What do you think?
Rate this book
The City Beautiful
Chicago, 1893. For Alter Rosen, this is the land of opportunity, and he dreams of the day he’ll have enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America, freeing them from the oppression they face in his native Romania.
But when Alter’s best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World’s Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows.
Now, with only days to spare until the dybbuk takes over Alter’s body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer—before the killer claims them next.
Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together.
But when Alter’s best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World’s Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows.
Now, with only days to spare until the dybbuk takes over Alter’s body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer—before the killer claims them next.
Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
160 people are currently reading
17225 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews
October 16, 2021
wow. okay. totally was not expecting this to be as good as it is.
but the combination of jewish mythology, murder mystery, and chicagos 1893 worlds fair is a real winner. i can think of maybe three other books ive read that have jewish main characters that arent set during WWII, so its nice to be able to add to that list.
i really enjoyed alter as a character and connected with him right away. while the struggles he faces as a young jewish immigrant are something i will never experience, his devotion to his friends and family is wholly relatable.
and although family and friendship are important themes, i would be remiss if i didnt mention how dark this story is. theres a lot of heavy and potentially triggering content, but i thought it suited the book. it feels authentic to the time period and makes alters hardships feel genuine.
so glad i picked this one up!
↠ 4.5 stars
but the combination of jewish mythology, murder mystery, and chicagos 1893 worlds fair is a real winner. i can think of maybe three other books ive read that have jewish main characters that arent set during WWII, so its nice to be able to add to that list.
i really enjoyed alter as a character and connected with him right away. while the struggles he faces as a young jewish immigrant are something i will never experience, his devotion to his friends and family is wholly relatable.
and although family and friendship are important themes, i would be remiss if i didnt mention how dark this story is. theres a lot of heavy and potentially triggering content, but i thought it suited the book. it feels authentic to the time period and makes alters hardships feel genuine.
so glad i picked this one up!
↠ 4.5 stars
October 13, 2021
ok first off check trigger warnings there's mention of rape, homophobia, anti semitism, gore, blood i think i covered the main ones.
i fucking loved this book. it literally has a chokehold on me. it is the perfect book for spooky season. i was shivering in my timbers ngl. it was kind slow at times and a bit hard to get into but once you give it a chance you wont be able to put it down. i was gasping for air towards the end
October 10, 2023
Real Rating: 4.5* of five, rounded down because I'm still testy about YA reads
FINALIST FOR THE 34th LAMMY AWARD—BEST LGBTQ YA FICTION! Winners announced 11 June 2022.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: I think there's nothing more delightful to me than queer representation in historical fiction. We were there, too, and deserve to be written into the zeitgeist.
This is Young Adult queer representation in the 19th century, and in my ongoing quest not to die above the neck before I do below it, I got the DRC. I'm really very glad that I did...this read was a great pleasure to me. The use of Jewish folk cultural touchstones...matchmakers, dybbuks being the most horrifying...the sprinkings of Yiddish, the focus...fierce focus...on family and loyalty, were all tastes of delight for this reader. The author doesn't spend inordinate time explaining things but he does provide context and some factual stuff for the more, um, ethnocentric stuff.
It is a sheer joy to see the story being set away from a) World War II, b) New York's Lower East Side, or c) the shtetl somewhere in Eastern Europe. The Jewish population of Chicago has never been teensy...the Great Lakes ports were as much a destination as New York, but they get less play. I'm also, since I read The Devil in the White City and read The Man Who Made Parks: The Story of Parkbuilder Frederick Law Olmsted by Frieda Wishinsky to my oldest grandson, a big aficionado of the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition (aka "the White City") in Chicago. That venue plays quite a role in this murder mystery, though exactly how and why shall remain a secret lest I be set upon by spoilerphobes next time I go grocery shopping.
What I will say is that the squeamish should not pick the book up. There are graphic moments of bloodyness, there are awful physical violences, and of course the element of supernatural possession can't be left out. There are more 21st-century concerns like homophobia and anti-semitism (this last pervades the end of the book to a sometimes uncomfortable degree), but this is Spooktober! A few scares, some terrible spooky goins-on, that is what this month is for! Be prepared, also, for the politics of the book. It's solidly anti-capitalist, despite MC Alter's determination to earn earn earn so he can bring his mother and sisters to the Promised Land...Chicago! imagine...because that's really situational not aspirational capitalism. And Alter's failed match-cum-bestie, young Raizel from downstairs in his apartment building, is there to keep him from falling *too* deep into capitalism's cess pit. (She is, in fact, one of the book's most delightful characters, propensity to splash tea onto laps notwithstanding.)
Putting on my YA-unlover's hat, the usual prolixity...why say in ten words what can make an entire chapter?...is fully present, the stakes are APOCALYPTIC ZOMG THE UNIVERSE WILL END!! and that gets really tiring to an old fart like me who knows that, after I and you and the author are all dead the planet will keep spinning on. Probably all the better for our absence.
But that is an elderly person speaking, the audience that's here for YA is going to *eat*this*up* because every one of the elements are handled with aplomb and without the edge of tweeness I've reacted to in other YA books like they're coated in cat dander. I don't at all recommend giving this to a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old. The realities of sexual abuse aren't in any way soft-pedaled. The realities of sexual desire, that it doesn't obey rules or orders, are best left to the older end of the YA spectrum, which I think of as sixteen and up. I know y'all know y'all's kids better than I do, so understand I'm speaking in generalities and not prescribing anything.
The mystery aspect of the story, the resolution to the murders and disappearances of Jewish boys, is very well-handled and was solidly made in serious mystery form. If you're up for it, match wits with the author; if you're not, read the spooky book or the coming-out (sort of!) book or the immigrant-makes-it book. They're all here.
I think my point should be clear: Read The City Beautiful. It will please at least 80% of the folks who read my reviews.
FINALIST FOR THE 34th LAMMY AWARD—BEST LGBTQ YA FICTION! Winners announced 11 June 2022.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: I think there's nothing more delightful to me than queer representation in historical fiction. We were there, too, and deserve to be written into the zeitgeist.
This is Young Adult queer representation in the 19th century, and in my ongoing quest not to die above the neck before I do below it, I got the DRC. I'm really very glad that I did...this read was a great pleasure to me. The use of Jewish folk cultural touchstones...matchmakers, dybbuks being the most horrifying...the sprinkings of Yiddish, the focus...fierce focus...on family and loyalty, were all tastes of delight for this reader. The author doesn't spend inordinate time explaining things but he does provide context and some factual stuff for the more, um, ethnocentric stuff.
It is a sheer joy to see the story being set away from a) World War II, b) New York's Lower East Side, or c) the shtetl somewhere in Eastern Europe. The Jewish population of Chicago has never been teensy...the Great Lakes ports were as much a destination as New York, but they get less play. I'm also, since I read The Devil in the White City and read The Man Who Made Parks: The Story of Parkbuilder Frederick Law Olmsted by Frieda Wishinsky to my oldest grandson, a big aficionado of the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition (aka "the White City") in Chicago. That venue plays quite a role in this murder mystery, though exactly how and why shall remain a secret lest I be set upon by spoilerphobes next time I go grocery shopping.
What I will say is that the squeamish should not pick the book up. There are graphic moments of bloodyness, there are awful physical violences, and of course the element of supernatural possession can't be left out. There are more 21st-century concerns like homophobia and anti-semitism (this last pervades the end of the book to a sometimes uncomfortable degree), but this is Spooktober! A few scares, some terrible spooky goins-on, that is what this month is for! Be prepared, also, for the politics of the book. It's solidly anti-capitalist, despite MC Alter's determination to earn earn earn so he can bring his mother and sisters to the Promised Land...Chicago! imagine...because that's really situational not aspirational capitalism. And Alter's failed match-cum-bestie, young Raizel from downstairs in his apartment building, is there to keep him from falling *too* deep into capitalism's cess pit. (She is, in fact, one of the book's most delightful characters, propensity to splash tea onto laps notwithstanding.)
