6.5/10
I wanted to like this book much more than I did. Fairly or unfairly, Egan cannot escape the high expectations she set with Goon Squad. It will forever be a foil to whatever else she pens and Manhattan Beach just doesn't measure up. The book is a generally well written page turner that nicely captures the era (NYC before and during WWII) in which it is set. The main characters are well-crafted and the protagonist is likeable and relatable, although I never felt a deep connection. There are flashes of truly brilliant prose, but those shine because other times the writing really falls flat or feels like it was lifted from some Harlequin bodice-ripper. Outside of the main characters, the others are underdeveloped. But my biggest criticism is that whatever merits are earned by the writing, the story ends up sagging under the weight of its many contrivances. Some plot developments are just too predictable and the unpredictable ones feel forced or far-fetched. All that being said, if someone who had never read Goon Squad were to ask me if I've read any good historical novels lately, I could, in good conscience, recommend this one.
