The book does stand strong, however, as a great depiction of the post-Reconstruction Union. I felt as if I was standing there watching monumental events such as the Great Chicago Fire, the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, the evolution of the socialist movement both in Europe and in the United States, and the Wild, Lawless West.
It is Jakes attention to detail that is the selling point of his novels. His descriptions of events is so meticulously precise, that I can feel myself transported back to that time and place, watching the events unfold. Even though I have never seen Paris, I felt as if I knew what it looked like from his descriptions. I can imagine what New York City looked like over 100 years ago - at a time when the Bronx was considered "the country".
What does not ring true here is the abrupt change in direction some of his characters take from the previous novel, The Warriors. Particularly notable is the descent into insanity of Gideon Kent's wife Margaret. In previous novels, we were lead to believe that the alcoholism her father suffered was due to wounds received during the Mexican War. Now Jakes tells us that insanity runs in the family. No signs of this were present before - Margaret was a very loving and caring person, but in this novel she emotionally abuses her children. This is something I cannot see the Margaret we knew before doing. That Margaret completely supported her husband in his furthering of his education, in his strive to fight for the working man. This Margaret is purely selfish and lashes out at her husband for transgressions that do not ring true.
Of course, the purpose to all of this is to throw Gideon together with his cousin Louis Kent's widow, Julia Sedgwick. Julia has also done a complete turn-around, from being a society tease, to suddenly becoming a suffragist living off of her family's money and giving speeches. Their affair begins during the Great Chicago Fire, and even then their grasping onto each other seems to be too fast. Gideon conveniently was thinking of her since they met at Louis' funeral, and Margaret has turned him out. Other than that one time meeting, they have never met each other until this night, yet they suddenly know they are perfect for each other.
However, I did love watching Matthew Kent flow through the Paris art world, trying desperately to have it all. I loved seeing the long-believed dead brother Jeremiah assume a variety of identities as he evolves into a noted outlaw. I loved watching Gideon evolve in areas of his life that did not involve his wife, mistress and children.
The character of Michael Boyle was all but dropped here. He is mentioned in passing once or twice, and it seems as if all that has been invested in him in previous novels is for nothing. Gideon's children are seemingly being raised by no one as their mother descends into insanity. I cannot imagine the household staff would go along with some of the nutty conditions she sets forth, and not say anything to Gideon, who is obviously paying the bills.
Their daughter Eleanor is showing the greatest stress under her mother's constant barrages. As her mother manipulates the children to hate their father for his transgressions, whether real or imagined, Eleanor is the one who is growing up and evolving in a way that is most interesting. I found her journey through this novel to be fascinating, though some events are a bit disturbing. Her character is perhaps the most interesting going into the final novel of the series.
Of course no Jakes novel would be complete without a villain, and though this one differs in that his feud with Gideon is fairly understandable, it again seems to be the same man bearing a grudge at the expense of everything else in his life.
Despite the tiredness that is evident with the Kent family, this is a good novel. However, it definitely could have been better.
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