Putting on my YA-unlover's hat, the usual prolixity...why say in ten words what can make an entire chapter?...is fully present, the stakes are APOCALYPTIC ZOMG THE UNIVERSE WILL END!! and that gets really tiring to an old fart like me who knows that, after I and you and the author are all dead the planet will keep spinning on. Probably all the better for our absence.
But that is an elderly person speaking, the audience that's here for YA is going to *eat*this*up* because every one of the elements are handled with aplomb and without the edge of tweeness I've reacted to in other YA books like they're coated in cat dander. I don't at all recommend giving this to a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old. The realities of sexual abuse aren't in any way soft-pedaled. The realities of sexual desire, that it doesn't obey rules or orders, are best left to the older end of the YA spectrum, which I think of as sixteen and up. I know y'all know y'all's kids better than I do, so understand I'm speaking in generalities and not prescribing anything.
The mystery aspect of the story, the resolution to the murders and disappearances of Jewish boys, is very well-handled and was solidly made in serious mystery form. If you're up for it, match wits with the author; if you're not, read the spooky book or the coming-out (sort of!) book or the immigrant-makes-it book. They're all here.
I think my point should be clear: Read The City Beautiful. It will please at least 80% of the folks who read my reviews.
dnf
June 18, 2022My most anticipated book of 2021 ends in a DNF. Please permit me a moment of self-pity. 😢
The awesome premise and setting lured me in. 1893 Chicago, a young gay Jewish immigrant MC, a mystery with supernatural elements — I mean, come on, who could resist that? And I encourage you not to resist; although it ended up not working for me, it was a winner for plenty of other readers.
What I genuinely enjoyed about the book was how it’s loaded with words and expressions from other languages. I was lost with Russian and Romanian, but my small vocabulary of Yiddish and Hebrew got a fun workout. (Turns out there’s a glossary at the end of the book, but I didn’t discover that until after I was done.) I love how language was used to convey a sense of multiple cultures commingling and colliding in the feverishly-expanding young Chicago of the late 19th century. (And as a native Chicagoan, I appreciated — make that "appreciated" — seeing how corruption and criminality were already foundational to the governance of the city from early on.)
I also liked the subversion of genre expectations. As he finds himself drawn into investigating the deaths of local boys, Alter Rosen reluctantly forms a working alliance with plucky girl reporter Raizel. Wow, a YA romance you can see coming from a mile away, amiright? No, because Alter isn’t interested in girls. Take that, standard YA trope! There *is* a romance for Alter, as a subplot, but it’s not with the girl.
My major problem, and it turned out to be the dealbreaker, was with characterization. As a first-person narrator Alter didn't convince me at all; he felt unreal, just a plot puppet. As a result, I wasn't able to emotionally connect with him or sink into the story. Other characters were similarly problematic. When, at halfway, I realized I would be totally unmoved if any of them died, up to and including Alter, I couldn't summon the will to keep reading.
I had a few more issues, but I don't want to harp on them. The author took a deep dive into a fascinating time and place, and I hope he gets a chance to do more of that in the future. I just regret that I couldn't stay immersed in his world well enough to make it to the end of the story.
Apologies to my buddy-read partner for bailing out early! You can read Linda’s review here to get the perspective of someone who enjoyed the book more than I did.
The awesome premise and setting lured me in. 1893 Chicago, a young gay Jewish immigrant MC, a mystery with supernatural elements — I mean, come on, who could resist that? And I encourage you not to resist; although it ended up not working for me, it was a winner for plenty of other readers.
What I genuinely enjoyed about the book was how it’s loaded with words and expressions from other languages. I was lost with Russian and Romanian, but my small vocabulary of Yiddish and Hebrew got a fun workout. (Turns out there’s a glossary at the end of the book, but I didn’t discover that until after I was done.) I love how language was used to convey a sense of multiple cultures commingling and colliding in the feverishly-expanding young Chicago of the late 19th century. (And as a native Chicagoan, I appreciated — make that "appreciated" — seeing how corruption and criminality were already foundational to the governance of the city from early on.)
I also liked the subversion of genre expectations. As he finds himself drawn into investigating the deaths of local boys, Alter Rosen reluctantly forms a working alliance with plucky girl reporter Raizel. Wow, a YA romance you can see coming from a mile away, amiright? No, because Alter isn’t interested in girls. Take that, standard YA trope! There *is* a romance for Alter, as a subplot, but it’s not with the girl.
My major problem, and it turned out to be the dealbreaker, was with characterization. As a first-person narrator Alter didn't convince me at all; he felt unreal, just a plot puppet. As a result, I wasn't able to emotionally connect with him or sink into the story. Other characters were similarly problematic. When, at halfway, I realized I would be totally unmoved if any of them died, up to and including Alter, I couldn't summon the will to keep reading.
I had a few more issues, but I don't want to harp on them. The author took a deep dive into a fascinating time and place, and I hope he gets a chance to do more of that in the future. I just regret that I couldn't stay immersed in his world well enough to make it to the end of the story.
Apologies to my buddy-read partner for bailing out early! You can read Linda’s review here to get the perspective of someone who enjoyed the book more than I did.
December 15, 2022
SANGRE,
POSESIÓN,
AMORES PROHÍBIDOS,
REPRESENTACIÓN LGBTI,
EXORCISMOS...
Pero sobre todo: BRUTAL!😍
🌸Imagina que tienes que encontrar a un asesino, a uno muy especial y, que estás en el Chicago de 1893, en la FERIA MUNDIAL, con su oscuridad, sus calles lúgubres y sus miserias...
🌸Ahora quiero que pienses en el frío que hiela las calles, en el hambre que habita en cada esquina y la corrupción de los corazones de sus habitantes. Pero también que sientas el calor de la amistad y el rubor del nacimiento del amor, uno de esos bonitos, de los de verdad, de los sanos, de los que te hacen suspirar y de los que son tan especiales que no puedes dejar de sonreír.
🌸Esto y mucho más es lo que te vas a encontrar en este fascinante thriller judío! Un mundo oscuro de amor y odios, que hará que no puedas soltar las páginas hasta terminarlo!
POSESIÓN,
AMORES PROHÍBIDOS,
REPRESENTACIÓN LGBTI,
EXORCISMOS...
Pero sobre todo: BRUTAL!😍
🌸Imagina que tienes que encontrar a un asesino, a uno muy especial y, que estás en el Chicago de 1893, en la FERIA MUNDIAL, con su oscuridad, sus calles lúgubres y sus miserias...
🌸Ahora quiero que pienses en el frío que hiela las calles, en el hambre que habita en cada esquina y la corrupción de los corazones de sus habitantes. Pero también que sientas el calor de la amistad y el rubor del nacimiento del amor, uno de esos bonitos, de los de verdad, de los sanos, de los que te hacen suspirar y de los que son tan especiales que no puedes dejar de sonreír.
🌸Esto y mucho más es lo que te vas a encontrar en este fascinante thriller judío! Un mundo oscuro de amor y odios, que hará que no puedas soltar las páginas hasta terminarlo!
January 21, 2024
rep: Romanian Jewish gay mc, Lithuanian Jewish gay li, Ukrainian Jewish gay li, Jewish characters
tw: antisemitism, mentions of past rape, mentions of past pedophilia, body horror (chapter 42), blood, gore, violence, murder, drowning, vomiting, fire, immolation
five reasons to read this book
tw: antisemitism, mentions of past rape, mentions of past pedophilia, body horror (chapter 42), blood, gore, violence, murder, drowning, vomiting, fire, immolation
five reasons to read this book
Want to read
May 12, 2020Set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, this queer Jewish gothic fantasy follows a young immigrant, Alter, who is possessed by the dybbuk of his murdered best friend and is thrust into a deadly hunt for a serial killer.
OMG YES
OMG YES
May 7, 2022
3.5 stars
This was a very promising debut novel by new author Aden Polydoros. Right away, it had the advantage of being centered on a group rarely seen in M/M, or fiction outside of the Holocaust: Eastern European Jews. Set during the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, we meet Alter, Frankie, Raizel, and others, who are struggling to find lives in Chicago while also dealing with the anti-Semitism of the time. The author being Jewish himself certainly helped with bringing these characters' and their struggles to life, and he did a great job in painting the atmosphere of the Jewish ghetto on Maxwell Street.
