London

I gave up about 120 pages in. A somewhat interesting, chronological summary of the early origins of the city gives way to a more anecdotal style that loses focus, though the author's interest comes through. Someone more familiar with the streets and neighbourhoods of London might enjoy the book more.

DNF
Read a third of the book before I decided the book wasn't for me.

The book has a chronological structure and what Ackroyd tries to capture is the mood and changes in London and it's streets. It is an impressive book with a lot of research gone into it. A lot of small excursions and quotes picked up from I know not how many sources. Despite, or maybe because, how much is packed into the book I couldn't help being bored. If I lived in London or England it might have been another thing. Now the book is often about a lot of streets and places I've never heard of before. It's a collage if impressions which never, for me, turns into a whole.

My two stars is my subjective rating. I can see why others would love this book, but it isn't for me.