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The Gargoyle Hunters
Hilarious and poignant, The Gargoyle Hunters is a love letter to a vanishing city, and a deeply emotional story of fathers and sons. Intimately portraying New York's elbow-jostling relationship with time, the novel solves the mystery of a brazen and seemingly impossible architectural heist: the theft of an entire historic Manhattan building that stunned the city and made the front page of The New York Times in 1974.
With both his family and his city fracturing, thirteen-year-old Griffin Watts is recruited into his estranged father's illicit and dangerous architectural salvage business. Small and nimble, Griffin is charged with stealing exuberantly expressive nineteenth-century architectural sculptures gargoyles right off the faces of unsung tenements and iconic skyscrapers all over town. As his father explains it, these gargoyles, carved and cast by immigrant artisans during the city's architectural glory days, are an endangered species in this era of sweeping urban renewal.
Desperate both to connect with his father and to raise cash to pay the mortgage on the brownstone where he lives with his mother and sister, Griffin is slow to recognize that his father s deepening obsession with preserving the architectural treasures of Beaux Arts New York is also a destructive force, imperiling Griffin's friendships, his relationship with his very first girlfriend, and even his life.
As his father grows increasingly possessive of both Griffin's mother and his scavenged touchstones of the lost city, Griffin must learn how to build himself into the person he wants to become and discover which parts of his life can be salvaged and which parts must be let go. Maybe loss, he reflects, is the only thing no one can ever take away from you.
Tender, funny, and achingly sad, The Gargoyle Hunters introduces an extraordinary new novelist.
With both his family and his city fracturing, thirteen-year-old Griffin Watts is recruited into his estranged father's illicit and dangerous architectural salvage business. Small and nimble, Griffin is charged with stealing exuberantly expressive nineteenth-century architectural sculptures gargoyles right off the faces of unsung tenements and iconic skyscrapers all over town. As his father explains it, these gargoyles, carved and cast by immigrant artisans during the city's architectural glory days, are an endangered species in this era of sweeping urban renewal.
Desperate both to connect with his father and to raise cash to pay the mortgage on the brownstone where he lives with his mother and sister, Griffin is slow to recognize that his father s deepening obsession with preserving the architectural treasures of Beaux Arts New York is also a destructive force, imperiling Griffin's friendships, his relationship with his very first girlfriend, and even his life.
As his father grows increasingly possessive of both Griffin's mother and his scavenged touchstones of the lost city, Griffin must learn how to build himself into the person he wants to become and discover which parts of his life can be salvaged and which parts must be let go. Maybe loss, he reflects, is the only thing no one can ever take away from you.
Tender, funny, and achingly sad, The Gargoyle Hunters introduces an extraordinary new novelist.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2017
71 people are currently reading
3431 people want to read
About the author
John Freeman Gill
2 books88 followersJOHN FREEMAN GILL is the author of THE GARGOYLE HUNTERS, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection described by The New York Times as "marvelously evocative … exuberant … eye-opening … [an] urban Indiana Jones-like escapade."
John is a native New Yorker and former reporter for the New York Times City section. His work has been anthologized in The New York Times Book of New York and More New York Stories: The Best of the City Section of The New York Times. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post Book World, The New York Observer, New York magazine, Premiere, Avenue, Guernica, Literary Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and elsewhere. A summa cum laude graduate of Yale University, where he won two prizes and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, he received an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. He lives in New York City with his wife, three children, and a smattering of gargoyles.
JOHN LOVES SPEAKING WITH BOOK GROUPS, WHETHER IN PERSON OR BY SKYPE.
John is a native New Yorker and former reporter for the New York Times City section. His work has been anthologized in The New York Times Book of New York and More New York Stories: The Best of the City Section of The New York Times. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post Book World, The New York Observer, New York magazine, Premiere, Avenue, Guernica, Literary Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and elsewhere. A summa cum laude graduate of Yale University, where he won two prizes and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, he received an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. He lives in New York City with his wife, three children, and a smattering of gargoyles.
JOHN LOVES SPEAKING WITH BOOK GROUPS, WHETHER IN PERSON OR BY SKYPE.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
March 26, 2018
NY history, architecture lesson, & coming of age all in one! the 13-year-old boy was a bit too mature for his age, but maybe if one has a hoarder dad of mega-proportions one wisens up sooner? The author does an amazing job of reading aloud the audiobook version!
