her
Though overall I enjoyed this book in the end something just never completely clicked for me.
The history was interesting -- Buffalo NY Supercity- who knew?? -- but it remains a 3.5 star read
The city is finishing plans to open the much anticipated Pan-American Exposition at which a new
hydroelectric power plant will be opened. The plant is causing much unrest in the city between power brokers supporting it and the conservationists who believe it is taking too much water from Niagra Falls. When one murder and then another mysterious death implicate any number of people involved with both the plant and the conservationists, they begin to worry not only about danger to the plant but to themselves and the secrets they are hiding.
Laura Barrett is Headmistress of Buffalo's most influential school and has many options open to her that most women of her time do not. She has remained in Buffalo because of secrets of her own, but she has no idea how many others know of them and how deeply it involves her in everything that is going on around her
Though overall I enjoyed this book in the end something just never completely clicked for me.
The history was interesting -- Buffalo NY Supercity- who knew?? -- but it remains a 3.5 star read
April 12, 2011
Although this book is just shy of 500 pages, I read it in 3 days, and I also managed to grade stack of essays and read part of another book. I also made myself slow down to enjoy all the description and really try to soak in some of the history. I have always enjoyed historical fiction, but rarely do I pay much attention to the details of the place since I don't really KNOW the place personally. However, City of Light takes place at the turn of the last century when Buffalo hosted the Pan-American exhibition. The streets and places the characters go are places I know now, and many of them still bear the unmistakable brand of the era they were built in. This is historical fiction at its best when you realize truly the research that went into the book and the accuracy of many of the details and even some of the people. The behavior of many of the tycoons of that era seem in someway so believable to me. I can just imagine the behavior of Grover Cleveland just as described. I can imagine that Albright was as eccentric as depicted, and that Rumsey was the benevolent and arrogant father-figure. Now what I have figure out is if the Love estate is still there in part. I know the Albright mansion was torn down, but what of the Rumsey estate or the Love estate? Now I have a new "search" to add the next time I'm on Delaware Avenue.
The character of Louisa Barrett is one of the more three-dimensional characters in the book, and she is a very believable narrator. She tells the story about 10 years after the final events in the story take place, 10 years after the McKinley assassination. You never really know what is going to happen -- the suspense is kept, the surprises (with one exception) are not really foreshadowed, and even the more predictable surprise doesn't seem predictable until you look back a bit. Louisa seems sometimes wound a little too tight, but when I think about the times and the fact that she was in society without being married...well, then I think I understand the reason: survival.
One of the things that I think makes the book also a "pleasure" besides the story line and the narrator is the way I actually could get just as furious as she did at the arrogance of some of these tycoons. I could see the slums and the charity hospitals and compare them to the opulence of the rich, and I got angry. I understood why the unionists were striking for better wages and especially the better safety and working conditions. I am appalled at the expendability of working class men.
I got mad about the racism too! Mary Talbert was a real person, and having visited 1st Michigan Baptist Church just 6 months ago, I already know quite a bit about her -- a black woman fighting for justice in a very racist country. I loved the relationship that developed between Louisa and Mary, the true rockiness of it, and yet the gradual understanding the two had.
I could go on, but I want to save some for the book club discussion on this, and anything else would include spoilers.
The character of Louisa Barrett is one of the more three-dimensional characters in the book, and she is a very believable narrator. She tells the story about 10 years after the final events in the story take place, 10 years after the McKinley assassination. You never really know what is going to happen -- the suspense is kept, the surprises (with one exception) are not really foreshadowed, and even the more predictable surprise doesn't seem predictable until you look back a bit. Louisa seems sometimes wound a little too tight, but when I think about the times and the fact that she was in society without being married...well, then I think I understand the reason: survival.
One of the things that I think makes the book also a "pleasure" besides the story line and the narrator is the way I actually could get just as furious as she did at the arrogance of some of these tycoons. I could see the slums and the charity hospitals and compare them to the opulence of the rich, and I got angry. I understood why the unionists were striking for better wages and especially the better safety and working conditions. I am appalled at the expendability of working class men.
I got mad about the racism too! Mary Talbert was a real person, and having visited 1st Michigan Baptist Church just 6 months ago, I already know quite a bit about her -- a black woman fighting for justice in a very racist country. I loved the relationship that developed between Louisa and Mary, the true rockiness of it, and yet the gradual understanding the two had.