I liked Alter, our 1st person MC, a lot. He's struggling to find himself and to find a reason in the tragedy that brought him to America alone at a young age. He had fallen in with a crew of street thieves to just survive, but got himself away from that crew when a job went bust. Now he's trying to make amends for what he sees as his failings, and it's left him stagnant as he tries to cling to his old world sentiments even as the struggles and realities of the new world are changing him. When his friend and roommate, Yakov, is found dead, that launches him onto a course to find out what happened to him and trying to get him justice in a world that doesn't care about Jewish immigrants.
Raizel was a delight. She's embraced American culture and has ambitions of being a journalist. She's not going to let the Old Ways keep her speaking out nor let them direct her life. Frankie took me longer to warm up to. I wasn't sure if he was going to be an antagonist when we first met him or a protagonist. I felt like the author went a little easy on this character, as he could have easily been a much darker and harder character than he ended up being, and I'm still not sure how I feel about that. I can at least see him ending up the way he does, so in the end, he worked out okay for me, even if his path to getting there was maybe too convenient.
The plot itself was interesting. I'm not familiar with Jewish folklore, other than golems and some tidbits about Hanukah. And dreidels? Something about dreidels. If this had been any other paranormal, I'd have figured out some things much earlier, but I had no idea if this was going to be regular historical, or fantasy, or paranormal when I started this. And near the end he uses a TV convention that I've rarely seen in fiction, which threw me for a bit too, lol.
A couple of the developments were a bit convenient, . At one point I worried this would become, of all things, another Jack the Ripper knockoff and was very pleased that wasn't close to the case. I do think this could have been more focused, however, and that was most evident in the murder mystery aspect. That should have been streamlined, since the book did lose a little momentum for me near the end.
I did go back and forth a bit with the audiobook so I could finish this in time for a BR today, and the narrator, Maxwell Glick, did a pretty decent job. He sounded young enough to be a 17/18 year old boy, and even voiced the females pretty well. I don't know if his pronunciation of the various Russian/Romanian/Hebrew words was correct or not, but he no doubt did a better job than I would have.
Overall though, I enjoyed this and am looking forward to seeing what this author does in future.
This was a very promising debut novel by new author Aden Polydoros. Right away, it had the advantage of being centered on a group rarely seen in M/M, or fiction outside of the Holocaust: Eastern European Jews. Set during the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, we meet Alter, Frankie, Raizel, and others, who are struggling to find lives in Chicago while also dealing with the anti-Semitism of the time. The author being Jewish himself certainly helped with bringing these characters' and their struggles to life, and he did a great job in painting the atmosphere of the Jewish ghetto on Maxwell Street.
I liked Alter, our 1st person MC, a lot. He's struggling to find himself and to find a reason in the tragedy that brought him to America alone at a young age. He had fallen in with a crew of street thieves to just survive, but got himself away from that crew when a job went bust. Now he's trying to make amends for what he sees as his failings, and it's left him stagnant as he tries to cling to his old world sentiments even as the struggles and realities of the new world are changing him. When his friend and roommate, Yakov, is found dead, that launches him onto a course to find out what happened to him and trying to get him justice in a world that doesn't care about Jewish immigrants.
Raizel was a delight. She's embraced American culture and has ambitions of being a journalist. She's not going to let the Old Ways keep her speaking out nor let them direct her life. Frankie took me longer to warm up to. I wasn't sure if he was going to be an antagonist when we first met him or a protagonist. I felt like the author went a little easy on this character, as he could have easily been a much darker and harder character than he ended up being, and I'm still not sure how I feel about that. I can at least see him ending up the way he does, so in the end, he worked out okay for me, even if his path to getting there was maybe too convenient.
The plot itself was interesting. I'm not familiar with Jewish folklore, other than golems and some tidbits about Hanukah. And dreidels? Something about dreidels. If this had been any other paranormal, I'd have figured out some things much earlier, but I had no idea if this was going to be regular historical, or fantasy, or paranormal when I started this. And near the end he uses a TV convention that I've rarely seen in fiction, which threw me for a bit too, lol.
A couple of the developments were a bit convenient, . At one point I worried this would become, of all things, another Jack the Ripper knockoff and was very pleased that wasn't close to the case. I do think this could have been more focused, however, and that was most evident in the murder mystery aspect. That should have been streamlined, since the book did lose a little momentum for me near the end.
I did go back and forth a bit with the audiobook so I could finish this in time for a BR today, and the narrator, Maxwell Glick, did a pretty decent job. He sounded young enough to be a 17/18 year old boy, and even voiced the females pretty well. I don't know if his pronunciation of the various Russian/Romanian/Hebrew words was correct or not, but he no doubt did a better job than I would have.
Overall though, I enjoyed this and am looking forward to seeing what this author does in future.
October 11, 2021
This is an incredibly hard book to rate, so please take my rating with a grain of salt.
Overview
🆗 Queer rep (MLM)
♥️ Jewish rep
🆗 Mystery/suspense
🆗 Period piece
🆗 Dead boyfriend
🆗 Some fantasy elements
The City Beautiful is a mystery period piece about Alter, a Jewish immigrant from Romania. When his close friend (whom he was in love with) is killed, he goes on a journey to uncover what actually happened to him.
As far as my overall enjoyment, I often found myself disengaging from this story, but I wanted to talk about some notable elements of it that make it worth picking up.
This story is unapologetically Jewish- with the man character being nearly incapable of speaking English and Jewish verbiage and cultural elements peppered into the story aggressively. While some readers may struggle to pick up on some of this, as someone with a cultural link to both Judaism and Romania, I found this really charming. The author clearly lives in or spent a decent amount of time in Chicago as well- he does a great job talking about the city and incorporating historic elements of the Jewish population into the story.
The queer rep was....weird. It was GOOD, don't get me wrong, and it discusses homosexuality and Judaism, but I overall did not enjoy Alter's relationships with other boys. He instantly falls in love with multiple male characters and doesn't have an interesting bond with them. the romance could have been MUCH BETTER.
The other characters provide some elements of intrigue, though chiefly, this is a story about the murder of an underclass. It came out around the same time as Summer Sons and Red X, both featuring the deaths of queer men in a society that devalues them. Like Summer Sons, The City Beautiful also features a young man uncovering the secrets of the dead friend/object of his affection. In both cases, this bond is rather codependent and elements of the relationship are uncovered after death.
This book is unique and certainly stands out in a crowd, providing a diverse perspective for a historical thriller, as well as peppering in some myth and magic from Jewish culture. If you enjoy these types of books, along with queer thrillers in general, it is worth your time.
As a final note, skip the audiobook of this one. The narrator is not good.
Overview
🆗 Queer rep (MLM)
♥️ Jewish rep
🆗 Mystery/suspense
🆗 Period piece
🆗 Dead boyfriend
🆗 Some fantasy elements
The City Beautiful is a mystery period piece about Alter, a Jewish immigrant from Romania. When his close friend (whom he was in love with) is killed, he goes on a journey to uncover what actually happened to him.
As far as my overall enjoyment, I often found myself disengaging from this story, but I wanted to talk about some notable elements of it that make it worth picking up.
This story is unapologetically Jewish- with the man character being nearly incapable of speaking English and Jewish verbiage and cultural elements peppered into the story aggressively. While some readers may struggle to pick up on some of this, as someone with a cultural link to both Judaism and Romania, I found this really charming. The author clearly lives in or spent a decent amount of time in Chicago as well- he does a great job talking about the city and incorporating historic elements of the Jewish population into the story.
The queer rep was....weird. It was GOOD, don't get me wrong, and it discusses homosexuality and Judaism, but I overall did not enjoy Alter's relationships with other boys. He instantly falls in love with multiple male characters and doesn't have an interesting bond with them. the romance could have been MUCH BETTER.
