Glass Century rescued me out of a reading drought. Nothing was resonating with me and I needed a novel that would practically pull me from cover to cover with readability and momentum. This was it.
And I didn't know what to expect: the Ross Barkan I know is the writer of Political Currents, a good independent newsletter about New York City politics. But there's also the candidate for State Senate, and the author of a book about Andrew Cuomo's political failures. Speaking of which: the NYC elections are now: vote for someone who isn't Cuomo, like Mamdani or Lander!
I was pretty enthralled with this novel. It covers a lot, a bunch of well-formed characters over a long time period. It's set in New York City and captures its culture and history in a way that feels real. And there's real momentum. It was hard to put down - I would always stay up another 10 minutes to read an extra chapter.
The subject matter -- a long-term extramarital affair, and the long path from youth to old age -- ebbs and flows between optimism and sadness. The main feeling is time passing, decisions being made, opportunities missed or taken. I'm impressed by all novelists but especially so when someone younger than I am can capture what it's like to be in your 60s in a way that's convincing.
I really enjoyed it: highly recommended if you like New York City as a setting and want an engaging novel that'll make you think about life and love.