Grand novel
After his first best-seller, I was afraid Baker's quality might drop, but he has outdone himself with Paradise Alley. Forget about "Gangs of New York" and read this wonderful historical novel about New York City and the forces that were operating in a crucial period. From the beginning construction of Central Park, to the Draft Riots, history plays a background, but essential role as rich characters struggle with class, race, and gender struggles that define them. If that sounds like a boring history, I have not done this grand novel justice. I was carried along by compelling personal stories and complex characters that stay with you long after reading Bravo Kevin. (from a fellow novelist)