I could go on, but I want to save some for the book club discussion on this, and anything else would include spoilers.
February 27, 2023
I read City of Light for a book club. While historical fiction isn't really my thing, I did find the locale especially interesting, as I currently live in the neighborhood where this novel takes place. I drive on Forest Avenue, passing the Asylum and Forest Lawn Cemetery, as well as Delaware Park and Hoyt Lake every single day. I didn't have to imagine much to see where Louisa is walking, sledding or riding, as all the same homes and estates are right here, updated slightly but mostly unchanged. Unfortunately, this is where my enjoyment of the novel ends.
That said, I am thankful that I now better understand how difficult the effort was to use Niagara Falls to introduce electricity to Western NY, and how fearful people were of this "new" technology. My 123 year old house still uses gas for practically everything, and we are constantly having to remove old gas pipes in order to put in electric ceiling fans, electric appliances and such. Buffalo ran on gas, and in lots of ways, still does, which is kind of funny since the source of vast amounts of electricity is right here at the Falls.
This is a work of fiction, but it still felt so very contrived to me. Did you see the movie "Midnight in Paris"? Where the guy keeps running into all les années folles movers and shakers, like EVERY SINGLE ONE of them? This book is kind of like that, but most of the politicians and prominent Buffalo investors she encounters are rapey, misogynistic and condescending to our almost childlike heroine, Louisa. It was a different era, but I still got annoyed by almost every single male character.
That said, I am thankful that I now better understand how difficult the effort was to use Niagara Falls to introduce electricity to Western NY, and how fearful people were of this "new" technology. My 123 year old house still uses gas for practically everything, and we are constantly having to remove old gas pipes in order to put in electric ceiling fans, electric appliances and such. Buffalo ran on gas, and in lots of ways, still does, which is kind of funny since the source of vast amounts of electricity is right here at the Falls.
This is a work of fiction, but it still felt so very contrived to me. Did you see the movie "Midnight in Paris"? Where the guy keeps running into all les années folles movers and shakers, like EVERY SINGLE ONE of them? This book is kind of like that, but most of the politicians and prominent Buffalo investors she encounters are rapey, misogynistic and condescending to our almost childlike heroine, Louisa. It was a different era, but I still got annoyed by almost every single male character.
June 14, 2010
I've read well over half of this, so feel a little silly not finishing it off. I'm somewhat less than enchanted, though, so I'm going to be a quitter. The reviews on this were really good, but I had some problems with it. The dialog felt flat to me, and the main character felt as vague, fuzzy and uninteresting as the figure on the cover. And then there's the whole Grover-Cleveland-raped-me plotline. Now, I love when real people make appearances in fiction, and I'm not one to whine about the inaccuracies that are inevitable therein. I'm not reading a history text, it's fiction. I get it. HOWEVER. To make an ex-president--even one who did have some...ahem...personal issues--into a freaking RAPIST seems a little out of line to me.
The book this reminds me most of is Caleb Carr's "The Alienist." But while it does have some of the qualities that made that a great read (panoramic view of society, a well-developed period setting, an interesting mix of genres) it lacked--for me at least--that intense, gripping quality that Carr's book had. There's something that just feels tepid about this book to me, so I'm moving along.
The book this reminds me most of is Caleb Carr's "The Alienist." But while it does have some of the qualities that made that a great read (panoramic view of society, a well-developed period setting, an interesting mix of genres) it lacked--for me at least--that intense, gripping quality that Carr's book had. There's something that just feels tepid about this book to me, so I'm moving along.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2012
As a Buffalonian born in the late 1960's I loved this book. It made me feel like I was part of a thriving city on the verge of something greater. Unfortunately as most current Buffalonians know, the city hasn't yet hit those days of grandour again. But the book was very well written and the research took me on a quest. I found myself in the Ellicott Sqaure building, in front of the elevators looking at the swastikas embedded in the tiled floor. I had walked those floors many times but never noticed them until I read about it in this book. The research Lauren did in the book was awesome!I loved the book especially as a Buffalonian- I felt is was one of the greatest Buffalo Historical Fiction novels I have ever read. I bought several copies and sent them to friends and family members who have since moved away and they too loved how it took them back to days when things were looking bright for Buffalo.
