The City (Koontz novel)

The City
Paperback front cover
AuthorDean Koontz
LanguageEnglish
GenreThriller, Mystery, Suspense
PublisherBantam Books
Publication date
July 1, 2014
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardback, Paperback), E-book, Audiobook
Pages416
ISBN978-0345545930

The City is a horror novel by American author Dean Koontz, first published in 2014. The book blends suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements, telling the story of Jonah Kirk, a musical prodigy, and his life experiences in a changing world.

Plot

The City is set against the backdrop of New York City, portrayed as an anthropomorphic character. The narrative follows Jonah Kirk from his childhood into adulthood, focusing on significant events that shape his life and those around him. The story addresses profound questions about fate, free will, the essence of a city, and the boundaries of love and forgiveness.[1] The protagonist, Jonah Kirk, tells the story in a first-person narrative, looking back at his life starting when he was eight years old. The book introduces readers to Jonah's complex family dynamics, his early recognition as a musical prodigy, and his encounters with various characters that deeply influence his life.[2]

Characters

  • Jonah Kirk: The central character, a musical prodigy whose life and moral compass are central to the narrative.
  • Sylvia: Jonah's mother, an accomplished vocalist and nightclub singer.
  • Teddy: Jonah's grandfather, a piano player who plays a significant role in Jonah's upbringing.
  • Pearl: A mysterious woman who claims to be the city and imparts crucial knowledge to Jonah about his abilities and future.
  • Other characters, including Mr. Yoshioka, Malcolm, and Amalia, contribute significantly to the story, each playing a unique role in Jonah's life and the unfolding events.

Publication

The book was published on July 1, 2014, by Bantam Books, and available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and audiobook formats.[3] It includes a bonus short story titled The Neighbor, also by Dean Koontz.[4]

Reception

The City received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its writing style and setting, while others critiqued the narrative and certain aspects of the characters. Kirkus Reviews criticized the "cardboard cut-out antagonists" and predictable action, while praising its setting, describing the book as "passable".[5] John M. Wills of the New York Review of Books wrote that "above all else it is a wonderful trip back in time when life was simpler and children were largely innocent."[6] Publishers Weekly gave the book a mostly negative review, writing that it "offers airy optimistic passages that won't persuade anyone acquainted with the harder side of life to always look on the bright side of it."[7]

References

  1. ^ Palen, Ray (July 2, 2014). "The City". BookReporter. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  2. ^ "Book Review: The City by Dean Koontz". Marienela. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  3. ^ "Summary and reviews of The City by Dean Koontz". BookBrowse. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  4. ^ "The City (with bonus short story The Neighbor) A NOVEL By Dean Koontz". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  5. ^ "THE CITY". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  6. ^ Wills, John M. "The City: A Novel". New York Journal of Books. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  7. ^ "The City by Dean R. Koontz". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2024-01-26.

Read other articles:

Organism

Organismer en grönalgSystematikVetenskapligt namn§ saknasDomäner Arkéer Eukaryoter Eubakterier Organismer är fysikaliskt strukturerade materiella objekt som till största del består av organiskt kemiska substanser. Dessa objekt har en rad kännetecken som utgör nödvändiga kriterier för liv. Andra ord för organismer är livsformer och kreatur. Organismer har stort inflytande på jordens utseende och sammansättningen av planetens atmosfär. Det uppskattas att massan för alla organi...

 

Discovery Home & Health

Discovery Home & HealthDiluncurkan2000 (Amerika Latin dan Inggris)2006 (Asia)PemilikWarner Bros. Discovery EMEA (UK)Warner Bros. Discovery Asia-Pacific (Asia)Nama sebelumnyaDiscovery Health Channel (2000–2001, Asia dan UK; 2000–2005, Amerika Latin)Discovery Health (2001–2005, Asia dan UK)Situs webhttps://www.tudiscovery.com/discoveryhh Discovery Home & Health adalah saluran televisi yang dimiliki oleh Warner Bros. Discovery yang berisikan program gaya hidup. Discovery Home &...

 

جائزة بريطانيا الكبرى 1977

جائزة بريطانيا الكبرى 1977 (بالإنجليزية: XXX John Player British Grand Prix)‏  السباق 10 من أصل 17 في بطولة العالم لسباقات الفورمولا واحد موسم 1977 السلسلة بطولة العالم لسباقات فورمولا 1 موسم 1977  البلد المملكة المتحدة  التاريخ 16 يوليو 1977 مكان التنظيم حلبة سلفرستون، بريطانيا العظمى طو...