The other characters provide some elements of intrigue, though chiefly, this is a story about the murder of an underclass. It came out around the same time as Summer Sons and Red X, both featuring the deaths of queer men in a society that devalues them. Like Summer Sons, The City Beautiful also features a young man uncovering the secrets of the dead friend/object of his affection. In both cases, this bond is rather codependent and elements of the relationship are uncovered after death.
This book is unique and certainly stands out in a crowd, providing a diverse perspective for a historical thriller, as well as peppering in some myth and magic from Jewish culture. If you enjoy these types of books, along with queer thrillers in general, it is worth your time.
As a final note, skip the audiobook of this one. The narrator is not good.
March 20, 2021
Set during the 1893 Chicago World Fair, The City Beautiful is a gripping, fast-paced book that expertly marries thriller and murder mystery. Polydoros is not afraid to tear aside the façade of beauty and civility to confront the darkest aspects of human nature, no holds barred. The resulting book is something truly special.
(For real this is really really good guys. It's FUUUUNNNN to read, though don't get me wrong, it's not a lighthearted read! It's one of those stories that feels big.)
(For real this is really really good guys. It's FUUUUNNNN to read, though don't get me wrong, it's not a lighthearted read! It's one of those stories that feels big.)
November 30, 2020
Official Comments: Like a darkly compelling dream; I dare readers to try to put down this queer triumph of a book where myth, mystery, and death lurk around every corner of the Windy City.
Unofficial: Freaking fantastic book. Get ready!!!
Unofficial: Freaking fantastic book. Get ready!!!
July 20, 2021
The City Beautiful takes place at the backdrop of The 1893 Chicago. The White City. Alter Rosen, a Romanian Jewish guy has lived in the US close to 3 years now working at a low paying job to have his mother and little sisters brought over to escaping oppression in Europe. This is an amazing book about Jewish immigrant life in the US with a gothic horror core. A friend found dead possesses him to act revenge. Yakov 's Dybbuk is angry, antagonistic and yet you feel sympathy for this lost soul. You get to experience horror filled imagery which is full of Jewish lore and mythology. But the real life horrors are more terrifying: the exploiting of workers, the reasoning of killer, how discrimination is systemic and chilling how individuals see others as filth. A warning , the anti-Semitism is intense 80% into the book, it is mentioned in the dialog of two chapters.
I loved how Jewish this book, the customs, the food , faith and everyday life. The City Beautiful is a part thriller and murder mystery with but seeing Jewish life is really special. WW2 novels are important but I'm glad that publishing pushed out more non WW Jewish fiction. The action scenes and character building moments were well paced. The plot has a medium paced and it will be a disservice to you and the story heading in for the action. The action is intense but the characters matter more. Every page was needed to tell this story.
I adored Alter, Frankie and Raizel so much. I'd would love to be in their company. Each had a great arch but Alter has to be my favorite, embracing himself fully as a person and being queer , dealing with survivors guilt and not losing his kindness after the much needed self defense. Alter and Frankie are have faults, have messy feelings, are angry, have violent moments and are not desexualized gay guys. I'm so happy that they don't fit in the squeaky clean mold that popular YA media portrays. They showed love, passion and lust as much possible in a YA novel. Frankie is the 'bad boy' from Alter's past. Frankie has a lot of trauma and it's respectfully written and mentioned. If I would label attach a trope to their romance it would be rekindled friends to lovers.
Aden Polydoros is 100% an autobuy author of mine after finishing The City Beautiful. Gah, I hope people read it. They are totally different but i had the same joy after finishing it I had with cemetery boys. I can't wait for the Bone Weaver next year, the MG the year after that and many others in years to come, I speak it into existence. READ THE CITY BEAUTIFUL for well researched historical life in Jewish ghettos, a well plotted story, a sweet romance that gradually builds , great rounded characters and a male lead that you want to hug immediately. 💖💖
I loved how Jewish this book, the customs, the food , faith and everyday life. The City Beautiful is a part thriller and murder mystery with but seeing Jewish life is really special. WW2 novels are important but I'm glad that publishing pushed out more non WW Jewish fiction. The action scenes and character building moments were well paced. The plot has a medium paced and it will be a disservice to you and the story heading in for the action. The action is intense but the characters matter more. Every page was needed to tell this story.
I adored Alter, Frankie and Raizel so much. I'd would love to be in their company. Each had a great arch but Alter has to be my favorite, embracing himself fully as a person and being queer , dealing with survivors guilt and not losing his kindness after the much needed self defense. Alter and Frankie are have faults, have messy feelings, are angry, have violent moments and are not desexualized gay guys. I'm so happy that they don't fit in the squeaky clean mold that popular YA media portrays. They showed love, passion and lust as much possible in a YA novel. Frankie is the 'bad boy' from Alter's past. Frankie has a lot of trauma and it's respectfully written and mentioned. If I would label attach a trope to their romance it would be rekindled friends to lovers.
Aden Polydoros is 100% an autobuy author of mine after finishing The City Beautiful. Gah, I hope people read it. They are totally different but i had the same joy after finishing it I had with cemetery boys. I can't wait for the Bone Weaver next year, the MG the year after that and many others in years to come, I speak it into existence. READ THE CITY BEAUTIFUL for well researched historical life in Jewish ghettos, a well plotted story, a sweet romance that gradually builds , great rounded characters and a male lead that you want to hug immediately. 💖💖
February 6, 2023
Chicago, 1893. Alter Roen pensaba que era la tierra de las oportunidades, y luchaba por conseguir el dinero suficiente para traer a su madre y hermanas a EEUU, para liberarlas de la opresión que sufren en Rumanía. Sin embargo, cuando su mejor amigo Yakov se convierte en la nueva víctima de una larga lista de jóvenes judíos asesinados, todo cambia: se ve poseído por el dybbuk de Yakov, se ve sumergido en un mundo de violencia y corrupción, y devuelto a los brazos de un peligroso chico de su pasado. Solo tiene unos días hasta que el dybbuk se apodere de su cuerpo por completo, así que deberán darse prisa para localizar al asesino, antes de que este los atrape a ellos.
Aún estoy asimilando todo lo que ha ocurrido en esta historia porque, a pesar de no ser demasiado larga, sí tiene muchísima información en todos los aspectos: cultural, histórico, religioso, y eso sin olvidar la propia trama de misterio, violencia y elementos sobrenaturales mitológicos.
Así, desde luego que ha sido la mar de original, y tratando temas acerca de los que no había leído nunca, todo ello mientras seguimos la investigación para encontrar al asesino en esa carrera contrarreloj para evitar que el dybbuk (o espíritu) se apodere del cuerpo de Alter, al que inevitablemente acabas cogiendo cariño, aunque también resulta un tanto frustrante lo recto y bueno que quiere ser. Asimismo, los personajes secundarios me han encantado, y la relación que se establece entre Alter y Frankie le ha dado aún más vidilla.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
Aún estoy asimilando todo lo que ha ocurrido en esta historia porque, a pesar de no ser demasiado larga, sí tiene muchísima información en todos los aspectos: cultural, histórico, religioso, y eso sin olvidar la propia trama de misterio, violencia y elementos sobrenaturales mitológicos.
Así, desde luego que ha sido la mar de original, y tratando temas acerca de los que no había leído nunca, todo ello mientras seguimos la investigación para encontrar al asesino en esa carrera contrarreloj para evitar que el dybbuk (o espíritu) se apodere del cuerpo de Alter, al que inevitablemente acabas cogiendo cariño, aunque también resulta un tanto frustrante lo recto y bueno que quiere ser. Asimismo, los personajes secundarios me han encantado, y la relación que se establece entre Alter y Frankie le ha dado aún más vidilla.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
October 19, 2022
This was great!
As someone who is not Jewish, I loved how Jewish this book was. It included the culture and religion, as well as the difficulties of being a Jew in the US during the time period, like the anti-Semitism, the poor living conditions, and the separation of families. And Alter's POV felt so real and influenced by all that. I loved being immersed in a perspective completely different from my own, and I feel like the author found a great balance of giving little bits of info here and there to help the reader understand certain important things (like beliefs and rituals for the dead) but also not over-explaining (like just using words from other languages, though the ebook and probably print formats do have a glossary).