September 16, 2007
I was loving this historical fiction novel at first - I felt it made Buffalo NY at the turn of the century - when it was known as "The City of Light" come alive and the author was sensitive to roles of race and gender at the timeframe (instead of glossing over that). The main character is independent and likable and I was learning history at the same time. Unfortunately, and maybe this was her trying to be true to the realities of an independent woman during that time frame, the story takes an incredulous turn into the protagoinist's past and the novel goes dark from that point on.
So I have fond memories of the beginning, but a bitter aftertaste associated with the last third of an otherwise lovely book.
So I have fond memories of the beginning, but a bitter aftertaste associated with the last third of an otherwise lovely book.
July 19, 2007
Really liked this book: a good story, compelling. Takes place in late 1890s to early 1900s, in Buffalo, NY. The backdrop is the Pan-American Exibition and city fathers/businessmen are readying the city, as this event will draw thousands, including politicians, and getting your city noticted never hurts. But that is just the backdrop (and, no it is not a murder story as in Devil in the White City, also featuring a world's fair, and the wonder of electricity). Louisa Barrett is the headmistress of a girls' school, and as such she is part of the inner circle of Buffalo, unlike most women in town,who are married and whose primary role is wife/helpmeet. However, Louisa is still a woman, and knows she needs to keep to a certain, limited role. Louisa has a secret. All of her actions are driven by it, and thus the story moves. It is always fascinating to me to read an author's first novel, and to see how well she portrays the attitudes of the time, the status of things, social, scientific, etc.
January 30, 2014
Loved this historical novel set in Buffalo at the turn of the 20th century. The author mentions real places, real buildings, etc. and weaves local history into a mystery. At the time there was a lot of wealth in the city, it was still a major port, the power plant was new, beautiful buildings were being built, they hosted the 1901 PanAmerican Exhibition, and during that, President McKinley was shot. Fascinating. Story really kept my interest all the way through. Written from the viewpoint of the a woman who is the headmistress of a girls' private school in the city (the real school, the Buffalo Seminary, still exists). Not great literature, but skillful, and simply a "good read."
June 21, 2014
I simply LOVED this book! I am a Buffalo girl and it was really fun to be able to find the house I was living in on the book jacket. I learned a lot about Buffalo history in a very interesting book! I loved how the author wove the fictional story completely into a real setting with real historical facts. I really felt the characters and the story unfolding! I also enjoyed reading about the amazing architecture, as well as the building of the first power plant! Excellent job! Would recommend to anyone, especially a Buffalonian!
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March 17, 2025"Gripping!" The cover shouts at me. "Suspenseful!" and my favorite: "Romantic!"
Well... I'm not sure if we're reading the same book or not because those are not words I'd use to describe this book. I got about halfway through before deciding DNF was the way to go.
"Meandering. Leisurely. Pleasant." Those are the words I'd use here. Those aren't bad words, and they aren't necessarily bad qualities in a book, either. But when you get a little over halfway and you're still not sure where the book is going, well... that's not a problem with the words you use to define the book. It's a problem with the book itself.
I tapped out when they went to the lecture arguing about using the Niagara to power the electric plant. At this point, I was tired of reading the same thing, over and over. And, of course, with a plot that's still hiding (over halfway through)... I mean, how is this mystery ever going to be solved if no one's trying to solve it? Are they just going to stumble over the killer, shrug, and go about their lives? And what's this romance about? Really? There's a building romance here? If so, get the man (or woman, although Louisa insists she's not "like that") on the page already!
Maybe it's because I just finished an action-packed trilogy while this sat and waited for me, but when I picked it up again, I decided it's not worth the investment for something that's merely okay.
DNF just over 50%.
Well... I'm not sure if we're reading the same book or not because those are not words I'd use to describe this book. I got about halfway through before deciding DNF was the way to go.
"Meandering. Leisurely. Pleasant." Those are the words I'd use here. Those aren't bad words, and they aren't necessarily bad qualities in a book, either. But when you get a little over halfway and you're still not sure where the book is going, well... that's not a problem with the words you use to define the book. It's a problem with the book itself.
