A supremely assured piece of historical fiction. Francis Spufford recreates the setting of 18th century New York with verve and vigour. Populating it with brilliant characters from the mysterious protagonist Mr Smith who may (or may not) be an Englishman of considerable fortune, to Septimus Oakeshott, the wily secretary to the Governor and Tabitha the spirited daughter of Smith’s patron-cum-creditor Mr Lovell. Spufford meticulously recreates the speech of these characters, deeply rooting them in the time and place of the American colonies before the Revolution and revealing the political landscape and the merging conflicts that will erupt in the years to come. Not only this but he ingeniously impersonates the novelists of the time with a narrative voice that inserts its own opinions and asides that provide some of the wittiest humour in a very funny story. The plot is a rollicking adventure, full of shocking coincidences and melodrama so beloved of 18th and 19th century authors, here offered up deftly and with tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement. Spufford doesn’t shrink from tackling the evils of the time, slavery and racism in particular. He manages this with subtlety and sophistication a way that seems appropriate to the time and disposition of his characters but also reveals the horrible realities. It’s a breathlessly quick, funny and tightly-woven epic that is a joy to read.

Golden Hill by Francis Spufford has an utterly unique premise and novel organization. It’s a historical fiction book set in Manhattan, 1746. A stranger named Mr. Smith arrives fresh off the boat from England with an order for a thousand pounds and he won’t explain why or what he is planning to do in the colonies that requires so much money. Should the NY merchants trust him? Should they risk their credit and refuse to pay? Should they befriend him? Arrest him? Kill him? The book was a whirlwind of an adventure that continues to pick up momentum as it goes. It is expertly constructed. It took me back in time with a vivid picture of a NY that has names I recognize, but is entirely different from the city I know today. The last few pages of this book created a plot twist that changed the entire narrative for me. It is rare that a book is able to convince you of something and completely reframe the narrative so seamlessly. The book takes so much of its inspiration from 18th c. novels and is so smart in the way it’s executed. It’s a great piece of historical fiction and an intriguing read.

This is a transcripted version of my video review which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXNmu93W4as

This novel will appeal to historical fiction lovers who enjoy a ton of detail and appreciate an author's attempt to write in the vernacular of the time. For me, I prefer just enough historical detail to visualize but not so much that it slows the story down. Ditto for vernacular. I'd like a taste but not the whole meal. This is well-written, just not my cup of tea.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-review copy of this book.

Francis Spufford offers a cornucopia of historical detail in this, his first novel, which is set in colonial-era New York City. But as engrossing as this presentation of the past may be, it is the mysterious main character, Richard Smith, who grips the reader's attention as he meanders through the highs and lows of Manhattan society. And it is at the startling conclusion that the reader is caught short - and may well say to himself, I think I need to read this again. It is so beautifully written that a repeat reading will be a pleasure.

In the autumn of 1746, a young man arrives by ship in New York with a bill for a thousand pounds, which he immediately presents to a local merchant. Who is this mysterious Richard Smith? Is he an honest man or a fraud? He seems content to wait the required 60 days for payment of the bill. No one in the city knows what to make of him. The third person narrator is not omniscient, leaving the reader as much in the dark as New York society.

Spufford brings mid-18th century New York to life in the pages of this novel, viewing it from the perspective of the newly arrived Smith as he explores the city and observes its customs. The novel's style is different and fresh. Smith's motive is hidden from the reader, so the destination of the plot is unpredictable. As much as I enjoyed the writing and style of the novel, there are some technical flaws. The story includes scenes and conversations that should have been unknown to the narrator. There also seems to be a chronological error in the text. On Christmas day, one of the characters is thinking about plans for the year to come. In 1746, Great Britain was still using the Julian calendar, and the new year didn't begin until March 25. These issues didn't lessen my enjoyment of the novel, and I highly recommend it for most readers of historical fiction.

This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Fast-paced and filled with action, Golden Hill is rich, compelling novel that is saturated with historical detail.