July 1, 2017
I was drawn to this book because it contained subject matter I would normally be over the moon about--NYC, architecture salvage, a heist--throw in a quirky family and set it in the '70's and you’ve hooked me. And did I mention I’m fascinated by building ornamentation especially gargoyles? I know, it’s a weird affectation, but there you have it. Yet there wasn’t a pilaster in here that could save the experience. It’s a testament to how much I wanted to love this book that even though I could not engage for more than 40 pages at a time, I read it through to the end because I just felt that it would all come together and I would reach the final chapter and say, ‘ah, I see.’ Sadly I reached the end and only found the same dispassionate writing that permeated its pages.
Please don’t misunderstand, it is supremely well written, but it seems to lack a soul amidst its erudite phrases and maybe I was asking too much of this story. In terms of architectural details it excels and I learned some interesting bits. The author also hits the mark on the reminiscence meter with 70’s cultural references. What I did not find was an absorbing family tale or a meditation on the relationships between fathers and sons and tried as I might, I could not feel the emotion that prompted so many to call this a love letter to New York. I don’t know about you, but I like my love letters to have a mix of excitement with a good deal of passion and something that makes my heart go pitter patter.
I looked up the reviews that prompted me to pick this up and found that the author is a journalist who has spent his career translating technical matters for the lay reader and it makes sense why the writing felt a bit stiff even when he appeared to try his hand at humor. So I did get my ‘ah, I see’ moment after all.
This was a two-star experience bumped up to a three because I did learn a few things and I'm excited for my next New York visit. I apologize ahead of time if I bump into you, my eyes will be looking up at the architecture with a new appreciation for those gargoyles.
Please don’t misunderstand, it is supremely well written, but it seems to lack a soul amidst its erudite phrases and maybe I was asking too much of this story. In terms of architectural details it excels and I learned some interesting bits. The author also hits the mark on the reminiscence meter with 70’s cultural references. What I did not find was an absorbing family tale or a meditation on the relationships between fathers and sons and tried as I might, I could not feel the emotion that prompted so many to call this a love letter to New York. I don’t know about you, but I like my love letters to have a mix of excitement with a good deal of passion and something that makes my heart go pitter patter.
I looked up the reviews that prompted me to pick this up and found that the author is a journalist who has spent his career translating technical matters for the lay reader and it makes sense why the writing felt a bit stiff even when he appeared to try his hand at humor. So I did get my ‘ah, I see’ moment after all.
This was a two-star experience bumped up to a three because I did learn a few things and I'm excited for my next New York visit. I apologize ahead of time if I bump into you, my eyes will be looking up at the architecture with a new appreciation for those gargoyles.
March 13, 2017
I know, I know — we need another novel about New York City the way New York City needs another skyscraper. But clear a little patch of ground for this unabashedly charming story by John Freeman Gill. For years, Gill has been writing about architecture and real estate, and now, at an age when most successful journalists would be content just to keep their careers in good repair, he’s embarked on a wholesale rehab. The result is “The Gargoyle Hunters,” a debut novel that’s billed as another love letter to New York, but fortunately, it’s more like a collection of quirky postcards.
For Gill, the essential characteristic of Manhattan is its violent reinvention, a compulsive process of creative destruction that makes it such a “maddening, heartbreaking, self-cannibalizing” place. Native New Yorkers know their avenues. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
For Gill, the essential characteristic of Manhattan is its violent reinvention, a compulsive process of creative destruction that makes it such a “maddening, heartbreaking, self-cannibalizing” place. Native New Yorkers know their avenues. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
April 12, 2017
Solid 4.0 to 4.5 stars.
Incredible story about NYC architecture and landmarks saved and not saved in the name of "urban renewal" during the 1970s.
An incredible, bizarre, wonderful history of New York City's Nineteenth Century landmarks and one obsessed man, who wanted to save them all. I wanted to love this character for his love and knowledge of these amazing architectural feats of old NYC, some that I've actually seen as a child; but I also wanted to shake him for his neglect of his wife and children. He seemed, he did, care more about the pillars, gargoyles, and plaques, than his family. His quest was his obsession and he couldn't help himself. But oh what an adventure he takes us on, just the original Pennsylvania Station alone makes me long for the beauty of those buildings. Highly recommend.
