Comment

Dec 26, 2012PAIGE CHERNOW rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I liked the setting and character: Benjamin Weaver, a lapsed Jew and ex-boxer, weaves his way through both seamy and well-off society in 18th century London. The plot, too, was interesting at first: the early days of the stock market and an unsolved murder, possibly related to financial deception. However, the plot dragged after awhile, and it soon became clear that nothing would become clear. Still, I liked the atmosphere: a large cast of scheming, shady ruffians (both wealthy and poor), liberally spiced with violent brawls. Also, glimpses of life in the Jewish community, and depictions of the early stock market - an intricately constructed house of card based on promise and probability but undercut by deceit. In the end, though, I wasn't entirely certain what had happened with the murder plot, nor did I care much.