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Summary: A book for history fans
Review: This is one of the most interesting books I've ever read. Maybe it's less readable than Sarum but it's also less chaotic than Russka. Try to read it while you're in London and visit the places described in the novel.I did it! It's a wonderful way to merge yourself deep into British history and to learn how political and economical struggles of the last 17 centuries have been deeply influenced by religion.
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Summary: London: The Novel is definitely a book to read.
Review: London:The Novel is a great book. If you have the time available definitely read the book. However if you are the type of person who likes to read the whole book in one day I suggest that you give yourself a lot of time since the book is over 1000 pages. However, you will enjoy it all.
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Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: I really enjoyed his book but found that sometimes the gaps were too great and not enough English History was included. All in all, you get the feeling of the times and like his other books (Sarum and Russka) it is riveting and difficult to put down (which is a bit of a problem since it's a pretty thick book) Do not start if you have something improtant lined up.
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Summary: Not worth the time it takes to read it
Review: The opening chapters were fairly interesting, but by the time I was half-way through the book, I found that it was not holding my attention. Though the book seems exhaustive, in fact most of the subject matter (and the characters) are glossed over. I found the chapter about the Elizabethan theatre so annoying that I pretty much gave up on this one.
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Summary: Who wrote this mess?
Review: Who wrote this mess? Certainly not the same Edward Rutherfurd that wrote "Sarum." I finished it just because I wanted to prove to myself that I could read this AND "Underworld" in a year, but I cannot and will not recommend it to anyone! BORING!
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Summary: Outstanding history lesson
Review: Rutherfurd's skill in using characters who do not dominate the book but are used to humanize the period of time is marvelous. It's easy to follow a family through the webbed fingers and white streak without becoming confused. Living this history through the eyes and feelings of his characters who rapidly pass to another generation is unique and time-moving. He is definitely NOT a Poor Man's James Michener, he is Edward Rutherfurd the Excellent!
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Summary: Poor man's Michener
Review: This book was well researched and the characters were interesting for about the first 500 pages . . . after a while the next generation of Duckets, Doggets, Silversleeves and Merediths just got less and less interesting. I was surprised that half way through the book we were still in the medeval times. It seemed like there was a rush at the end to catch up to the present. Entertaining undertext and characters but highly predictable and all the surprises telegraphed way in advance.
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Summary: Engrossing
Review: I'm a first time reader of this author and am impressed. This is better than any encyclopedia and more vivid with detailing than many novels. Reading about all of the many characters and how they intermingle through the history of one city is a gorgeously subtle way to learn a tremendous amount of facts and trivia. The only problem is that I feel like my mind is stuffed and information is dribbling out of my ears. Still, it's very hard to put this book down.
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Summary: Alchemy in reverse: gold into lead
Review: Being an Anglophile of long standing, I particularly enjoyed the author's previous work, "Sarum". Furthermore, I regard London as my most favorite place on this planet. Therefore, I was deeply disappointed in "London", and overlong telling of the city's history through the eyes of a multitude of mundane characters on fictional family trees growing through the centuries from pre-Roman Britain to the present. This was alchemy in reverse: London's golden history transformed to leaden boredom. There were too many characters about whom the reader could say, "Who cares?" I certainly didn't.
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Summary: I was dissapointed
Review: I was so looking forward to Rutherford's next book. I had read Sarum and Ruska and was anxiously awaiting an engrossing new read. But I was dissapointed with London. It did not have the same grip to it that the earlier two did.
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