In honor of the paperback release of Rules of Civility: A Novel, I am reprinting my review from last July in exchange for a giveaway for one of you! Keep reading, and then leave a comment if you’d like to win. (The giveaway is now closed)
The 1930’s and ’40’s fascinate me. Between the hard times of the Depression to war to the beginnings of changing roles of society, there are so many interesting circumstances, which make for a lovely literary backdrop.
Rules of Civility: A Novel by Amor Towles covers one year — 1938 — in the life of some young adults.
In 1966, Katey is at an art exhibit with her husband where she sees a picture of an old friend she met on New Year’s Eve in 1937, and she is transported back to that year. The story then stays firmly in that year, until the very end when we return to 1966 for a wrap-up (I say this so you know that it’s not a confusing flashback novel).
Katey and her rooming house friend Eve are girls who have each decided to strike out on their own, for different reasons and from different backgrounds. But background aside, they are both working girls having to scrimp and save. When they meet the young, beautiful and obviously rich Tinker Gray in a bar on New Year’s Eve, the three of them form an immediate bond that ends up being cemented and simultaneously ripped apart by tragic circumstances later that month.
The setting is lovely. We get to know the opulent old money New York as well as the view from the working class. It’s a quite introspective novel, yet it also feels clever and quick. I enjoyed digesting Towles’ prose and the story’s plot equally.
Because many characters were introduced superficially before they become integral to the story and thus dear to my heart, it’s the kind of book I wanted to go back and re-read to see who those characters were in the beginning as compared to what I thought of them by the end.
All of the characters change over the year, and I was continually surprised by them, not being able to discern their next moves in many cases. I often couldn’t decide their motivations — were they selfish or self-preserving or simply going along with the flow?
This was a book I enjoyed, and I’m glad to offer one of you the chance to win. Just leave a comment, and I’ll announce a winner on July 18 in our book giveaway column. The giveaway is closed.
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Jennifer Donovan loved her time living near New York City and blogged about it at Snapshot. She is now equally happy back home in Houston.
I’ve had cover lust for this book since it was released…would love to be entered in the drawing!
Had this one on the to-read list ever since the hardcover came out!
Many thanks for this wonderful giveaway.
I would love to read this one. I find Europe around the time of the war very interesting.
I was thrilled to see a review of this book again.
I would love to win and read it.
Thanks for the chance to win it.
cenya2 at hotmail dot com
Each person I meet I wonder, “selfish or self-preserving or simply going along with the flow?”
It does look like a lovely setting and I’d really enjoy it.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Looks like a good book!
This sounds like a very interesting story. One that I would love to read.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
How fascinating. I would love a copy of RULES OF CIVILITY thank you.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I\’d love to read it!
The title of this book seems so familiar to me but I can’t place it. Guess that means I need to read it! 🙂
Excellent! I have been wanting to read this book for a while now. Thanks for the review and the chance to win!
I love books that make you want to re-read to see how the characters were at the beginning. Sounds terrific.
thanks for the chance to read this fabulous novel 🙂
I have been dying to read this one!
Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
this looks like a fun read! thanks for the chance!
This sounds good! I’d love to win it! Thank you for the giveaway!
This sounds like an interesting read.
Thank you for the contest, I’ve been wanting to read this book since it was out in hardback!
I would love this.
I so want to read this one!
This looks like a good read.
I think this book was listed a few months ago.
I would love to read this book.
[email protected]
Sounds like a good read—please enter me to win!
Sounds great to me.
GREAT SUMMER READ.
This would be a good book to read! Thanks!
Looks good! Thanks!
This book sounds amazing. I’m very interested in reading a book about the 1930’s. Thanks for having the giveaway.
I would love to read this book.
As a history bluff, been looking forward to reading this novel.
i have heard so much about this book, i cannot wait to read it
I would love to read this!
I would so love to read this work!
You won! Please reply to this email with your shipping address.
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the giveaway.
Seems like a good book.
I would really want to read this when it first came out, I think my Mom would like it too
Sounds great! Thanks for the chance.
This book sounds really good also.
Thank you for the great giveaway please count me in 🙂
kathypease(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds like a winner
i love your giveaways, can’t wait to read this one again!
Count me in 🙂