Originally I requested this by accident. I thought I was requesting a book by B. A. Paris. In the past I read a book by Shapiro and was not really impressed so I was bummed I couldn't cancel this request at the time. But I decided to give it a try. I found it slow moving and rather boring. Each chapter was a different character and their internal thoughts. I made it about half way through before deciding it was not for me and I did not want to finish it.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read this a while ago and forgot to review it, so can't fairly give it what I'd call an accurate review. I know that I liked the premise of the book and found it intriguing, the book less so. I don't know if it was the narrative style, narrative voice, and/or large cast of characters, but while I wasn't exactly bored, neither was I particularly engaged

Another ‘I binged while down with COVID read’

I didn’t think I could be so pulled into the lives of five characters from a storage building, but here I am.

A quick mystery that takes surrounds one storage building with ripping affects for the five central characters.

This is my first B.A Shapiro and trust me - I’ll be looking into her backlist.

I was a bit skeptic of how much a book surrounding a few people from one building could reel me in after being so disappointed by the multiple people in one place trope in Anxious People, but this one delivered.

The timeline movement made sense in this one as well as the plot around each character. A few of the characters were amazing and some I really wanted to smack across the head. I needed more time with Serge, what a doll 🥹.

From my blog: Always With a Book

When I saw that B.A. Shapiro had a new book coming out, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. I’ve really enjoyed her books in the past, though I have to say, this latest one is a bit of a departure from her typical historical fiction novels but still quite good.

Set almost entirely in a storage unit facility, this character-driven novel really takes you by surprise by just how much it tackles. I was not expecting the depth the book has and how much I came to care about this group of characters that at first seems to have no connection, yet end up intersecting in such interesting ways. Having the book told from multiple points of view really allows for the intimate connection and while it might be off-putting to some, I found that each character is so richly drawn that I had no issues keeping track of who was who.

I will say this is not a fast-paced book at all, so if you are looking for one that moves quickly, this is definitely not for you. It starts with the owner of the storage unit selling off the contents of the units – and all I could think of was that show Storage Wars, which this book is definitely not about! But as each unit is sold, we see how the units were used and start to learn about each of the owners.

The further I got into this book, the harder it became to put down because I really started to become quite invested in each of the characters’ lives, plus I was so curious as to how everything would come together. Why did all these characters have units at this storage place and how were they connected? There is an underlying mystery that also hooks you and the suspense slowly builds, with some pretty good twists along the way.

This book really ended up being so much more than I thought it would be and as I mentioned it does tackles some pretty big issues – immigration, domestic violence, poverty, inequality, politics and mental illness – and it does so in such a brilliant and imaginative way. I definitely recommend picking this one up…it really is quite an original story and I even think it would make a great book club pick.

The characters have a variety of backgrounds: they are different races; they practice different religions; they're young and they're not so young; they are rich, poor, and somewhere in the middle. As they dip I and out of one another's lives, fight circumstances that are within and also beyond their control, and try to discover the details of the accident, Shapiro both dismantles the myth of the American dream and builds tension to an exciting climax.

My thoughts: I love the premise of this thriller, a giant warehouse of storage units and all the different people involved with them. It totally appeals to the inner voyeur who wants to see people's collections. The characters are complex and interesting and mostly morally gray. I also really liked the photography connection. This was a fast read with a very satisfying ending, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological suspense!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I loved the premise - all the stories playing out within the walls of the storage unit, and how they came together - but it felt entirely too long and drawn out. I wasn't caught up at first, and it took me a while to get into the story. Once I did, I wanted to finish to find out what happened, and was happy to feel resolved in all the storylines by the end.

Great tale of human nature and the paths that humans take to survive. I wouldn't call this much of a mystery as it only was a small portion of the novel, although a catalyst for the rising action.
I do think that there were a few too many characters that the author wanted to explore, which in turn left some not as developed. For instance, we need more about Serge. Why was Rose so complacent with Vince?


The writing was beautiful, almost poetic without being overly so.

One nuance I found is her descriptions of people of color. They seemed a little forced and even a bit offensive. For example, one character who was not even necessary to the story was described as having "skin so black he's almost blue". Why was such a description necessary for needless character. I recommend a sensitivity reader.

I requested this as background reading for a First Impressions Program we are currently running on BookBrowse booked by Lauren Mosely which includes gathering reviews from carefully selected BookBrowse members and then promoting the book across BookBrowse and newsletters.

Our reviewers rated Metropolis an average of 4.3-stars. See link

This book is so good. I read it right after finishing a terrible book and so, I needed a reminder of what good writing was like. Ms. Shapiro never lets me down there. The character sketches done here are spectacular. I feel like I know everyone, even the supporting cast. She worked in her commentary on Art, as she normally does, so that was nice. My only real criticism was that almost everyone gets a happy ending except for the person who suffers from mental illness. One could argue there is a commentary on this in here, but the fact that we don't end on that character or on Diamond, his only real friend, leads me to believe that this part was intentionally buried for the sake of an all's well that ends well situation.

I was on the fence about the concept behind this book before reading it. Too gimmicky? Or clever?

Though I struggled with the concept at the outset of the story from a structural standpoint, it grew on me, and Shapiro won me over with her intriguing and endearing cast of characters.

