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There are currently 26 member reviews
for Metropolis
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Alison F. (Clearwater, FL)
Snapshots of Life Struggles
B.A. Shapiro has crafted a clever story of lives that have converged because of a storage facility in Cambridge, MA. We have good lawyers and bad, an artist, immigration and domestic violence trauma, people trying to make the best of their lives and protect their family and a sinister plot to harm everyone in its path. Had a bit in common with the Paris Apartment which I read at the same time and was equally compelling. I recommend this one.
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Martha S. (Mentor, OH)
Metropolis
Metropolis is a funky storage warehouse in Boston. Doesn't sound interesting? Well, I loved this book and I read a lot. The story line drew me in as did the characters. Some were major characters, some not. And quite the characters they were, mostly quirky; some seemed "normal". (But in the end "gotcha"). I loved the way the author developed her characters and told their stories. Detail development will draw you in, too.
This book is the best of the year so far for me. I highly recommend the book, including for book clubs. It will be a great topic for discussion.
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Sandra L. (Great Neck, NY)
A Must Read
I seldom fall in love with a book that is almost totally character driven, but "Metropololis" is the exception. Six main characters, six problematic lives, all becoming intertwined in a Boston storage unit makes for fascinating reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
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Michell B. (New Orleans, LA)
Why am I just finding B A Shapiro?
I'm so grateful to have been introduced to Shapiro through Bookbrowse. I love a story that weaves in backstories and intertwines people who seemingly would not find their paths crossing but find their lives intersecting based on an event and circumstance. Shapiro certainly doesn't disappoint in doing just that.
Does this book have mystery and suspense? Yep! Does it have human experience and diversity? Also yes!
I will definitely be reading other books by this author.
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Mary M. (Swansea, MA)
Metropolis
Metropolis is a winner! As a past resident of Boston for many years, I had fun revisiting all the familiar places and locales described throughout the book. More importantly, I fully enjoyed the vast array of characters presented and their ability to form meaningful bonds with one another within an otherwise random and impersonal environment. It is a unique story that is well told. My interest in the characters and what happens to them was sparked from the start. There are also a couple of interesting twists that make the mystery that more satisfying.
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Shirley P. (Colorado Springs, CO)
The Castle
B.A, Shapiro writes a good book, and this is no exception. The Castle refers to a storage warehouse named Metropolis, nicknamed as such by the architecture of the structure with turrets etc embellishing the building. The book begins with a fire and then turns backwards to tell the story of disparate, and desperate, characters who inhabit the building.
The owner, Zach, his manager, Rose, and several inhabitants who use Metropolis for more than storage, including an attorney, a heartbroken mother and abused wife, a young woman fleeing the immigration authorities, and Serge, a photographer who suffers from extreme psychological problems. The author interweaves their stories skillfully into a whole.
I was particularly impressed with the research the author provided regarding the truly horrific immigration process facing those who try to become citizens of our country.
I recommend this book for it's skillful story telling and interesting characters.
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Judith P. (Ithaca, NY)
Intense and enthralling
Metropolis is an outstanding book. Writer B. A. Shapiro weaves an intensely immersive tale.
Five disparate people live or work in Metropolis, a huge, castle-like storage warehouse in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Rose, the office manager, allows people to live there and pay her under the table. Lawyer Jason has his office there. Marta is avoiding ICE and writing her dissertation; Liddy is avoiding her wealthy and abusive husband; Serge is avoiding people while creating brilliant photographs. Then there's Zach, who purchased Metropolis to launder drug money.
Legal problems and love bring these people together, their difficulties escalating until it seems they have no way out. Discovering how, or if, these characters solve their problems kept me reading. But this is not one of those annoying "fast-paced, action-packed" books. The writing is filled with intriguing details about the people and the place.
Ultimately, Metropolis shows how hard it is for most people to survive and make a living when faced with poverty, abuse, mental illness, or the forces of giant corporations and bureaucracies. The story, however, is more enthralling than any of these concerns.
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