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diamondlil
08-30-2008, 05:34 AM
This author is a bit hit and miss with me. I really enjoyed her first book, City of Dreams, but didn't enjoy Shadowbrook as much. The third book, City of Glory was again enjoyable. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series City of God, but I am not 100% sure when it will be out.

I do find the fact that Shadowbrook is named differently to the other books a bit confusing and that did result in me reading this series out of order, which is one thing I don't like to do.
Ash
08-30-2008, 02:20 PM
I also loved City of Dreams, and was disappointed in Shadowbrooks, so I stayed away from City of Glory. May have to try it now, if you say its as good as the first.
Divia
08-30-2008, 02:54 PM
What time period does she write in?

Lovin the avatar diamondlil :)
Ariadne
08-30-2008, 03:17 PM
I was leery about reading City of Glory because I thought Shadowbrook was dull, but I enjoyed it a lot. There wasn't much if any overlap in terms of characters between the two books (I believe the families were distantly related).

City of God is supposed to be set in Civil War-era Manhattan and is due out in the US in early December. The others are set in earlier periods of American history, mostly in Manhattan, but Shadowbrook is set in upstate NY and Quebec in the 1750s.
Divia
08-30-2008, 03:32 PM
OH upstate NY. Hmmm I wonder how "upstate" it is. I'll have to check.

Anyway, I checked out City of God and it seems like its a family saga. Am I right? It really doesnt sound like something I"d be interested in,but I'll wait to see what the reviews are and maybe for a summary on amazon.
Misfit
08-30-2008, 03:40 PM
Now this time I'm in the minority. I loved Shadowbrook but could not finish City of Dreams. I just didn't care for any of the characters, along with the gore factor and the generation jumping just lost me.
Ariadne
08-30-2008, 03:46 PM
Yep, they all are family sagas. City of Dreams covers multiple generations over about 100 years, but the others don't cover as much time. It's the only one I haven't read. City of Glory takes place over 10 days during the War of 1812.

The publisher's catalog says next to nothing about City of God other than the setting and that it's a followup, but from an excerpt on Swerling's website, it begins in 1863. So maybe one or two generations after the previous book.
diamondlil
08-30-2008, 10:41 PM
City of Dreams suffers a little from the fact that it does cover so long and so many characters.

I have reviews for all of them, which I will post shortly.
Divia
08-30-2008, 11:17 PM
hmm. I dont like books with a lot of characters. I tend to get them confused. Simple tastes I guess. ;)
diamondlil
08-30-2008, 11:42 PM
Only the first one is like that. The others are all okay!
lindymc
08-31-2008, 12:52 AM
I really liked City of Dreams, enjoyed following the successive generations of the central families. I'm looking forward to City of Glory, hoping to receive it soon.
sunnysmileqt
09-02-2008, 10:20 PM
I have Shadowbrook and City of Dreams. Should I read Shadowbrook first?
Ash
09-03-2008, 12:13 AM
What time period does she write in?

Lovin the avatar diamondlil :)


She starts in the 1600s when the Dutch were colonizing Manhattan, and the books continue through the history of NYC up through the end of the Revolution (tho Im not sure exactly because I haven't read all of the books; just basing this on City of Dreams)
Ash
09-03-2008, 12:14 AM
OH upstate NY. Hmmm I wonder how "upstate" it is. I'll have to check.

Anyway, I checked out City of God and it seems like its a family saga. Am I right? It really doesnt sound like something I"d be interested in,but I'll wait to see what the reviews are and maybe for a summary on amazon.

Not sure of that one, but City of Dreams is a family saga as well. But the history is fascinating, and that seemed to really be in the forefront of the writing.
LCW
09-03-2008, 12:55 AM
I have Shadowbrook. I bought it because I thought I needed to add some more HF about America to my library. I'm nervous now though since quite a few people on here seemed not to like it.
Misfit
09-03-2008, 01:39 AM
I have Shadowbrook. I bought it because I thought I needed to add some more HF about America to my library. I'm nervous now though since quite a few people on here seemed not to like it.


You never know what will float your boat as it were. I loved Shadowbrook but City of Dreams was over the top in the gore factor and I wall banged it. Clearly I'm in the minority, maybe you will be as well :o:):p