Though the way it all wraps up in the end feels a bit too convenient, the dynamics between the renters at the storage unit and their reasons for being there and for interacting with each other worked well and created an interesting spin on how strangers will comport themselves when thrust into close contact with one another.

Other than Rose (not exactly likable but probably more realistic than most of the characters), there isn’t much moral complexity to the cast. Good guys pretty much all good, villains pretty much all bad. It’s a tad simplistic, but it does make most of the protagonists easy to root for.

I think I prefer Shapiro’s art mysteries to this, but it’s a solid feel-good, light read for summer.

Metropolis follows six characters that all rent a storage unit at Metropolis Storage Warehouse in Massachusetts. At the start of the book, the owner is in the process of auctioning off the contents of 22 units in the facility. He has lost ownership because of an accident that occurred earlier in the year. As this unique story unfolds, you will see how the characters' lives intertwined and learn the backstory of all six. There is also a mystery regarding the accident that will keep you guessing.

The way the author writes, her words bring the settings and characters to life like a painting. The descriptions of what was inside the rental units were so vivid. That, along with learning about the main characters, made it heartbreaking at times. You just never know what someone else is going through. This is a thought-provoking book that I won't forget anytime soon.

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review. This has to be the sleeper hit of the summer! I was completely captivated by the characters of this book-they are intricately connected in such a unique way, I couldn't put it down.I wouldn't say it's suspenseful in the traditional sense of foreboding, but you are speed reading to find out what happens next. It's also full of great details about Boston which was fun for this Bostonian. Perfect for fans of character driven novels who enjoy multi-character perspectives.

A submersible story of life, loss and love. Six characters take us through their lives and we see how they are all connected by Metropolis, a storage unit. Interesting and inventive!

Set in Boston, this story follows a group of very different people who all have one thing in common, a storage warehouse. Some people had been living there. Some people worked there. And everyone is trying to figure out what happened after a tragedy occurs. This book has such an interesting and unique cast of characters. I became invested in all of their stories and really enjoyed this one.

I have enjoyed previous books by B. A. Shapiro so I was looking forward to this. Metropolis is primarily about six characters who either rent or are connected to the self-storage facility and how their lives overlap. When an accident occurs in the building we see an even greater connection between them. They are an interesting group of characters - some more likeable than others, my only issue overall is that is was more about the lives of these people, and really less of a mystery.

It took me a little bit to get into METROPOLIS, but once it got going I couldn’t stop turning the pages! Told through a few different characters having to do with the Metropolis Storage facility, this is a story of intersecting lives with a touch of mystery.

Some of the characters were hard to like and some were just so lovable. I liked getting their different viewpoints of each scenario that played out. There was some mystery as well, which added to the intrigue and it’s what kept me hooked.

There are a lot of social issues presented in the book, such as homelessness, deportation/ICE, and the advantages/disadvantages between social classes. It was so interesting to see how each character used their unit in the building and how they came to be there.

Serge is a character who will hold a special place in my heart. The reader doesn’t get to know him as much as you’d like, yet his story is the most intriguing and mysterious. I was a little teary-eyed for him by the end.

Ultimately this is one that’ll stick with you because there is a lot to digest and reflect on when you’ve finished.

There was a very good premise here: the intertwining lives of six people, all renters at a huge storage facility in Boston, some of whom are living there illegally.

But . . .

The ending was so wildly implausible, it sadly negates some of the decent human drama that's gone on before.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for the free e-ARC of Metropolis via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first time reading a book by B. A. Shapiro, and I was really excited by the concept of people living in a storage unit with so many stories behind each door, brought together by a tragic, mysterious event. Unfortunately, this really fell flat for me. Around half of the book is spent on character development, and yet I still felt like they were pretty flat. A lot of the connections happened before the central event of the plot, so while it was a turning point in the book, the characters were not pulled together in community like I had thought they would be. I felt that the book lacked the suspense in the way that the book is categorized. It really wasn't a mystery, though it was interesting to see how the different characters' connections to the event would play out. I thought that the book does have something interesting to say about the American Dream, but many parts of the book felt underdeveloped and even under-researched. This concept of the book was original and exciting, but the writing unfortunately left much to be desired for me.

Put a diverse cast of characters in an unusual setting, and you’ve got a page-turner!

This s a voyeuristic look at these characters’ lives, memories, and, well stuff. But there is a mystery at hand! Written from several perspectives, it gives off a modern Clue-like feel. I enjoyed getting to know each of these characters and seeing how their lives intersected.

Shapiro's writing is vivid and creative, making this story come alive for me.

Thank you @algonquinbooks for this gifted ebook.

Metropolis is a character study and shows that we all have something to hide. The novel uses a building filled with storage units as metaphor for the things each character hides from the world. I loved each and every character and learning more about them as it went on. Each chapter brought insights into a different character. It was mysterious, funny, and insightful. B.A. Shapiro shows great skill in bringing insight and nuance to each character.
If you liked Anxious People, you'll love this book!

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and Algonquin Books in exchange for an honest review.

I posted to goodreads and will also post on Storygraph, Barnes and noble, and Amazon. I will do a post later today on my instagram @readingtomydogs