The Black City

It took me a few chapters to get into this book (possibly because I was reading it as I was falling asleep) However, once I was in the midst of it, I just sat down and finished it off. The characters are really appealing and interesting, and also very human. With a very few descriptive words I know these people that Sand has created, I can see them very clearly and imagine every detail that she doesn't give us. It isn't a very long story, though it takes place over a couple of years, and the cast of characters is very small. Sept-Epees is our hero and Tonine the heroine, they are a very interesting and powerfully drawn pair. Sept-Epees at first has a burning ambition to prove there are better things in life for him and invests all of his time and money in a money-pit of a factory (What it produces we never find out, but it is ultimately not importatnt) This ambition drives him further and further away from what everyone else (including the reader) know as his real happiness, Tonine. The complexity of the plot that Sand manages to created with relatively few characters or incidences is amazing and very tantalizing. I would reccomend this book to anyone who was looking for something along the lines of Dickens but with a little more sunshine.

If you like Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, or Gustave Flaubert, you will love George Sand. Many people have heard her name but much of her work has never been translated into English, so she is largely unread in the United States. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. The story seems fairly simple on the surface, but it has layers of meaning and truth that will strike you. The love story is very real and beautifully crafted, and the book's hero and heroine would not be out of place in the twenty-first century. I enjoyed every page of this book. You will, too! It's a must-own!

This short, fast paced novel, artfully translated by Kover, is as much a social commentary on life during the Industrial Revolution as it is a story of true love. The plot is engaging, the characters are convincing, and the story culminates in an inspiring twist. A pleasure to read, The Black City will surely strike a familiar chord with every entrepreneur, aspiring business owner, or anyone who has ever yearned for something more in life. I highly recommend reading it!

I really liked it. It's a good story that everyone can relate to in some way. This book made me want to read more by George Sand. It's the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy afternoon!

This is one of the best translations I've ever read, and it is so nice to have another of George Sand's works available in English. The story is surprisingly modern, very readable, with really appealing, human, simple characters. If you've heard of Sand but never read anything of hers, start with this book!