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The City #1
The City
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2014)Jonah Kirk's childhood has been punctuated with extraordinary moments. For him, nothing is more important than his family, friends, and the electrifying power of music. But now Johan has a terrifying secret. And his life is about to change forever.
For one bright morning, a single earth-shattering event will show Jonah that, in his city, the darkest side of humanity sometimes triumphs. But it will also teach him that courage and honour are found in the most unexpected places, and the way forward lies deep inside the heart.
If he can just survive to find it...
For one bright morning, a single earth-shattering event will show Jonah that, in his city, the darkest side of humanity sometimes triumphs. But it will also teach him that courage and honour are found in the most unexpected places, and the way forward lies deep inside the heart.
If he can just survive to find it...
398 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
1582 people are currently reading
13236 people want to read
About the author
Dean Koontz
988 books39.3k followersAcknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,670 reviews
June 17, 2014
As I read this novel I kept wondering to myself what happened to the Dean Koontz I loved so many years ago. I was so excited to start The City and was even temporarily blinded by Koontz prose and wordplay that I almost forgot that I was bored out of my mind... almost.
The City is the story of Jonah Kirk as he recalls the days of his youth. Born to a beautiful songstress and a disappearing father, Jonah finds solace in his incredible ability to play the piano, note for note, after hearing the tune only once. Jonah is narrating this story at the request of his best friend Malcolm Pomerantz (who's a little on the OCD side) recounting the days of his youth that transforms him into a whole man. Not a half man like his father.
As The City progresses, we are introduced to the many people in Jonah's life that have helped shape him. There's the woman who's the city, Miss Pearl, Mr. Yoshioka, and Amalia Pomerantz, Malcolm's older sister. Each of these characters bring the story to life, with their keen sense of clairvoyance, wisdom, or just plain beauty, inside and out. When Koontz let them star on the pages, the novel didn't seem so...mundane.
As a way to maintain his position on the horror shelf, Koontz provides characters who seem to only exist for the sake of thrills and bloodshed. Fiona, Drackman, and his father help move the story forward but are never really interesting enough to bring on the razzle dazzle of the more evil characters I've come to expect from Koontz. I'm sorry but I had high standards from Koontz. I was a teen who once spent all her allowance just to get my hands on one of his many books.
The one other gripe I have with this novel is that it didn't seem to move forward for at least a while. There were so many references to musicians, poems, art, or architecture and all things creative that the point of them being mentioned was soon forgotten. It's like we were given Koontz iTunes playlist on shuffle.
It's not all bad. Believe me. The writing is top notch. I have so many quotes I highlighted from this read that will resonate for a long time in my life. Of course, Koontz' classic good vs. evil theme isn't lost on me, but I also thought The City is a great coming of age story. Jonah faces challenges with courage that many adults will never obtain. He takes the good with the bad, and is positive that no matter how bad things get, they will get better. Jonah is the type of person I aspire to be someday.
Overall, The City is an enjoyable enough read for philosophical purposes but if you're like me, expecting the Koontz of yester-year than this may not be the place for you. Wonderfully written paragraphs are drowned by the constant name-dropping of musical acts. I recommend this novel to die-hard fans who are entranced with any and every work by Koontz. I just urge Dean Koontz to take his own advice and realize his talent for writing is a gift he hasn't earned so he should use it wisely on the next novel.
Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group via Netgalley
The City is the story of Jonah Kirk as he recalls the days of his youth. Born to a beautiful songstress and a disappearing father, Jonah finds solace in his incredible ability to play the piano, note for note, after hearing the tune only once. Jonah is narrating this story at the request of his best friend Malcolm Pomerantz (who's a little on the OCD side) recounting the days of his youth that transforms him into a whole man. Not a half man like his father.
As The City progresses, we are introduced to the many people in Jonah's life that have helped shape him. There's the woman who's the city, Miss Pearl, Mr. Yoshioka, and Amalia Pomerantz, Malcolm's older sister. Each of these characters bring the story to life, with their keen sense of clairvoyance, wisdom, or just plain beauty, inside and out. When Koontz let them star on the pages, the novel didn't seem so...mundane.
As a way to maintain his position on the horror shelf, Koontz provides characters who seem to only exist for the sake of thrills and bloodshed. Fiona, Drackman, and his father help move the story forward but are never really interesting enough to bring on the razzle dazzle of the more evil characters I've come to expect from Koontz. I'm sorry but I had high standards from Koontz. I was a teen who once spent all her allowance just to get my hands on one of his many books.
The one other gripe I have with this novel is that it didn't seem to move forward for at least a while. There were so many references to musicians, poems, art, or architecture and all things creative that the point of them being mentioned was soon forgotten. It's like we were given Koontz iTunes playlist on shuffle.
It's not all bad. Believe me. The writing is top notch. I have so many quotes I highlighted from this read that will resonate for a long time in my life. Of course, Koontz' classic good vs. evil theme isn't lost on me, but I also thought The City is a great coming of age story. Jonah faces challenges with courage that many adults will never obtain. He takes the good with the bad, and is positive that no matter how bad things get, they will get better. Jonah is the type of person I aspire to be someday.
Overall, The City is an enjoyable enough read for philosophical purposes but if you're like me, expecting the Koontz of yester-year than this may not be the place for you. Wonderfully written paragraphs are drowned by the constant name-dropping of musical acts. I recommend this novel to die-hard fans who are entranced with any and every work by Koontz. I just urge Dean Koontz to take his own advice and realize his talent for writing is a gift he hasn't earned so he should use it wisely on the next novel.
Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group via Netgalley
June 12, 2014
I have to say this is the worst Dean Koontz book I have ever read, mostly because throughout the whole story it didn’t feel like Koontz wrote the thing. The pace was slow, the story mostly boring, the characters bland, and most of it came across as a history slash music slash art lesson. It also has WAY more religious pressure in the book then I like in my stories. I don’t mind if the faith in stories, but please don’t try to convert me.
The book is set in the sixties, with a nine year old piano prodigy as the main character. This made for the author to add a lot of filler with music titles, musician names, and history lessons. I would be okay with this if it was well done, but it really wasn’t, just really boring.
I remember reading Stoneheart a few years back, and being fascinated by the London architecture, and doing searches on all the statues mentioned. It was a beautiful way to learn, and I smiled through the whole series waiting for a new statue to be introduced so I could look it up.
This book was just so ham handed, and so in your face with the trying to make you feel certain emotions that it irritated the hell out of me. Maybe it’s the fact that I was reading books by better writers just before this, and parts of this story has been done before in much better ways.
So all in all, this book was a big old fail for me. I got through it because it was easy to read, too bad it wasn’t just as fun.
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
The book is set in the sixties, with a nine year old piano prodigy as the main character. This made for the author to add a lot of filler with music titles, musician names, and history lessons. I would be okay with this if it was well done, but it really wasn’t, just really boring.
I remember reading Stoneheart a few years back, and being fascinated by the London architecture, and doing searches on all the statues mentioned. It was a beautiful way to learn, and I smiled through the whole series waiting for a new statue to be introduced so I could look it up.
This book was just so ham handed, and so in your face with the trying to make you feel certain emotions that it irritated the hell out of me. Maybe it’s the fact that I was reading books by better writers just before this, and parts of this story has been done before in much better ways.
So all in all, this book was a big old fail for me. I got through it because it was easy to read, too bad it wasn’t just as fun.
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
October 22, 2016
I usually try to summarize the book before I write what I think about the book. This book...you know what...For a moment, I failed to see the point with this book. Eh anyway, I will give it a try; Jonah is a young black boy, a musical prodigy that thanks to visions and a woman called "Miss Pearl" will try to stop a criminal gang.
This book was not easy to read and it's not easy to write about, mostly because I found the books story lacking. It wasn't badly written, just not interesting. It's the kind of book that takes a longer time to read the unusually because part of me just found the book dreary and instead of reading I do other things, even the other books I'm reading at the same time suffers because of it since my mood to read is low.
I still don't understand why "Miss Pearl" is helping Jonah. I mean there must be many violent crimes committed in the city, why him? Is she often helping people, or is it just him? Damn it, I don't understand Miss Pearl and neither did I found her that interesting. It would have been better if he just would have stumbled on the criminals without visions and help from "Miss Pearl". Then it would, at least, have been an ordinary thriller instead this weird book with a hint of paranormal.
So this was not a happy read for me and I will just let Commodus finish this review:
1.5 stars!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
This book was not easy to read and it's not easy to write about, mostly because I found the books story lacking. It wasn't badly written, just not interesting. It's the kind of book that takes a longer time to read the unusually because part of me just found the book dreary and instead of reading I do other things, even the other books I'm reading at the same time suffers because of it since my mood to read is low.
I still don't understand why "Miss Pearl" is helping Jonah. I mean there must be many violent crimes committed in the city, why him? Is she often helping people, or is it just him? Damn it, I don't understand Miss Pearl and neither did I found her that interesting. It would have been better if he just would have stumbled on the criminals without visions and help from "Miss Pearl". Then it would, at least, have been an ordinary thriller instead this weird book with a hint of paranormal.
So this was not a happy read for me and I will just let Commodus finish this review:
1.5 stars!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
January 1, 2018
I received this book as an advance copy for review via NetGalley.
I've never read one of Dean Koontz's books until now, but knew he was a bestselling author and that his books were a tad on the weird side. So, I embarked with keen interest on this journey through "The City."
At base this story is a heartwarming one about a young black boy who lives in an apartment building with both some colorful and precious neighbors. Jonah Kirk is a very smart, industrious, thoughtful and curious boy, an only son to now estranged parents. His mother and Grandpa are both talented musically, and these genes passed on to Jonah. At ten years old, he plays the piano almost as good as his Grandpa Teddy, a professional piano player. His Mom works at Woolworth's by day and sings at clubs in the evening- her true passion.
Not only is Jonah talented musically, but seems to possess the gift of "second sight." This manifests itself in frightening visions, often accompanied by a woman Jonah dubbed Pearl. Pearl is a beautiful, nurturing, rose-scented black woman who periodically appears, acting as a kind of guardian angel and mentor for Jonah's visions. Pearl is a self-acclaimed embodiment of the city.
