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stephen_arvidson's review against another edition
5.0
The works of Charles Dickens have stood the test of time since the 19th century, including his final, unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Published as a serial, TMoED kept adoring readers eagerly awaiting the next installment. Yet, when Dickens perished from a stroke midway through the novel, the world was aghast at losing its most popular author, the public left frantically yearning to know the author’s intentions. Was Edwin Drood murdered—and if so, who was the killer? Was it Edwin's uncle, John Jasper, cathedral precenter and opium addict, who nursed a malevolent passion for his nephew’s fiancée, Rosa Bud? Yeah, most likely, but then we'll never know...or will we?
Penned by the compelling and capable Matthew Pearl, The Last Dickens is the third in the bestselling author’s literary trinity, impeccably aligned with his two prior novels, The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow. Like its predecessors The Last Dickens is an intriguing meld of bookish history and thrilling mystery set in the distant past and embroiling shadowy facets of real-life literary giants. As in his previous efforts, Pearl takes certain liberties with historical fact and (for the most part) triumphantly sculpts a splendid mystery for us, delicately moulding it with the scandals of the era.
When news of Charles Dickens’s untimely death reaches the office of struggling American publisher, Fields & Osgood—and trusted clerk Daniel Sand is found murdered on the Boston docks after being dispatched to collect Dickens’s unfinished manuscript—junior publisher James Ripley Osgood embarks on a transatlantic quest to unearth the novel’s ending, thereby saving his esteemed business and revealing Daniel’s killer. Pearl skillfully captures all the customs and etiquette of the Victorian era, all the curios and claptrap, adding a young divorcee to the mix, Rebecca Sand, a competent bookkeeper at Fields & Osgood (and older sister of the deceased clerk) who joins Osgood on his perilous journey. Readers find themselves on familiar romantic ground as hero Osgood and heroine Rebecca exchange shy glances whilst squaring off with exotic villains, opium addicts, hardnosed actors, literary sharks, and competing members of Dickens’s inner circle.
Very similar in style, atmosphere, and pacing to Pearl’s period thriller The Poe Shadow, The Last Dickens is as engrossing as it is educational, a history lesson finely blended with a succulent mystery. Much like The Poe Shadow’s treatment of Poe’s detective character of C. Auguste Dupin, Pearl employs TMoED to craft a thinly-disguised fictionalization of the story of a young man from the neighborhood of Gads Hill Place, Dickens's country home.
While structurally awkward, the flashback sequences of Dickens’s backbreaking 1867 American tour embodied my favorite sections of the novel—not just because Dickens himself is featured as a character, but rather the superstar author’s treatment at the hands of 1860s American public precisely resonates with contemporary mores and the nascency of celebrity worship; as evidenced in the manner wherein the feverish crowds on the docks await the arrival of the author’s ship, the harried fans outside the theaters, and the passionate stalkers harassing Dickens every step of the way. It's worth noting that the character of Louisa Parr Barton and the theft of Dickens’s diary are based on actual persons and events.
Unexpectedly, one of my favorite aspects of the novel is Pearl’s fascinating portrait of the 19th-century publishing industry. The Boston-based Fields & Osgood, Dickens' exclusive publisher in the States, representing the good guys who find themselves in a precarious position after the writer's death, and being pitted against the predatory Harper Brothers of New York. Publishing houses fighting to stay afloat and international copyright laws lacking refinement, thereby giving rise to literary pirates dubbed bookaneers—Pearl fashions a palpable underbelly of the publishing world that is suspenseful and yet laced in historical truth.
Alas, the novel isn’t without its shortcomings. The India subplot surrounding Dickens’s son Frank, a supervisor with the Bengal Mounted Police and a keen interest in the opium trade, kick-starts the novel and while initially promising, it ultimately fails to pay off. While these chapters grippingly depict the rampant circulation of opium and the British Empire's shamefaced involvement, they never really tie back to the main plot and by the end of the novel felt more like an afterthought. What’s more, Frank Dickens’s absent relationship with his distinguished father further distances the India storyline from everything else.
