The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Publisher: Scribner
Release date: February 18 2014
Source: e-ARC via Edelweiss
Pages: 384
The nitty-gritty: A magical history of Brooklyn, filled with mysteries and monsters, written in Alice Hoffman’s incomparable style.
It was hard to believe that the teeming streets of lower Manhattan were less than a day’s walk from what was still a sort of wilderness. The wild tulip trees were two hundred feet tall. There were said to be bear here, come down from the Palisades in the winter, crossing the Hudson when it froze, along with wild turkeys, fox, muskrats, and deer. I thought of the forests of the Ukraine, where cuckoos sung in the trees and owls glided through the dark. My father and I had stopped to make camp for several nights on our travels. I was only a small child, but it was there, listening to the voice of the forest, that I had lost the ability to sleep.
Alice Hoffman used to be one of my favorite authors before I started blogging. I’ve read many of her books (although not all—she’s written over thirty!), but as book bloggers know, once you start accepting books for review, many of your favorite authors fall by the wayside. But when this one came up on Edelweiss, I knew it was time to make time for Hoffman again. And I’m so glad I did. Reading The Museum of Extraordinary Things was like a balm on my soul. Hoffman’s familiar writing style is so comforting, and even though this book lacked the magic realism that she’s known for, I found myself loving every word.
The story takes place in Brooklyn, New York in the year 1911, but flashes back to the early lives of the two main characters, as we get to know more about their family histories. Coralie is eighteen and has been part of her father’s Museum of Extraordinary Things as a sideshow attraction for nearly half her life. She is the “human mermaid,” forced to wear a fake mermaid tale and swim in a tank of water for hours a day. At night, Coralie practices swimming in the freezing Hudson River in order to increase her lung capacity, while dreaming of an easier life that doesn’t include being exploited by her strict father.
Parallel to Coralie’s story we meet Eddie, a refugee from the Ukraine who has become adept at taking journalistic photographs of crime scenes. When Eddie is hired by a stranger to find a missing girl named Hannah, Eddie’s and Coralie’s lives become linked through a series of events. As Hoffman reveals bit by bit what happened to Hannah, the paths of Eddie and Coralie slowly come together, before the mystery is solved.
Hoffman has clearly done tons of research for her book. One of my favorite things about the story was the amount of historical detail she wove into the narrative. Clearly 1911 was a great year for story fodder, because a lot of horrific (but interesting!) things take place. Focusing her writer’s lens on Brooklyn, and in particular on Coney Island, the author includes such historic events as the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, the opening (and closing!) of the ambitious amusement park Dreamland, and the battle of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union to secure safe working conditions for girls and women in factories. Let’s just say I learned a lot reading this book! You can tell that Hoffman loves New York and is passionate about the dangers young factory workers faced near the turn of the century. Some of her descriptions of the city are so detailed, it’s almost as if she herself had stepped back in time to take notes.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced book, however, you need to keep looking. And this is not a criticism by any means. One of Hoffman’s skills is her ability to develop her plot and characters slowly in such a way that the reader never gets bored, but instead savors each discovery, knowing that the mystery will eventually be revealed.
The story construction was hard to get used to at first, I’ll admit. Each chapter focuses on either Coralie or Eddie, and switches back and forth between the two. The first part of the chapter is told in first person, as the character tells us about his or her past, and the second part switches to third person and takes place in the present. This jumping around confused me at first, but once I understood what the author was doing, it all made sense.
Hoffman is brilliant at introducing small details, and then pulling them through the story. For example, when Eddie is a boy working as a tailor in a factory, he steals an expensive pocket watch from the factory owner’s son. This watch pops up again and again during Eddie’s story, as he struggles with the idea of whether or not to return it. Hoffman is such a seasoned writer (she’s been writing books for over forty years!) that it’s no surprise that nothing in this story is random. Every item, every detail, and every character is there for a reason.
As with most of Hoffman’s novels, romance eventually blooms between Coralie and Eddie, but it’s agonizingly slow (until they actually meet—then it almost feels like instalove!) and things don’t go quite the way you expect them to. The author often writes about love and how it can be found in the most unexpected of places, and this novel is no exception.
There are so many things to discover in this book, and I’ve barely scratched the surface with this review. Simply put, The Museum of Extraordinary Things was a treat to read. It made me happy—despite the unhappy moments—and I am anxiously awaiting Hoffman’s next book. Don’t miss this one!
