The description of this book sounded right up my alley. However, the style of writing seemed to try to imitate the late 18th c. and I found it difficult to read. A Litsy reviewer mentioned that she had heard an excerpt read aloud and that the audiobook may be easier to follow. I may try this again after publication if an audiobook version is available. (No rating because I did not complete the book).

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity for a sneak peak.

"The impetus of the tide was lost in the width of the water, and they drifted onward, only, across a surface as steady as metal, as well as having its colour, while the crew hoisted more sail, to catch the little cats' paws of breeze that came wrinkling and dabbing the water, scuffing the water as they touched it, from silver into pewter." If you don't enjoy sentences like that, stay away from this book. There is some very flashy writing in this book, and lots of good period details, but ultimately it is all style over substance.

In 1746, young Mr. Richard Smith arrives in New York with a huge letter of credit, but he arouses the suspicions of the residence when he refuses to explain his purpose for coming to New York or his intentions for the money. It wasn't just the New Yorkers who were frustrated by their lack of knowledge about Smith. I also grew impatient with him. It isn't until the very end of the book that you find out why he came to New York, and it doesn't amount to much. Smith gets arrested twice, is involved in a scandal and a duel and has an infatuation with a young woman who is so shrewish that I can't imagine her being appealing to anyone. There is an interesting segment concerning a play, but it interested me more because I like the theater than because it had any relevance to the plot.

There are some lovely descriptions here. "The rain drilled in slantwise, as cold as ocean, and almost to immersing, soaking collar and hair, filling ears with icy drams of floodwater, making soused fingers to ache." And some flames, "Twenty foot, thirty foot tall, they flickered in antic motion across the walls of houses; capered, stretched and stilt-walked over red-dyed brick-and-plaster, with spindle-knees and heads elastic."

I started out really liking this book, but then I was turned off by it's meandering nature and just wanted it to get to the point. Unfortunately it never really does. There just wasn't a compelling plot for me. However, there was some beautiful writing and that may be enough for some readers.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

A wonderfully written charming, funny and effervescent debut novel which bubbles and sparkles with wit and imagination. It deals with the arrival of a Mr. Smith to New York in 1746 and recounts the picaresque adventures he encounters there. This was a sheer joy to read and I will long remember it for the feeling of exuberance it left me with.

The mysterious Mr Smith disembarks in New York with no warning and a credit bill for one thousand pounds sterling. His arrival throws the modest town into a frenzy of gossip and supposition, not just among the merchant classes, where the unfortunate Lovell must find a way to honour this vast sum, but also among the political establishment, where the precarious balance of power could easily be swayed by a man with such a fortune in his pocket. Charming and nonchalant, Smith evades the questions of his new neighbours and contrives to let just enough slip to make himself fascinating: a handsome young man with the education of a gentleman, who has travelled widely, who has experience on the stage, whose past is veiled in secrecy and whose future is deliberately opaque. Even the legality of the fortune is suspect, for why are there no supporting letters from the London firm of Bayard? Is Smith truly a wealthy young gentleman? Is he a rake, a scoundrel, an imposter? And what does he intend to do with this mound of treasure when he gets it?

New York is as much the star of this story as Smith. Here we see one of the world's great cities in its infancy, a city of immigrants which is working its way towards forming its own identity. And we see how, in the midst of its complacency, one daring young man turns all its comfortable assumptions upside down. With duels (both on and off stage), sexual scandal, breathless flights across rooftops and an intriguing protagonist, this is a wonderful romp, full of panache but also, at the end, unexpected poignancy. It's Spufford's first novel, according to his biography, but it nevertheless has the sophistication and flair of an author truly in command of his world.

For the full review, please see my blog at the link below:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/02/09/golden-hill-francis-spufford/