Review: The Technologists

The Technologists by Matthew Pearl

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



My original review can be seen here:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1A4PYWRSGMWKB

Please note: Read and reviewed in February 2012 from a copy provided by Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis: In 1868, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) had been in operation for four years, and the first class was preparing for their graduation. "Technology" was a new word, and people were as skittish about the results of technology as more ancient people were of witchcraft - unionists raged against the idea of machines taking away work from people, more traditional colleges and universities raged against the ideals of the "ungodly" sciences being taught at MIT and, more sinisterly, someone began to use mysterious technologies to cause a series of disasters across Boston. Suspicion fell almost immediately, of course, upon the people who worked and studied at MIT. A small group of students, including the sole woman studying at MIT at the time, set out to discover what has caused the trouble and to stop in, in order to save not only the reputation of their college, but also the lives of many of the residents in Boston. Will they succeed?

My Thoughts: I read Pearl's earlier work, "The Dante Club," and really loved it, so had high expectations for this book. The mystery and suspense did not disappoint, nor did the details and research that went into the book. I had a hard time, however, connecting with the characters, and so often found myself enraged by the attitudes of the people in the story that I didn't really enjoy my time reading it. That's not, however, necessarily a bad thing - a strong reaction like that means that the author knows how to create a reaction, and that is important in writing a strong novel. People interested in the history of Boston, the history of the development of technology, and people who enjoy a suspenseful thriller will all enjoy this book.



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