Some of the tenants in the apartment building are quite endearing, such as the Italian woman who watches Jonah when his Mom is at work. A recent young widow, she loves to cook and is a loving presence in Jonah's life. Another tenant is a Japanese tailor, always neat and resplendent in an impeccable suit with manners to match. His gentle, supportive friendship to young Jonah was a tender touch throughout the book.
Weaving throughout the book is a sinister plot that mysteriously builds and coalesces, based on Jonah's visions. The story is a rich one, keeping the reader in suspense as to whether it's a paranormal reality or a criminal one.
Mystery/thrillers are not my favorite genre of book. I took a chance on this one and was pleasantly surprised. This was a fulfilling story with solid characters that really kept my interest.
I've never read one of Dean Koontz's books until now, but knew he was a bestselling author and that his books were a tad on the weird side. So, I embarked with keen interest on this journey through "The City."
At base this story is a heartwarming one about a young black boy who lives in an apartment building with both some colorful and precious neighbors. Jonah Kirk is a very smart, industrious, thoughtful and curious boy, an only son to now estranged parents. His mother and Grandpa are both talented musically, and these genes passed on to Jonah. At ten years old, he plays the piano almost as good as his Grandpa Teddy, a professional piano player. His Mom works at Woolworth's by day and sings at clubs in the evening- her true passion.
Not only is Jonah talented musically, but seems to possess the gift of "second sight." This manifests itself in frightening visions, often accompanied by a woman Jonah dubbed Pearl. Pearl is a beautiful, nurturing, rose-scented black woman who periodically appears, acting as a kind of guardian angel and mentor for Jonah's visions. Pearl is a self-acclaimed embodiment of the city.
Some of the tenants in the apartment building are quite endearing, such as the Italian woman who watches Jonah when his Mom is at work. A recent young widow, she loves to cook and is a loving presence in Jonah's life. Another tenant is a Japanese tailor, always neat and resplendent in an impeccable suit with manners to match. His gentle, supportive friendship to young Jonah was a tender touch throughout the book.
Weaving throughout the book is a sinister plot that mysteriously builds and coalesces, based on Jonah's visions. The story is a rich one, keeping the reader in suspense as to whether it's a paranormal reality or a criminal one.
Mystery/thrillers are not my favorite genre of book. I took a chance on this one and was pleasantly surprised. This was a fulfilling story with solid characters that really kept my interest.
July 2, 2014
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an incredible honor for me as I have been a HUGE fan of Dean Koontz for “decades”!
The City is the story of remarkable young Jonah Kirk who, in his late-fifties, decides to tell the story of several years in his youth beginning when he was 8 years old. From the first line where Jonah gives his full name of Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk, I was captivated. Who has 9 names? Amazing character Jonah does! And thus the adventure began.
As usual, Koontz had me under his spell as a wordsmith as he magically told Jonah’s story of a MAJOR incident in young Jonah’s life. Jonah’s relationships with his mother, grandfather, best friend Malcolm, Mr. Yoshioka, Mrs. Lorenzo, and finally, Miss Pearl aka “The City”, were the backbone of this story and I fell in love with each of these characters. My favorite character (besides Jonah) was Mr. Yoshioka.
I was also in love with the musical genius of young eccentric Jonah who is a piano prodigy. Koontz’s descriptions of the music and songs had me envisioning each and every song as I listened along in my head.
Koontz once again weaved his spell with his incredible writing. I was breathless and eager for more. When I had to put the book down, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and couldn’t wait until I could pick it back up and continue reading. I was sorry when The City ended because I wanted more!
I also highly recommend the short story “The Neighbor” which tells a bit of Malcolm’s story.
All in all, I loved The City! Dean Koontz never fails to deliver amazing book after amazing book! You get another WELL DONE from me, Mr. Koontz! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
The City is the story of remarkable young Jonah Kirk who, in his late-fifties, decides to tell the story of several years in his youth beginning when he was 8 years old. From the first line where Jonah gives his full name of Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk, I was captivated. Who has 9 names? Amazing character Jonah does! And thus the adventure began.
As usual, Koontz had me under his spell as a wordsmith as he magically told Jonah’s story of a MAJOR incident in young Jonah’s life. Jonah’s relationships with his mother, grandfather, best friend Malcolm, Mr. Yoshioka, Mrs. Lorenzo, and finally, Miss Pearl aka “The City”, were the backbone of this story and I fell in love with each of these characters. My favorite character (besides Jonah) was Mr. Yoshioka.
I was also in love with the musical genius of young eccentric Jonah who is a piano prodigy. Koontz’s descriptions of the music and songs had me envisioning each and every song as I listened along in my head.
Koontz once again weaved his spell with his incredible writing. I was breathless and eager for more. When I had to put the book down, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and couldn’t wait until I could pick it back up and continue reading. I was sorry when The City ended because I wanted more!
I also highly recommend the short story “The Neighbor” which tells a bit of Malcolm’s story.
All in all, I loved The City! Dean Koontz never fails to deliver amazing book after amazing book! You get another WELL DONE from me, Mr. Koontz! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
April 6, 2023
At 12 years old, I discovered King, Koontz, and a love/obsession for reading around the same time, when going to the library was a weekly event and my library card was a passport to places I never expected to visit in real life. Now, whenever I approach a new read, I sit ready to travel to new worlds with marked trepidation and excitement, sometimes reading feverishly and at other times with a deliberate pace. From the beginning, I felt that I was reading something special and unique, even though the first 200 pages seemed a slog. I know that to many readers 200 pages is too much to dedicate to something with such a slow build. (My Dad saw me reading it several nights in a row and he thought my patience was nuts. He may not be wrong.) However, I LOVED the latter 300 or so pages. The first-person narrative is something far too many writers use nowadays, but since Koontz rarely uses it, in his capable hands it was masterful. I HEARD the voice of this 57-year-old black musician as he told this incredible tale (and he sounded like Lou Rawls). The characters are well-drawn in vivid detail. The plot is carefully constructed and contradicted my expectations (to his credit.) I was sitting at the beach while reading the climax to this book and I was openly weeping. The dénouement was also better than expected. If not for the slog of the initial 200 pages, I would give this 5 stars. Even so, I look forward to re-reading it in a few years.
September 6, 2025
I really thought this was a 5 star book. The first 100 pages is beautiful, and I really like the main character, Jonah Kirk. The story carries a beautiful message about resilience.
The only negative thing I can say is that it went on for way too long. Way too many details on buildings and such for my taste. I also didn’t think the book needed the bad guys. I thought the book would have been just as enjoyable as a slice of life from Jonah Kirk. The horror in the story just felt forced. It felt like DK wanted to writer about Jonah but was forced to throw in some bad guys to make it a suspenseful story.
Other than that, it’s a beautiful story.
The only negative thing I can say is that it went on for way too long. Way too many details on buildings and such for my taste. I also didn’t think the book needed the bad guys. I thought the book would have been just as enjoyable as a slice of life from Jonah Kirk. The horror in the story just felt forced. It felt like DK wanted to writer about Jonah but was forced to throw in some bad guys to make it a suspenseful story.
Other than that, it’s a beautiful story.
July 18, 2014
If points were awarded for style and having his way with the English language, then Dean Koontz deserves a solid 8.5 for THE CITY, where the prose sings soprano, and hits all of the high notes. But if you want to award an author for his plot and filling a novel with substance, instead of flowery language comprised of mums and daffodils and rhododendrons and roses, then he gets -7 in this arena, and that may even be a tad generous. I mean, this is the same man who takes the mundane and turns it into one machete-wielding bastard. Forget Freddy and Jason, and all the other hacks, this man takes a father figure, stuffs him full of crazy, and sets him loose on society. If that shit doesn’t freak you out, then you’re probably not thinking hard enough.
If names were any indication of a person’s destiny, then it’s no surprise that Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk is a musical prodigy and can recreate a song after listening to it. Sure, he’s one brilliant son of a gun, and this novel shows plenty of brilliance, but it gets caught up in the mundane. And I found myself asking the question about when the train might pull up to the station and take me away from this universe with verse left to spare on some unsuspecting ne’er-do-well.
There’s a cutting fiend who takes up residence on the sixth floor, just above our nine year-old hero in Apartment 5-C who wields a knife at his throat, and leaves a few trinkets behind for the residents to remember her by. But it seemed like more of an artificial way to ratchet up suspense, instead of grounded in a more concrete foundation. Where this story really failed, though, is it never went anywhere. Similar to a hitchhiker who gallivants across the country, stopping in Nashville and Columbus and Chicago and Denver and Albuquerque and LA and then Las Vegas before finally settling in Lincoln, it just seemed all over the place.
I received this book for free through NetGalley.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
If names were any indication of a person’s destiny, then it’s no surprise that Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk is a musical prodigy and can recreate a song after listening to it. Sure, he’s one brilliant son of a gun, and this novel shows plenty of brilliance, but it gets caught up in the mundane. And I found myself asking the question about when the train might pull up to the station and take me away from this universe with verse left to spare on some unsuspecting ne’er-do-well.
There’s a cutting fiend who takes up residence on the sixth floor, just above our nine year-old hero in Apartment 5-C who wields a knife at his throat, and leaves a few trinkets behind for the residents to remember her by. But it seemed like more of an artificial way to ratchet up suspense, instead of grounded in a more concrete foundation. Where this story really failed, though, is it never went anywhere. Similar to a hitchhiker who gallivants across the country, stopping in Nashville and Columbus and Chicago and Denver and Albuquerque and LA and then Las Vegas before finally settling in Lincoln, it just seemed all over the place.
I received this book for free through NetGalley.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
July 1, 2014
This book is available today!!! (and I just listened to the audio sample and it sounds great!)
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Was this a perfect book? No. Were there maybe one or two (three?) plot holes? Yes. But I gladly threw down a plank and continued across the gaps. I didn't care. I loved the movement of this book, the story, the characters, and THE CITY. This prose was just so nice. I don't really have a better word than nice. It was just so nice to read this book.
I'm not sure how much experience Dean Koontz has with nine-year-old inner-city African-American males. Maybe some, maybe none. All I can say is, I'm a believer. This rang true to me. I just loved it. I was under the spell from very early in the story. I've read a lot of reviews that lament the turn Koontz is taking in his work. I for one do not wish to pigeon-hole this man. Let's not relegate his talent to only thrills and chills. If it's time for him to step out, let's welcome the step. This is a great book and a great story.
I'm so happy that I was able to get an advanced readers' copy from Book Browse. This is my honest review. I loved it and I give it all five stars without hesitation :)
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Was this a perfect book? No. Were there maybe one or two (three?) plot holes? Yes. But I gladly threw down a plank and continued across the gaps. I didn't care. I loved the movement of this book, the story, the characters, and THE CITY. This prose was just so nice. I don't really have a better word than nice. It was just so nice to read this book.
I'm not sure how much experience Dean Koontz has with nine-year-old inner-city African-American males. Maybe some, maybe none. All I can say is, I'm a believer. This rang true to me. I just loved it. I was under the spell from very early in the story. I've read a lot of reviews that lament the turn Koontz is taking in his work. I for one do not wish to pigeon-hole this man. Let's not relegate his talent to only thrills and chills. If it's time for him to step out, let's welcome the step. This is a great book and a great story.
I'm so happy that I was able to get an advanced readers' copy from Book Browse. This is my honest review. I loved it and I give it all five stars without hesitation :)
July 15, 2014
Amazing! This book is one of the best books I have read by Koontz. I was hooked from the minute I started reading it. Jonah is a fantastic narrator and the characters that surround him are people you want to know from the very beginning. My favorite character was Mr. Yoshioka. His story alone is quite compelling. There really should be a soundtrack to go along with this novel.
June 11, 2014
I was lucky enough to receive this eBook through NetGalley. Dean Koontz is one of my favorite authors; from the first moment I picked up my first book by him, Watchers, I was completely captivated. I find all of his characters fully developed. I even feel that the villains are portrayed with a depth that amazes me; as a reader I have come to appreciate and understand better the depths of them - even if I cannot relate personally.
I decided The City is reminiscent of earlier Koontz books I devoured. Much of the writing is prose. Chapter 1 begins "My name is Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. From as young as I can remember, I loved the city. Mine is a story of love reciprocated. It is the story of loss and hope and of the strangeness that lies just beneath the surface tension of daily life, a strangeness infinite fathoms in depth." So begins Jonah's tale, told of his days as an eight year old boy, from his 57 year old perspective.
I am not sure what I expected. I think I had no preconceived notions about the story, so it made reading it more of an adventure, since I did not know the direction it was heading. Dean Koontz is a master storyteller, weaving tales of magic and intrigue into his books. Some consider his books horror, and liken him to Stephen King, another master storyteller. This book was different. Not horror, just magical and mystical, and yet very realistic. Wiser, somehow. It is about the choices we make in life; choices in becoming good or evil, about doing good, even when the world hands us bad. Jonah had two very different parents, and wonderful grandparents and a select few good friends who walk alongside him in his life, through tragedy and happiness, too.
"One of the many wonders of this world is that, if we allow it to happen, anyone newly met can all but overnight become a central figure in our lives, hardly less essential to us that air and water."
--Dean Koontz, from the novel The City
I decided The City is reminiscent of earlier Koontz books I devoured. Much of the writing is prose. Chapter 1 begins "My name is Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. From as young as I can remember, I loved the city. Mine is a story of love reciprocated. It is the story of loss and hope and of the strangeness that lies just beneath the surface tension of daily life, a strangeness infinite fathoms in depth." So begins Jonah's tale, told of his days as an eight year old boy, from his 57 year old perspective.
I am not sure what I expected. I think I had no preconceived notions about the story, so it made reading it more of an adventure, since I did not know the direction it was heading. Dean Koontz is a master storyteller, weaving tales of magic and intrigue into his books. Some consider his books horror, and liken him to Stephen King, another master storyteller. This book was different. Not horror, just magical and mystical, and yet very realistic. Wiser, somehow. It is about the choices we make in life; choices in becoming good or evil, about doing good, even when the world hands us bad. Jonah had two very different parents, and wonderful grandparents and a select few good friends who walk alongside him in his life, through tragedy and happiness, too.
"One of the many wonders of this world is that, if we allow it to happen, anyone newly met can all but overnight become a central figure in our lives, hardly less essential to us that air and water."
--Dean Koontz, from the novel The City
June 5, 2018
It has blown me away!!!!
One of the best mystery novel that I have read for this year….
Characters development, suspense, narrative deep, a surprising plot with unexpected turns and not the last, the incredible creative imagination from a living legend at his highest and top ability!!!!
Jonah Kirk, a nine years black boy with passion for music is visited by an enigmatic person called "the city" to be warned….
He will be haunted by prophetic dreams and puzzling nightmares!!!
Surrounded by vicious enemies and discovering a murderous conspiracy, his life continuously in peril,
his love for his mother being paramount in the face of a devastating and cruel fate..
This is Dean Koontz at his very best...
And in my opinion he is even getting better with every novel he writes!!
So goood!!!
I could not put it down...
Dean;D
One of the best mystery novel that I have read for this year….
Characters development, suspense, narrative deep, a surprising plot with unexpected turns and not the last, the incredible creative imagination from a living legend at his highest and top ability!!!!
Jonah Kirk, a nine years black boy with passion for music is visited by an enigmatic person called "the city" to be warned….
He will be haunted by prophetic dreams and puzzling nightmares!!!
Surrounded by vicious enemies and discovering a murderous conspiracy, his life continuously in peril,
his love for his mother being paramount in the face of a devastating and cruel fate..
This is Dean Koontz at his very best...
And in my opinion he is even getting better with every novel he writes!!
So goood!!!
I could not put it down...
Dean;D
June 20, 2014
Jonas Kirk shares his history. A musical prodigy, Jonas finds music comforting, his personal saving grace. Jonas tells his life story to his long time friend Malcolm explaining events and people aiding and abetting his metamorphose into a 'whole' man, as opposed to 'half' a man as his estranged and deserter father.
I found The City mediocre. For me it lacked a spark, the characters, the narrative were flat, lifeless. I didn't 'feel' anything reading this story, rather I felt as if I read mere pretty words on paper.
The 'evil do'ers' felt contrived and misplaced. It was as if their presence was inserted to amuse and fulfill an expectation.
Other players added to the narrative, quite frankly they rescued the story. Pearl, Yoshioka and Amalia breathed life into this flat and banal novel.
Jonas possesses an admirable attitude. No matter what adversity he faces, past or present he focuses on the positive and takes life in long easy strides.
The City isn't good or bad - more average. A little slow with plenty of references of musical greats, poets, art which I enjoyed. I'm not certain of what the reader will take away with all the intricate references with the exception of an uber quick history lesson. I'm unsure if the references were too plentiful and slowed down the pace or if blame can be pointed elsewhere. I'm NOT a Koontz expert but something is off regarding The City.
My second Koontz book, he gets one more shot before I decide if he is shelf worthy. So far I find myself disappointed again, currently, his place on my shelf is looking dismal. I fail to see the greatness of his books so many I know rave about. Where is the Dean Koontz I was told I would love? I'm still waiting.....
I found The City mediocre. For me it lacked a spark, the characters, the narrative were flat, lifeless. I didn't 'feel' anything reading this story, rather I felt as if I read mere pretty words on paper.
The 'evil do'ers' felt contrived and misplaced. It was as if their presence was inserted to amuse and fulfill an expectation.
Other players added to the narrative, quite frankly they rescued the story. Pearl, Yoshioka and Amalia breathed life into this flat and banal novel.
Jonas possesses an admirable attitude. No matter what adversity he faces, past or present he focuses on the positive and takes life in long easy strides.
The City isn't good or bad - more average. A little slow with plenty of references of musical greats, poets, art which I enjoyed. I'm not certain of what the reader will take away with all the intricate references with the exception of an uber quick history lesson. I'm unsure if the references were too plentiful and slowed down the pace or if blame can be pointed elsewhere. I'm NOT a Koontz expert but something is off regarding The City.
My second Koontz book, he gets one more shot before I decide if he is shelf worthy. So far I find myself disappointed again, currently, his place on my shelf is looking dismal. I fail to see the greatness of his books so many I know rave about. Where is the Dean Koontz I was told I would love? I'm still waiting.....
July 10, 2014
After you have suffered great losses and known much pain, it is not cowardice to wish to live henceforth with a minimum of suffering. And one form of heroism, about which few if any films are made, is having the courage to live without bitterness when bitterness is justified, having the strength to persevere even when perseverance is unlikely to be rewarded, having the resolution to find profound meaning in life when it seems the most meaningless.
Despite my outward enthusiasm about starting this book when I first purchased it, I was also almost equally terrified. Dean Koontz was and is my number one favorite author. Through his words I found comfort and hope when they could be found no where else. It was through his writing and his books that I realized I wanted to write my own books someday. So I always eagerly await each new release of his with a kind of breathless anticipation. But the past few books disappointed me somewhat. They tended to be a bit...less about the story and more...dare I say preachy? When I pick up a Dean Koontz book I don't want to be preached at (I can go listen to my parents for that :P). I want to be scared. I want to laugh. I want to fall in love with the characters. I want to cry.
No matter what happens, no matter what, everything will be okay in the long run."
I did all these things with this book and he has made a complete turnaround, in my opinion, from where his previous few books have strayed. This story is concise yet eloquent. Horrifying yet beautiful. I remained enthralled for the entire duration of the book. I can't honestly say too much about the story itself without giving anything away, but I WILL say that even if you are not a fan of this type of book I think you will find something in it that speaks to you.
Welcome back, Mr. Koontz.
Surrendering to fear can destroy your life. Indulgence to stubborn anger destroys it as well. But guilt, is no less a destroyer of lives. Fear can be overcome. You may let go of anger. And guilt can be forgiven.
Despite my outward enthusiasm about starting this book when I first purchased it, I was also almost equally terrified. Dean Koontz was and is my number one favorite author. Through his words I found comfort and hope when they could be found no where else. It was through his writing and his books that I realized I wanted to write my own books someday. So I always eagerly await each new release of his with a kind of breathless anticipation. But the past few books disappointed me somewhat. They tended to be a bit...less about the story and more...dare I say preachy? When I pick up a Dean Koontz book I don't want to be preached at (I can go listen to my parents for that :P). I want to be scared. I want to laugh. I want to fall in love with the characters. I want to cry.
No matter what happens, no matter what, everything will be okay in the long run."
I did all these things with this book and he has made a complete turnaround, in my opinion, from where his previous few books have strayed. This story is concise yet eloquent. Horrifying yet beautiful. I remained enthralled for the entire duration of the book. I can't honestly say too much about the story itself without giving anything away, but I WILL say that even if you are not a fan of this type of book I think you will find something in it that speaks to you.
Welcome back, Mr. Koontz.
Surrendering to fear can destroy your life. Indulgence to stubborn anger destroys it as well. But guilt, is no less a destroyer of lives. Fear can be overcome. You may let go of anger. And guilt can be forgiven.
October 13, 2017
Without a doubt, THE CITY is the most powerful and complex book I have ever read. I am speechless! Dean Koontz writes like no other. Brilliant, profound, and eloquently written.
A literary work of art!
THE CITY by Dean Koontz, is a rich, multi-layered gripping story that moves back and forth across decades and generations, as a gifted musician relates the horrible and beautiful events that began in his city in 1967 when he was ten.
Told in the first person, a story of musical prodigy, Jonah Kirk –taking readers into one man's world from struggles to an extraordinary gift—a journey often seemed lost, threatened, or unattainable.
Jonah is black, a musician and a piano prodigy. Malcom is white and his best friend, also a saxophone prodigy. They meet in 1967, when Jonah and his mom, Sylvia moved in with Jonah’s grandfather, across the street from Malcolm's family. Jonah is ten and Malcolm, twelve.
Jonah is eccentric, talented, smart, and intuitive and Malcolm is a talented, comedian, and geek misfit. Together they make a dynamic duo of music, mischief, and dreams---They will learn about the city.
THE CITY is more about Jonah, even though Malcolm and his sister are part of the book, as well, from THE NEIGHBOR, an e-short story (I would highly recommend), giving readers a little background of Malcolm Pomerantz.
They grow up friends, and at age fifty-seven and fifty-nine, Jonah tells his story into a tape recorder—his story will become THE CITY, starting back before age seven.
The main theme of the novel is the meaning of THE CITY People: Jonah encounters a woman who said she is the City (Miss Pearl), a soul of the city and gives Jonah a piano when he desperately needed one. She said that more than anything, cities are people. She said you need to have office buildings, parks, nightclubs, and museums and all the rest, but in the end, it’s the people—and the kind of people they are—who make a city great or not. If a city is great, it has a soul of its own.
This woman said this city had an especially sensitive soul and that for a long time it had wondered what life must be like for the people who lived in it. And so the woman said the soul of the city took human form, to live among its people and the form it took was her.
Life is not one story, its thousands of them. When Jonah was ten in 1967 he moved with his mom into his Grandpa’s Teddy’s house—he was the piano man, his inspiration, kind and loving. His mom, Sylvia, was a singer in a blues club and worked the lunch counter at Woolworth’s five days a week.
Before moving to Jonah’s grandparents, the book begins at an apartment building, where he lived with his mom in downtown Detroit. Jonah meets his neighbors in a coming-of-age novel, which will move your heart from dark, humorous, eccentric, supernatural, lovable, mysterious, intense, and thought-providing. One of the neighbors, (Mr. Yoshioka--my favorite) he befriends, will forever change the course of his life. He also meets some, not so pleasant characters, in a city full of evil.
The streets of the city are not always paved with gold, as some immigrants were told before they traveled half the world to come to the city. Death dwelt in the metropolis, as it dwelt everywhere and there were more murders in the city, tragedy, and moments of terror. But the city was as well a place of family, friends, wonder, art, music, love.
After years of good times, Jonah had a bad patch. He learns life does not always run smoothly during your life, and no one promises it will. Through wars, riots, racial issues, murder and mayhem and much hatred and threat of nuclear annihilation—of the sixties; comes sweet music from big band swing, boogie, rock and roll, jazz, good books, and some hard-learned life lessons, good friends, plus some wild and dangerous adventures—of one special boy and his family.
“No matter what happens disaster piled on calamity, no matter what, everything will be okay in the long run.”
What matters is the day at hand, and what we do with it, one day at a time, some good and some bad; What should we do with the day? What direction is the one to take, which choice is right and which wrong?
Jonah learns in the end --he has free will, that what happens in his city, is up to him and all the people who live along the streets,that part is up to us.
In summary: In our lives, we come to moments of great significance that we fail to recognize, the meaning of which does not occur to us for many years. Each of us has his agenda and focuses on it, and therefore we are often blind to what is before our eyes.
An unforgettable, compelling, and unique story—one for every woman and man, where life’s treasures are found in unexpected places. THE CITY is much more than a mystery or suspense thriller—one, which will remain with you, long after the book ends.
Highly recommend both books as 5-star winners. Believe it or not, these two are my first books by Koontz, and most definitely will not be my last!
Loved this quote from THE CITY:
A special thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
JDCMustReadBooks
TOP 30 BEST BOOKS OF 2014
A literary work of art!
THE CITY by Dean Koontz, is a rich, multi-layered gripping story that moves back and forth across decades and generations, as a gifted musician relates the horrible and beautiful events that began in his city in 1967 when he was ten.
Told in the first person, a story of musical prodigy, Jonah Kirk –taking readers into one man's world from struggles to an extraordinary gift—a journey often seemed lost, threatened, or unattainable.
Jonah is black, a musician and a piano prodigy. Malcom is white and his best friend, also a saxophone prodigy. They meet in 1967, when Jonah and his mom, Sylvia moved in with Jonah’s grandfather, across the street from Malcolm's family. Jonah is ten and Malcolm, twelve.
Jonah is eccentric, talented, smart, and intuitive and Malcolm is a talented, comedian, and geek misfit. Together they make a dynamic duo of music, mischief, and dreams---They will learn about the city.
THE CITY is more about Jonah, even though Malcolm and his sister are part of the book, as well, from THE NEIGHBOR, an e-short story (I would highly recommend), giving readers a little background of Malcolm Pomerantz.
They grow up friends, and at age fifty-seven and fifty-nine, Jonah tells his story into a tape recorder—his story will become THE CITY, starting back before age seven.
The main theme of the novel is the meaning of THE CITY People: Jonah encounters a woman who said she is the City (Miss Pearl), a soul of the city and gives Jonah a piano when he desperately needed one. She said that more than anything, cities are people. She said you need to have office buildings, parks, nightclubs, and museums and all the rest, but in the end, it’s the people—and the kind of people they are—who make a city great or not. If a city is great, it has a soul of its own.
This woman said this city had an especially sensitive soul and that for a long time it had wondered what life must be like for the people who lived in it. And so the woman said the soul of the city took human form, to live among its people and the form it took was her.
Life is not one story, its thousands of them. When Jonah was ten in 1967 he moved with his mom into his Grandpa’s Teddy’s house—he was the piano man, his inspiration, kind and loving. His mom, Sylvia, was a singer in a blues club and worked the lunch counter at Woolworth’s five days a week.
Before moving to Jonah’s grandparents, the book begins at an apartment building, where he lived with his mom in downtown Detroit. Jonah meets his neighbors in a coming-of-age novel, which will move your heart from dark, humorous, eccentric, supernatural, lovable, mysterious, intense, and thought-providing. One of the neighbors, (Mr. Yoshioka--my favorite) he befriends, will forever change the course of his life. He also meets some, not so pleasant characters, in a city full of evil.
The streets of the city are not always paved with gold, as some immigrants were told before they traveled half the world to come to the city. Death dwelt in the metropolis, as it dwelt everywhere and there were more murders in the city, tragedy, and moments of terror. But the city was as well a place of family, friends, wonder, art, music, love.
After years of good times, Jonah had a bad patch. He learns life does not always run smoothly during your life, and no one promises it will. Through wars, riots, racial issues, murder and mayhem and much hatred and threat of nuclear annihilation—of the sixties; comes sweet music from big band swing, boogie, rock and roll, jazz, good books, and some hard-learned life lessons, good friends, plus some wild and dangerous adventures—of one special boy and his family.
“No matter what happens disaster piled on calamity, no matter what, everything will be okay in the long run.”
What matters is the day at hand, and what we do with it, one day at a time, some good and some bad; What should we do with the day? What direction is the one to take, which choice is right and which wrong?
Jonah learns in the end --he has free will, that what happens in his city, is up to him and all the people who live along the streets,that part is up to us.
In summary: In our lives, we come to moments of great significance that we fail to recognize, the meaning of which does not occur to us for many years. Each of us has his agenda and focuses on it, and therefore we are often blind to what is before our eyes.
An unforgettable, compelling, and unique story—one for every woman and man, where life’s treasures are found in unexpected places. THE CITY is much more than a mystery or suspense thriller—one, which will remain with you, long after the book ends.
Highly recommend both books as 5-star winners. Believe it or not, these two are my first books by Koontz, and most definitely will not be my last!
Loved this quote from THE CITY:
“At first I had seen a confusing agglomeration of angled shapes thrusting toward me, but then they resolved into the skyscrapers of a city in miniature, and I was gazing down through those buildings into a maze of busy streets. Gazing down and then falling down, not with fear but with exhilaration, swooping between those glittering towers, flying as sometimes I had flown in good dreams. The city was no longer a miniature, it was real and vast, borderless, reaching to infinity, filled with gorgeous and mysterious light. I flew low, near street level, along avenue after avenue alive with busy people, and I began to realize that the mysterious light came from them, that it came from me too, that we were the people of the city and the light of the city, flickering like endless tiers of candles in endless cups. And suddenly I saw the city in time, backward to its origins and forward through centuries, as it had been and as it would be, all existing now, and in every age, those ancient and those of the future, the lovely light did shine, our light.”
A special thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
JDCMustReadBooks
TOP 30 BEST BOOKS OF 2014
June 16, 2014
I can hear a lot of you saying, "But Koontz is not a Christian fiction writer!"
You are correct. But I really like the way Koontz writes so I asked to review this book and the publisher graciously gave me permission.
This is not typical Koontz. You know everything will be okay in the end because the beginning is actually the end. The City reminds me a lot of The Prayer of Owen Meany. I really liked that novel, too.
You are quickly whisked back to last century (around the 60s) to the life of one nine-year-old boy called Jonah Kirk who has eight or nine names of famous black musicians between the Jonah and the Kirk. Add a good-for-nothing father and a wonderful Christian mother set in an apartment house in the middle of a big city (Chicago, I think, it really is not important which city). Then stir in some truly evil people that have zero feeling for the sanctity of life, a wonderful Japanese neighbor who is struggling with his own demon, and you have the perfect mix for a great literature reading experience.
There are numerous religious connotations in this novel. This is a lot about protection and forgiveness.
Pay attention to that key word: literary. This is very similar to the old timey novels of yesteryear where the reader gets a lot of description that makes you feel the heat, the chilling rain, the taste of the ice cream and hot dogs. You are taken for an in depth tour of some of the most chilling villains, but it is not like a jerky head jumping ride. The transitions are smooth and extremely expert. This is more a psychological thriller than one of Koontz's monster fear factors of his early career. Unlike a lot of today's fair, you actually want to read to the very last word. The ride is very satisfying.
Five of five stars. I was tempted to give it four stars because of one segment in the climax, but the book overall deserves five stars. You'll pay a lot of money for the hardback version, but it is worth every penny. The book is a keeper.
You are correct. But I really like the way Koontz writes so I asked to review this book and the publisher graciously gave me permission.
This is not typical Koontz. You know everything will be okay in the end because the beginning is actually the end. The City reminds me a lot of The Prayer of Owen Meany. I really liked that novel, too.
You are quickly whisked back to last century (around the 60s) to the life of one nine-year-old boy called Jonah Kirk who has eight or nine names of famous black musicians between the Jonah and the Kirk. Add a good-for-nothing father and a wonderful Christian mother set in an apartment house in the middle of a big city (Chicago, I think, it really is not important which city). Then stir in some truly evil people that have zero feeling for the sanctity of life, a wonderful Japanese neighbor who is struggling with his own demon, and you have the perfect mix for a great literature reading experience.
There are numerous religious connotations in this novel. This is a lot about protection and forgiveness.
Pay attention to that key word: literary. This is very similar to the old timey novels of yesteryear where the reader gets a lot of description that makes you feel the heat, the chilling rain, the taste of the ice cream and hot dogs. You are taken for an in depth tour of some of the most chilling villains, but it is not like a jerky head jumping ride. The transitions are smooth and extremely expert. This is more a psychological thriller than one of Koontz's monster fear factors of his early career. Unlike a lot of today's fair, you actually want to read to the very last word. The ride is very satisfying.
Five of five stars. I was tempted to give it four stars because of one segment in the climax, but the book overall deserves five stars. You'll pay a lot of money for the hardback version, but it is worth every penny. The book is a keeper.
January 16, 2016
The city changed my life and showed me that the world is deeply mysterious. I need to tell you about her and some terrible things and wonderful things and amazing things that happened . . . and how I am still haunted by them. Including one night when I died and woke and lived again.
Here is the riveting, soul-stirring story of Jonah Kirk, son of an exceptional singer, grandson of a formidable “piano man,” a musical prodigy beginning to explore his own gifts when he crosses a group of extremely dangerous people, with shattering consequences. Set in a more innocent time not so long ago, The City encompasses a lifetime but unfolds over three extraordinary, heart-racing years of tribulation and triumph, in which Jonah first grasps the electrifying power of music and art, of enduring friendship, of everyday heroes.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I haven’t read a Dean Koontz novel since I have started blogging and this was a great one for my venture back into his unique way of storytelling. Sometimes his stories have just scared me to death but this one drew me in with its almost fantasy feel.
Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk takes us back in time and gives us an “oral history” of his life. And what a life it was. The key character to the whole story is “the city” and that doesn’t mean what you think but there will be no spoilers here. Jonah’s story is very complex and includes some characters them seem very ordinary at the beginning but become extraordinary in the end. I was shocked that the adult Jonah and I have something in common. This story then evoked some totally new emotions.
Let’s face it Koontz is a master storyteller. He creates plots that so intricate and multifaceted that grip the reader so tightly while examining hard issues. His characters come to life right off the page and his descriptive talents bring the time and place alive as well. There is so much going on in this story readers need to slow down and savor the words. There are several elements interwoven with the main theme that all add up to make this an outstanding story.
Here is the riveting, soul-stirring story of Jonah Kirk, son of an exceptional singer, grandson of a formidable “piano man,” a musical prodigy beginning to explore his own gifts when he crosses a group of extremely dangerous people, with shattering consequences. Set in a more innocent time not so long ago, The City encompasses a lifetime but unfolds over three extraordinary, heart-racing years of tribulation and triumph, in which Jonah first grasps the electrifying power of music and art, of enduring friendship, of everyday heroes.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I haven’t read a Dean Koontz novel since I have started blogging and this was a great one for my venture back into his unique way of storytelling. Sometimes his stories have just scared me to death but this one drew me in with its almost fantasy feel.
Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk takes us back in time and gives us an “oral history” of his life. And what a life it was. The key character to the whole story is “the city” and that doesn’t mean what you think but there will be no spoilers here. Jonah’s story is very complex and includes some characters them seem very ordinary at the beginning but become extraordinary in the end. I was shocked that the adult Jonah and I have something in common. This story then evoked some totally new emotions.
Let’s face it Koontz is a master storyteller. He creates plots that so intricate and multifaceted that grip the reader so tightly while examining hard issues. His characters come to life right off the page and his descriptive talents bring the time and place alive as well. There is so much going on in this story readers need to slow down and savor the words. There are several elements interwoven with the main theme that all add up to make this an outstanding story.
July 11, 2014
If for no other reason than writing that is eloquent, even exquisite, this book deserves to be read. It is, IMHO, story-telling at its absolute best (and if I could give it 10 stars, I would). Basically, it's a tale of lifelong friends, Jonah Kirk and Malcolm Pomeranz, that takes place in New York City and begins in the 1950s and ends when Jonah, who relates most of the story as a recollection of life-altering events, is 57.
Actually, it begins with The Neighborhood, a short story and prequel to this book (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). It was very good - I gave it 5 stars as well - so it's definitely worth reading. But although it provides a foundation for this book - and I recommend reading it if you can get your hands on a copy - I don't think it's absolutely necessary to read it before tackling The City.
Both Jonah and Malcolm are musical prodigies - Jonah a piano man and Malcolm a saxophonist. Jonah is black and Malcolm is white, and both come from interesting, if different families. Jonah's mostly-absent father has a history of breaking his mother's heart; Malcolm's parents, who live in the same house, are equally absent from each other, forcing Malcolm and his older sister, Amalia, to do all the household chores. When the story begins, Amalia has earned a scholarship to a prestigious university and soon will be leaving Malcolm, who is somewhere around 12 years old, behind.
A few years earlier, Jonah a mysterious woman he calls Pearl - a woman who changes his life forever by somehow arranging for a piano to appear in the community center Jonah frequents; that leads to piano lessons and a path toward becoming a professional musician like Jonah's mother - a lunch counter waitress by day and singer by night.
As Jonah relates the events of his past, readers learn of the endearing and contentious relationships with his mother, his grandfather, his errant father, another mysterious woman named Fiona Cassidy who appears to Jonah in a dream (dead, I might add) and a couple of other notable characters. Jonah's tale is one of love, intrigue and yes, suspense - but don't expect in-your-face, edge-of-your-seat horror. More than anything else, this is a touching story about love, courage, the end of innocence in the whole of a city that's bigger than the sum of its parts. Or, to quote a line from the book, "Time teaches us that the musical score of life oscillates between that of 'Psycho' and 'The Sound of Music'..."
Actually, it begins with The Neighborhood, a short story and prequel to this book (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). It was very good - I gave it 5 stars as well - so it's definitely worth reading. But although it provides a foundation for this book - and I recommend reading it if you can get your hands on a copy - I don't think it's absolutely necessary to read it before tackling The City.
Both Jonah and Malcolm are musical prodigies - Jonah a piano man and Malcolm a saxophonist. Jonah is black and Malcolm is white, and both come from interesting, if different families. Jonah's mostly-absent father has a history of breaking his mother's heart; Malcolm's parents, who live in the same house, are equally absent from each other, forcing Malcolm and his older sister, Amalia, to do all the household chores. When the story begins, Amalia has earned a scholarship to a prestigious university and soon will be leaving Malcolm, who is somewhere around 12 years old, behind.
A few years earlier, Jonah a mysterious woman he calls Pearl - a woman who changes his life forever by somehow arranging for a piano to appear in the community center Jonah frequents; that leads to piano lessons and a path toward becoming a professional musician like Jonah's mother - a lunch counter waitress by day and singer by night.
As Jonah relates the events of his past, readers learn of the endearing and contentious relationships with his mother, his grandfather, his errant father, another mysterious woman named Fiona Cassidy who appears to Jonah in a dream (dead, I might add) and a couple of other notable characters. Jonah's tale is one of love, intrigue and yes, suspense - but don't expect in-your-face, edge-of-your-seat horror. More than anything else, this is a touching story about love, courage, the end of innocence in the whole of a city that's bigger than the sum of its parts. Or, to quote a line from the book, "Time teaches us that the musical score of life oscillates between that of 'Psycho' and 'The Sound of Music'..."
November 21, 2017
Another Dean Koontz formulaic work:
take a young protagonist, add in some bad people or events coming for them, mix in a dash of supernatural elements helping said protagonist along, and throw them in the blender and presto! You've got a Dean Koontz book. The only thing missing from this one is the token dog that's usually part of the story or the faithful companion to said protagonist.
Despite this formula, I still find myself reading and, for the most part, enjoying his books. I liked the characters in The City and Koontz definitely had some beautiful sentences in this book, but it was just entirely too long. Does no one employ editors anymore?? I read The City as my secondary book, which means I only read a few pages every day; thus the month it took me to read this. In a way, I think it was better that I wasn't reading it as my main book, or the boring passages may have caused me to abandon it.
Bottom line, The City was a solid 3 stars for me, which means I liked it and felt it was worth the time spent reading it, but I wouldn't rave about it.
take a young protagonist, add in some bad people or events coming for them, mix in a dash of supernatural elements helping said protagonist along, and throw them in the blender and presto! You've got a Dean Koontz book. The only thing missing from this one is the token dog that's usually part of the story or the faithful companion to said protagonist.
Despite this formula, I still find myself reading and, for the most part, enjoying his books. I liked the characters in The City and Koontz definitely had some beautiful sentences in this book, but it was just entirely too long. Does no one employ editors anymore?? I read The City as my secondary book, which means I only read a few pages every day; thus the month it took me to read this. In a way, I think it was better that I wasn't reading it as my main book, or the boring passages may have caused me to abandon it.
