The Museum of Extraordinary Things

November 18, 2013
Like the museum of its title, Hoffman’s (The Dovekeepers) latest novel is a collection of curiosities, each fascinating in its own right, but haphazardly connected as a whole. New York City in 1911 is caught between its future and its past: the last woods are threatened by sidewalks; sweatshops and child labor abuses give rise to a cruel division between rich and poor. Coralie Sardie’s father runs Coney Island’s Museum of Extraordinary Things, a sideshow exhibit of pickled and preserved wonders, as well as living freaks; Coralie’s own webbed hands lead her father to train her as a swimmer, billing her as “the Human Mermaid.” But Professor Sardie’s museum is threatened by the city’s changing tastes, and he becomes increasingly sinister in his control of Coralie and his plans for the museum’s future. In a parallel, hopscotching storyline, Eddie Cohen, a Russian Orthodox Jewish immigrant, abandons his father and his community and becomes a photographer, finding his purpose in the aftermath of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the search for one of its victims. Though both stories have Hoffman’s trademark magical realism and hold great potential, their connection is tenuous—literally and thematically—and their complexities leave them incompletely explored.

Coralie Sardie, the daughter of the founder of a Coney Island freak show, collides with dashing photographer and Russian immigrant Eddie Cohen. Choosing a cast of three to voice both the youthful and the slightly older Coralie, as well as the great love of her life, highlights the poignancy of their encounter and the depth of their relationship. Youthful, shy Coralie, portrayed by Grace Gummer, is audibly filled with wonder, while her mature self, portrayed by Judith Light, has a resigned tone. Zach Appelman portrays Eddie as both passionate and worldly. New York City and the Hudson River around 1910 serve as vivid backdrops for the couple's passion. A.W. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine