Paradise Alley
By Kevin Baker
Audio Reader: Kevin Baker

     Today the draft is a sensitive subject, as it was in the Vietnam Era. Another famous time for the draft was 1863. The reaction in New York at that time was rioting. Lincoln had decided to create the draft law and those rich enough to buy themselves out of it, did. Those less off -- mainly immigrates (Irish) -- reacted in historical violence and no one was excluded from their anger, including an orphanage for black children.

     The novel follows Ruth, the wife of a slave, Deirdre, the sister of Johnny Dolan, and Maddy, the mistress of a Tribune reporter. At the time of the riots, they live on Paradise Alley, which is a passageway or street of sorts. Each has much to over come in a time that was hard to survive, even before the war and the riot. Readers will find their stories of survival remarkable, not to mention heart wrenching.

     The subplots in this historical tale are exceptional. The many scenes are engrossing and gritty. Some are too graphic, making them hard to take. I am impressed with Baker's ability to bring it all together. I was also amazed at how he used various characters to bring the story to the reader - or in this case, the listener, although it was a bit confusing at times on the audio, causing me to rewind here and there. Actually, there is enough going on in the storyline to make this audio set worth listening to more than once. The author reads his own stories, which was fine, but just think how much more entertaining it would have been to have various voices read for the main characters.