Reading between the lines - 'New York' by Edward Rutherfurd

Many moons ago, I came home to Burnie from uni at Hobart to do a teaching prac. I stayed with my parenticals and was looking for something to read. I spotted this massive book sitting on the bookshelf called 'London' by Edward Rutherfurd. I was pretty hesitant because, quite frankly, if a book is too heavy to hold in bed, I'm not sure I want to go there (don't judge). Anyway, I soon got over that and cracked that bad boy open. And I loved it. I really enjoyed the intertwining (is that a word?) of the historical details and the character's lives. I liked that you could follow the main characters throughout time and you could follow the development of the city throughout time. I thought it was brilliant.

So, cut to me coming home from living in London a couple of years ago, when I'm living with the parenticals again while saving money and on the bookshelf, I see 'New York' by Edward Rutherfurd.

Image source.

It took me a while to get into the story this time - whereas with 'London' I was hooked from the start. I was really dead keen to like this book, but I have struggled to keep going. I'm going to keep going because I'm a stubborn bugger. I haven't really felt drawn into the lives of the characters or the city, which is disappointing because that's kind of the whole point with these books. And I find myself getting closer to that last page (ever so slowly) and thinking to myself 'Hang on a minute - how's he going to fit it all in?' Maybe he does, I'm just going to have to keep plugging away to find out.

Have you read either of these? Or any of Rutherford's other epic city stories? Mum has also given me 'Dublin', but I'm feeling a bit wary after 'New York', so I'm not sure if I'll bother opening it up because once I do - I have to read the entire thing. It's just the way I'm wired. Are you like that? Or do you put the bloody thing down and start something else?