I thought this was a wonderfully written time-period piece. I actually debated over whether it counted as historical fiction or contemporary, but something had me leaning towards contemporary, so I went with it. I feel like I fell completely into NYC at the end of the Depression Era. The characters were beautiful and, to my best knowledge, believable. I felt like their struggles, on whatever different levels they occurred, really presented well. I loved the Tinker and Anne Grandyn story line - I really didn't see it coming and was pleasantly surprised when it came clean. Wallace was amazing and lovable - and of course was written to be. Eve and Hank played their roles to perfection. And of course I have a soft spot for a young(ish) female character whose interest is one of her primary characteristics, so that was a lovely bonus. The literary references were fun to spot as well. I always feel like I'm on a scavenger hunt with books that do that, and I enjoy the feeling. And really the 110 rules of civility from George Washington, the thread that tied the book together, was a device used the way it should be - present, but not overwhelming. All in all, a fun read with a good bit of character.