Bottom line, The City was a solid 3 stars for me, which means I liked it and felt it was worth the time spent reading it, but I wouldn't rave about it.
August 19, 2016
Very light historical-fiction and art-appreciation. I finished this on an airplane so it is not difficult and not as good as The Goldfinch or Boy's Life.
July 17, 2014
Dean Koontz’s The City will probably not be well received by his hoard of fans. Koontz has established a very popular niche in the mainstream sci fi/supernatural thriller genre. From the appearance of Watchers and on, it can be argued that he practically invented the sub-genre. There is no doubt Dean Koontz is a talented and imaginative writer but many readers, myself included, came to feel he was writing a formula and sometimes a very tired one at that. But it seemed to be what his regular readers wanted and it is hard to fault any author for writing to their base.
However in his new novel The City, we see something different. Here is a novel by Koontz that unfolds a wider tableau. He places his tale in a lower middle class, racially integrated portion of a city in the 60s. It is for the most part, a coming-of-age story about an African-American boy growing up in the city with his mother, his grandfather and an often absent, morally challenged father. There are some very nice scenes of interaction between his family and his friends. The author outdoes himself in bringing alive a number of major and minor characters with all the subtleties and personal touches you would want. I especially enjoyed his characterization of Mr. Yoshioka, an elderly survivor of Manzanar with his own tragic history, who plays a combination of mentor and detective sidekick to our young hero Jonah. The book has the sense of a nostalgia piece. Koontz writes of the 60s with care and longing. He sees the urban scene of the 60s as dynamic but less forbidding and slightly less dangerous than that the cities of the 21st century. There are plenty of cultural references that help in setting the atmosphere. The novel starts out as an intriguing look at a boy who is perhaps growing up too soon in an environment that is changing for the worse. Using the first person narrative of a 10 year old boy works here, even if that boy sometimes seems a little too wise for his years. There is a nice balance of security and danger throughout which Jonah sums up nicely in the statement, “Maybe the difference between horror and holiday was just the width of an ordinary street.”
Yet this is Koontz, meaning the supernatural is never too far behind. Early on, Jonah gets a visit for a woman who calls herself Ms. Pearl. We find out that she is the physical embodiment of “The City”. What that means is part of what makes this tale different and interesting. She has taken a liking to Jonah and wants to help him but, in the tradition of classic modern fantasy, not too much and never directly. There is a sense in the book that Jonah is passing from the magic of childhood where Juju and spirits exists and into a world of responsibility and loss
So as you can see, this is a different Dean Koontz than the one we are used to. Yet soon Koontz starts to hedge his bets. A menace developed that never really feels realistic. Jonah’s father is part of that menace but he is also the most unrealistic character in the novel. We never really know what makes him tick and his actions seems confused and artificial. The most villainous person is knife toting Eve Adams/ Fiona Cassidy who never becomes more than a cardboard cutout, a disappointment considering how good Koontz usually is at writing villains. While Jonah’s narration is part of the charm of this book, we partially lose it in the second half as we begin to rely on second hand accounts, primarily Mr. Yoshioka’s, to fill in the portion that is supposed to heighten the tension. When the two merges into a climatic finish it feels a bit arbitrary and predictable even if our heartstrings are tugged a bit.
It is a little hard to see where Koontz meant to go with this. The combination coming-of-age / period piece he starts with is apt to scare away his regulars. But his addition of a supernatural aspect, magic realism if you can call it that, and a criminal plot doesn’t add to the more ambitious drama he set out. The one thing that I think most will agree on, and paradoxically the most frustrating, is that this is the best writing Koontz has exhibited in years and maybe decades. There are some rhapsodic passages throughout and some amazingly moving scenes mainly around Jonah’s family and friends. I am somewhat torn since it is counts as one of Koontz’s most ambitious works and could have been one time where he could have escaped from the formula. But in the end, formula wins out over a still entertaining and insightful work.
However in his new novel The City, we see something different. Here is a novel by Koontz that unfolds a wider tableau. He places his tale in a lower middle class, racially integrated portion of a city in the 60s. It is for the most part, a coming-of-age story about an African-American boy growing up in the city with his mother, his grandfather and an often absent, morally challenged father. There are some very nice scenes of interaction between his family and his friends. The author outdoes himself in bringing alive a number of major and minor characters with all the subtleties and personal touches you would want. I especially enjoyed his characterization of Mr. Yoshioka, an elderly survivor of Manzanar with his own tragic history, who plays a combination of mentor and detective sidekick to our young hero Jonah. The book has the sense of a nostalgia piece. Koontz writes of the 60s with care and longing. He sees the urban scene of the 60s as dynamic but less forbidding and slightly less dangerous than that the cities of the 21st century. There are plenty of cultural references that help in setting the atmosphere. The novel starts out as an intriguing look at a boy who is perhaps growing up too soon in an environment that is changing for the worse. Using the first person narrative of a 10 year old boy works here, even if that boy sometimes seems a little too wise for his years. There is a nice balance of security and danger throughout which Jonah sums up nicely in the statement, “Maybe the difference between horror and holiday was just the width of an ordinary street.”
Yet this is Koontz, meaning the supernatural is never too far behind. Early on, Jonah gets a visit for a woman who calls herself Ms. Pearl. We find out that she is the physical embodiment of “The City”. What that means is part of what makes this tale different and interesting. She has taken a liking to Jonah and wants to help him but, in the tradition of classic modern fantasy, not too much and never directly. There is a sense in the book that Jonah is passing from the magic of childhood where Juju and spirits exists and into a world of responsibility and loss
So as you can see, this is a different Dean Koontz than the one we are used to. Yet soon Koontz starts to hedge his bets. A menace developed that never really feels realistic. Jonah’s father is part of that menace but he is also the most unrealistic character in the novel. We never really know what makes him tick and his actions seems confused and artificial. The most villainous person is knife toting Eve Adams/ Fiona Cassidy who never becomes more than a cardboard cutout, a disappointment considering how good Koontz usually is at writing villains. While Jonah’s narration is part of the charm of this book, we partially lose it in the second half as we begin to rely on second hand accounts, primarily Mr. Yoshioka’s, to fill in the portion that is supposed to heighten the tension. When the two merges into a climatic finish it feels a bit arbitrary and predictable even if our heartstrings are tugged a bit.
It is a little hard to see where Koontz meant to go with this. The combination coming-of-age / period piece he starts with is apt to scare away his regulars. But his addition of a supernatural aspect, magic realism if you can call it that, and a criminal plot doesn’t add to the more ambitious drama he set out. The one thing that I think most will agree on, and paradoxically the most frustrating, is that this is the best writing Koontz has exhibited in years and maybe decades. There are some rhapsodic passages throughout and some amazingly moving scenes mainly around Jonah’s family and friends. I am somewhat torn since it is counts as one of Koontz’s most ambitious works and could have been one time where he could have escaped from the formula. But in the end, formula wins out over a still entertaining and insightful work.
November 28, 2014
The Hook – It’s Dean Koontz so I know what I’m going to get. Stop, maybe not! I’ve read a few reviews that fault Mr. Koontz for not sticking with his usual mode of operation, whatever you call the genre he writes; suspense, thriller, horror. I’ve never really liked his books that depict machines gone crazy. Where I think he shines is in those where I>evil, the evil that man inflicts on man, is central to the plot. No disappointment here.
The Line – I’d rather live the now then talk about the was.”
”A butter-side up day…” you’ll need to read the book to get the drift on this one.
I listened to The City which made it hard to bookmark passages. There were many lines that were quote worthy.
The Sinker – The characters, hands down.
We meet Jonah Kirk as his best friend Malcolm gives him a recorder and encourages him to tell his life story. Jonah is reluctant to do so but Malcolm feels a book about Jonah’s life will lighten up a sad world. And so it did for this reader. I couldn’t say it better than Jonah himself narrates:
”My name is “Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. From as young as I can remember I loved the city. Mine is a story of love reciprocated. It is the story of loss and hope and of the strangeness that lies just beneath the service tension of daily life, a strangeness infinite phantom in depth.” It’s April 1966.
Jonah, nearly nine states he hates the piano because he fears he’ll never learn to be a piano man. He needs lessons and his father who has been off scene for most of Jonah’s life refuses to pay for these lessons. But now Tilton Kirk is back.
Perhaps he should have stayed gone. It’s at this time in Jonah’s life that we meet the mysterious woman who calls him Ducks that plays such a large part in Jonah’s life and ramped my enjoyment of the book. This woman adds the Koontz supernatural experience so familiar to us all. Jonah explains her like this:
“She’s always there, like sudden sunshine, breaking through clouds.”
He never sees her coming. She’s just there.
There are so many wonderful characters. These include the many who love Jonah. His mother, Sylvia, a talented singer trying to make ends meet, his grandparents, Grandma Anita and Grandpa Teddy, and his best friend Malcolm, even The City itself. Each relationship encircles Jonah with love but none is more poignant than that of Jonah and his Japanese-American neighbor, Mr. Yoshiokaone. Through his eyes we learn a great deal about Manzanar a World War II relocation center that housed over 100,000 Japanese-Americans and also how friendship and respect transcend their ages. There are others like Tilton who makes Jonah’s life miserable including one freaky, crazy gal who scares the bejeezus out of him and also threatens him with bodily harm.
Music and a piano play a large part in Jonah’s life. This book deserves its own playlist. I found myself looking up tunes, singers and songwriters every few pages. There is also lovely haiku poetry. A few years back there was a website, Small Demons, that would have indexed these for easy reference. Sadly it couldn’t find a sponsor and no longer exists.
The City is not an easy book to summarize without spoilers. It will go down as one of my favorite Koontz books. It is a prophetic and nostalgic story that left me feeling good and filled with hope. Seems I’m in good company as the author himself states this is one of his favorites. When asked the proverbial question of which of his books is his favorite he listed in no particular order:
“The City,” “Innocence,” “From the Corner of His Eye,” “Life Expectancy,” “Odd Thomas”and “Watchers.”
I loved Watchers, From the Corner of His Eye and The City in that order. Write on Mr. Koontz. I’m reading!
The Line – I’d rather live the now then talk about the was.”
”A butter-side up day…” you’ll need to read the book to get the drift on this one.
I listened to The City which made it hard to bookmark passages. There were many lines that were quote worthy.