I made a very serious attempt to read this but after one third of the book I gave up in frustration. Taking place around 1746, the words from that time are probably meant to offer authenticity, but this being 2017 many of the words are not in my vocabulary. The very first sentence is 162 words in length, followed by a colon and then 29 more words before encountering a period denoting the end of the sentence. Luckily my E-reader has a built in dictionary, but even that convenience was baffled so often, and the pause to look up a word meaning totally detracted from an enjoyable read.

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Ugh, run-on sentences galore. Abandoned at 10%.
DNF, no rating

The entire premise of this novel surrounds the enigmatic Richard Smith who has turned up in New York in the 1700s with £1,000, a huge sum at the time. The prose is elegant and rich, reminiscent of classic period dramas written by Edith Wharton, but mixes the plot of the Taming Of The Shrew with "The Guest" by Satyajit Ray. The ending is poignant when we discover his true purpose of the money and there are literally hundreds of twists throughout the novel. Beautifully written.

This was a somber read but absorbing. I will be interested in hearing what the students think about it

There is much to laud with this novel. First, the author did an exceptional job at bringing to life 18th century New York city. Secondly, there is the intriguing plot - the premise of a stranger landing on the shores with a vast amount of money and then being robbed of it shortly thereafter and his dire circumstances landing him in gaol not once, but twice. Thirdly, there are numerous fascinating characters with plenty of quirks. Altogether, these three points made the story unforgettable.

I have to admit, it took me several tries to begin reading this book. My biggest obstacle was the extremely long, rambling opening sentence (about 1 page long). It was a bit of a struggle to convince myself to keep reading. The next obstacle I struggled with was the "rich prose" which made engaging with the story a bit challenging. In between plot twists, sometimes the story dragged a bit. An abundance of uncommon words and complex sentences throughout the book kept pulling me out of the story to look up words or to re-read passages.

Having said that, I was captivated by the story. I can see why it is an award winning novel. I also can see why the prose is considered so rich. The descriptions and use of humor and a bit of sarcasm truly overcame the complexities of the words, sentences, and phrases. I loved all the main characters, but my favorite was the smelly, drunk prisoner, Capting! I enjoyed the twists and turns, the betrayals, and the ever evolving characters that always managed to surprise me. Despite my criticisms, this is a wonderful book, well worth reading. I definitely recommend it!

There is a wonderful tone to this book. It is almost as if the author has his tongue placed firmly in his cheek throughout the narrative and he is tipping us knowing winks on occasion. The novel tells us of the arrival to New York of one Mr. Smith in 1746 with a letter promising him the sum of £1000. What follows is part historical romance, part slave narrative and part mystery. Who is the enigmatic Mr. Smith? Where does his money come from? The novel is written in the style of a seventeenth century offering, with sentences running to full paragraphs and old fashioned language used. This may put some people off, but be assured that a little perseverance and effort is worth it. The characters are wonderful and are so full of life and the events described are by turns everyday and utterly fantastical. The author walks a very fine line here between what can be believed and what our suspension just will not allow, but in my opinion, he manages to stay on the right side for the vast majority of the time. I will think of these characters often in future and that for me, makes this book a success.

Wonderful historical fiction, filled with twists and turns! Loved this and will be recommending to all lovers of historical fiction.

On a wet November night in 1746 a ship berths in New York harbor. Disembarking is a handsome, young man who is intent upon receiving a large sum of money from a counting house located in the Golden Hill area. He is received with suspicion….is his note warranting the money genuine? What will he do with such a large sum? Who is employing him and for what purpose? Richard Smith (is even the name real?) does not reveal his purpose. Instead he navigates the insular and sometimes petty forces of Manhattan politics and social order to learn how his goals can be achieved without revealing his true mission to the people or even the reader. Richard thinks he has a handle on how to proceed but even good intentions sometimes have unexpected consequences. Spufford’s descriptions of the port and its people are transporting. I not only visualized old New York but also heard the sounds and smelled the harbor side. Reminiscent of a Fielding novel, the plot has delightful and catastrophic twists that seesaws Richard between near disaster to exoneration. Highly recommended.