Now have the book and very disappointed that there are no pictures as reference. I guess permission to use them might be costly but would add so much to the enjoyment.
Thank you to Netgalley and genius author, John Freeman Gill, who knows every nook and cranny of N.Y., past and present.
Incredible story about NYC architecture and landmarks saved and not saved in the name of "urban renewal" during the 1970s.
An incredible, bizarre, wonderful history of New York City's Nineteenth Century landmarks and one obsessed man, who wanted to save them all. I wanted to love this character for his love and knowledge of these amazing architectural feats of old NYC, some that I've actually seen as a child; but I also wanted to shake him for his neglect of his wife and children. He seemed, he did, care more about the pillars, gargoyles, and plaques, than his family. His quest was his obsession and he couldn't help himself. But oh what an adventure he takes us on, just the original Pennsylvania Station alone makes me long for the beauty of those buildings. Highly recommend.
Now have the book and very disappointed that there are no pictures as reference. I guess permission to use them might be costly but would add so much to the enjoyment.
Thank you to Netgalley and genius author, John Freeman Gill, who knows every nook and cranny of N.Y., past and present.
June 3, 2017
This book is a coming of age story told by a 13 year old boy who's father's obsession is the rescue of architectural details from the beautiful old buildings in Manhattan, as they are torn down and replaced by soulless office buildings and condos. The book is also an homage to those beautiful buildings and a nostalgic tour of Manhattan in the 1970s.
The coming of age story is pleasant but without emotional impact. The disappearance of people from the boy's life is of no more import than the closing of a favorite shop. I don't know that this book has much to offer unless you are nostalgic for the 1970s, live in Manhattan and/or are fascinated by architectural details. I've lived in Manhattan most of my life (and for most of that time in the protagonist's neighborhood) and even then I found the recitation of addresses and the names of buildings tedious. I guess I just don't share the author's obsessions.
The audiobook was narrated by the author. I think it would have been better if a professional narrator had been used.
The coming of age story is pleasant but without emotional impact. The disappearance of people from the boy's life is of no more import than the closing of a favorite shop. I don't know that this book has much to offer unless you are nostalgic for the 1970s, live in Manhattan and/or are fascinated by architectural details. I've lived in Manhattan most of my life (and for most of that time in the protagonist's neighborhood) and even then I found the recitation of addresses and the names of buildings tedious. I guess I just don't share the author's obsessions.
The audiobook was narrated by the author. I think it would have been better if a professional narrator had been used.
April 4, 2017
I listened to the audiobook from the library. This is a novel about NYC architecture and one man's twisted way of saving the past. His son, wanting to bond with his otherwise absent dad, is lured into dangerous escapades. The Gargoyle Hunters takes place in the 1970's, but I LOVE the modern-day ending. Recommended.
March 25, 2017
This is a Goodreads giveaway. This is a fascinating book about the changes in bulidings that have built in NYC. I have never been to New York before and I had no idea how much history in the buldings.
March 28, 2017
Back in the 1970s, I was a proud member of the Cast Iron Society of New York. I joined because the membership card had a magnet glued to the back. (Come on. Pretty cool, no?) You could toss the card at a building's facade, and if it stuck, yes! It was cast iron under all that paint. Anyone who walks around New York City with his head in the air as I do, admiring the wealth of architectural detail, will love this book. Having finished it, I'm happily doing the imaginary casting for the movie which I hope they make from it.
Read
April 14, 2017I really wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I love novels set in New York, and there are plenty to choose from. The architecture of the city is amazing, I have traveled there over 50 times on business and pleasure. I enjoyed the descriptions and the back stories of the immigrants who were true artisans.
The plot left me wanting a lot more. I am going to look for a non fiction book on the Gargoyles of New York.
2.5 stars
The plot left me wanting a lot more. I am going to look for a non fiction book on the Gargoyles of New York.
2.5 stars
December 16, 2017
I expected more from this, given its recommendation by NYT, and while the premise of salvaging the city's past was an interesting one, the fact that it took me over a fortnight to finish a book set in 1970s New York tells its own story...
March 5, 2017
I love this book and, full disclosure, also blurbed it, but if you want to read a wonderful story about New York and its building and a boy and his father, this is a wonderful book for you. Great coming of age story.
February 22, 2018
Couldn't have enjoyed this book more if I'd written it myself.
July 28, 2017
There are many different parenting styles: authoritative, permissive, authoritarian, etc. There are “helicopter” parents, “lawnmower” parents, and the classic, “washing machine on spin cycle” parents. Don’t forget the “agitated June Cleaver”, the “scary spider face” ones, and of course, the “glowing pineapple parents”. In John Freeman Gill’s novel, The Gargoyle Hunters, Griffin Watts’ father uses the peculiar method of dangling his son from New York City skyscrapers to loot decorative moldings, terra cotta angels, and gargoyles as his parenting methodology.
The Gargoyle Hunters is another one of those love letters to New York City in the seventies type of deals. Gosh, there is just so much to love about this big city, but the Big Apple is changing. The wrecking ball is tearing down gorgeous buildings and their architectural artwork (The Empire City’s history) is being laid to waste to put up uninspired homogenized replacements. Griffin’s dad, while understanding the city’s need to constantly reinvent itself, makes it his mission to liberate (many would say steal) these artifacts. He enlists his son who dearly longs for his father’s attention to assist in these nighttime pilfering raids.
Author Gill has a history of writing about architecture and real estate and this expertise certainly jumps out. But the novel really shines in the quirky characters and situations 13 year old Griffin experiences throughout the pages. The novel is frequently funny and sad and nostalgic. A working knowledge of the buildings in The City That Never Sleeps helps—I struggled to visualize the buildings in several scenes and the climatic (and real life theft) of a cast iron building facade didn’t pack as much oomph if was familiar with that type of structure.
The Gargoyle Hunters is an impressive debut novel with a well-told and moving story!
The Gargoyle Hunters is another one of those love letters to New York City in the seventies type of deals. Gosh, there is just so much to love about this big city, but the Big Apple is changing. The wrecking ball is tearing down gorgeous buildings and their architectural artwork (The Empire City’s history) is being laid to waste to put up uninspired homogenized replacements. Griffin’s dad, while understanding the city’s need to constantly reinvent itself, makes it his mission to liberate (many would say steal) these artifacts. He enlists his son who dearly longs for his father’s attention to assist in these nighttime pilfering raids.
Author Gill has a history of writing about architecture and real estate and this expertise certainly jumps out. But the novel really shines in the quirky characters and situations 13 year old Griffin experiences throughout the pages. The novel is frequently funny and sad and nostalgic. A working knowledge of the buildings in The City That Never Sleeps helps—I struggled to visualize the buildings in several scenes and the climatic (and real life theft) of a cast iron building facade didn’t pack as much oomph if was familiar with that type of structure.
The Gargoyle Hunters is an impressive debut novel with a well-told and moving story!
November 20, 2016
A Whole New World: "The Gargoyle Hunters" by John Freeman Gill
From the Militant Recommender Book Review Blog
http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/
Author John Freeman Gill's thrilling debut novel, The Gargoyle Hunters, takes you on an astonishing and breathtaking journey into a subculture of 1970s New York City that most of us never realized existed... the subculture of salvaging artifacts from buildings that were designed by architects and sculptors to withstand the ages. Buildings adorned with all manner of stone and terracotta gargoyles, sea nymphs, Gods, Goddesses, animals, plant life and odds and ends that Mr. Gill brings brilliantly to life.
The narrator of this story is 13 year old Griffin Watts, a native NYer, who loves the city and all it has to offer. He is the son of mostly estranged parents. His father, the artifact salvager -in-chief, is a man who loves lost New York and its relics maybe more than he does his son. His mother is a bohemian artist who takes in tenants, all male, and allows them to mostly freeload off her often at the expense of her children. Griffin and his older sister, Quigley, a theatre geek girl always off to the next audition, are mostly left to their own devices.
Although Griffin has friends, and a crush on a slightly older girl, he longs for his father's attention, and when his father finally focuses that attention on his only son... you begin to fear for Griffin's well being as he is swept into the life of the artifact salvagers and their obsessions that sometimes leads them to the tops of buildings and to secret worlds unseen by the unobservant passers-by.
Griffin, and his family and the amazing city of New York, its past, both recent and distant, are brought so vividly to life that this book really stays with you long after you've finished it. It is memorable and has the feel of a book you'll want to revisit every so often. This book won't be released until March but I wanted to help get the word out. A BIG thank you to Edelweiss for the DRC!
From the Militant Recommender Book Review Blog
http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/
Author John Freeman Gill's thrilling debut novel, The Gargoyle Hunters, takes you on an astonishing and breathtaking journey into a subculture of 1970s New York City that most of us never realized existed... the subculture of salvaging artifacts from buildings that were designed by architects and sculptors to withstand the ages. Buildings adorned with all manner of stone and terracotta gargoyles, sea nymphs, Gods, Goddesses, animals, plant life and odds and ends that Mr. Gill brings brilliantly to life.
The narrator of this story is 13 year old Griffin Watts, a native NYer, who loves the city and all it has to offer. He is the son of mostly estranged parents. His father, the artifact salvager -in-chief, is a man who loves lost New York and its relics maybe more than he does his son. His mother is a bohemian artist who takes in tenants, all male, and allows them to mostly freeload off her often at the expense of her children. Griffin and his older sister, Quigley, a theatre geek girl always off to the next audition, are mostly left to their own devices.
Although Griffin has friends, and a crush on a slightly older girl, he longs for his father's attention, and when his father finally focuses that attention on his only son... you begin to fear for Griffin's well being as he is swept into the life of the artifact salvagers and their obsessions that sometimes leads them to the tops of buildings and to secret worlds unseen by the unobservant passers-by.
Griffin, and his family and the amazing city of New York, its past, both recent and distant, are brought so vividly to life that this book really stays with you long after you've finished it. It is memorable and has the feel of a book you'll want to revisit every so often. This book won't be released until March but I wanted to help get the word out. A BIG thank you to Edelweiss for the DRC!
December 5, 2016
The Gargoyle Hunters is deeply moving, gorgeously written and fast-paced. It whisks you through the ever changing landscape of New York City in the 1970s, pausing just long enough on its architectural wonders for you to fall in love with them before you watch them disappear. The adolescent narrator, Griffin, is initiated into his father's nocturnal business of "rescuing" winged goddesses, lions and gargoyles from buildings on the verge of destruction. It is at once thrilling and terrifying to be bound up with a furiously driven father. Gill beautifully articulates the father-son dynamic in all its complexity, humor, grandeur and disappointment. He uses the metaphor of salvage in ways that are both poetic and totally exciting. His portrait of a wily kid growing up in a city that never stops changing is utterly winning and engaging. I have rarely cared about a character so much. Nor have I felt so invested, through that characters eyes, in a time and place. This story is truly striking. A fantastic book.
December 13, 2016
A coming of age story with an unusual twist. Thirteen-year-old New Yorker Griffin Watts has a dysfunctional family, a crush on an older girl, and a budding life of crime. His father, obsessed with "saving" architectural ornamentation from landmarks slated for demolition, recruits Griffin to break into buildings and scale rooftops to remove choice bits of stonework and terracotta, under sometimes hair-raising conditions. Despite his unusual nocturnal activities, Griffin is a fairly typical adolescent, smart, funny and occasionally obnoxious. If you're a city dweller who loves to look up, you will appreciate this love letter to urban beauty and decay.
(I received a copy of the ebook from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
(I received a copy of the ebook from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
February 4, 2018
The audiobook was narrated by the author, Gill. It is a fascinating (and hopefully completely true) account of this man’s childhood, and father’s obsession with His City, and it’s buildings.
While some parts of this novel may seemed to have dragged on, for some reviewers, sticking with it until the very end is worth it. (And while the ending was not surprising, it was rather sad).
3.5 stars, and recommended.
While some parts of this novel may seemed to have dragged on, for some reviewers, sticking with it until the very end is worth it. (And while the ending was not surprising, it was rather sad).
3.5 stars, and recommended.
December 10, 2016
Thanks to Edelweiss for this ARC.
This is a feat of a story. It's not often I get to read a boy's point of view from teenage to adult written in so honest and from the heart. A modern story all the way- this will start a fire in any book club or reading group!
This is a feat of a story. It's not often I get to read a boy's point of view from teenage to adult written in so honest and from the heart. A modern story all the way- this will start a fire in any book club or reading group!
September 21, 2016
Interesting coming of age story entwined with some history of NYC architecture.
March 29, 2017
Beautifully written. You'll want a phone with internet nearby to fully appreciate the buildings he describes. Google got a workout while I was reading this one.
January 7, 2023
The Gargoyle Hunters was like a cross between The Wonder Years and Scrappers with a history of New York architecture thrown in for good measure. The book takes place in 1974/1975 and is narrated by 13-year-old Griffin. Griffin’s parents are going through a divorce and his 15-year-old sister keeps coming up with hare-brained schemes to get their parents back together. Griffin’s dad is obsessed with the architecture of New York, especially the 19th century architectural details. He feels he is saving the past as he steals these architectural pieces. After all, the city has been razing these old buildings and he is saving history – at least that’s what he tells his son. Griffin – a typical 13-year-old boy – is more interested in trying the capture the attention of 14-year-old Dani, the coolest, prettiest girl in the 9th grade. The Gargoyle Hunters contains a ton of 70’s references to music, movies, books and tv and since I grew up during that era, I loved every one of them! As time goes on Griffin starts realizing that his dad isn’t just saving these architectural pieces, he is stealing them and frequently selling them to collectors or even worse selling them for scrap.
I’ve never been to New York, but I almost feel like I’ve been there – at least the 1970’s version of New York – after finishing this book. Just like Griffin’s dad, I love old architecture and mourn that so many beautiful buildings have been demolished in the name of progress. This was a funny, educational, interesting read and a great way to start off my reading in 2023.
I’ve never been to New York, but I almost feel like I’ve been there – at least the 1970’s version of New York – after finishing this book. Just like Griffin’s dad, I love old architecture and mourn that so many beautiful buildings have been demolished in the name of progress. This was a funny, educational, interesting read and a great way to start off my reading in 2023.
June 29, 2017
Full review at TheBibliophage.com
John Freeman Gill’s The Gargoyle Hunters is a paean to New York City architecture and bad parenting. It’s also a tender, hilarious coming of age story. Set in the 1970s, I did a lot of reminiscing as I read.
In brief, Griffin Watts becomes a teen as he tells us the story of his life at the time. His parents are “creative types” who are newly separated. Griffin is navigating the changes in himself, his family, and the city around him. The main parental character is his dad Nick, who has a seriously unhealthy obsession with architectural carvings. Griffin gets involved in his business because he wants to spend time with his dad.
Gill does a masterful job of describing the soon-to-be lost beauty of old New York. As one character says, “The only city worth saving is the city we have lost.” During the 70s the city went through a period of intense urban renewal, and Nick Watts is broken hearted about it. He also sees it as an opportunity to boldly pilfer (or as he says rescue) gargoyles, keystones, carvings, columns, etc. All of Gill’s descriptions make me want to take my camera and walk through the cities around me searching for beautiful oddities.
John Freeman Gill’s The Gargoyle Hunters is a paean to New York City architecture and bad parenting. It’s also a tender, hilarious coming of age story. Set in the 1970s, I did a lot of reminiscing as I read.
In brief, Griffin Watts becomes a teen as he tells us the story of his life at the time. His parents are “creative types” who are newly separated. Griffin is navigating the changes in himself, his family, and the city around him. The main parental character is his dad Nick, who has a seriously unhealthy obsession with architectural carvings. Griffin gets involved in his business because he wants to spend time with his dad.
Gill does a masterful job of describing the soon-to-be lost beauty of old New York. As one character says, “The only city worth saving is the city we have lost.” During the 70s the city went through a period of intense urban renewal, and Nick Watts is broken hearted about it. He also sees it as an opportunity to boldly pilfer (or as he says rescue) gargoyles, keystones, carvings, columns, etc. All of Gill’s descriptions make me want to take my camera and walk through the cities around me searching for beautiful oddities.
