Rating: 
Summary: a fun historical novel
Review: I guess you could pick apart the writing and say that Belfer is not the most literary genius in the history of literature, but I have to confess that I could not put this book down. The plot was engrossing from start to finish -- I had to stay up till 2am to finish it which says something for her writing level. It's a combination of Jack Finney's Time and Again (in terms of the quality to recreate a city, in this case Buffalo, in the early 20th century) and Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day (a repressed narrator who manages to rationalize any hints of emotion).Ms. Barret, the protagonist, narrator, and headmistress of the Macauley School in Buffalo (based on the Buffalo Seminary School for girls) leads us through the maze of her charges at school, her goddaughter, a murder mystery, the invention and propagation of electricity, etc... all against the backdrop of the falls (Niagra Falls, of course). We see everything through her eyes: the conventions of the day, the politics, the intrigue, the mystery. I didn't solve the central mysteries, but that's not to say other more mystery oriented readers might not. The point is that this novel is well paced, well rendered and extremely readable. Absorbing actually would be a better way to describe it. The characters are based in many cases on real historical characters. Once you read this book, I guarantee you'll never look at Grover Cleveland the same way. It's hard to believe that this is the author's first novel. She weaves a well-researched and authentic tale that will keep you up late into the evening trying to tie together all the loose ends.
Rating:
Summary: A Flawed Work That Needs A Story
Review: This book was in need of a story. Desperately. The only thing I enjoyed was the picture of the author who I think is quite beautiful. But her writing read like a thesis on 1901 Buffalo and bored me by page 40. It's the old 'coffee-shop genius' mentality of everyone to assume great work is in being a 'word-smith'. It's not. Just read Hemmingway. True works of greatness are in the story and characters. This author is no story-teller.
Rating: 
Summary: My Return To Historical Fiction
Review: I'm going to admit that this is my return in some time to historical fiction that has little to no genre elements. I also read Elizabeth Chadwick's historical novels about England's medieval times but she always has a romance element running throughout her work as well. This novel is not a murder mystery, a romance, sci-fi fantasy or any other acknowledged genre or genre combination. I think this was the reason I found it absolutely fascinating and refreshing. I never knew exactly where we were going in the book and I found that a welcome change. Formulaic plotlines, which define genres and their characters, have been "getting to me", I'm afraid. The other wonderfully refreshing aspect was setting the entire story in 1901 Buffalo, New York, and Niagara Falls. I have grown so tired of reading novels set in New York City, California or London, where it seems the great majority are set. When authors abandon those venues, they next turn to almost as well known cities until those too have been overdone to death. If I do not read another book set in Florida, for example, it will not be too soon. I am not a Buffalo native and I found 1901 Buffalo an absolutely riveting world. I liked all of the details and learning of the historical figures which peopled it and the development of electricity at Niagara. I live on Lake Erie also, outside Cleveland, and historical aspects of being in the Great Lakes region a hundred years ago really captured my interest. If you read historical non-genre fiction all of the time, you have more novels to compare to this one than I presently do. Thus, you might be aware of other novels that surpass this as a choice right now. Personally, I don't.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting allegories for Buffalo
Review: This whole book makes sense if the main characters are understood to be allegories for the different realities and possibilities of Buffalo at the turn of the century--each character a different "force" if you will that had built Buffalo and continues to shape it to this day. Yes, Louisa Barret is all at once well-educated, "modern," faux-innocent, ignorant of the manipulating forces around her, yet whiney almost to the point of apathy; so is the nature of the city itself. Tom Sinclair is brilliant, adventerous, and an innovative spirit that does some good in the community, but all-too-soon exhausts limitations of the community around him; so are those that grow up in Buffalo and are forced to move elsewhere to culminate their dreams (it is often said that New York state's best export is well-educated people, and Buffalo is the apotheosis of this pain). Grace was the wild kid who has difficulty coming to terms with the way things are in the present day; so are the once-in-a-while movements which try to make Buffalo into something more than it can be (especially the movement to bring glory through the "Pan"--in many ways she directly represents the Pan itself). The list goes on. It is always interesting hearing from other ex-Buffalonians what they think of Buffalo and why they think it is the way it is. The allegories do a decent job of placing Buffalo into its proper perspective as the city that perpetually "could have been" but always seems to fall heartbreakingly shy of that last field goal. Jeers however, for the gratuitious "localisms." Is it enough to know that Louisa went to a sweet shop, do we really need to know what it's name was and what street it was on? Sure, this can be a thrill to a Buffalonian, but it does nothing to advance the story. Also I side with other reviewers who felt very uncomfortable with some of the fictionalizations of real historical characters (e.g., was Groover Cleveland a rapist?) although I understand the necessity of it all in order to make this particular plot work (Belfer's big risk). All-in-all, "City Of Light" was an entertaining book and a decent allegorical view into the nature and history of the city of Buffalo. Keep in mind those Superbowls and you'll understand what I mean.
Rating:
Summary: City of Light
Review: Probably the best book I've ever read!! The history of Buffalo, as related in this book, has been the topic of many onversations with friends, as well as elderly relatives,who remember many of the original locations and events. The plots and sub-plots both fascinated and amazed me as I tried to pin a description to this book : romance? mystery? history? straight fiction? None of the above fit. This is a story that describes money and power so well....and how closely does it fit the behind-the-scenes events still going on today in any city....and country? I will read this book again after a tour of the City of Light to marvel at what Buffalo once was!!
Rating:
Summary: A page-turner from the start
Review: To me a book is a good read if I find myself picking it up at every free moment to find out what happens next. "City of Light" is this kind of book. I received the book by accident in the mail when a book club to which I belong sent it to me after I failed to return its notice indicating I did not want to purchase it. I was glad I made the mistake after I observed it was a novel taking place in my home town, Buffalo, where I was born, raised, and lived for over 30 years. It was interesting to read because I recognized names and places, but it was also interesting because it was exceptionally well-written, especially considering this was a first novel for the author. The plot and various subplots were intricately woven together and came to resolutions by the conclusion of the book (which cannot always be said about modern American novels!). The prose was descriptive and flowing, not distracting to the reading in any way. The intermingling of fact with fiction was expertly accomplished and, to some extent, encouraged me to do a bit of my own research on my home town's history and that of Niagara Falls. I particularly enjoyed the feminist approach to the development of the main character, Louisa Barrett, a distinctly modern, yet compassionate, woman of her era. I recommend this book not only to those who live in Western New York but anyone who would like to read a suspenseful historical novel that also has some appeal to the romantic side of ourselves.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable period fiction
Review: I enjoyed "City of Light". I found it to be a light romance, part mystery, part history story. It was kind of drawn out, but I had to read the whole thing once I got started. The ending was disappointing to me. I did find some parts unbelievable ( the Grover Cleveland story, the way the Macaulay board set up Louisa). I wouldn't recommend this as required reading, but it was enjoyable as a fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Superb Work!
Review: This is the best book that I have ever had the pleasure of reading! It is so well crafted, weaving an incricate and historcal story into the lives and hearts of all who love the city of Buffalo (past and present). I can't reccomend this book enough! I lent my copy to everyone I knew and they have all agreed that this is a fine book and a masterpiece!
Rating:
Summary: Less is more
Review: I started reading City of Light with some misgivings, due to the over-enthusiastic flap copy. Almost immediately, it was easy to recognize the forced effort of an amateur-although Ms. Belfer has great promise. She needs several more efforts under her literary belt before she truly comes into her voice, her rhythm, her pacing, and her style. She also needs a far sharper editor, one who will encourage her to tighten up both her style and her plotting. This novel was far too long, saying in over 500 pages what could have been more succinctly yet still beautifully written in about 300. The main culprit in this case was the meandering descriptions, similar to those found in 19th century novels. There were too many plot twists and characters to make for easy remembering. The entire scenario regarding the power station lost me, quite frankly, in its rather dramatic devices. Too many characters spoil the storytelling broth. As far as the mystery part of the book, let me simply say that sometimes less is more. And the "final answer" need not be quite so common! Characters can be neatly disposed of in more than one way. The main character, Louisa Barrett, drove me nuts with her overly dramatic pronouncements, her sanctimony, and her spinelessness when it came to anyone else, or any other issue, than her Macauley girls. I stopped rooting for her less than a third of the way through. The characterizations overall were interesting, however, and the view into lives other than those of the rich and white was very welcome. I adore anything to do with the turn of the century, and 1901 Buffalo was meticulously depicted, which rendered it quite real to me. Bravo on the exhaustive research done on that era. I will likely read another book by Lauren Belfer, in hopes that as she comes into her literary voice, her writing will grow sharper and more lucid.
Rating:
Summary: a high class beach read, but not all it could have been
Review: I had the feeling sometimes when I was reading this that the author had spent so much time doing research that she was absolutely determined to use every fact she learned. And the critical secret was so absurd and preposterous that I lost some respect for the author. That said, though, I did find it diverting.
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