List Price: £7.99
Our Price: £3.99
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Manufacturer: Faber and Faber Written By: James Bradley
Average Customer Rating:
Binding: Paperback EAN: 9780571232765 ISBN: 0571232760 Label: Faber and Faber Manufacturer: Faber and Faber Number Of Pages: 352 Publication Date: 2008-06-19 Publisher: Faber and Faber Studio: Faber and Faber
Customer Rating: Summary: A Truly Gothic Gothic Novel Comment: It takes a dark mind to write a story like this. James Bradley has the are of writing a tale in the Gothic style without resorting to shock tactics or too much gruesome detail.
The early nineteenth century is evoked with clarity as the writer takes us through streets and houses that seem perpetually dark. There is a gloom that hangs about every scene of Part One of the book. Somehow the mood of the character Gabriel colours everything. His story begins in a cold, snowy winter and never brightens from them.
There is corruption everywhere from the decaying bodies to the decaying morals of those involved in body-snatching.
Though it evokes history well, there is a contemporary edge to the story of Gabriel as he mixes with people who are a bad influence or morally corrupt in some way. He cannot make contact with these friends or his lover Arabella. He is unable to push down emotional barriers and reveal himself, and as he withdraws into opium addiction he is more insulated against feelings. The parallels drawn with modern heroin addiction are clear.
Part Two gives us Gabriel's redemption: he comes to terms with himself and can finally be honest about who he is. His future is a blank though, we don't know if he will survive in Australia as the possibility of falling again is distinct as he is ostracised from society.
An engaging book that draws you into its dark, Gothic world and holds you there.
Customer Rating: Summary: Have to agree with the other 1 stars Comment: Having battled most of the way through this book I eventually lost the will to live with it. The author's use of language is indeed colourful and descriptive but the subject matter is disengaging and depressing. I've read dark novels before and there are many out there which have the capacity to enthral. This however had me reaching for a lump hammer. Customer Rating: Summary: Another disappointed reader Comment: I started enthusiastically enough - after reading the back cover and normally loving historical novels I thought this would be a book to relish. The initial descriptions of London were powerful and enthralling but I might as well have stopped after the first dozen pages as it degenerated into a weak plotted, characterless but "nasty" little book. If I wanted to read about drug addicts and animal torturers but don't enjoy following a plot that is at least believable I would have been chuffed with my choice of book - but as that isn't my normal literary entertainment I completely wasted my money. My husband did only get about twenty pages in (without knowing my opinion)and chucked it in the bin.
My advice - don't bother, buy something else, it's not worth a quid let alone all the paper it wasted. Quite simply the worst book in so many different ways that I've read in years. Customer Rating: Summary: Don't judge a book... Comment: This book starts well enough...and of course the cover is good too! The problem which becomes more apparent as the book goes on, is that there is not enough substance to the characters. If we don't understand what is going on in their minds (and during some of the long time gaps between chapters), how could we possibly care about Gabriel Swift or what he does in London or Australia?
I can think of many better ways to spend time than reading this book! Customer Rating: Summary: Really Hardgoing! Comment: I wish I had read all these reviews before I bought this book. I very very rarely give up on a book, but I am in "grave" danger of not finishing this one, and I hate doing that.
I think the author has tried too hard with his narrative, the prose is wordy, and doesn't get anywhere. If I read the phrase "for a long moment" again, I will throw the book out of the window.
I was looking forward to reading this book, but what a disappointment. I am not getting involved with the story or the characters at all, and really have a sense of wasting my time continuing to read it.
Beautiful cover though!