The book also felt so immersed in the time and place of the setting (1893 Chicago). I'm not a history buff, I never really know how correct things are, so I just go by the feel, and this felt authentic and drew me in. In the author's note, he talks about some of the history and politics of the time and how he used it as a framework for the story, which is cool.
There was also just a great story that kept me interested about Jewish boys being murdered, and the main character being possessed by his recently murdered friend, and he and his friends trying to find the killer, plus a bit of romance. There were definitely some dark/heavy elements, but it wasn't scary or overly dark.
I liked the characters too, and I feel like their sweetness balanced the dark that I just mentioned. Alter was trying to be a good person but regretted some things he'd done and struggled with accepting certain parts of himself. Frankie was the leader of a crew of thieves and wasn't the most morally upstanding person, but he had his reasons, and he had a good heart with people who deserved it. Raizel was an outspoken, go-getter kinda person, and I loved her. Even Yakov, though he wasn't in the book for long, was someone I felt for. Some of them went through some traumatic things in their pasts, but it was handled with care by the author. And the romance subplot was sweet. They clearly cared about each other, I could feel that.
I also want to recommend this review because it talks about certain elements of the book better than I did, especially the characters, and Rogier is the reason I read this book in the first place!
I really enjoyed the audiobook narration by Maxwell Glick. I'm not familiar with the accents in the book, so I can't say how accurate his were, but they were certainly better than I could've done in my head, I enjoyed them, and they added to the immersiveness of the book for me. He also did a great job of bringing emotion and intensity to scenes that required it.
Overall, this was a wonderful book with queer Jewish rep, lovable characters, an immersive historical setting, an intriguing plot, and a sweet understated romance!
Trigger/Content Warning:
*Rating: 4.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes books that really immerse you in the time and place and character, spirit possessions, Jewish rep, queer YA, a bit of romance, and stories that deal with dark or heavy themes without dragging you down.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
As someone who is not Jewish, I loved how Jewish this book was. It included the culture and religion, as well as the difficulties of being a Jew in the US during the time period, like the anti-Semitism, the poor living conditions, and the separation of families. And Alter's POV felt so real and influenced by all that. I loved being immersed in a perspective completely different from my own, and I feel like the author found a great balance of giving little bits of info here and there to help the reader understand certain important things (like beliefs and rituals for the dead) but also not over-explaining (like just using words from other languages, though the ebook and probably print formats do have a glossary).
The book also felt so immersed in the time and place of the setting (1893 Chicago). I'm not a history buff, I never really know how correct things are, so I just go by the feel, and this felt authentic and drew me in. In the author's note, he talks about some of the history and politics of the time and how he used it as a framework for the story, which is cool.
There was also just a great story that kept me interested about Jewish boys being murdered, and the main character being possessed by his recently murdered friend, and he and his friends trying to find the killer, plus a bit of romance. There were definitely some dark/heavy elements, but it wasn't scary or overly dark.
I liked the characters too, and I feel like their sweetness balanced the dark that I just mentioned. Alter was trying to be a good person but regretted some things he'd done and struggled with accepting certain parts of himself. Frankie was the leader of a crew of thieves and wasn't the most morally upstanding person, but he had his reasons, and he had a good heart with people who deserved it. Raizel was an outspoken, go-getter kinda person, and I loved her. Even Yakov, though he wasn't in the book for long, was someone I felt for. Some of them went through some traumatic things in their pasts, but it was handled with care by the author. And the romance subplot was sweet. They clearly cared about each other, I could feel that.
I also want to recommend this review because it talks about certain elements of the book better than I did, especially the characters, and Rogier is the reason I read this book in the first place!
I really enjoyed the audiobook narration by Maxwell Glick. I'm not familiar with the accents in the book, so I can't say how accurate his were, but they were certainly better than I could've done in my head, I enjoyed them, and they added to the immersiveness of the book for me. He also did a great job of bringing emotion and intensity to scenes that required it.
Overall, this was a wonderful book with queer Jewish rep, lovable characters, an immersive historical setting, an intriguing plot, and a sweet understated romance!
Trigger/Content Warning:
*Rating: 4.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes books that really immerse you in the time and place and character, spirit possessions, Jewish rep, queer YA, a bit of romance, and stories that deal with dark or heavy themes without dragging you down.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Read
June 9, 2021"The City Beautiful is the haunting, queer Jewish historical thriller of my darkest dreams." —Dahlia Adler, creator of LGBTQ Reads and editor of That Way Madness Lies
July 6, 2021
The City Beautiful is a unique take of the events that happened during the World Fair in Chicago. This is perfect for any fan of the stories of Jack the Ripper or of H.H Holmes. But, what is really unique and is the star of the show of this book is the usage of Jewish culture and our Jewish protagonist. Aden Polydoros does such a good job at combining Jewish paranormal and the ominous aura that Chicago had at that time to create a gory read.
I also have to give credit to Polydoros to have used historical events that demonstrated hatred of Jews. There are so many people that presume that the racism that the Jews have faced is solely from the holocaust when it happened in so many other places. So thank you for using your book to shed some light on it.
For people that are intimidated about reading paranormal from a culture that you might not fully know. There is a glossary at the end of the book that gives a good explanation of Jewish terms.
My only real critic for this novel is that the pacing isn't constant. There are a few times where you do get a little bored. But it does pick up a chapter or two later. It doesn't help that the book is on the longer side.
Overall, wonderful representation, good use of historical events but the thrill wasn't constant.
Thank you, NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Aden Polydoros for the arc!
Ps, this book is delightfully queer.
I also have to give credit to Polydoros to have used historical events that demonstrated hatred of Jews. There are so many people that presume that the racism that the Jews have faced is solely from the holocaust when it happened in so many other places. So thank you for using your book to shed some light on it.
For people that are intimidated about reading paranormal from a culture that you might not fully know. There is a glossary at the end of the book that gives a good explanation of Jewish terms.
My only real critic for this novel is that the pacing isn't constant. There are a few times where you do get a little bored. But it does pick up a chapter or two later. It doesn't help that the book is on the longer side.
Overall, wonderful representation, good use of historical events but the thrill wasn't constant.
Thank you, NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Aden Polydoros for the arc!
Ps, this book is delightfully queer.
Read
April 10, 2025PLEASE CHECK TWS! They're at the bottom of this review. This book deals with very intense and potentially VERY triggering material.
It feels weird to say this about a book filled with so much violence and horror and tragedy, but truly this book felt like a hug. It felt like returning home in a sense. Jewish books always seem to fill me with this powerful feeling, one of familiarity and comfort and acknowledgement, no matter how dark the material may be. It made me feel seen. The way that this book casually sprinkles in Yiddish/Hebrew vernacular throughout conversation was just everything to me. Growing up in a Jewish household and around a Jewish community, I was surrounded by people who communicated this way. And to see that reflected in this book - even though it's such a simple choice - meant more to me than I can express. (And don't worry, goyim, there's a glossary in the back.)
This book takes the suffering and the pain and the oppression of the Jewish people and turns it into a physical expression of revenge, throwing it back into the face of the oppressor. It is a story that greatly reflects the Jewish anger and resentment that comes from the world deciding to cast us as the villain.
I felt thrown under a limelight, reduced to a role I had never wanted but that I had been born to play. Half a myth and half a human being... that was all I was, a stage actor, a cutout, Shylock, and Fagin and Judas all rolled into one.
But it is also a story of love, and of community. It is a story about purity, and humanity, and resilience.
If you're Jewish, read this book. I just know you'll feel as loved by this book as I do.
If you're not Jewish, read this book. It's even more important that you see and understand the pain we've experienced as an entire community, regardless of where we've come from.