The Sinker – The characters, hands down.
We meet Jonah Kirk as his best friend Malcolm gives him a recorder and encourages him to tell his life story. Jonah is reluctant to do so but Malcolm feels a book about Jonah’s life will lighten up a sad world. And so it did for this reader. I couldn’t say it better than Jonah himself narrates:
”My name is “Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. From as young as I can remember I loved the city. Mine is a story of love reciprocated. It is the story of loss and hope and of the strangeness that lies just beneath the service tension of daily life, a strangeness infinite phantom in depth.” It’s April 1966.
Jonah, nearly nine states he hates the piano because he fears he’ll never learn to be a piano man. He needs lessons and his father who has been off scene for most of Jonah’s life refuses to pay for these lessons. But now Tilton Kirk is back.
Perhaps he should have stayed gone. It’s at this time in Jonah’s life that we meet the mysterious woman who calls him Ducks that plays such a large part in Jonah’s life and ramped my enjoyment of the book. This woman adds the Koontz supernatural experience so familiar to us all. Jonah explains her like this:
“She’s always there, like sudden sunshine, breaking through clouds.”
He never sees her coming. She’s just there.
There are so many wonderful characters. These include the many who love Jonah. His mother, Sylvia, a talented singer trying to make ends meet, his grandparents, Grandma Anita and Grandpa Teddy, and his best friend Malcolm, even The City itself. Each relationship encircles Jonah with love but none is more poignant than that of Jonah and his Japanese-American neighbor, Mr. Yoshiokaone. Through his eyes we learn a great deal about Manzanar a World War II relocation center that housed over 100,000 Japanese-Americans and also how friendship and respect transcend their ages. There are others like Tilton who makes Jonah’s life miserable including one freaky, crazy gal who scares the bejeezus out of him and also threatens him with bodily harm.
Music and a piano play a large part in Jonah’s life. This book deserves its own playlist. I found myself looking up tunes, singers and songwriters every few pages. There is also lovely haiku poetry. A few years back there was a website, Small Demons, that would have indexed these for easy reference. Sadly it couldn’t find a sponsor and no longer exists.
The City is not an easy book to summarize without spoilers. It will go down as one of my favorite Koontz books. It is a prophetic and nostalgic story that left me feeling good and filled with hope. Seems I’m in good company as the author himself states this is one of his favorites. When asked the proverbial question of which of his books is his favorite he listed in no particular order:
“The City,” “Innocence,” “From the Corner of His Eye,” “Life Expectancy,” “Odd Thomas”and “Watchers.”
I loved Watchers, From the Corner of His Eye and The City in that order. Write on Mr. Koontz. I’m reading!
July 21, 2014
The City by Dean Koontz is a very highly recommended coming-of-age story about love, friendship and loyalty.
"In our lives, we come to moments of great significance that we fail to recognize, the meaning of which does not occur to us for many years. Each of us has his agenda and focuses on it, and therefore we are often blind to what is before our eyes."
As a much older Jonah looks back on his family and the events that happened during 1967 when he was 9 to 10 years old. It was a year that would change his life. Jonah comes from a long line of musicians. His mother, Sylvia, is a gifted singer while his grandfather, Teddy Bledsoe was a piano man. They loved jazz, big band, and swing music. Jonah himself is a piano man and getting better every day. His on and off again father, Tilton, is a loser who is never there and suspect when he is around.
"My name is Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. From as young as I can remember, I loved the city. Mine is a story of love reciprocated. It is the story of loss and hope, and of the strangeness that lies just beneath the surface tension of daily life, a strangeness infinite fathoms in depth."
The City (which is New York City, although it is not named) is actually personified into a real person from whom young Jonas gets advice and, perhaps, a couple of visions that are meant to save him. "She said that more than anything, cities are people. Sure, you need to have the office buildings and the parks and the nightclubs and the museums and all the rest of it, but in the end it’s the people—and the kind of people they are—who make a city great or not. And if a city is great, it has a soul of its own, one spun up from the threads of the millions of souls who have lived there in the past and live there now."
The story is told from the perspective of an older and wiser Jonah looking back at his childhood, so he naturally gives his younger self more insight into what is going on than most kids his age would have. "I was already an optimist when all this happened that I’m telling you about. Although I’ll reverse myself now and then to give you some background, this particular story really starts rolling in 1967, when I was ten, the year the woman said she was the city. By June of that year, I had moved with my mom into Grandpa’s house."
Koontz's writing is superb and he is a masterful story teller. He had me engrossed in this tale from the beginning to the end. I can say that I loved this book. Jonah is a great protagonist. I loved the character Mr. Yoshioka. Yes, the bad guys are not fully realized characters but, to me, they are as an adult would recall them, looking back armed with more knowledge and recounting the information from the point-of-view of the child he was at the time.
Where I'm speculating that some readers had a problem with The City is because it is not a horror novel, like one might expect from Koontz, and while it has suspense and some moments where you will read as swiftly as possible to find out what is going to happen, this is more of a family drama/novel of suspense where all the action leads up to an event that changed Jonah's life. I was actually hesitant to start reading The City based on the poor ratings/reviews, but, alas, that was to my own detriment.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Random House via Netgalley for review purposes.
"In our lives, we come to moments of great significance that we fail to recognize, the meaning of which does not occur to us for many years. Each of us has his agenda and focuses on it, and therefore we are often blind to what is before our eyes."
As a much older Jonah looks back on his family and the events that happened during 1967 when he was 9 to 10 years old. It was a year that would change his life. Jonah comes from a long line of musicians. His mother, Sylvia, is a gifted singer while his grandfather, Teddy Bledsoe was a piano man. They loved jazz, big band, and swing music. Jonah himself is a piano man and getting better every day. His on and off again father, Tilton, is a loser who is never there and suspect when he is around.
"My name is Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. From as young as I can remember, I loved the city. Mine is a story of love reciprocated. It is the story of loss and hope, and of the strangeness that lies just beneath the surface tension of daily life, a strangeness infinite fathoms in depth."
The City (which is New York City, although it is not named) is actually personified into a real person from whom young Jonas gets advice and, perhaps, a couple of visions that are meant to save him. "She said that more than anything, cities are people. Sure, you need to have the office buildings and the parks and the nightclubs and the museums and all the rest of it, but in the end it’s the people—and the kind of people they are—who make a city great or not. And if a city is great, it has a soul of its own, one spun up from the threads of the millions of souls who have lived there in the past and live there now."
The story is told from the perspective of an older and wiser Jonah looking back at his childhood, so he naturally gives his younger self more insight into what is going on than most kids his age would have. "I was already an optimist when all this happened that I’m telling you about. Although I’ll reverse myself now and then to give you some background, this particular story really starts rolling in 1967, when I was ten, the year the woman said she was the city. By June of that year, I had moved with my mom into Grandpa’s house."
Koontz's writing is superb and he is a masterful story teller. He had me engrossed in this tale from the beginning to the end. I can say that I loved this book. Jonah is a great protagonist. I loved the character Mr. Yoshioka. Yes, the bad guys are not fully realized characters but, to me, they are as an adult would recall them, looking back armed with more knowledge and recounting the information from the point-of-view of the child he was at the time.
Where I'm speculating that some readers had a problem with The City is because it is not a horror novel, like one might expect from Koontz, and while it has suspense and some moments where you will read as swiftly as possible to find out what is going to happen, this is more of a family drama/novel of suspense where all the action leads up to an event that changed Jonah's life. I was actually hesitant to start reading The City based on the poor ratings/reviews, but, alas, that was to my own detriment.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Random House via Netgalley for review purposes.
September 21, 2016
4.5 stars, almost 5 for one of the most intriguing, most beautiful and powerful stories about coming of age, about responsibility and destiny. It would be almost perfect if only Koontz let go of some secondary plot and focus on the secret soul of the city. Also, I found a strange resemblance to Donna Tartt's "Goldfinch", especially at the end. Nevertheless - it is worth your time!
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Wzruszająca opowieść o dojrzewaniu, dorastaniu i godzeniu się ze swoim przeznaczeniem. Dean Koontz umiejętnie żongluje gatunkami, tworząc w „Mieście” zaskakującą mieszanką thrillera z powieścią sensacyjną, dodając szczyptę magii. Wychodzi poza utarte ścieżki tradycyjnych opowieści, w jedynie sobie znany sposób mieszając wydarzenia historyczne, realistyczne z elementami nadnaturalnymi. Całości nadaje swojego specyficznego tonu, pokazując, że zło i dobro toczą walkę od zawsze, wszędzie, nawet podczas naszych codziennych zmagań.
Jednocześnie na każdym kroku podnosi czytelnika na duchu i udowadnia, że dobro to nie tylko dobry uczynek wobec potrzebujących, ale także zwracanie uwagi na bliskich sobie ludzi, umiejętność doceniania tego, co już się ma, tego, co sprawia, że życie jest lepsze, pełniejsze, że nabiera znaczenia. U Koontza jest to bezwarunkowa wiara i zdolność do wielkich poświęceń w imię tego właśnie dobra, bo przecież
Bez względu na to, co się wydarzy, bez względu na nieszczęścia, które na ciebie spadną, w końcu wszystko i tak będzie dobrze.
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Wzruszająca opowieść o dojrzewaniu, dorastaniu i godzeniu się ze swoim przeznaczeniem. Dean Koontz umiejętnie żongluje gatunkami, tworząc w „Mieście” zaskakującą mieszanką thrillera z powieścią sensacyjną, dodając szczyptę magii. Wychodzi poza utarte ścieżki tradycyjnych opowieści, w jedynie sobie znany sposób mieszając wydarzenia historyczne, realistyczne z elementami nadnaturalnymi. Całości nadaje swojego specyficznego tonu, pokazując, że zło i dobro toczą walkę od zawsze, wszędzie, nawet podczas naszych codziennych zmagań.
Jednocześnie na każdym kroku podnosi czytelnika na duchu i udowadnia, że dobro to nie tylko dobry uczynek wobec potrzebujących, ale także zwracanie uwagi na bliskich sobie ludzi, umiejętność doceniania tego, co już się ma, tego, co sprawia, że życie jest lepsze, pełniejsze, że nabiera znaczenia. U Koontza jest to bezwarunkowa wiara i zdolność do wielkich poświęceń w imię tego właśnie dobra, bo przecież
Bez względu na to, co się wydarzy, bez względu na nieszczęścia, które na ciebie spadną, w końcu wszystko i tak będzie dobrze.
