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    In Sunlight and in Shadow
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    In Sunlight and in Shadow
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    In Sunlight and in Shadow
    Audiobook29 hours

    In Sunlight and in Shadow

    Written by Mark Helprin

    Narrated by Sean Runnette

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Mark Helprin’s enchanting and sweeping novel asks a simple question: can love and honor conquer all?

    New York in 1947 glows with postwar energy. Harry Copeland, an elite paratrooper who fought behind enemy lines in Europe, returns home to run the family business. In a single, magical encounter on the Staten Island ferry, the young singer and heiress Catherine Thomas Hale falls for him instantly, but too late to prevent her engagement to a much older man. Harry and Catherine pursue one another in a romance played out in postwar America’s Broadway theaters, Long Island mansions, the offices of financiers, and the haunts of gangsters. Catherine’s choice of Harry over her longtime fiancé endangers Harry’s livelihood-and eventually threatens his life.

    Entrancing in its lyricism, In Sunlight and in Shadow so powerfully draws you into New York at the dawn of the modern age that, as in a vivid dream, you will not want to leave.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBlackstone Audio
    Release dateOct 2, 2012
    ISBN9781455165735
    Author

    Mark Helprin

    Mark Helprin is the acclaimed author of Winter's Tale, A Soldier of the Great War, The Oceans and the Stars, Freddy and Fredericka, The Pacific, Ellis Island, Memoir from Antproof Case, and numerous other works. His novels are read around the world, translated into over twenty languages.

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    Reviews for In Sunlight and in Shadow

    3.5/5

    89 ratings12 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Helprin's writing is as beautiful as ever, perhaps more so. I was disappointed with the ending, because to me it seemed merely to stop, rather than resolve. Still, an excellent read. Mark Helprin writes like no one else.
    • 2/5
      As I was reading this over-the-top paean to paratroopers, feminine beauty, love across class lines, the theatre, and New York after the Second World War, I kept rolling my eyes and wishing the author would get on with it. As the plot alternates from one arena to another the reader is treated to the bombastic musings about life of just about every character, and the author's keen sense of place. I kept with it down to the end, which was somewhat satisfying if highly predictable. After finishing, I wondered what the NY Times had to say about it. Michiko Kakutani called it "laughably awful." Ouch! I still think I am going to recommend this to my spouse -- and not because I want to punish her....
    • 3/5
      Long and slow in some places. Description deserves an A+, but the story went on a lot longer than it needed to. Some of the scenes were so beautifully described, I didn't want them to end. I somehow get the feeling that this author can be a bit overrated.
    • 5/5
      Beautiful writing, fast-paced, well-developed story. A tale of a love affair which spanned several decades.
    • 3/5
      Massive book that should be read slowly and pondered as you work your way through it. I made the mistake of thinking I could listen to this tale Harry and Catherine, and decided I'd rather read and ponder it. Set in post WW2, it describes some of the changes in society that formerly well-to-do families and businesses had to adapt to. Only made it to Chapter 20, before I decided I was missing many ideas I'd like to spend more time thinking about.
    • 5/5
      I have been a fan of Helprin's since some time in high school when I first picked up Winter's Tale. Though it took me a while to get into it, this new book did not disappoint.
    • 3/5
      Well this is by far the longest audiobook I have listened to yet. And although I found it difficult at times to want to pay attention, I found it easy to pick up on things later when it got interesting again. I think Runnette did a great job of narrating, because even when the story didn't have my attention, I still found I wanted to listen to the narrator. I wouldn't have listened for 29 hours otherwise!When Harry first sees Catherine, it is love at first sight. He knows they are meant to be together, but since she is engaged he knows it will be a battle to win her heart. Harry is up for the challenge as he fights for the woman he loves, and earns her friendship, love and respect. We have a front row seat to Harry and Catherine's courtship, marriage, and regular life together. Shortly after their relationship becomes serious, Harry's personal business venture is compromised and he must figure out a way to correct the situation before he loses everything his parents built and passed on to him.There were so many lines within this novel that made me think, "Wow, that was just beautiful." Often when I read books I find myself going back and reading parts over again, just to have the chance to pour over those lovely words again. So there were many times during this audiobook that I wished I had a physical book to do that.I think my favorite part of the book is when Harry looked up an army friend, Johnson, who happened to live in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Bayfield is just a little town, probably has a population of about 500 people, located about 30 miles north of me. So it was fun to listen to him describing the ice cold winters and how difficult it was for Johnson to meet him in Chicago since there isn't much public transportation in Bayfield. It is still that way up here in Northern Wisconsin.The novel takes quite a turn when Harry makes the decision to protect what belongs to him. He spends time formulating a plan in an effort to protect his business. He is not in a hurry to put his plan into action, as he knows it could even take years for completion. I did find myself enjoying this story and got rather wrapped up in the ending. With themes of love, war, and honor this book had much to offer for a variety of readers. Although I did enjoy the audioversion, I believe I may have enjoyed the physical book more. I also think book clubs would have a great discussion from this novel.
    • 5/5
      Many people complain about there being too many words - face it - Mark Helprin loves words - he loves language. I found it delightful to join him in his playful adventure with words. He loves weaving stories, and you can tell there are things he's just observed about the world, little gems, that are wonderful to come across in the middle of a story. He takes, for instance, short detour into the name Harry, and you know that these are the musings of Mark Helprin given to his hero. Part romance - his hero's love affair with a woman and Helprin's own love affair with the city of New York, and part suspense story, as we discover that Harry's business is being driven out of business by "protection money", the tales weave together beautifully. The plot is helped along with the type of magical deus ex machina that Helprin loves to insert in his novels. I admit, there were a couple of places where I was too engaged in the story and passed over some of these passages - and a very long, albeit engaging and well-written description of a battle came at a very inopportune time in the story - and I glossed over that as well - now that I've finished the book, I may go back and reread those sections. A wonderful story up there with "Winter's Tale" and "Soldier of the Great War"!
    • 3/5
      My first Mark Helprin. Too long. Everyone is too beautiful, too smart, too lyrical, too showing-up-just-in-the-nick-of-time, too evil. There was one fine point midway when both of the main characters faced major dilemmas. Exciting, but ended up being resolved by some kind of magical fairy dust men, not at all realistic or logical.I did enjoy many parts of this but oh for an editor with a hatchet.I will try Winter's Tale.
    • 2/5
      What had promise of being a grand and beautiful story was a sluggish is so mired in overly verbose prose
    • 5/5
      Typical Helprin prose, lyrical and magical.
    • 4/5
      Returning home to New York City after fighting in World War II, Henry finds that in many ways, the war still goes on. He has undertaken to revive his father's business manufacturing fine leather goods, but post-war frugality is lowering sales and over-seas competition is pushing them out of many markets.While Harry struggles to transition to civilian life, he meets and falls in love with Catherine Hale. She is a beautiful and talented Broadway singer - and heiress. Their love promises to change both their lives forever, but Harry refuses to use her money to solve the problems of his business. A new threat has appeared on the scene. A mob kingpin has set his sights on Harry's business. The protection payments multiply. Harry won't last the year. The police and government will do nothing. Harry decides to fight this battle alone.