I tapped out when they went to the lecture arguing about using the Niagara to power the electric plant. At this point, I was tired of reading the same thing, over and over. And, of course, with a plot that's still hiding (over halfway through)... I mean, how is this mystery ever going to be solved if no one's trying to solve it? Are they just going to stumble over the killer, shrug, and go about their lives? And what's this romance about? Really? There's a building romance here? If so, get the man (or woman, although Louisa insists she's not "like that") on the page already!
Maybe it's because I just finished an action-packed trilogy while this sat and waited for me, but when I picked it up again, I decided it's not worth the investment for something that's merely okay.
DNF just over 50%.
September 3, 2008
Great historical fiction and a marvelous story. Buffalo around the turn of the century became alive, and I now feel I must visit Niagra Falls. The Falls were depicted so that they were both very frightening and at the same time beautiful. The only complaint I have with the book is that I believe the child Grace, her characterization didn't ring true. Maybe simply I am wrong and times have changed - that children were more naive and unknowlegeable then. I just kind of think that children do understand just as much as we adults do. This didn't come through in the book. The book is more about how it was to live in Buffalo at this time, how this one particular mother felt about her child and how she dealt with what life threw at her. Buffalo, the World Exposition, Niagra Falls and the feel of the era were all very well described.
That she didn't explode when she realized how others had played with her life!!!!! That I find amazing.
That she didn't explode when she realized how others had played with her life!!!!! That I find amazing.
August 5, 2009
This is a well written historical fiction set in the late 1800's, early 1900s. The power station at Niagara Falls is being constructed and at the same time the Pan-American Exposition is occuring. President McKinley is assassinated towards the end of the book. The 'City of Light' is Buffalo where electricity is being brought into the buildings and homes to replace gas lamps and release the city of the pall of darkness the gas clouds leave hanging over it. Automobiles are a rare occurence but will be replacing the horse drawn carriage soon.
Loiusa Barrett is headmistress of Buffalo's most prestigious school, the Macaulay School for girls. She grew up with a father who was a geologist and took his daughter on his field trips, so she was accustomed to communicating as an equal with all sorts of individuals, of every class and rank and gender. She brought an attitude and foresight of women's ability to do anything and accomplish more than parlor games with her to the position she held. Her goal for her girls was to teach them to advance beyond the strictures of the time and not allow those strictures to hold their dreams in check. She expanded the curriculum to include the necessary courses to give them a well-rounded view of the world from the confines of a safe girls' school and was successful as the graduates went on to become doctors and involved in other helping professions.
Her life revolved around a secret she had no idea was so well known. She had met President Cleveland in total innocence, bore a child as a result of his lecherous assignation. She was unaware that the men in power of Buffalo had earmarked her as the girl they wanted the President to dally with and when she was in need of a secret confinement, helped 'look the other way' for her so she could secretly orchestrate it. For ten years she played the role of godmother to the child she bore, both adoptive parents unaware of her true involvement in the life of the child she brought to them. The father was the developer and builder of the Niagara Falls power station and as his dreams grew to encompass the idea of creating electricity for the people, his investors who were the men in power of Buffalo, started plotting against him and using Louisa and her secret. The events that unfold are heartbreaking, yet satisfying.
Loiusa Barrett is headmistress of Buffalo's most prestigious school, the Macaulay School for girls. She grew up with a father who was a geologist and took his daughter on his field trips, so she was accustomed to communicating as an equal with all sorts of individuals, of every class and rank and gender. She brought an attitude and foresight of women's ability to do anything and accomplish more than parlor games with her to the position she held. Her goal for her girls was to teach them to advance beyond the strictures of the time and not allow those strictures to hold their dreams in check. She expanded the curriculum to include the necessary courses to give them a well-rounded view of the world from the confines of a safe girls' school and was successful as the graduates went on to become doctors and involved in other helping professions.
Her life revolved around a secret she had no idea was so well known. She had met President Cleveland in total innocence, bore a child as a result of his lecherous assignation. She was unaware that the men in power of Buffalo had earmarked her as the girl they wanted the President to dally with and when she was in need of a secret confinement, helped 'look the other way' for her so she could secretly orchestrate it. For ten years she played the role of godmother to the child she bore, both adoptive parents unaware of her true involvement in the life of the child she brought to them. The father was the developer and builder of the Niagara Falls power station and as his dreams grew to encompass the idea of creating electricity for the people, his investors who were the men in power of Buffalo, started plotting against him and using Louisa and her secret. The events that unfold are heartbreaking, yet satisfying.