TW: explicit anti-semitism (slurs, violence, murder, hate crime, etc.), there is a pretty jarring grooming/pedophilic rape plot line (in the past, off-page, but one character does talk about it in-depth), grief, grief of parent, death (the MC works at a Chevra Kadisha, so this is a large theme), schizophrenia/psychosis (MC is possessed and has a hard time discerning reality from memory), suicide mention, self harm, kidnapping, violence, blood, murder, gun violence, homophobia, alcohol consumption, animal death (off-page, but a lot of time is spent in butcher factories), fire/fire injury, drug use (non-consensual)
It feels weird to say this about a book filled with so much violence and horror and tragedy, but truly this book felt like a hug. It felt like returning home in a sense. Jewish books always seem to fill me with this powerful feeling, one of familiarity and comfort and acknowledgement, no matter how dark the material may be. It made me feel seen. The way that this book casually sprinkles in Yiddish/Hebrew vernacular throughout conversation was just everything to me. Growing up in a Jewish household and around a Jewish community, I was surrounded by people who communicated this way. And to see that reflected in this book - even though it's such a simple choice - meant more to me than I can express. (And don't worry, goyim, there's a glossary in the back.)
This book takes the suffering and the pain and the oppression of the Jewish people and turns it into a physical expression of revenge, throwing it back into the face of the oppressor. It is a story that greatly reflects the Jewish anger and resentment that comes from the world deciding to cast us as the villain.
I felt thrown under a limelight, reduced to a role I had never wanted but that I had been born to play. Half a myth and half a human being... that was all I was, a stage actor, a cutout, Shylock, and Fagin and Judas all rolled into one.
But it is also a story of love, and of community. It is a story about purity, and humanity, and resilience.
If you're Jewish, read this book. I just know you'll feel as loved by this book as I do.
If you're not Jewish, read this book. It's even more important that you see and understand the pain we've experienced as an entire community, regardless of where we've come from.
TW: explicit anti-semitism (slurs, violence, murder, hate crime, etc.), there is a pretty jarring grooming/pedophilic rape plot line (in the past, off-page, but one character does talk about it in-depth), grief, grief of parent, death (the MC works at a Chevra Kadisha, so this is a large theme), schizophrenia/psychosis (MC is possessed and has a hard time discerning reality from memory), suicide mention, self harm, kidnapping, violence, blood, murder, gun violence, homophobia, alcohol consumption, animal death (off-page, but a lot of time is spent in butcher factories), fire/fire injury, drug use (non-consensual)
January 6, 2022
3.5 * This story is unapologetically queer, with Jewish representation. I enjoyed the premise; about grief, loss, and survival. However, there were parts that I found fell flat and boring for me. I am all for a good possession, but if there is too much filler, it tends to that magical and atmospheric essence. Unfortunately, for me, this book had a good premise, but the execution did do it for me.
December 3, 2021
I absolutely flew through this, I found it so engaging! I love historical YA in general and would love to see more of it, and it was so interesting to read about Jewish history that I didn't know a lot about, in combination with a thriller/mystery setting. Highly recommend!
August 29, 2021
A gorgeous, breathtaking journey. I felt like I was in a trance taking in all the rich details, and the adventure kept me turning pages. I’m 100% going to buy anything else Polydoros writes.
November 26, 2021
This was an enjoyable historical mystery (although the crimes themselves were harrowing) set in the time of Chicago’s World Fair and focusing on the Jewish community. I was disappointed that there wasn’t more of a fantasy element.
December 14, 2021
interesting concept, pure PAIN
August 16, 2022
Loosely based on true events, The City Beautiful takes place in Chicago during the time of the 1893 World’s Fair.
Alter Rosen traveled from his birthplace & childhood home in Romania to get away from the atrocities happening to Jewish people. He’s come to the new world to be able to send money back to his family, but haunted by the death of his father that happened during their journey to America. When his friend Yakov’s body is found, the next dead Jewish boy in a string of murders, he takes it upon himself to find the killer.
Giving hardcore Queer Jewish ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper’ vibes, this book had me hooked from page 1. I am not usually the person who seeks out historical fiction and I don’t know how this book was never on my radar, but I’m glad a friend asked me to buddy read it, because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Anytime there is an amazing character named Frankie, I feel seen! Most of the time in tv and media, the name Frank or Frankie is used for the grumpy old man, the alcoholic father, or the boring villain. So for once I feel vindicated! He’s the perfect love interest for Alter, fighting for him and never letting him feel alone.
I wasn’t expecting the paranormal elements to the story, but I actually loved them. I don’t know if I would have felt the same had they not made sense to the folklore of the characters.
I can’t wait to read more from this author and highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a great historical queer mystery!
Alter Rosen traveled from his birthplace & childhood home in Romania to get away from the atrocities happening to Jewish people. He’s come to the new world to be able to send money back to his family, but haunted by the death of his father that happened during their journey to America. When his friend Yakov’s body is found, the next dead Jewish boy in a string of murders, he takes it upon himself to find the killer.
Giving hardcore Queer Jewish ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper’ vibes, this book had me hooked from page 1. I am not usually the person who seeks out historical fiction and I don’t know how this book was never on my radar, but I’m glad a friend asked me to buddy read it, because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Anytime there is an amazing character named Frankie, I feel seen! Most of the time in tv and media, the name Frank or Frankie is used for the grumpy old man, the alcoholic father, or the boring villain. So for once I feel vindicated! He’s the perfect love interest for Alter, fighting for him and never letting him feel alone.
I wasn’t expecting the paranormal elements to the story, but I actually loved them. I don’t know if I would have felt the same had they not made sense to the folklore of the characters.
I can’t wait to read more from this author and highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a great historical queer mystery!
did-not-finish
May 14, 2021I received an advance review copy from Inkyard Press through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.
DNF @ 23%
If you like the sound of queer Jewish historical fantasy, this book delivers on all those elements from the opening. The protagonist is a hardworking immigrant from Romania, a dedicated member of his local Jewish community, with an interesting past: exactly the kind of hero I want to root for. Personally the prose and pacing just didn't click for me (I'm a very picky reader with a very long TBR, so I tend to DNF accordingly), but I bet it'll be a hit with many readers.
DNF @ 23%
If you like the sound of queer Jewish historical fantasy, this book delivers on all those elements from the opening. The protagonist is a hardworking immigrant from Romania, a dedicated member of his local Jewish community, with an interesting past: exactly the kind of hero I want to root for. Personally the prose and pacing just didn't click for me (I'm a very picky reader with a very long TBR, so I tend to DNF accordingly), but I bet it'll be a hit with many readers.
November 24, 2021
3.5 stars
In the author's note, he says that growing up if he read a book featuring Jewish characters it was set in the Holocaust and he wanted to show other aspects of Jewish culture. I agree that there aren't enough books showcasing this and was happy to check this one out. I learned a lot about the death rituals and beliefs about spirits and it was all pretty cool!
I liked Alter a lot, he's sweet and just trying to work hard so his mom and sisters can join him in America. He's also gay, but terrified for anyone to find out because he'd be an outcast. His relationship with Frankie is up and down, but I was glad he had an ally when all the craziness started.
The pacing is all over the place and made it a bit difficult to engage in the story. It was slow, then crazy, slow, climax, slow, last climax. I'd like it more if the plot evened out a bit and also if there was a bit more romance. I still thought this was a good book and the narrator for the audiobook did a great job with the accents and languages.
In the author's note, he says that growing up if he read a book featuring Jewish characters it was set in the Holocaust and he wanted to show other aspects of Jewish culture. I agree that there aren't enough books showcasing this and was happy to check this one out. I learned a lot about the death rituals and beliefs about spirits and it was all pretty cool!
I liked Alter a lot, he's sweet and just trying to work hard so his mom and sisters can join him in America. He's also gay, but terrified for anyone to find out because he'd be an outcast. His relationship with Frankie is up and down, but I was glad he had an ally when all the craziness started.
The pacing is all over the place and made it a bit difficult to engage in the story. It was slow, then crazy, slow, climax, slow, last climax. I'd like it more if the plot evened out a bit and also if there was a bit more romance. I still thought this was a good book and the narrator for the audiobook did a great job with the accents and languages.
December 31, 2023
Well researched, I was impressed that all the Romanian details were correct. But the pacing was completely off for me.
September 9, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me an ARC! That doesn't affect my review in any way.