Comparatively, The Last Dickens falls short of the high bar set by Dan Simmons’s towering masterpiece, Drood, which also explored Dickens's incomplete novel from a very dissimilar lens. It may be unfair, though, to equate the two novels (both of which were published in 2009), particularly since the historical figures of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, as featured in Simmons’s book, are less rooted in historical reality. Moreover, while both books explore the common theme of opium—and a little bit with the mesmerism—Simmons does so more heavily and the result is a phantasmagoric journey into London’s dark underworld with all the makings of a gothic fantasy, jam-packed with the fruits of its author's laborious research.
While not a perfect story, The Last Dickens is atmospheric and cleverly plotted. There’s even an amusing interview between author Pearl and character Osgood in the trade paperback edition. If intelligent, well researched, deftly written mysteries are what you seek, then look no further.
Penned by the compelling and capable Matthew Pearl, The Last Dickens is the third in the bestselling author’s literary trinity, impeccably aligned with his two prior novels, The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow. Like its predecessors The Last Dickens is an intriguing meld of bookish history and thrilling mystery set in the distant past and embroiling shadowy facets of real-life literary giants. As in his previous efforts, Pearl takes certain liberties with historical fact and (for the most part) triumphantly sculpts a splendid mystery for us, delicately moulding it with the scandals of the era.
When news of Charles Dickens’s untimely death reaches the office of struggling American publisher, Fields & Osgood—and trusted clerk Daniel Sand is found murdered on the Boston docks after being dispatched to collect Dickens’s unfinished manuscript—junior publisher James Ripley Osgood embarks on a transatlantic quest to unearth the novel’s ending, thereby saving his esteemed business and revealing Daniel’s killer. Pearl skillfully captures all the customs and etiquette of the Victorian era, all the curios and claptrap, adding a young divorcee to the mix, Rebecca Sand, a competent bookkeeper at Fields & Osgood (and older sister of the deceased clerk) who joins Osgood on his perilous journey. Readers find themselves on familiar romantic ground as hero Osgood and heroine Rebecca exchange shy glances whilst squaring off with exotic villains, opium addicts, hardnosed actors, literary sharks, and competing members of Dickens’s inner circle.
Very similar in style, atmosphere, and pacing to Pearl’s period thriller The Poe Shadow, The Last Dickens is as engrossing as it is educational, a history lesson finely blended with a succulent mystery. Much like The Poe Shadow’s treatment of Poe’s detective character of C. Auguste Dupin, Pearl employs TMoED to craft a thinly-disguised fictionalization of the story of a young man from the neighborhood of Gads Hill Place, Dickens's country home.
While structurally awkward, the flashback sequences of Dickens’s backbreaking 1867 American tour embodied my favorite sections of the novel—not just because Dickens himself is featured as a character, but rather the superstar author’s treatment at the hands of 1860s American public precisely resonates with contemporary mores and the nascency of celebrity worship; as evidenced in the manner wherein the feverish crowds on the docks await the arrival of the author’s ship, the harried fans outside the theaters, and the passionate stalkers harassing Dickens every step of the way. It's worth noting that the character of Louisa Parr Barton and the theft of Dickens’s diary are based on actual persons and events.
Unexpectedly, one of my favorite aspects of the novel is Pearl’s fascinating portrait of the 19th-century publishing industry. The Boston-based Fields & Osgood, Dickens' exclusive publisher in the States, representing the good guys who find themselves in a precarious position after the writer's death, and being pitted against the predatory Harper Brothers of New York. Publishing houses fighting to stay afloat and international copyright laws lacking refinement, thereby giving rise to literary pirates dubbed bookaneers—Pearl fashions a palpable underbelly of the publishing world that is suspenseful and yet laced in historical truth.
Alas, the novel isn’t without its shortcomings. The India subplot surrounding Dickens’s son Frank, a supervisor with the Bengal Mounted Police and a keen interest in the opium trade, kick-starts the novel and while initially promising, it ultimately fails to pay off. While these chapters grippingly depict the rampant circulation of opium and the British Empire's shamefaced involvement, they never really tie back to the main plot and by the end of the novel felt more like an afterthought. What’s more, Frank Dickens’s absent relationship with his distinguished father further distances the India storyline from everything else.
