Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    City of Light: A Novel
    Unavailable
    City of Light: A Novel
    Unavailable
    City of Light: A Novel
    Audiobook (abridged)6 hours

    City of Light: A Novel

    Written by Lauren Belfer

    Narrated by Jan Maxwell

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The year is 1901. Buffalo, New York, is poised for glory. With its booming industry and newly electrified streets, Buffalo is a model for the century just beginning.

    Louisa Barrett has made this dazzling city her home. Headmistress of Buffalo's most prestigious school, Louisa is at ease in a world of men, protected by the titans of her city. But nothing prepares her for a startling discovery: evidence of a murder tied to the city's cathedral-like power plant at nearby Niagara Falls. This shocking crime--followed by another mysterious death--will ignite an explosive chain of events. For in this city of seething intrigue and dazzling progress, a battle rages among politicians, power brokers, and industrialists for control of Niagara. And one extraordinary woman in their midst must protect a dark secret that implicates them all…

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJul 5, 2000
    ISBN9780553750072
    Unavailable
    City of Light: A Novel
    Author

    Lauren Belfer

    Lauren Belfer’s novel A Fierce Radiance was named a Washington Post Best Novel; an NPR Best Mystery; and a New York Times Editors’ Choice. Her debut novel, City of Light, was a New York Times bestseller as well as a number one Book Sense pick; a New York Times Notable Book; a Library Journal Best Book; and a Main Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club. She lives in New York City.

    Related to City of Light

    Related audiobooks

    Historical Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Mariupol’s Misery, Royal Ructions And The Return Of A Gay Icon

      Apr 1, 2022

      In many ways the plight of Mariupol encapsulates the subconscious horror of Russia’s assault on Ukraine. Long since deemed unsafe by news crews, few clear details now emanate from the besieged port city – but what has done so hints at the nightmarish

      1 min read

    • Article

      Nigeria Charles The Last?

      Oct 9, 2022

      Nigeria Charles The Last?
      2 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Jul 17, 2023

      Books
      6 min read

    • Article

      Rock of AGES

      Feb 7, 2024

      Rock of AGES
      15 min read

    • Article

      More Than Whippets And Flat Caps

      Jun 30, 2022

      Anthony Broxton is a political adviser and public historian IN OCTOBER 2007, THE LOWRY, named after Salford’s most famous son, hosted the Myth of the North exhibition in a bid to change public understandings of the region. As part of the programme, a

      3 min read

    • Article

      Economics, Politics, Police And Puddings

      Aug 5, 2022

      In a 500-page analysis, Ray details how the Global North got it wrong about growth in the wake of the Second World War and unleashed a wave of self-interested and self-defeating economic theorising on the Global South, in this case Africa. As he emph

      2 min read

    • Article

      Meghan Markle

      Dec 24, 2018

      Meghan Markle
      5 min read

    • Article

      Lights, Camera, Corsicana

      Nov 26, 2020

      Lights, Camera, Corsicana
      10 min read

    • Article

      Don’t Miss!

      Jan 23, 2022

      Starring the likes of Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski, this epic drama explores the lives of New York’s millionaires of the 1880s. Orphaned Marian Brook moves in with her old-money aunts and quickly becomes involved in a social war between them

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Lotus Position

      Mar 1, 2023

      The Lotus Position
      7 min read

    • Article

      Lviv Primes Its Defences; London’s Cosy Welcome For One Oligarch And A Kitsch Take On Politics

      Mar 18, 2022

      Russia’s invasion of Ukraine entered a third week, with several towns in the east and south suffering under grim conditions. In the western city of Lviv, life has gone on largely as normal – though the threat was brought home to many residents by a d

      2 min read

    • Article

      TV, FILM & RADIO

      Sep 29, 2022

      TV, FILM & RADIO
      5 min read

    • Article

      Editorial

      Feb 22, 2024

      There’s a distinct whiff of industry to proceedings this month, with three stories from England, the United States and Germany connected with the worlds of coal, iron and steel. First, Paul Cropper – a long-time investigator of all sorts of strangene

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Girls Next Door

      Aug 12, 2021

      The Girls Next Door
      8 min read

    • Article

      A Winter’s Tale

      Jan 21, 2021

      A Winter’s Tale
      4 min read

    • Article

      Welcome

      Jun 17, 2021

      Welcome
      1 min read

    • Article

      This Issue’s Contributors

      Jan 23, 2020

      The Little Ice Age fascinates me as a vignette of people adapting to constantly changing climate conditions over several centuries. And they had no weather forecasts, nor central heating either! Brian reveals how the lives of Britons were transforme

      1 min read

    • Article

      Concrete Dreams

      Nov 6, 2020

      Concrete Dreams
      10 min read

    • Article

      Letter From The Editor

      Jun 8, 2023

      What could be more quintessentially Wisconsin than watching a water ski show at Wisconsin Dells, sampling beer at a local brewery, or savoring Door County cherries? This issue of WMH brings together three cherished traditions of summer in our state,