First: yes this is a 3 stars from me, but I legit think its just a me thing and not a book thing. I can tell a lot of the YA audience is already loving it, so obviously it just didn't click with me.
My favorite part of the book was probably Raizel and I wish we got more of her! I also did like the mystery element that is what is pushing the story forward throughout. Even though that is our main conflict it felt like the novel was split 50/50 between the plot and character growth for Alter. That isn't a bad thing! However I was hoping for more leaning on the mystery side and less on the character side.
Yes, there is queer romance in this, but I wouldn't go out to grab this JUST for the romance aspect. It isn't a major plot element, though it is quite clear that they are together. There are only a few scenes that I would call "romantic". This isn't a critique either, just a warning for those getting this. It IS mostly focused on the mystery/character as I stated. There is romance, but it is definitely like the C or D plot. Not the main focus.
Honestly where I think this wasn't a hit for me was pacing (and again the fact that I just don't think this worked for me). There were a few points where I felt like it had been awhile since the plot had gotten a push so certain parts did definitely feel much slower compared to the rest. Whereas for me, also the big climatic final chapters ALSO felt kinda sluggish to read. Maybe its just a me thing but I just wasn't getting as much OOMPF as I was hoping. Another issue is the fact the possession isn't explictly stated until the book is almost half over. That is a LONG time for a synopsis point to not be hit/addressed. Like yes we know something is amiss, but it felt so obvious because we as readers know what the problem is. And yet our main cast hadn't gotten to that point yet. I think part of it is just the length which made it feel like it took extra long. (The book is almost 500 pages so 40% is roughly 200 pages in, and we still hadn't gotten possession confirmation).
This was an entertaining and informative time, but I don't know if I'll read it again (actually, who knows maybe now that I am more aware of the plot focus I'd be able to enjoy it more???).
Definitely pick this up if you want to read historical fiction focused on Jewish characters, with a spooky mystery that also manages to hit on some heavy themes.
First: yes this is a 3 stars from me, but I legit think its just a me thing and not a book thing. I can tell a lot of the YA audience is already loving it, so obviously it just didn't click with me.
My favorite part of the book was probably Raizel and I wish we got more of her! I also did like the mystery element that is what is pushing the story forward throughout. Even though that is our main conflict it felt like the novel was split 50/50 between the plot and character growth for Alter. That isn't a bad thing! However I was hoping for more leaning on the mystery side and less on the character side.
Yes, there is queer romance in this, but I wouldn't go out to grab this JUST for the romance aspect. It isn't a major plot element, though it is quite clear that they are together. There are only a few scenes that I would call "romantic". This isn't a critique either, just a warning for those getting this. It IS mostly focused on the mystery/character as I stated. There is romance, but it is definitely like the C or D plot. Not the main focus.
Honestly where I think this wasn't a hit for me was pacing (and again the fact that I just don't think this worked for me). There were a few points where I felt like it had been awhile since the plot had gotten a push so certain parts did definitely feel much slower compared to the rest. Whereas for me, also the big climatic final chapters ALSO felt kinda sluggish to read. Maybe its just a me thing but I just wasn't getting as much OOMPF as I was hoping. Another issue is the fact the possession isn't explictly stated until the book is almost half over. That is a LONG time for a synopsis point to not be hit/addressed. Like yes we know something is amiss, but it felt so obvious because we as readers know what the problem is. And yet our main cast hadn't gotten to that point yet. I think part of it is just the length which made it feel like it took extra long. (The book is almost 500 pages so 40% is roughly 200 pages in, and we still hadn't gotten possession confirmation).
This was an entertaining and informative time, but I don't know if I'll read it again (actually, who knows maybe now that I am more aware of the plot focus I'd be able to enjoy it more???).
Definitely pick this up if you want to read historical fiction focused on Jewish characters, with a spooky mystery that also manages to hit on some heavy themes.
December 9, 2021
“If something brings us mutual pleasure and harms no one, it’s a virtue.”
I really wanted to like this. The blurb sounded absolutely amazing and this quickly jumped from my want to read, to my reading list. I loved the exploration of Jewish culture, and it felt like something personal to the author, which I appreciated. It reflected a very raw portrayal of antisemitism in the 1800s and generally, how people in power so often get away with exploiting and hurting those without.
Similarly to 'The Poppy War', this looked at cultural trauma and followed a protagonist who wanted justice and retribution for their people. Similarly, it was visceral and incredibly emotive, which, while saddenning was really interesting to read about.
However, despite the passion for these topics that came through in the book, it feel short on a few things that I was really looking for. Despite the issues being really impactful, a lot of the revelations were crammed towards the end, feeling very obvious, rather than something the author had let us discover.
The characters' relationships just didn't have a lot of impact on me - the love interests seemed to blend together, or only have a handful of interesting moments. Otherwise, both Frankie and Yakov felt more like plot devices than genuine people. Altar also wasn't as engaging as some of the side characters, such as Raizel, so I just didn't get very attached to him. The romance also feel short because of this, which I was quite disappointed by.
This writing style was also kind of lost on me. It seemed very "telling, not showing" and the descriptions never pulled me in, seeming a bit forced. Of course, not all books will work with a lyrical prose, but this one didn't feel very distinctive either, like 'The Foxhole Court' did. While I was quite hooked with the mystery, there weren't many quotes that ever stood out to me, unfortunately.
I'm also not sure whether this was really fantasy. Elements of Jewish culture were real, such as Altar being cursed, and Mrs Brenner's glimmers, but these were so briefly explored, I'm still not sure whether it was meant to be the fantasy element. Seeing as it was labelled as such, this vagueness was dissatisfying.
Overall, I appreciate what the author was trying to do, and I really liked the themes that were explored. But it didn't come through in a lot of the areas I was hoping for, hence only 3 stars.
I really wanted to like this. The blurb sounded absolutely amazing and this quickly jumped from my want to read, to my reading list. I loved the exploration of Jewish culture, and it felt like something personal to the author, which I appreciated. It reflected a very raw portrayal of antisemitism in the 1800s and generally, how people in power so often get away with exploiting and hurting those without.
Similarly to 'The Poppy War', this looked at cultural trauma and followed a protagonist who wanted justice and retribution for their people. Similarly, it was visceral and incredibly emotive, which, while saddenning was really interesting to read about.
However, despite the passion for these topics that came through in the book, it feel short on a few things that I was really looking for. Despite the issues being really impactful, a lot of the revelations were crammed towards the end, feeling very obvious, rather than something the author had let us discover.
The characters' relationships just didn't have a lot of impact on me - the love interests seemed to blend together, or only have a handful of interesting moments. Otherwise, both Frankie and Yakov felt more like plot devices than genuine people. Altar also wasn't as engaging as some of the side characters, such as Raizel, so I just didn't get very attached to him. The romance also feel short because of this, which I was quite disappointed by.
This writing style was also kind of lost on me. It seemed very "telling, not showing" and the descriptions never pulled me in, seeming a bit forced. Of course, not all books will work with a lyrical prose, but this one didn't feel very distinctive either, like 'The Foxhole Court' did. While I was quite hooked with the mystery, there weren't many quotes that ever stood out to me, unfortunately.
I'm also not sure whether this was really fantasy. Elements of Jewish culture were real, such as Altar being cursed, and Mrs Brenner's glimmers, but these were so briefly explored, I'm still not sure whether it was meant to be the fantasy element. Seeing as it was labelled as such, this vagueness was dissatisfying.
Overall, I appreciate what the author was trying to do, and I really liked the themes that were explored. But it didn't come through in a lot of the areas I was hoping for, hence only 3 stars.
September 29, 2021
Thank you Inkyard Press for the ARC of this book!
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros is a queer gothic fantasy that'll have you desperate to read just one more page to get to the bottom of the mysteries that slowly unravel.
Alter Rosen is a Jewish immigrant from Romani in 1893 Chicago. Having fled his home country amid the anti-jewish sentiment spreading in Europe, Alter is trying his best to make enough to support himself and to bring his family over to the states. Keep your head down. Do honest work. Be a good mensch. He tries anyway until a boy he loves is killed, and he's determined to unwrap the mystery. He soon discovers Yakov's murder could be linked to the mysterious disappearances of other Jewish boys in his neighborhood. Then, a nightmare: Alter is possessed by Yakov's dybbuk and has to avenge him before his own soul is lost forever.
