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Liked It2 of 2 members found this review helpful “With 1,836 lives lost due to the hurricane and subsequent flooding, Hurricane Katrina was one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States and the costliest in terms of property damage. City of Refuge is the story of how the hurricane affects two very different families...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “SJ Williams works with his hands as a carpenter. He was born and raised in New Orleans. He also cares for his sister, Lucy and her son, Wesley. They are a close knit family. Everyone who knows SJ can pretty much call him a friend. Friends are important, especially when you live in the Lower...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“One of those rare books that both revolt you and touch your soul. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS NOVEL!!!!!!!!!
Ruth G wrote this review Tuesday, November 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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“Stirring, gripping and utterly devouring, I read this book in one day. You won't soon forget the characters or the details of their lives, and how they each deal with a tremendous tragedy. The first great Katrina novel. ”
Jackie L wrote this review Wednesday, October 14 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Although it is fiction,thought Tom Piazza did a good job giving voice to what it must have been like to have experienced Katrina& what living thru the displacement experience was like.”
joan h wrote this review Wednesday, September 16 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“SJ Williams works with his hands as a carpenter. He was born and raised in New Orleans. He also cares for his sister, Lucy and her son, Wesley. They are a close knit family. Everyone who knows SJ can pretty much call him a friend. Friends are important, especially when you live in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
Cheryl wrote this review Tuesday, September 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Craig Donaldson, on the other hand couldn’t be any different from SJ. He moved to New Orleans with his family. He works as the editor of the city’s newspaper. He and his family have issues. At any moment it could all come crashing down. His wife hates New Orleans and wants to move back. When disaster strikes in the form of Hurricane Katrina, both families will fight for their lives.
I have to admit that the book summary was more interesting than the actual book was. While I did at first find SJ Williams a likable guy, he was the only one I really found some interest in. The rest of the characters couldn’t capture what Mr. Piazza was trying to share with his story regarding two families who have just faced disaster to survive. This is a book that should have been good based on actual events but unfortunately it fell short and was somewhat unmemorable.
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“Very good read about events during and after Hurricane Katrina...characters are fictional of course, but I felt drawn to them all”
Cindy B wrote this review Saturday, August 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Epic. Visceral. It still rankles me to know that this admin of dunces have escaped charges of crimes against humanity over this man-made tragedy.
Jane M wrote this review Friday, October 10 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
"...sat trapped in a wheelchair in your living room, abandoned by the nurse, as the water crept up around your ankles, and then your knees, praying, knowing that God never sent you nothing you couldn't handle, so it must have been someone else sent all that water that rose mercilessly past your lips and nose (they found you later, out of your wheelchair, under your refrigerator, which had floated and come to rest on top of you)...."”2 of 2 members found this review helpful“With 1,836 lives lost due to the hurricane and subsequent flooding, Hurricane Katrina was one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States and the costliest in terms of property damage. City of Refuge is the story of how the hurricane affects two very different families living in New Orleans.
24girl wrote this review Saturday, August 30 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
SJ Williams, his sister Lucy and her son Wesley were all born and raised in the Lower Ninth Ward. New Orleans is their place and they are proud to have made lives there. The widowed SJ owns his own carpentry and repair business, loves to read and cook while watching over his family. Lucy struggles with drug and alcohol dependence while scraping by working odd jobs where she could find them. Nineteen year old Wesley is at the point in his life where he’s no longer a boy but not yet a man. He feels smothered by his Uncle SJ’s subtle pressure to become more than just another thug in the neighborhood.
Craig Donaldson is married with two small children. He and his wife Alice are both New Orleans transplants. Nobody had ever had more of a crush on New Orleans than Craig. As editor of Gumbo Magazine he reveled in the rich musical history and the characters found in neighborhoods throughout the city. However more and more lately his wife is feeling a restlessness coming from giving up her own painting and teaching career to the increasing violence and decaying infrastructure of the public school system. Now once again faced with packing up and evacuating the kids Alice is more convinced than ever that it’s time to leave New Orleans and doesn’t hesitate to make this clear to Craig.
From a few days before the hurricane to first Mardi Gras celebration six months after the devastation Piazza documents the lives of both families with raw emotion and genuine feeling. During the first night of the storm SJ is prowling the house checking rooms sealed up like tombs to the raging outdoors and you can feel the worry coming off the pages. While staying with relatives in Chicago, Alice has made the decision that Craig himself can’t come to terms with. It’s time to leave New Orleans and make a new life for their family. You get a true sense of Alice’s need to protect her family while still feeling the anguish that’s pulling Craig in two directions.
The book is a true homage to the author’s love of the city and I enjoyed getting to know these characters and be a part of their lives. I would recommend this book to book clubs who will have much to discuss about the book, the city and social differences of the characters.”
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