      2 min read

    • Article

      Letter From The Editor

      Jun 8, 2023

      What could be more quintessentially Wisconsin than watching a water ski show at Wisconsin Dells, sampling beer at a local brewery, or savoring Door County cherries? This issue of WMH brings together three cherished traditions of summer in our state,

      2 min read

    Reviews for City of Light

    3.5/5

    229 ratings23 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      very good historical fiction. A little slow and an unbelievable ending
    • 5/5
      Wonderful Book!
    • 5/5
      Historical novel of Buffalo, Niagra Falls, and electricity. Quiet, but always interesting. Strong female headmistress inspired me.
    • 3/5
      If you are reading along with book dont. The audiobook Is very different from book.
    • 4/5
      There was a lot going on in this book. Near the beginning there was a murder that was never fully investigated, although we do find out who committed it and also the next murder (which also was let go as an accident). In all there are at least four deaths and what we would today regard as a terrorist bombing in the book, as well as a few suspicious industrial accidents. Although all the deaths are tragic of course, it turns out that none of these is the really central crime in the book.

      All the issues touched on in the book are still ongoing today - everything from racism to labor unrest. The issues that are most central to the story - the abuse of power by big businessmen and sexual abuse of women by powerful men of all types - appear to still be very much with us, and the surprising thing is not that they are occurring now, but that the forms they take has changed so little in the past 100+ years.

      The descriptions of Buffalo circa 1900 seem to be well done - people from Buffalo mostly appear to like them - and the central role of Niagara Falls is interesting. The falls are almost a character.

      Evidently this audiobook was abridged (there was a credit for the abridgment), but I couldn't see that anything important was missing. I do wish that had been mentioned somewhere in the summary, though, as I generally don't like to settle for abridged versions of books that are on my to-read list. Well written and well read.
    • 4/5
      The setting is 1901 in Buffalo New YorkHydro-electric power development at nearby Niagra Falls and the grand Pan-American Exposition are backdrops in this historical drama-mystery.Louisa Barrett is our focal character.It is interesting how with the resolution of one situation, new "secrets" seems to evolve.4* good read
    • 5/5
      City of Light is a journey back in time in Buffalo at the turn of the century. Buffalo was the 8th Industrial city at the time. A time of promise and the future and all things possible. (not in 2008). This story combines issues of women, immigrants, new technology and the magic of simple but promising times.A worthwile read.
    • 3/5
      Read this a few years ago and enjoyed it, a well crafted mystery and a familiar setting for me.
    • 2/5
      Was so enjoying the descriptions of the setting that I could have ignored the cliché characterizations if it weren't for the embarrassingly silly plot twists. I wanted to like it so much but I just couldn't.
    • 2/5
      Although the writing was technically perfect, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was reading an almanac or tourist guide of Buffalo, New York made into a novel. Add to that the first person narration by a character I found to be unsympathetic and unrealistic… let’s just say that I was not enthusiastic about finishing.