Comparatively, The Last Dickens falls short of the high bar set by Dan Simmons’s towering masterpiece, Drood, which also explored Dickens's incomplete novel from a very dissimilar lens. It may be unfair, though, to equate the two novels (both of which were published in 2009), particularly since the historical figures of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, as featured in Simmons’s book, are less rooted in historical reality. Moreover, while both books explore the common theme of opium—and a little bit with the mesmerism—Simmons does so more heavily and the result is a phantasmagoric journey into London’s dark underworld with all the makings of a gothic fantasy, jam-packed with the fruits of its author's laborious research.
While not a perfect story, The Last Dickens is atmospheric and cleverly plotted. There’s even an amusing interview between author Pearl and character Osgood in the trade paperback edition. If intelligent, well researched, deftly written mysteries are what you seek, then look no further.
shareen17's review
2.0
I liked the concept - Dickens' American publisher travels to England to try to find the missing pages of Edwin Drood after Dickens dies while writing the novel. I didn't really enjoy reading this though, partly due to the fact that this book has some characterization pet-peeves of mine, and partly because the pieces just didn't fit together well for me.
sallyavena's review
3.0
Fun mystery set in the time of Charles Dicken's death. A little confusing at times because it jumped around from America, England and India, but in the end all the loose ends were tied nicely together. I think I would give it 3 1/2 stars.
debs4jc's review against another edition
4.0
Dicken's fans shouldn't miss this one.I enjoyed this novel for giving me a new perspective on Dickens and his life and his works. The mystery surrounding Edwin Drood and the way the author surmises a 'real life' scenario that explains how the story might have ended is fascinating. It is a bit slow to take off--I especially got confused by the bits about Dicken's son in India, not knowing how that figured into the story. When the mystery of the 'real life' Drood began to take shape it became hard to stop listening. It made me want to read more Dickens--and that's a good thing!
pictrufa's review against another edition
3.0
¿Por dónde empiezo a reseñar este libro?
Claramente me ha gustado, es un libro que, a ratos, me ha tenido muy enganchada y a ratos se me ha hecho tedioso.
El libro está genial escrito, personajes muy bien delineados y la trama principal engancha y te mantiene con una curiosidad plena. Pero creo que le sobran unas 200 págs. Las subtramas (como la de la India) se me hacían inacabables, pasaba la hoja y me decepcionaba al ver que el capítulo no acababa...También tiene que ver que no he logrado conectar con los pjs, el único que me atraía era Dickens pero iba con un miedo horrible porque me he comido más de un spoiler de sus obras (mala mía por no haber leído antes más Dickens) mientras leía su trama.
Igualmente, el libro tiene frases preciosas, relaciones magníficas entre personajes y un final trepidante que, todos sabemos cómo acaba, pero la forma que tuvo Matthew de hacernos llegar ahí es extraordinaria. La investigación por parte del autor hace que dudes entre lo que es verdad y lo que es ficción. Desde luego es un buen libro para leer tranquilamente y sin prisas =)
Segundo libro de los elegidos para el reto de pendientes de este año acabado ✅
Claramente me ha gustado, es un libro que, a ratos, me ha tenido muy enganchada y a ratos se me ha hecho tedioso.
El libro está genial escrito, personajes muy bien delineados y la trama principal engancha y te mantiene con una curiosidad plena. Pero creo que le sobran unas 200 págs. Las subtramas (como la de la India) se me hacían inacabables, pasaba la hoja y me decepcionaba al ver que el capítulo no acababa...También tiene que ver que no he logrado conectar con los pjs, el único que me atraía era Dickens pero iba con un miedo horrible porque me he comido más de un spoiler de sus obras (mala mía por no haber leído antes más Dickens) mientras leía su trama.
Igualmente, el libro tiene frases preciosas, relaciones magníficas entre personajes y un final trepidante que, todos sabemos cómo acaba, pero la forma que tuvo Matthew de hacernos llegar ahí es extraordinaria. La investigación por parte del autor hace que dudes entre lo que es verdad y lo que es ficción. Desde luego es un buen libro para leer tranquilamente y sin prisas =)
Segundo libro de los elegidos para el reto de pendientes de este año acabado ✅
gwalt118's review
3.0
A suspenseful read about Dickens unfinished novel. Every Dickens fan should read this novel!
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
Matthew Pearl's third historical literary thriller turns its sights onto the mystery of Dickens' final unfinished work. Shortly after his death, Dickens' American publisher embarks on a search to find out the true ending of The Mystery of Edwin Drood before his rivals can release a fake.
One of the most interesting parts for me was that around the history of American publishing. Even in the late 17th Century Harper & Brothers (to later become the modern day HarperCollins) were considered the evil publisher trying to usurp independents. Whilst the Bookaneers were by today's standards criminals, it's good to think that literature was exciting enough to elicit such a response that today would be limited to film and music.
As always, Pearl's historical research is interesting reading and most of the stories revolving around Charles Dickens himself are considered fact. The book depicts that beginnings of celebrity culture, with crazed fans and people camping out overnight to purchase tickets. Not to mention those who buy up tickets and sell them for a profit. I bet you thought all these things were modern!
The fiction itself focuses on publisher James Osgood who was indeed Dickens' representative in America, where at the time international copyright laws didn't apply. The plot isn't particularly strong and probably not helped by the fact that we know Drood remains incomplete to this day. Dickens' son, Francis was also featured, in his role as police in India and involvement with the opium trade. I didn't quite see the relevance of this, despite opium being widely used throughout the story, and it was somewhat distracting.
I would like to see Pearl tackle something without Boston connections. Granted, Boston was the sensible location for The Dante Club and Poe was at least born there but Dickens' only connection is that his American publisher resided there. He does take his hero out of America and into England but it does seem that Boston is the centre of his universe.
If you're interested in the historical aspect, it's a worthwhile read but if you're after a fast paced thriller, you would do better elsewhere.
One of the most interesting parts for me was that around the history of American publishing. Even in the late 17th Century Harper & Brothers (to later become the modern day HarperCollins) were considered the evil publisher trying to usurp independents. Whilst the Bookaneers were by today's standards criminals, it's good to think that literature was exciting enough to elicit such a response that today would be limited to film and music.
As always, Pearl's historical research is interesting reading and most of the stories revolving around Charles Dickens himself are considered fact. The book depicts that beginnings of celebrity culture, with crazed fans and people camping out overnight to purchase tickets. Not to mention those who buy up tickets and sell them for a profit. I bet you thought all these things were modern!
The fiction itself focuses on publisher James Osgood who was indeed Dickens' representative in America, where at the time international copyright laws didn't apply. The plot isn't particularly strong and probably not helped by the fact that we know Drood remains incomplete to this day. Dickens' son, Francis was also featured, in his role as police in India and involvement with the opium trade. I didn't quite see the relevance of this, despite opium being widely used throughout the story, and it was somewhat distracting.
I would like to see Pearl tackle something without Boston connections. Granted, Boston was the sensible location for The Dante Club and Poe was at least born there but Dickens' only connection is that his American publisher resided there. He does take his hero out of America and into England but it does seem that Boston is the centre of his universe.
If you're interested in the historical aspect, it's a worthwhile read but if you're after a fast paced thriller, you would do better elsewhere.
soniapage's review against another edition
3.0
Audio recording. Interesting story of search for last chapters of Mystery of Edwin Drood after Dickens' death. Very long.
ccoelophysis's review
5.0
I meant to read this after reading The Mystery of Edwin Drood but there it was on the library shelf so I decided not to wait. Turns out you really don't need to know a thing about Dickens to enjoy it. I'm actually NOT a Dickens fan. I struggled through Hard Times twice for school and couldn't get past the first few chapters of David Copperfield. Matthew Pearl's book is much easier and far more pleasant to read. Great for fans of serious literature. The ending is as frustrating as Dickens' unfinished work must be, but it works.
strawfly14's review against another edition
4.0
Me ha gustado mucho conocer esta recreación de los últimos años de Dickens y su última e inacabada novela. La verdad es que me ha sorprendido, y pronto leeré el Club Dante que también lo tengo por ahí. Peral me ha convencido.