March 29, 2017
But that this weren't fiction: in the 1970's, a native New Yorker and his son, the narrator, make it their mission to surreptitiously rescue the iconic features of historical buildings which have been placed at risk by development. The absorbing tale is based on historical fact: many buildings with historical significance had their irreplaceable features destroyed by real estate moguls--one of whom has recently turned to politics--who couldn't take the time to save them.
Any New York native who remembers our city before it was mostly glass and steel will savor this book and wish they could join our (super)heroes.
Any New York native who remembers our city before it was mostly glass and steel will savor this book and wish they could join our (super)heroes.
March 28, 2017
I like to think of myself as someone who "looks up" when I am in a city like Philadelphia or New York, but now I see that I was missing so much, even so. I believe this book has shown me how to look with new eyes, and I can't wait to try them out. I was utterly fascinated by the author's story of what happened to the Bogardus Building. It sent me scurrying to the internet to read all about "the building that was stolen twice". I love it when a book does that.
March 20, 2017
If you think New York City is one that is always changing, this book is for you! A bonus for me was that it was written about a teenager during the 70's so a book that mentions Zoom-the Ubby Dubby language and all sorts of other 70's oddities made it fun just for that reason. I learned so much architectural history from reading this book and what a fascinating concept.
July 16, 2017
Magnificently original debut novel from architectural aficionado and New York native John Freeman Gill. An unorthodox upbringing only seems odd to those on the outside: you don’t adapt to such an upbringing-you survive it; sometimes you thrive in it. Thirteen year old Griffin Watts’ parents split a long time ago, so the emotional absence of Griffin’s mother and the real absence of Griffin’s father, broken by random and infrequent visits, isn’t weird or unusual to Griffin: it’s what he knows. But Griffin craves for the affection and approval of his father and, as the story unfolds, we learn he’s willing to go to almost any length to get it. His father’s lofty and respectable ambitions to save the quickly disappearing architectural gems of New York’s skyline during the heavy building re-entrenchment in the name of progress during the mid ’70’s had moved well into obsession long before Griffin entered the fray. As Griffin joins his father on weekly quests searching for the intangible, he’s drawn deeper and deeper into his father’s mysterious web of ill gotten architectural gain. With unrelenting prose and a wicked wit, Gill weaves a unique coming of age story that packs a heavy wallop. New York City circa 1974 becomes a living, breathing organism, as much a character as our teenage hero. Griffin’s self-deprecating manor is hard to resist, presenting a precocious nature I found myself rooting for early and often. “It’s temping to try to force the past to behave in the retelling, to make it lie down flat for once. But some memories, usually those involving my casual destructiveness, stand up like a cowlick.” Wry, tight, funny and unique: Griffin and John Freeman Gill at their best. I highly recommend this one.
April 13, 2017
This book turned out to be so much more than I originally thought. While on its surface it is a great story it becomes a touching coming-of-age story and serves to have the reader look to the past with an appreciation of what happened but also a hopefulness of what is to come. The backdrop of NYC and its repeated tear-down and build up and what is learned and lost along the way serves to guide Griffin into manhood while allowing us to be on the journey with him. With just a few characters and the backdrop of 1970's NYC, the author paints a wonderfully engaging portrait of a time gone by.
October 11, 2017
Loved how this book shows NYC that most people don't see unless they look UP. It gives lovely descriptions on the mostly hand carved statues that have been attached to the buildings over the years. This rich history is fascinating to read and made for a wonderful back drop for this book. The plot of the book seems very unlikely except with absent parents...which this kid has two of them. Told from the perspective of the son, but not a young adult novel. I really enjoyed this book, and again chose it for the title!!!!
January 28, 2018
I really wanted to like this more than I did. I tried. His writing almost seemed like he was trying too hard at times. Just because you know hundreds of erudite words, doesn't mean you have to sprinkle them throughout. I am not sure what I was expecting but it was not what the book ended up being. I do love Manhattan, and did learn quite a bit, which saved it for me.
October 27, 2018
I had such a hard time with this book. The prologue was gripping, emotional, beautifully written, mysterious. It seemed like a painting. The first paragraph introduces a lovely ode to New York. And then, we get mired down in details in a story that is hard and not particularly interesting to follow. I couldn't finish it. Which is a shame, because I think there is/was potential.
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