      The very detailed rape scene at the hands of a former president (confirming the painfully predictable plot) was the final straw… I could not make myself finish.
    • 1/5
      Didn't pass the 100 page test for me. Sat it down and had no desire to pick it back up. The 'murder mystery' aspect didn't even sway me.
    • 2/5
      I love novels that are a mix of genres, and the back of this book billed it as a mix of murder mystery, romance and historical fiction--set in the Buffalo, New York of 1901. The story is told by Louisa Barrett, a progressive thirty-something headmistress of an elite girls school for the daughters of the wealthy and powerful. She's close to the wealthy Thomas Sinclair, the adoptive father of nine-year-old Grace. (I guessed the so-called secret of her birth and parentage as soon as she was mentioned. I think Belfer would have done better to hang a lantern on it from the beginning rather than endlessly, heavily hint. Well, half-guessed, and the other half is just too ridiculous.) Louisa is quick to suspect Sinclair when a man he argued with is killed. Far too quick--even though she claims to be close to the Sinclairs and there's no good reason to believe the death isn't an accident. Soon her help is recruited by reporter Franklin Fiske. The narrative flowed well, and Belfer was good at conjuring up both the opulent wealth and squalid poverty of the Gilded Age. However, I soon found myself irritated by the heavy handed left-wing pieties and platitudes about this period. I rolled my eyes when I hit the passage from Fiske about electricity belonging "to the people" and after that was sure where the so-called mystery was headed. Before many more pages after that I just headed to the back and checked, and I wasn't wrong. Too annoyingly predictable with clanging anvils streaming behind.
    • 5/5
      As a 36 year-old spinster Louisa Barrett is the headmistress of a well-to-do boarding school and she harbors a dark secret. While she is trusted and beloved by her community she is a contradiction in character. It's this contradiction that makes her human and extremely likable. She worries about propriety and yet goes out of her way to create confusion about her personal life. She's modern and yet knows her place in society when dealing with members of the opposite sex. At the height of Louisa's tenure as headmistress Buffalo, New York is going through a metamorphosis. The husband of her late best friend owns a power plant that, by using nearby Niagara Falls, promises to light the entire region. Environmentalists are up on arms over the draining of the falls and suddenly people start dying. Somehow, Louisa finds herself in the middle of the mess. It's her secret that has her tied to the drama.City of Light is one of those books I like to call a "location" book. It brings the sense of a particular place to reality. For City of Light that place is Buffalo, New York and its famed Niagara Falls. Set in the early 1900s this is a period piece. A time when women barely held a place in society beyond practiced restraint and stiff decorum. City of Light is also an environment versus science debate as the development of a hydro-electric plant threatens to drain Niagara Falls of its rushing waters for the sake of lighting Buffalo and beyond. Set against the political and environmental debates of the era City of Light is also a mystery as two men are found dead under suspicious circumstances. It is hard to ignore they were both prominent men, connected to the power plant. Yet, no one can prove with absolute certainty they were murdered. Finally, City of Light is a nontraditional love story. Louisa learns the best way to love is to let go.
    • 5/5
      This is a very good piece of historical fiction. It's part murder mystery, part intrigue, and a large helping of a tragedy of manners. Being from NY and having a family that loves the falls, I really enjoyed the facts that are incorporated into this novel.SPOILER:The characters are very engrossing and the reader is taken on a trip of hope and disappointment with the many female characters. Although feeling anger for and being appalled by the injustice, and as much as I would have liked to see a happy ending, perhaps it's a good that we're reminded of the realities of the past so that we know how far we've come, what that has taken, and the importance of continuing to move forward.
    • 3/5
      early 1900s, Niagra power just starting up, women in society. Interesting read, but not a keeper. Plan to share book with others.
    • 2/5
      Set in Buffalo, New York, in 1901, City of Light is told from the point of view of Louisa Barrett, a 36-year-old spinster and the headmistress of a prestigious girls’ school in town. She is extremely modern, almost to the point of yawning, and her progressive views on girls’ education and the position of women in society in general got to be wearying after a while. The novel starts with a sensational murder connected to the power plant that’s owned by Louisa’s best friend Tom.This novel was a little confusing. At some points it’s a murder mystery; at others, it’s social commentary; at others the novel focuses more on the technological and political issues of the day. It’s as though the author conducted tons and tons of research on her subject (by no means a bad thing) and she decided that she just had to get it all in. Everything about the use of electricity is detailed, so much so that I became bored by the author’s descriptions of every single little thing.Another thing I couldn’t stand about this novel is the main character. She’s full of contradictions: she’s modern and progressive and has salons at her home that are attended by all the notables of Buffalo. She’s also concerned about appearances; on the other, she encourages people to think that she’s got a “Boston marriage with her friend.” She’s strong and independent, but she allows something to happen to her that basically makes her a victim in the situation, that basically goes against the character the author created in the first 400 pages.The plot had a lot of potential, but there were some serious holes; and there were some twists that were interesting but not particularly skillfully revealed (I could see the twist about Grace coming from a mile away). I liked the premise of the book, but there were some major flaws about the book that couldn’t get me seriously interested in the plot or the characters. It’s too bad, because there’s a lot of promise here.
    • 3/5
      A nice chunk of historical novel about 19th Century Buffalo and the coming of electricity. It was interesting but good without being great. Perhaps a little overlong and plot a little unsatisfying?
    • 3/5
      Intriguing. I enjoyed this turn-of-the-century (previous turn) novel for what it really is. Ignore the misleading USA Today review (on the book cover) which claimed it to be a "remarkable blend of murder mystery, love story, political intrigue, and tragedy of manners," as the book could disappoint if approached from any of those perspectives. Rather, it works perfectly as a whimsical portrait of life in what was poised to become the greatest modern city on earth (Buffalo), showcasing human nature with all of its foibles. One aspect of the books ends as if the author ran out of paper, but it is irrelevant as a portrait has no beginning or end.
    • 3/5
      Electrification of Niagara Falls. History, controversy, American ideals in 1901. Morals, community, social conscious
    • 5/5
      Historical novel of Buffalo, Niagra Falls, and electricity. Quiet, but always interesting. Strong female headmistress inspired me.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book but I did not really love it. For one, it was too long. The terminology in it was a little difficult for me and I am not what I consider a stupid person. I do like that it was based on factual information. It had a surprise ending, which I like in a book. I do not think that I would rush out to read another book by this same author.
    • 2/5
      Annoying character -- every man in the story and even a lesbian fell for her -- but fine job with time and place.
    • 4/5
      Being from Buffalo, it was a joy to read about my city at the turn of the century - at the time of the Pan American Exposition of 1901. Familiar names (national and local), familiar landmarks, familiar history. The story eventually brings together that history and the central character, Louisa Barrett. The descriptions of the era are well written, allowing me to see and feel Buffalo at the height of its national prominence. The energy and turbulence of the time and place is also well captured. Again, being from the area likely colors my perception, but others will certainly enjoy this solid first novel. I recommend it.