This is a historical fantasy, but something about that term just doesn't feel right to me. It's dark and twisty and feels more like a thriller to me. I love the way Polydoros weaves this story together with so many themes - Jewish lore, racism, xenophobia, working conditions of late 19th century US, queer yearning rubbing raw against the pull of religion. There's so much going on in this book, and it works so well together.
The mystery will keep you on your toes. I couldn't put this book down in some parts because I was on the edge of my seat. The imagery of the Chicago World's Fair as the backdrop to these disgusting crimes, what was supposed to be a symbol of hope and progress in the US, is the juxtaposition this book thrives on.
I loved Alter as a character, I loved Frankie as a character, I loved Raziel as a character. They're all so well done and well fleshed out, and I adored Alter's relationship with both of them. His relationship with Frankie was often fraught with guilt and anger and longing so deep, it hurt to read sometimes. So well done.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? The dialogue in a few of the scenes felt a little forced and out of place, and honestly, the book could've ended about 100 pages before it actually did. It's twisty towards the end, but I think it could've used a touch less twist.
Overall, really fantastic read, and I'll recommend it to everyone!
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros is a queer gothic fantasy that'll have you desperate to read just one more page to get to the bottom of the mysteries that slowly unravel.
Alter Rosen is a Jewish immigrant from Romani in 1893 Chicago. Having fled his home country amid the anti-jewish sentiment spreading in Europe, Alter is trying his best to make enough to support himself and to bring his family over to the states. Keep your head down. Do honest work. Be a good mensch. He tries anyway until a boy he loves is killed, and he's determined to unwrap the mystery. He soon discovers Yakov's murder could be linked to the mysterious disappearances of other Jewish boys in his neighborhood. Then, a nightmare: Alter is possessed by Yakov's dybbuk and has to avenge him before his own soul is lost forever.
This is a historical fantasy, but something about that term just doesn't feel right to me. It's dark and twisty and feels more like a thriller to me. I love the way Polydoros weaves this story together with so many themes - Jewish lore, racism, xenophobia, working conditions of late 19th century US, queer yearning rubbing raw against the pull of religion. There's so much going on in this book, and it works so well together.
The mystery will keep you on your toes. I couldn't put this book down in some parts because I was on the edge of my seat. The imagery of the Chicago World's Fair as the backdrop to these disgusting crimes, what was supposed to be a symbol of hope and progress in the US, is the juxtaposition this book thrives on.
I loved Alter as a character, I loved Frankie as a character, I loved Raziel as a character. They're all so well done and well fleshed out, and I adored Alter's relationship with both of them. His relationship with Frankie was often fraught with guilt and anger and longing so deep, it hurt to read sometimes. So well done.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? The dialogue in a few of the scenes felt a little forced and out of place, and honestly, the book could've ended about 100 pages before it actually did. It's twisty towards the end, but I think it could've used a touch less twist.
Overall, really fantastic read, and I'll recommend it to everyone!
September 18, 2021
A killer stalks the streets of Chicago. A killer who preys upon young Jewish immigrants. It is a dangerous time to be alive as Alter Rosen recent Jewish immigrant from Romania well knows. Living in the slums and tenements along Maxwell street, Alter struggles to make enough money to keep himself alive as well as bring over his mother and sisters from Romania. But life isn't all struggle, he's got friends. Particularly the gentle and kind Yakov who Alter loves dearly. But when Yakov is brutally murdered, Alter's life changes. Now possessed by a Dybbuk of his slain friend, Alter joins forces with a boy from his past to hunt down a vicious killer before it's too late and Alter is fully consumed.
--
Set against the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, The City Beautiful is an oftentimes deep and disturbing glimpse into the world of that time. The city is dirty and corrupt, crawling with con-men and tricksters who are eager and willing to take advantage of the arriving immigrants. This is the city that so many people came to seeking a better life only to find more poverty and strife. This is the city that played home to H.H. Holmes as well as inspired Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle." And because of that this book needs a heap-ton of trigger warnings.
Triggers for the following: Child Sexual Assault/Rape, Character Death, Antisemitism, racism, classism, xenophobia, graphic descriptions of blood and gore, graphic descriptions of funerary practices, homophobia, sexism, misogyny, general cruelty, and more I'm definitely missing. Please make sure you're in a good place before reading this book.
Because this is a good book. While the subject matter is definitely outside my usual fare, it's well-researched story about Jewish Immigrant Life in America in the late 19th century with very mystical/horror elements. And it's definitely horror. At times this book reminded me of Stephen King's "It" mixed with Lovecraft Country. I liked the fact that this featured an LGBT chararacter who is still coming to terms with that that means for him. It's realistic for a time and culture where homosexuality is very much looked down upon and even punished.
And this story is a romance. While Alter's first love does die as a catalyst to the overarching plot, there is a very nice slow burn second chance romance between Alter and a sort of Artful Dodger-like character named Frankie. And I did like Frankie. He's tempter, while Alter is the atoner. It's and interesting mix.
However, my favorite character was Raizel, one of Alter's friends from the tenement where he lives. She's a reformer who wants to be a reporter and it's nice to see a solid Male/Female friendship in YA. Especially a LGBT one -- where members of the opposite sex are often denigrated. She's got her own goals and she's not a shrinking violet. I kind of love her. LOL
That said, the book isn't perfect. It's a very slow start with some uneven pacing between the 10 and 40% marks. After the 50% mark the story picks up and it's a nice ride to the end. Looking back on it, I can see why the author took the time to set the scene and lay out the clues, but it wasn't apparent on the first read through. That said, this book definitely has re-read value... so that's something.
In all, I enjoyed this book despite it taking me several months to read. So I'm going to give this...
Four stars
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
--
Set against the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, The City Beautiful is an oftentimes deep and disturbing glimpse into the world of that time. The city is dirty and corrupt, crawling with con-men and tricksters who are eager and willing to take advantage of the arriving immigrants. This is the city that so many people came to seeking a better life only to find more poverty and strife. This is the city that played home to H.H. Holmes as well as inspired Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle." And because of that this book needs a heap-ton of trigger warnings.
Triggers for the following: Child Sexual Assault/Rape, Character Death, Antisemitism, racism, classism, xenophobia, graphic descriptions of blood and gore, graphic descriptions of funerary practices, homophobia, sexism, misogyny, general cruelty, and more I'm definitely missing. Please make sure you're in a good place before reading this book.
Because this is a good book. While the subject matter is definitely outside my usual fare, it's well-researched story about Jewish Immigrant Life in America in the late 19th century with very mystical/horror elements. And it's definitely horror. At times this book reminded me of Stephen King's "It" mixed with Lovecraft Country. I liked the fact that this featured an LGBT chararacter who is still coming to terms with that that means for him. It's realistic for a time and culture where homosexuality is very much looked down upon and even punished.
And this story is a romance. While Alter's first love does die as a catalyst to the overarching plot, there is a very nice slow burn second chance romance between Alter and a sort of Artful Dodger-like character named Frankie. And I did like Frankie. He's tempter, while Alter is the atoner. It's and interesting mix.
However, my favorite character was Raizel, one of Alter's friends from the tenement where he lives. She's a reformer who wants to be a reporter and it's nice to see a solid Male/Female friendship in YA. Especially a LGBT one -- where members of the opposite sex are often denigrated. She's got her own goals and she's not a shrinking violet. I kind of love her. LOL
That said, the book isn't perfect. It's a very slow start with some uneven pacing between the 10 and 40% marks. After the 50% mark the story picks up and it's a nice ride to the end. Looking back on it, I can see why the author took the time to set the scene and lay out the clues, but it wasn't apparent on the first read through. That said, this book definitely has re-read value... so that's something.
In all, I enjoyed this book despite it taking me several months to read. So I'm going to give this...
Four stars
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews