Review of Forbidden Brownstones

[Timothy Rucinski]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Forbidden Brownstones" by Clifford Browder.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Forbidden Brownstones by Clifford Browder is a marvelous novel set in nineteenth-century Manhattan. Mr. Browder's appreciation for the history and spirit of New York City during this period comes out on every page, making it very difficult to put the book down.

Young Junius, a young black man living with his family in Manhattan, is enamored with the architecture of brownstones, large homes built from brick but plastered with the darkly pigmented finish that gives the buildings their name. Informed by his father that these buildings are the homes of the most powerful and elite men and women in New York, Junius makes it his goal to enter one and, hopefully over time, become a part of the brownstone scene. After receiving an education at a local African American school, Junior takes various jobs before becoming employed as a waiter for Mrs. Amelia Hammond, an ailing dowager living in a brownstone. Junior subsequently becomes a butler in one of the most prestigious bordellos in the city, run by Madame Ida.

Forbidden Brownstones is a love poem to New York City. In the first half of the book, rich with Junius’s family life and employment with Ms. Hammond, Browder portrays life in the city during the Civil War and, more frighteningly, during the draft riots that resulted in the execution of blacks and well-to-do New Yorkers. In the second part of the book, the author paints a picture of the city as it thrives following the war, as it crashes during financially hard times, and as it rebounds. We witness all the excitement, spirit, and hardship through the eyes of Junius.

Mr. Browder offers the reader a vast array of memorable characters that bring New York City to life, some fictional, and some based on actual residents of the time. Junius’s opinionated mother, Minerva, was born in the mountains and, while there, learned the skills of being a natural healer, skills that she shares with the sickly in Manhattan. His father, a barber, is called Dandy Fox because he dresses to the nines and travels about the city proudly in his horse-drawn gig. Lester Hicks, Junius’s ne’er-do-well childhood friend, pops up from time to time in the novel, each time hatching a scheme to make it rich. Madame Ida is a wonderful, strong yet frightened woman who struggles to maintain her dignity and business, competing for admiration against the likes of Madame Restell, the Lady of Solutions, the city’s real-life abortionist. Lastly, Thelma, the housemaid to Madame Ida, is relentlessly pursued by a smitten Junius.

“The city,” Browder writes, “is a cauldron of obsession; that is its fascination.” Mr. Browder’s fascination for the city is quite evident, reflected in his loving detail and through Junius’s obsession with the buildings forbidden to black men of his time. His detailed writing in describing the city is terrific, from the cheering crowds ushering off the brave soldiers to war, to the desolation created during the riots, to the splendor of buggy rides through Central Park on a warm spring day. However, not everyone is as captivated with New York City as Junius. His mother longs for the mountains once her husband dies. Mrs. Hammond, old, lonely, and growing poorer and poorer each year, longs for the time she will die and be done with the house. Madame Ida dreams of retiring and moving upstate to a large home where she can retire and be done with the hard work and toil in New York.

Having owned and lived in a brownstone in New York City – although in a much smaller one – this story resonated especially. Anyone attracted to the history of New York City before, during, and following the Civil War will enjoy this book, as will those who may be interested in the lives of African American men and women fending for themselves in the north during and following slavery. There is some sexual activity, so the book may not be suitable for the youngest readers. The book is professionally edited and has very few minor errors that do not hinder the enjoyment of reading it cover to cover.

Forbidden Brownstones deserves a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It is magnificent. Clifford Browder has written several books set within the same period in New York City. I look forward to reading all of them.

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Forbidden Brownstones
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[Ldpuff]

Historical fiction is not typically my first choice, but this book sounds very interesting. Everyone has heard of "a brownstone in New York City." It is just a phrase that carries meaning even if you have never lived in a brownstone or New York City. Well written review!

[markodim721]

It's great that the book is full of details, which all contributes to the realism of the story. Thanks for the great review.

[Timothy Rucinski]

Historical fiction is not typically my first choice, but this book sounds very interesting. Everyone has heard of "a brownstone in New York City." It is just a phrase that carries meaning even if you have never lived in a brownstone or New York City. Well written review!

Thanks so much for your kind words. It's a terrific book and I hope you get a chance to read it.

[Timothy Rucinski]

It's great that the book is full of details, which all contributes to the realism of the story. Thanks for the great review.

I'm glad that you enjoyed the review. Thank you for your comments!