Bhimsen Thapa

Bhimsen Thapa, Mukhtiyar (Perdana Menteri) of Nepal between 1806 and 1837 Bhimsen Thapa listenⓘ(bahasa Nepali: भीमसेन थापा 1775 - 28 Juli 1839) adalah Perdana Menteri Nepal pertama. Dia dianggap sebagai salah satu pahlawan Nasional Nepal. Bhimsen Thapa dilahirkan di distrik kecil Gorkha. Ayahnya, Mayor Amar Singh Thapa (tidak harus bingung dengan komandan pasukan Gorkhali dalam Perang Gurkha), adalah seorang prajurit setia di Raja Prithvi Narayan Shah. Pada usia 11, ...

 

Гарпунная пушка

Гарпунная пушка старого образца (дульнозарядная) Гарпу́нная пушка — орудие китобойного промысла. Представляет собой короткоствольную пушку, укреплённую на палубе судна-китобойца, стреляющую гарпуном, который, как правило, имеет в головной части заряд взрывчатого веще�...

 

趙家驤

追晉陸軍二級上將趙家驤將軍个人资料出生1910年 大清河南省衛輝府汲縣逝世1958年8月23日(1958歲—08—23)（47—48歲） † 中華民國福建省金門縣国籍 中華民國政党 中國國民黨获奖 青天白日勳章（追贈）军事背景效忠 中華民國服役 國民革命軍 中華民國陸軍服役时间1924年－1958年军衔 二級上將 （追晉）部队四十七師指挥東北剿匪總司令部參謀長陸軍�...

Harakah (newspaper)

Malaysian newspaper owned by Malaysian Islamic Party HarakahالحركهTypeWeekly newspaperFormatTabloidOwner(s)Malaysian Islamic PartyFounded1987OCLC number233144421 Websiteharakahdaily.net Harakah is a newspaper founded in 1987 and published by Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). In addition to using the Malay language, the paper includes an 8-page English language pullout consisting of pages and columns written in English called the English Section. A page in Jawi writing was introduced in 200...

 

Office of Naval Research

Office within the United States Department of the Navy Office of Naval ResearchHeadquarters in Arlington, VA (2022)AbbreviationONRFormationAugust 1, 1946; 77 years ago (1946-08-01)HeadquartersBallston, Arlington, Virginia, USLocationsONR Global: Santiago Sao Paulo London Prague Singapore Tokyo Coordinates38°52′51″N 77°06′31″W / 38.8808°N 77.1086°W / 38.8808; -77.1086Secretary GeneralU.S. Secretary of the NavyChief of Naval ResearchRear Adm...

 

母校

哥伦比亚大学的「智慧女神雕像」 母校（拉丁語：alma mater，英式英語發音：/ˈɑːlmə ˈmɑːtər/、美式英語發音：/ˈælmə ˈmeɪtər/），源自拉丁語，本意「母親的哺乳」，詞源與校歌相通，是一個使用於古羅馬各式地母神的頭銜，特別是刻瑞斯或者西芭莉（希臘神話），亦使用於中世紀基督教的聖母瑪利亞。 位於義大利的博洛尼亚大学於1988年，430位大学校长在大學著名的大�...

Gustave Whitehead

19/20th-century German-American aviator Gustave WhiteheadBorn(1874-01-01)1 January 1874[Note 1]Leutershausen, Kingdom of BavariaDied10 October 1927(1927-10-10) (aged 53)Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.Nationality German American Known forClaimed flights 1901–1902SpouseLouise Tuba Whitehead Gustave Albin Whitehead (born Gustav Albin Weisskopf; 1 January 1874 – 10 October 1927) was an aviation pioneer who emigrated from Germany to the United States where he designed and built...

 

哈萨克斯坦总统

此条目序言章节没有充分总结全文内容要点。 (2019年3月21日)请考虑扩充序言，清晰概述条目所有重點。请在条目的讨论页讨论此问题。 哈萨克斯坦總統哈薩克總統旗現任Қасым-Жомарт Кемелұлы Тоқаев卡瑟姆若马尔特·托卡耶夫自2019年3月20日在任任期7年首任努尔苏丹·纳扎尔巴耶夫设立1990年4月24日（哈薩克蘇維埃社會主義共和國總統） 哈萨克斯坦 哈萨克斯坦政府...