July 8, 2014
It's very difficult for me to pin point why I enjoy Koontz's writing so much, but I thoroughly enjoy every book of his that I have read. It's the way he turns a phrase, and seven words are actually better than one word in his writing. He takes simple thoughts and makes them sound profound. He makes me think with just the simplest statements. For example, in THE CITY, he says numerous times, "no matter what happens, everything will be all right in the end.". For most people's belief systems, this is very true, but I never thought of it in such a straight forward way.
THE CITY is basically the coming of age story of a young African American boy, Jonah Kirk, born in the late 40's. He tells his life story around the events of the day. He's a musical prodigy from a musical family. Though his father had left the family when Jonah was very young, circumstances happen where his father's actions actually have a profound affect on Jonah's life.
It's difficult to say any more about this story without giving spoilers, so I'll just say that Koontz still remains one of my favorite authors and I think that it's definitely worth any serious reader's time to enjoy the style and stories of Koontz. I listened to this on Audible which I believe enhanced this story because it seemed as though Jonah was actually talking about his own life.
THE CITY is basically the coming of age story of a young African American boy, Jonah Kirk, born in the late 40's. He tells his life story around the events of the day. He's a musical prodigy from a musical family. Though his father had left the family when Jonah was very young, circumstances happen where his father's actions actually have a profound affect on Jonah's life.
It's difficult to say any more about this story without giving spoilers, so I'll just say that Koontz still remains one of my favorite authors and I think that it's definitely worth any serious reader's time to enjoy the style and stories of Koontz. I listened to this on Audible which I believe enhanced this story because it seemed as though Jonah was actually talking about his own life.
December 29, 2015
Well....okay I put this on my "horror shelf" but it's only "sort of" horror. As a matter of fact this book would be on the "sort of" end of a lot of shelves. It can't seem to make up it's mind. Is it a coming of age story? Is it a mystery? Is it a commentary on music history? Is it the story of a bad marriage and a poor father? Is it a political or crime thriller? Is it the "magical story" of "The City" and the power in multiple souls who live there and have lived there? ("Megapolisomancy")
Yeah, sort of.
Is it a rambling story that goes on a bit too long, is too involved with details we don't need and really, really slow.
Okay the answer is yes to that.
I like a lot of Dean Koontz writing. I like a most of his newer inspirational books that some of his long time fans aren't as thrilled with. But here the book is (in my opinion of course) the book is maybe a third too long.
We start here with the young man who is our protagonist (Jonah Kirk) introducing himself. We follow his life through his discovery that he's a musical prodigy and also that "The City" talks to him in the personification of a woman named "Miss Perl". It follows his life with a story that builds a plot and characters who will make up the story and Jonah's life showing up on stage.
All in all not a bad book so it gets the ubiquitous 3. Maybe try it yourself.
Yeah, sort of.
Is it a rambling story that goes on a bit too long, is too involved with details we don't need and really, really slow.
Okay the answer is yes to that.
I like a lot of Dean Koontz writing. I like a most of his newer inspirational books that some of his long time fans aren't as thrilled with. But here the book is (in my opinion of course) the book is maybe a third too long.
We start here with the young man who is our protagonist (Jonah Kirk) introducing himself. We follow his life through his discovery that he's a musical prodigy and also that "The City" talks to him in the personification of a woman named "Miss Perl". It follows his life with a story that builds a plot and characters who will make up the story and Jonah's life showing up on stage.
All in all not a bad book so it gets the ubiquitous 3. Maybe try it yourself.
August 7, 2016
**Thank you Bantam and Netgalley for providing this in exchange for an honest review**
This was my first Koontz, and I have to admit, it was a bit of a let down. My sister is a huge fan of the author. She has been telling me for years how "creepy" his books are and how they "make her stay up all night" so she can finish reading them. When I saw this on Netgalley, I couldn't resist requesting it. I was looking forward to all the awesomeness my sister has been talking about for years.
This is a historical fiction title with a tiny bit of the supernatural weaved in here and there. I thought the premise was interesting, but the story moved a snails pace. I also didn't think much of the characters. I didn't dislike any of them, but Meh is how I felt about all but one of them. And, of course, the one major and one minor characters I did really like were the only ones to die. I'll still give Odd Thomas a try at some point, but I'll continue to choose Stephen King if I want a horrorish mystery type book.
This was my first Koontz, and I have to admit, it was a bit of a let down. My sister is a huge fan of the author. She has been telling me for years how "creepy" his books are and how they "make her stay up all night" so she can finish reading them. When I saw this on Netgalley, I couldn't resist requesting it. I was looking forward to all the awesomeness my sister has been talking about for years.
This is a historical fiction title with a tiny bit of the supernatural weaved in here and there. I thought the premise was interesting, but the story moved a snails pace. I also didn't think much of the characters. I didn't dislike any of them, but Meh is how I felt about all but one of them. And, of course, the one major and one minor characters I did really like were the only ones to die. I'll still give Odd Thomas a try at some point, but I'll continue to choose Stephen King if I want a horrorish mystery type book.
March 21, 2015
I remember enjoying Koontz novels. a long time ago, lately his books IMO aren't published to tell stories but to print money. not that he needs it, but the writing suffers when story isn't an important detail of the novel. and here although his writing was clearer and less of o metaphorical laden mess than in some of his recent books there were some passages that were way more confusing or clumsy then they should have been considering Koontz has published dozens of novels and is not a first time author by now there should be no hint of hack writing in his stories yet IMO this was a hack novel.
April 21, 2020
A Good Story #120. Julie (or Julianne, but never Jules) and Scott (or Scotty, but never Scooter) discuss The City, an excellent Dean Koontz novel.
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Recommended by my daughter, the voice in this book reminds me of Odd Thomas in its sweetness and innocence. However, this is narrated by a 10 year old instead of a grown man.
The 10-year-old is a skinny, black, musical prodigy named Jonah Kirk. The time is the mid-1960's when chaos reigns in America. The place is a mysterious City which, as far as I can recall, is never named. Unless you want to call it Pearl, after the mysterious woman who appears and disappears mysteriously in Jonah's life and who tells him that she is the soul of the City.
This story, written last year, looks at how we respond when it seems that the world is an unstable, chaotic place where unexpected evil can drop on you at any moment. Sound like any other time period you know? Such as the one we're living in right now? Koontz's story has a subtle supernatural gloss and doesn't focus on horror nearly as much as other books. Instead it focuses on coming of age, the power of community, the power of kindness, and overcoming adversity. As always, there is a strong theme of good versus evil but it is mostly kept in the real world.
A lot of the charm of this book comes from Koontz's ability to remind us what it is like to interpret the world as a supernatural, magical place because of youth's sheer inexperience. The relationship between Jonah and his upstairs neighbor, Mr. Yoshioka was especially interesting to watch flowering. And if you like jazz, big band, and swing, there are enough references to send you to start up your own soundtrack while you read.
It's not what I think of as typical Dean Koontz fiction, but I greatly enjoyed it.
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Recommended by my daughter, the voice in this book reminds me of Odd Thomas in its sweetness and innocence. However, this is narrated by a 10 year old instead of a grown man.
The 10-year-old is a skinny, black, musical prodigy named Jonah Kirk. The time is the mid-1960's when chaos reigns in America. The place is a mysterious City which, as far as I can recall, is never named. Unless you want to call it Pearl, after the mysterious woman who appears and disappears mysteriously in Jonah's life and who tells him that she is the soul of the City.
This story, written last year, looks at how we respond when it seems that the world is an unstable, chaotic place where unexpected evil can drop on you at any moment. Sound like any other time period you know? Such as the one we're living in right now? Koontz's story has a subtle supernatural gloss and doesn't focus on horror nearly as much as other books. Instead it focuses on coming of age, the power of community, the power of kindness, and overcoming adversity. As always, there is a strong theme of good versus evil but it is mostly kept in the real world.
A lot of the charm of this book comes from Koontz's ability to remind us what it is like to interpret the world as a supernatural, magical place because of youth's sheer inexperience. The relationship between Jonah and his upstairs neighbor, Mr. Yoshioka was especially interesting to watch flowering. And if you like jazz, big band, and swing, there are enough references to send you to start up your own soundtrack while you read.
It's not what I think of as typical Dean Koontz fiction, but I greatly enjoyed it.
October 2, 2015
I'd rate this book 1.5 stars out of 5.
The City is a story of a man named Jonah Kirk, aged 57, who shares about his past when he was a boy. Jonah grew up being a musical prodigy with his grandpa being his main inspiration, his idol. He grew up without his dad for most parts of his life and his mom was his main supporter throughout. Jonah explains the events that occurred in his life that led him to become a man of honor unlike his dad.
Whilst reading this book, I felt that the plot focused too much on events that did not necessarily help make the plot enjoyable. There were bits and pieces of events that sent shock waves in my mind but that only occurred twice in the entire book! That's definitely not enough! Whereas the majority of events that were written got me bored in seconds. I had to fight to get through this book.
The story moved too slow for my liking. If you love a book that takes references on historical events and references of musical legends and arts then I'd recommend you this book. I really enjoyed the musical references the author had written about. Although there were references that I had not quite understood and needed time to digest its meaning. All in all, this book is decent and I just felt that it isn't the right kind of book I'd necessarily read.
The City is a story of a man named Jonah Kirk, aged 57, who shares about his past when he was a boy. Jonah grew up being a musical prodigy with his grandpa being his main inspiration, his idol. He grew up without his dad for most parts of his life and his mom was his main supporter throughout. Jonah explains the events that occurred in his life that led him to become a man of honor unlike his dad.
Whilst reading this book, I felt that the plot focused too much on events that did not necessarily help make the plot enjoyable. There were bits and pieces of events that sent shock waves in my mind but that only occurred twice in the entire book! That's definitely not enough! Whereas the majority of events that were written got me bored in seconds. I had to fight to get through this book.
The story moved too slow for my liking. If you love a book that takes references on historical events and references of musical legends and arts then I'd recommend you this book. I really enjoyed the musical references the author had written about. Although there were references that I had not quite understood and needed time to digest its meaning. All in all, this book is decent and I just felt that it isn't the right kind of book I'd necessarily read.
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