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD EVERYONE READ IT IMMEDIATELY. A novel set in 1746 New York City, the book opens with the arrival in town of Richard Smith, fresh from London and bearing a bill for a thousand pounds. All of the novel's action is compacted within the next 60 days, as various New Yorkers wait to receive word from England proving Smith is who he says he is and if he really is owed such a fabulous sum; in the meantime they (and the reader) are left to figure out the mysterious Smith: a conman who should be thrown in the city's freezing jail? a wealthy aristocrat who your daughters should be encouraged to woo? a French spy, come to exploit the division between the city's new-born political parties? an actor, a Catholic, a gay man, a libertine, or possibly even a Turkish magician? Through it all Smith delights in giving no answers, reveling in the New World as a place to remake himself. I generally am suspicious of books that deliberately hide information from the reader, but it's done so well here and leads to such a delightful revelation that I think it was the perfect choice.

Spufford's style is a moderate pastiche of 18th century novels. Here are the opening lines as an example:
The brig Henrietta having made Sandy Hook a little before the dinner hour—and having passed the Narrows about three o’clock—and then crawling to and fro, in a series of tacks infinitesimal enough to rival the calculus, across the grey sheet of the harbour of New York—until it seemed to Mr. Smith, dancing from foot to foot upon deck, that the small mound of the city waiting there would hover ahead in the November gloom in perpetuity, never growing closer, to the smirk of Greek Zeno—and the day being advanced to dusk by the time Henrietta at last lay anchored off Tietjes Slip, with the veritable gables of the city’s veritable houses divided from him only by one hundred foot of water—and the dusk moreover being as cold and damp and dim as November can afford, as if all the world were a quarto of grey paper dampened by drizzle until in danger of crumbling imminently to pap:—all this being true, the master of the brig pressed upon him the virtue of sleeping this one further night aboard, and pursuing his shore business in the morning. (He meaning by the offer to signal his esteem, having found Mr. Smith a pleasant companion during the slow weeks of the crossing.) But Smith would not have it. Smith, bowing and smiling, desired nothing but to be rowed to the dock. Smith, indeed, when once he had his shoes flat on the cobbles, took off at such speed despite the gambolling of his land-legs that he far out-paced the sailor dispatched to carry his trunk—and must double back for it, and seizing it hoist it instanter on his own shoulder—and gallop on, skidding over fish-guts and turnip leaves and cats’ entrails, and the other effluvium of the port—asking for direction here, asking again there—so that he appeared most nearly as a type of smiling whirlwind when he shouldered open the door—just as it was about to be bolted for the evening—of the counting-house of the firm of Lovell & Company, on Golden Hill Street, and laid down his burden while the prentices were lighting the lamps, and the clock on the wall showed one minute to five, and demanded, very civilly, speech that moment with Mr. Lovell himself.

However, it's 18th century language hiding a 21st century attitude; this is a novel deeply aware of gender and racial divisions, for all that they're mostly hidden behind humor and a page-turning sense of suspense. It's a New York City shaped and haunted by the ghosts of the slave revolt of 1741, and its shadow lies over every page, thought it's only ever directly addressed in one on-page conversation (though goddamn, it's a conversation with resonance). Smith meets and begins to court Tabitha Lovell, who is described as a "shrew" by her family and the rest of this small-town New York. Her portrayal though, is much more complex than that stereotype, and it's never quite clear how much she is an intelligent woman brutally confined by social strictures or how much she suffers from an unnamed mental illness.

And yet it's fun book, an exciting book! There are glorious set-pieces here: Smith racing over the rooftops of winter New York, outpacing a mob howling for his blood; a duel fought outside the walls of the city that turns in a split second from humor to horror; a play acted on the closest thing New York has to a stage; a card game with too much money invested. The writing is alternatively beautiful and hilarious, and I'm just completely in love with all of it.

I really can't recommend this book enough. I came into it not expecting much, but it turned out to be exactly what I wanted.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2039228583

An interesting plot set up but I couldn't stay with it. Thank you for the opportunity.

