Helpful Score: 3
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel of 19th century New York. It was very Dickensian and reminded me a lot of Oliver Twist -- Undertoe was very similar to the menacing character Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist and he like Bill received his just desserts in the end. I did have some difficulty buying into the way the gang communicated through singing or "Whyoing" -- a little hard to believe. But otherwise, I really thought the author captured the feel of old New York and the story was obviously well-researched including Barnum's entertainment, the city sewers, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the gangs. She also based many of her characters on real-life people including Elizabeth Blackwell who was a professor at the radical Women's Medical College. A very enjoyable read - I was sorry to see it end.
Very detailed--nice picture of life among the working class in old NYC. Excellent character development. Good read!