October 17, 2010
I applaud anyone who wants to bring the rich history of western New York to the world through writing or art. The novel includes much information and research and provides a good "feel" for Buffalo at the turn of the century and what was at stake for the landscape and the people. That said, the main character was inconsistent and unbelievable, and the plot veered over the falls about a third of the way through. I enjoyed several of the strands of story, and was hooked enough to find out what happens (a good thing!) but I refused to be weighed down by the overly wrought story and for the final third of the novel, became a 7th grader reading the first lines of every other paragraph. Just pruning this novel would have made it stronger.
August 27, 2014
This book was easily 50% longer than it needed to be, and disappointing all around. At several points I asked myself why I was still reading it, but I was hoping that it would end well. However, the book was not worth reading. The most interesting things were descriptions of Niagara Falls and of Buffalo at the turn of the 20th century, including the controversy over the use of power plants in the electrical age.
SPOILER:
However, I have major issues with indicating that a non-fiction major public figure sexually assaulted a character in the book, in addition to the fact that the leaders of the town would manipulate the life of the protagonist to the degree explained in the book.
SPOILER:
However, I have major issues with indicating that a non-fiction major public figure sexually assaulted a character in the book, in addition to the fact that the leaders of the town would manipulate the life of the protagonist to the degree explained in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2022
A review on the back of my copy says "a straight through, sleepless read." My copy is 687 pages. I thought they were crazy but I read almost 600 pages straight through on an international flight. A few parts were a little far out or repetitive (re: her love for Grace), but I thoroughly enjoyed it for what it was.
July 4, 2022
4.75 One of the best historical fiction books I have ever read! I can’t believe I didn’t know so much of the history of the place that I live! I would highly recommend if you enjoy a well written historical plot, fascinating characters, mystery, and some intense political tensions.
December 7, 2015
Other than being set in Buffalo, this book was largely a disaster.
August 16, 2023
To me this was a near-perfect work of historical fiction. It was character-driven and dynamic, weaved through with history and beautiful descriptions of the setting. It managed to touch on so many intersections of life in the early 1900s in Buffalo, including how one’s life outcomes are affected (if not determined) by class, gender, race, and ethnicity. The elements of romance and mystery added to the overall intrigue of the story and kept me reading when things got a little slow. The descriptions of and commentary on the ethics of industrialization and the question of who should have ownership over resources like water and electricity were fascinating, not to mention the sobering details of work conditions in this time period. I’m glad I picked this up in the thrift store a few years ago.
January 26, 2016
Lauren Belfer immerses the reader in the turn of the century city of Buffalo. It is an exciting time where change and industrialization is worshiped. It is a time for women as well as men. Their position in society is changing. they are becoming increasingly educated and able to impact through social change. It is a time to come to America and walk the streets of gold. Immigrants from eastern Europe flock to this country and cause upheavals of their own. It is the time for the worker. Industries are targeted by labor unions and strikes are common.
In Buffalo it is a great time to make a buck. The power plant at nearby Niagara Falls is being built. Opportunities abound for new business and industry. Buffalo displays all the strife that accompanied the social change of the Progressive era. Lauren Belfer has done a tremendous amount of research about the time and place. She is able to bring this society to life in her book and takes a close look at the movers and shakers of the time. Caught in the middle of it all and desperately trying to make her way and not upset the apple cart is the narrator and heroine, headmistress Louisa Barrett.
Louisa Barrett wants to do the right thing and feels strongly that she is helping to shape a generation of young women into the profound thinkers of the future. In reality Louisa is frozen with fear of the effect of action. In many ways she is a puppet on a string.
The story is part mystery, part romance, part psychological study and part historical time piece. In it written with tons of detail about the time and place. If the reader appreciates this most likely this is a book for you. If other elements are more appealing the book may be found wanting.
In Buffalo it is a great time to make a buck. The power plant at nearby Niagara Falls is being built. Opportunities abound for new business and industry. Buffalo displays all the strife that accompanied the social change of the Progressive era. Lauren Belfer has done a tremendous amount of research about the time and place. She is able to bring this society to life in her book and takes a close look at the movers and shakers of the time. Caught in the middle of it all and desperately trying to make her way and not upset the apple cart is the narrator and heroine, headmistress Louisa Barrett.