Golden Hill by Francis Spufford is an astonishing achievement. He brings pre civil war New York to life in a well imagined tale using language and narrative style that fits the time. This is a novel absolutely bursting with life and characters. I was immediately swept into the curious story of a Mr Smith who arrives from England with a monetary bill. It's for a large amount and he wants to cash it, but has no background to support the value of the document. Is he a fake? Is the bill forged? What's the story?

The narrative style reminded me of Henry Fielding; it's rich, descriptive and may feel a little archaic to 21st Century readers. But it's so well written and true to the period that it quickly forms a rhythm that's rich and rewarding. The story romps along with pace and elegance and it's certainly one of the best historical novels I've read in a while. I enjoyed the journey and hope there's more from Francis Spufford.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy from Netgalley.

Golden Hill is a historical fiction novel set in New York in 1746. A stranger arrives from London and shows up on the doorstep of a counting house with an order for one thousand pounds, a huge amount of money for such a small place as colonial New York. Mr. Lovell the owner of the counting house is rightfully suspicious and makes the stranger (Mr. Smith) wait a few months until his order can be confirmed. Thus, Smith finds himself temporarily stuck in town without any ability to transact his business and travel along. His precarious position is further exacerbated by the fact that most of his cash is stolen on his first walk through town. Now he has no choice but lodge and board on credit and hope that his order will be confirmed and paid as planned.
Through the eyes of Mr. Smith, the reader gets acquainted with the local society, their customs, gossip and intrigues. Mr. Smith gradually albeit unwillingly gets embroiled in the local politics and goes through a series of crazy ups and downs from being thrown into a local jail to being celebrated as someone whose influence and means could sway the power balance in New York.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The beginning was a bit slow, but then about midway through the novel, the events start moving at a rollercoaster speed with a seemingly unending succession of unexpected twists and turn along the way. For a while, the reader along with the citizens of New York, keeps wondering whether Mr. Smith is a fraud. Once that question is answered, we are still kept in the dark as to his true purpose in town. He does not reveal it to anyone until the very end of the novel. And even after the big reveal, the reader has another surprise awaiting them in the very last chapter of the book.
I definitely liked all the unexpected events and surprising reveals that happen in the story. I also really enjoyed learning about the colonial New York of 1746. The book is filled with references to the city’s Dutch roots and provides interesting insights into the religious, social and administrative customs and arrangements of the day.
I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. I read an advanced reader’s copy provided by Netgalley.

I think the degree to which you enjoy this is dependent on the degree to which you enjoyed 18th and 19th century English literature. It's a wonderfully written, if sometimes dense, novel about 17th century New York. Who is Mr. Smith? It takes a long time to find out, as well as to find out his purpose. That said, the journey to the answer takes you through tour of a really neat scenario. Spufford has written some terrific characters, not only in Mr. Smith but also in the supporting cast. I wasn't sure I wanted to stick with this (I got a little, ahem, stuck about a third of the way through) but I'm glad I did. It's rewarding not only for the tale but also for the writing. Thanks to net galley for the ARC.

2.5*

All 10 of my friends that read Golden Hill gave it stellar reviews with an average of 4.50. As a result, I had high expectations from this novel, especially because the blurb sounded to be exactly what I love about historical fiction. Unfortunately, it did not work for me as much as I wanted. I enjoyed GH well enough to give it almost three stars but no more. However, I can understand why other readers might love it more than I did.

The most important aspect for me in a novel is the writing, the voice of the author. Unfortunately, the author and I did not click in this one. I was not impressed by the archaic writing (not that I have a problem with that style in general), the meandering narrative or by the humor. I was impressed by the initial portrait of 1746 New York but later, the descriptive passages included too much uninteresting filler and I could not concentrate. Moreover, I did not care about the characters. They felt two dimensional and did not come alive on the page.

Although I had moments of struggle, I kept reading to find out the reason for the main character’s travel to America. After I impatiently pushed through almost the whole novel, the big reveal was so underwhelming and already hinted at that I did not find my reading worthwhile. I also did not care for the plot twist at the end as I felt it had no logical sense.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.