 

1989 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships

American college aquatic sports competition 1989 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving ChampionshipsHost city Indianapolis, IndianaDate(s)March 1989Venue(s)Indiana University NatatoriumIndiana University← 1988 1990 → The 1989 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships were contested in March 1989 at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana at the 66th annual NCAA-sanctioned swim meet to determine the team and individual national champions of Division I...

1987 European Amateur Team Championship

Golf competition Golf tournament1987 European Amateur Team ChampionshipTournament informationDates24–28 June 1987LocationFrohnleiten, Austria47°13′48″N 15°19′26″E / 47.230°N 15.324°E / 47.230; 15.324Course(s)Golfclub MurhofOrganized byEuropean Golf AssociationFormatQualification round: 36 holes stroke playKnock-out match-playStatisticsPar72Length6,705 yards (6,131 m)Field19 teams114 playersChampion IrelandNeil Anderson, Pádraig Hogan,Garth McGi...

 

List of equipment of the Russian Ground Forces

Russian Armed Forces Ministry of Defence Staff General Staff of the Armed Forces Services (vid) Russian Ground Forces Russian Aerospace Forces Russian Navy Independent troops (rod) Strategic Rocket Forces Russian Airborne Forces Special operations force (sof) Special Operations Forces Other troops Logistical Support Military districts Western Military District Southern Military District Central Military District Eastern Military District Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command History of the ...

 

Papakating Creek

Creek in Sussex County, New Jersey, U.S. Papakating CreekPepper-Cotton, Pellettown Creek, Pellet CreekLooking south from County Route 565 in Wantage TownshipEtymologyMunsee (northern Lenape dialect)LocationCountryUnited StatesStateNew JerseyCountySussexMunicipalityFrankford Township, Wantage TownshipPhysical characteristicsSourceFrankford Township, at foot of Kittatinny Mountain • coordinates41°12′36″N 74°43′02″W / 41.21000°N 74.71722°W...

Biathlon

Winter sport of skiing and rifle shooting Not to be confused with Duathlon or Biathle. BiathlonBiathletes in the shooting area of a competitionHighest governing bodyInternational Biathlon UnionCharacteristicsTeam membersSingle competitors or relay teamsMixed-sexYesEquipmentSkis, poles, riflePresenceOlympic1924 (military patrol) 1960 (officially) The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a...

 

United Nations Security Council Resolution 334

United Nations resolution adopted in 1973 UN Security CouncilResolution 334UN base in CyprusDate15 June 1973Meeting no.1,727CodeS/RES/334 (Document)SubjectOn Extension of the Stationing in CyprusVoting summary14 voted forNone voted against1 abstainedResultAdoptedSecurity Council compositionPermanent members China France United Kingdom United States Soviet UnionNon-permanent members Australia Austria Guinea India Indonesia Kenya ...

 

Henry Holland Buckman

American politician The Florida Legislators who passed the Buckman Act in 1905. Buckman is standing on the right front row wearing a white suit Henry Holland Buckman (1858–1914) was an attorney from Duval County, Florida. He served as a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives.[1][2] He served on the Judiciary Committee. He also served as a member for the 18th district of the Florida Senate.[2] Buckman is known for being the author of the Buckman Act...

توسع قصبي

هذه المقالة بحاجة لصندوق معلومات. فضلًا ساعد في تحسين هذه المقالة بإضافة صندوق معلومات مخصص إليها. يفتقر محتوى هذه المقالة إلى الاستشهاد بمصادر. فضلاً، ساهم في تطوير هذه المقالة من خلال إضافة مصادر موثوق بها. أي معلومات غير موثقة يمكن التشكيك بها وإزالتها. (يناير 2022)   �...

 

搜神傳

搜神傳Legend of the Demigods类型古裝動畫特技编剧阮美鳳、關炳洪、文健輝编导黃國強、陳志江、黃偉賢、方駿釗助理编导黃志華、朱志恆、洪　毅、陳艷琪、劉嘉壁主演鍾嘉欣、陳浩民、陳錦鴻、譚小環、胡定欣、歐錦棠、惠英紅、劉曉彤集数22集（一小時完整版)42集（半小時刪減版）主题曲搜神傳作曲鄧智偉片尾曲發誓作曲鄧智偉填詞陳詩慧主唱鍾嘉欣 制作拍摄／制作年份2...