Louisa Barrett wants to do the right thing and feels strongly that she is helping to shape a generation of young women into the profound thinkers of the future. In reality Louisa is frozen with fear of the effect of action. In many ways she is a puppet on a string.
The story is part mystery, part romance, part psychological study and part historical time piece. In it written with tons of detail about the time and place. If the reader appreciates this most likely this is a book for you. If other elements are more appealing the book may be found wanting.
January 21, 2014
Cover blurbs are too intense- I did not think the mystery was particularly gripping. The book is full of Louisa explaining the etiquette and subtext of upper class society at the turn of the century, which is really helpful for understanding, but can get to be a little much. Also, since I (kind of) know Buffalo, I spent half the book just trying to orient myself in the city as Louisa wandered around making house calls. I did enjoy learning about the electrical development and the Pan- Am exposition, both things I did not know much about.
My real problem with the book was that I did not find it particularly suspenseful or gripping. Basically, Louisa came off as kind of nuts. All that explaining and examining and constantly keeping everyone at arms length to hide her secret- I kept thinking "this woman must be exhausted!" Never being able to get anything off her mind or unburden herself to anyone- no wonder she is suspicious of every single interaction she has with another person.
My real problem with the book was that I did not find it particularly suspenseful or gripping. Basically, Louisa came off as kind of nuts. All that explaining and examining and constantly keeping everyone at arms length to hide her secret- I kept thinking "this woman must be exhausted!" Never being able to get anything off her mind or unburden herself to anyone- no wonder she is suspicious of every single interaction she has with another person.
June 18, 2022
I loved this book way more than I expected to, and I can't believe it has so many lackluster reviews here. I think the disappointment might be because it doesn't hold up as a mystery novel, but in my opinion it was never intended to be one, no matter what the marketers think. Instead, it's a great piece of literary writing, equally full of tantalizing historical detail (who even knew there was a World's Fair in Buffalo?) and exquisitely lyrical passages. Louisa Barrett, the narrator, was a comforting voice in my head for the last three weeks, and I will be very sad to see her go.
(One quibble: the hardcover U.S. edition, the one that I read, has possibly the worst cover for a book called "City of Light" that I could imagine. True, it features a time-period appropriate photograph of Niagara Falls, but the contrast is so slight that the impression is of a solid charcoal-grey background. If you come across this edition at your local library, please don't let that put you off!)
(One quibble: the hardcover U.S. edition, the one that I read, has possibly the worst cover for a book called "City of Light" that I could imagine. True, it features a time-period appropriate photograph of Niagara Falls, but the contrast is so slight that the impression is of a solid charcoal-grey background. If you come across this edition at your local library, please don't let that put you off!)
May 14, 2012
The main character and her story line are fiction, but the places, events and people are actually based on historical occurances that happened in Buffalo, NY, which is my home town.
Set in the Pan-Am era (early 1900s), Buffalo was once one of the country's richest cities, due to the Erie Canal and Niagara Falls. It was interesting reading about familiar places, buildings and streets, which are all a part of the Queen City's fascinating history. I would love to have been able to see Buffalo in it's prime glory, but if you take a ride down Delaware Avenue and the surrounding area today, you can still see the grand mansions that the city's wealthiest and most famous once lived in.
This book starts out a little slow, but has a good twist toward the end. This was a very enjoyable read.
Set in the Pan-Am era (early 1900s), Buffalo was once one of the country's richest cities, due to the Erie Canal and Niagara Falls. It was interesting reading about familiar places, buildings and streets, which are all a part of the Queen City's fascinating history. I would love to have been able to see Buffalo in it's prime glory, but if you take a ride down Delaware Avenue and the surrounding area today, you can still see the grand mansions that the city's wealthiest and most famous once lived in.
This book starts out a little slow, but has a good twist toward the end. This was a very enjoyable read.
August 23, 2016
A complex historical thriller set at the turn of the twentieth century, when the first power stations were being established at Niagara Falls. It was a time of great hope (with promises to roll back the darkness and let poor children read by electric light) and great conflict, between unionists, black people, and nature 'preservationists' against the powerful new industrialists. It's all told from the perspective of the spinster head teacher of the local girl's school, who bears a major secret of her own that commits her to engaging with the dark and dramatic events. Recommended.
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