And here are several other Alice Hoffman books I highly recommend:
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy. The above quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may differ in the final book.
Don’t forget to stop back here in the beginning of March to enter my February Review Giveaway, where you will have a chance to win a copy of one of the books I reviewed this month, including this one!
Find The Museum of Extraordinary Things here:
If you enjoyed this, Tammy, then you’d probably like the Pendergast Series by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. More specifically, the third book, The Cabinet of Curiosities. It lends the same sort of magical, mysterious air with a hint of grim action. I will definitely be adding this book to my queue. 🙂
Great suggestion, Nikki! I will check out those books for sure:)
When I first saw this one at Edel, I thought this would be an actual “mermaid book” (have there been many good books about mermaids? I haven’t read enough of them to know!) but I guess it sounds like it’s more historical fiction than paranormal, if there’s any fantastical element in it at all.
That’s why when it comes to conveying the tone of the book, I think the UK cover wins. Wow, how gorgeous is that! The other one actually kinda makes it look creepy!
There wasn’t any paranormal at all except for one small thing, and you’re right, the US cover is a little misleading. No creepiness at all!
I have seen this one around, sounds really intriguing!
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
So true about blogging. Most of my non-fantasy favorites sit forgotten completely.
Hey, new to your blog! Well, not new, new to commenting – I followed you rightaway back when I saw just the title!! This book sounds fabulous. It even looks fabulous. And I love you’ve detailed the review is without any spoilers.
I agree that reviewing shadows the older authors you used to love; and the fact that you loved her before you became a book blogger makes me want to read it even more. Actually, I had never heard of her, so thanks for the other recommendations too.
A meandering plot with “descriptions of the city so detailed, it’s almost as if she herself had stepped back in time to take notes.” > What could be better?
Sorry, butterfingers > *And I love that you’ve written this detailed review without any spoilers.
Hi Priya! Thanks for commenting:) I highly recommend you try Alice Hoffman. She’s not really talked about in blogging circles which is too bad. She’s awesome:)
Both covers are stunning. I’d want this book with either one. The US cover makes me think of fairies and the UK cover makes me think cabinet of curiosities. Sounds wonderful.
Just read it too and loved it!
Thanks for stopping by, Claire!
I dont mind slow paced books unless they aren’t well done and it seems like this one was very well done. I am not familiar with her work yet, I hope eventually I will be.
If you have time, she’s totally worth the risk!
I checked this out from the library and got through the first 15 pages or so….yea, I went straight to B&N this morning and purchased the book. Holy ‘FEELS’ Batman!!! So far I am IN LOVE with this book and Hoffman’s writing. I can not believe I’ve never read any of her other books before, so thank goodness, I found her when I found this book! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and also THANK you for recommending some of Hoffman’s other books. I can’t believe she wrote Practical Magic!! That’s one of my favorite movies, hands down. Now I must get that book! 🙂
Book Hangovers Blabs Books xoxo ♥
Yes, I love that movie too! It was so well done and really followed the book well. Thanks for visiting, Michelle!
I think after the way you describe the book that the UK cover makes more sense than the US cover. Maybe I would feel differently after I read it? I’ve only read one other book by her, and I did love it. So nice to find this book reviewed here. Great review!
This sounds incredibly interesting. I love history and the historical elements combined with the oddities is pretty appealing 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Sounds wonderful and different. The switching of voice, historical bits, takes place in New York…..I’m in.
I have never read any of Alice Hoffman’s books before but I am so intrigued by this book. The cover drew me in straight away and I love the title. After reading your review I am sure I would love it.
I’ve heard nothing but good things about this one. I like to kinda stray from the main stream alittle bit as well so i think book would be a breathe of fresh air for me and my new blog!!!! and if my girl Bookhangovers recommends i trust her taste as well! 🙂
The museum of extraordinary things that is
Thank you so very much for this fabulous review. I haven’t read this author (*hangs head in shame*), but now I know I must do so, sooner rather than later. I cannot believe I have missed her work. She sounds exactly like my kind of writer.
*gasp* [runs 10 miles to the book store to get this book]
I love Alice Hoffman. I didn’t know about this book until your review. Now I can’t wait to read it. Thanks.
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