Okay, so I think this 4 star rating (3.5 if I were allowed to give half stars) needs a bit of an explanation. (Spoiler Warning)I was so darn frustrated through three quarters of this book. I detested Harriet: I understand that you're having a rough time with the iron company failing. I also understand that you're not really in love with the big-shot you married, you're just seizing an opportunity to keep your family afloat. I understand less your necessity to continually torture Toma, who I guess, more or less, is accepting of the situation. Yet, as time goes on, I began to get angry with Toma and his passivity. The lack of reciprocation by Harriet became divinely justified after Toma's life in Serbia is shed light on. The ending, though, just drew everything together nicely. Toma finally took charge (pun intended) very eloquently, may I add. Harriet finally stops listening to the call of society and what everyone thinks she must do. If there was anything else lacking in this novel, I wanted more elaboration in the epilogue, perhaps an actual depiction of interactions and reactions to the outcomes of the plot. Also, the random vivid sex scenes weren't appreciated (although, I may be very Harriet-esque in this particular critique). I understand that the class/race division and the major difference in culture was a huge reason for its placement. I just think it could have been portrayed more tastefully or didn't need to be written in at all. I digress.So, give it a try. Not my favorite book ever, but I'm glad I stuck with it until the end.
This book was really wonderfully written, kudos to the author; it was obvious right off the bat that he is educated and knows what he is talking about. That being said, I found the story slightly interesting and a little boring at the same time. Set in new England around the year 1916, the story is about a young inventor toying around with electricity and what it could do. Like I said, a little boring. I truly believe that anyone who actually enjoys science and tales of the woes of early inventors, then they would really enjoy this. It was a good book, just not something I would normally read. But it did keep me coming back until I finished it, in fact I was desperate to finish it; mainly because of the love story between the young inventor, Toma, and his employer's daughter. Thank God for the love story. I wouldn't recommend this book to just anyone only because I believe a majority of my reading friends simply would not be able to get past chapter one, but I think a select few might actually enjoy it because it makes you think and keeps you involved.
Do You like book The Lightning Keeper (2006)?
I hated this book and didn't finish it.And I hate to not finish a book.I loved the idea of this - the early years of scientific discovery, engines, electricity, turbines and power stations. But the story was bogged down with history that felt removed from the characters and the story. The story danced around so much that 200 pages in I still was wondering what was happening. I started to not care about the characters.It got to a point where I knew I was not going to be satisfied and just put this aside.
—Chris
This book is somewhat slow-moving and obscure, but the obscure bits were interesting enough to keep me reading to the end. The thing I liked best was that I fully expected a certain kind of ending -- a sad one, to be honest, the kind of ending that I was really NOT hoping for. And then it suddenly gets tied up in this relatively neat little way and I just felt like, "Ah, well that wasn't so bad now, was it?" You need some patience to get through this, but it's a very American kind of novel and not half bad.
—Chelsea
I actually listened to this as an audio book and really enjoyed it. The story is very interesting with the twists or industrial cheating as a back drop. I believe if I had been reading this I may have gotten bogged down in all the turbine/ invention descriptions, but with the audiobook it seemed more like a side note for the story teller to the listener. If you enjoy historical fiction and don't mind some awkward sex scenes then you may really enjoy this. The characters are well developed and interesting.
—Sara Russell
