Review of The Bridge
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Joanna Olson
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Review of The Bridge
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Bridge" by Andrew Palmer.]
The Bridge by Andrew Palmer is a historical fiction novel discussing the Quebec Bridge collapse. Ben and Esther are Canadian university students who are stuck together working on one of their final engineering projects before they graduate. During their research, they find the journal of Alec Durand, a family man and engineer who worked on the Quebec Bridge prior to its demise. Alec knew there was something wrong with the bridge, but the leaders of the project didn’t take him seriously due to his lack of experience. While Ben and Esther seem like two very different people, they realize that they have more in common than they thought. Told from two timelines, this novel is sure to pull at your heartstrings and teach you a little something about engineering.
Throughout the entire novel, I found myself rooting for both Ben and Alec in different ways. I loved how Andrew Palmer wrote both Ben and Alec’s characters, and showed their development throughout the novel. I particularly loved getting inside of Alec’s head as he tried to manage being the best site engineer he possibly could, while still being the best husband to Ginette. The Quebec Bridge disaster was not something I was familiar with before reading this book, but now I want to research this event even more in order to try and better understand it. It’s unfortunate when the big bosses don’t listen to the low guys on the totem pole, even when they have more to offer than they think.
In terms of negativity, there were a few errors and discrepancies with certain names in the book. For example, Esther’s sister’s name was spelled differently throughout the book, and the epilogue also had a character’s name spelled differently. This did not take away from my enjoyment of the book; it is just important to note. There were also minor cases of profanity and mild sexual content, but nothing too over the top. At times, I found that the writing did not flow particularly well. The ending was also a bit abrupt, and I wish I knew more about Esther’s life after university. However, the transitions between the two timelines were done very well.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. Andrew Palmer has a way of bringing the characters to life, and allowing the reader to get a glimpse into their minds. I love a novel that teaches me something, and The Bridge did just that. Through his writing, Andrew showed the importance of accurate calculations and measurements, listening to peers and coworkers, and always following your instinct. If the ending would have been a little more thorough, and the writing a bit smoother, this book would have been a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book to engineering students and anyone interested in learning about the Quebec Bridge disaster. It is clear that Andrew Palmer put a lot of work and research into crafting this novel.
******
The Bridge
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Bridge by Andrew Palmer is a historical fiction novel discussing the Quebec Bridge collapse. Ben and Esther are Canadian university students who are stuck together working on one of their final engineering projects before they graduate. During their research, they find the journal of Alec Durand, a family man and engineer who worked on the Quebec Bridge prior to its demise. Alec knew there was something wrong with the bridge, but the leaders of the project didn’t take him seriously due to his lack of experience. While Ben and Esther seem like two very different people, they realize that they have more in common than they thought. Told from two timelines, this novel is sure to pull at your heartstrings and teach you a little something about engineering.
Throughout the entire novel, I found myself rooting for both Ben and Alec in different ways. I loved how Andrew Palmer wrote both Ben and Alec’s characters, and showed their development throughout the novel. I particularly loved getting inside of Alec’s head as he tried to manage being the best site engineer he possibly could, while still being the best husband to Ginette. The Quebec Bridge disaster was not something I was familiar with before reading this book, but now I want to research this event even more in order to try and better understand it. It’s unfortunate when the big bosses don’t listen to the low guys on the totem pole, even when they have more to offer than they think.
In terms of negativity, there were a few errors and discrepancies with certain names in the book. For example, Esther’s sister’s name was spelled differently throughout the book, and the epilogue also had a character’s name spelled differently. This did not take away from my enjoyment of the book; it is just important to note. There were also minor cases of profanity and mild sexual content, but nothing too over the top. At times, I found that the writing did not flow particularly well. The ending was also a bit abrupt, and I wish I knew more about Esther’s life after university. However, the transitions between the two timelines were done very well.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. Andrew Palmer has a way of bringing the characters to life, and allowing the reader to get a glimpse into their minds. I love a novel that teaches me something, and The Bridge did just that. Through his writing, Andrew showed the importance of accurate calculations and measurements, listening to peers and coworkers, and always following your instinct. If the ending would have been a little more thorough, and the writing a bit smoother, this book would have been a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book to engineering students and anyone interested in learning about the Quebec Bridge disaster. It is clear that Andrew Palmer put a lot of work and research into crafting this novel.
******
The Bridge
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Joanna Olson
@joannasbookshelf
@joannasbookshelf
Latest Review: One Hand Two Hearts by S.K. Alfstad
