Jack Finney Resident Scholar Profiles TOP SCHOLAR: David Loftus SCHOLARS: Kathleen
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Review Summaries
"Commercial artist Simon Morley is chosen by a secret U.S. government project to travel back in time to 1882 New York City -- just to prove it can be done and to observe. He enjoys the sights of the city at that time: still much farming on Manhattan, the Dakota and Museum of Natural History standing pretty much alone, the arm of the Statue of Liberty standing by itself in Madison Square, and many other things. But he also falls in love with Julia Charbonneau, who is engaged to a brusque and brutal man named Jake Pickering. It turns out Pickering has some sort of blackmail scheme going, and Si must decide whether to meddle with events. Finney's 1970 novel is nearly a classic: sufficiently rich and accomplished to qualify as literature. He supplements the excellent story with historic photos and drawings (the latter supposedly drawn by his hero), and it's rather surprising this tale has not yet been filmed."
David Loftus, Resident Jack Finney Scholar
"Si Morley is asked to travel back to the past to uncover some family secrets and identities. He falls in love with Julia who helps him to overthrow her fiance. The antagonist is Jake Pickering who's secrets remain secret in the 20th century. Jake sets fire to a building and Si and Julia save the people in the building. Si is then forced to chose to stay in the past with Julia or return to the present to be with his girlfriend."
Cassy, Resident Jack Finney Scholar
"A good mix of mystery and science fiction with a romance and time travel. The book takes you back to New York 100 years ago. This is a haunting story of a man transported back in time to fall in love with a beautiful woman of yesteryear. "
Kathleen, Resident Jack Finney Scholar
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Overall Review
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Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Time Travel:
- largely backwards/past
Romance
Yes
Romance plotlets:
- general romance
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Time Travel story?
Yes
Story largely takes place in
- Middle Ages-1899
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- artist
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a substantial amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Earth setting:
- 20th century
- 19th century
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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