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reachant's review
4.0
This book was a well written mystery without a Hollywood ending. It was a bit macabre actually but had a great bibliographical thread throughout with footnotes that made it very interesting.
pemdas97's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
oftengrumpy's review
2.0
Edward Glyver is a 19th century Holden Caulfield. This is not meant as praise for the novel.
marthagal's review
3.0
I have conflicting feelings about this book. There were sections of it where I was about to slam it shut and just bring it back to the library, it was so boring and whiny. And then there were sections that I stayed up two hours past my bedtime reading.
Overall, I would recommend it. It's a really great Victorian mystery, with interesting characters and questions of morality. It's also good for literary nerds - the main character is into libraries and books. I just wish it had been edited down a bit.
Overall, I would recommend it. It's a really great Victorian mystery, with interesting characters and questions of morality. It's also good for literary nerds - the main character is into libraries and books. I just wish it had been edited down a bit.
littlemissglamourghoul's review
3.0
I really wanted to love this book, but I found the beginning dreadfully tedious and mostly unnecessary; indeed, up until two thirds of the way through, I was only reading it because I had already started it and wanted to finish it.
Most annoying was the narrator’s penchant for telling the reader a tidbit of information, and following it up with “but I’ll tell you more about it later”. Either tell me now, or don’t tell me until it’s important!
Overall, once it gets going (and it takes a long time to do so), it’s really a wonderful story, and immensely engaging. As it stands, I read nearly half the book within four days, whereas reading the book to completion was nearly a month.
The writing itself is a feast of fantastic description, and you really do feel like you’re trudging the streets of London, or enjoying the spoils of Evenwood.
If the book were about 200-300 pages shorter, I would have rated it higher.
That all being said, I commend Cox for finally completing the novel after kicking it around for thirty years, and doing so mostly within 15 months (as stated in his post novel interview).
Most annoying was the narrator’s penchant for telling the reader a tidbit of information, and following it up with “but I’ll tell you more about it later”. Either tell me now, or don’t tell me until it’s important!
Overall, once it gets going (and it takes a long time to do so), it’s really a wonderful story, and immensely engaging. As it stands, I read nearly half the book within four days, whereas reading the book to completion was nearly a month.
The writing itself is a feast of fantastic description, and you really do feel like you’re trudging the streets of London, or enjoying the spoils of Evenwood.
If the book were about 200-300 pages shorter, I would have rated it higher.
That all being said, I commend Cox for finally completing the novel after kicking it around for thirty years, and doing so mostly within 15 months (as stated in his post novel interview).
rebeccatc's review against another edition
3.0
Three and a half stars. I had a hard time getting into this book. The first half especially dragged terribly. The second half was more interesting and the main character became more sympathetic. I did like the Dickensian London setting and literary style, which was somewhat imitative of Victorian era novels.
iam_griff's review against another edition
4.0
This book was an impulse pick up & was quite a pleasant surprise for I thought it would be a much darker book. While the book is dark, but of an emotional darkness I was unaware. With the opening line of the book I thought it would be similar to a Jack the Ripper/slasher story.
The narrator of this story is superb & really drew my into the story as well as the protagonist's mental state & why his confessions are so bleak.
The narrator of this story is superb & really drew my into the story as well as the protagonist's mental state & why his confessions are so bleak.
pharsaliamphilippos's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
tabithar's review
1.0
"Weeks came and went...months passed... and slowly I began to fall into an enfeebling gloom which I could not shake off. This was a black time indeed."
This quote is from "The Meaning of Night" and pretty much sums up my reading experience. I have tried 3x to continue and can't make myself go any further. The book is a droning, whining affair about a guy who feels that another guy (unknowingly and later knowingly) stole from him the life he should have had. Its not encouraging. Its depressing to know the guy goes on for longer than "DUNE" about how he's going to get even with Pheobus Daunt. The guy is at least little insane but trying to convince himself his actions are all reasonable.
Is it tragic? Sure but life goes on dude. He doesn't appear particularly thankful for opportunities he has other than to twist them into a dogged pursuit of revenge. This book could serve as a warning to what you could look like if you devoted your whole life to hate and revenge.
I started this book when I realized it came before a book I had marked to read. I'm removing it from my "to read".
This quote is from "The Meaning of Night" and pretty much sums up my reading experience. I have tried 3x to continue and can't make myself go any further. The book is a droning, whining affair about a guy who feels that another guy (unknowingly and later knowingly) stole from him the life he should have had. Its not encouraging. Its depressing to know the guy goes on for longer than "DUNE" about how he's going to get even with Pheobus Daunt. The guy is at least little insane but trying to convince himself his actions are all reasonable.
Is it tragic? Sure but life goes on dude. He doesn't appear particularly thankful for opportunities he has other than to twist them into a dogged pursuit of revenge. This book could serve as a warning to what you could look like if you devoted your whole life to hate and revenge.
I started this book when I realized it came before a book I had marked to read. I'm removing it from my "to read".
theladydoor's review against another edition
4.0
This book intrigued me from the first time I saw it on the shelf at my library. It had so many elements of fiction that I enjoy, a bibliophilic protagonist, revenge, dramatic love, murder, and footnotes! The book mostly lived up to my expectations, though there were a few issues I had with it that prevented me from giving it five stars. First, a summary.
The main character of this novel goes by many names, but the one Michael Cox introduces him with is Edward Glyver, so I shall likewise use it. Glyver starts off the novel with the line, "After killing the red haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper." Cox takes a tremendous gamble in starting the novel with the protagonist already a murderer, with no obvious reason given. After the dastardly deed, Glyver meets up with an old school chum and tells the story of his life, up until the point where he has chosen to kill an innocent stranger.
The beginning of Glyver's life is characterized by poverty and mystery. He is brought up by a single, novel-writing mother, yet is visited by a strange, wan woman. At school, he loves reading and academics and plans to attend one of the great universities of England. However, his relationship with a fellow student, Phoebus Daunt, soon puts an end to that dream. Glyver's connection with Daunt and desire to avenge himself chart the course of the rest of the novel.
I very much enjoyed following the plotline of the novel, though I must say I could predict many of the twists and events ahead of time. That little affected my enjoyment of the novel, however. I thoroughly admired Cox's descriptive prose, and the format of the novel (as an edited version of a "found" manuscript) added to the experience of reading it. However, there were moments where Cox abruptly changes tense, and those moments shocked me out of my groove of reading.
Perhaps though, those moments were deliberate. Cox takes great pains to show that Glyver is not a reliable narrator. Glyver is an opium-fiend, a consummate liar, and a frequent user of prostitutes (even when he claims an all-consuming love for another woman). However, like Nabaokov with Humbert Humbert, Cox manages to make the reader sympathetic to Glyver despite his myriad faults.
The main character of this novel goes by many names, but the one Michael Cox introduces him with is Edward Glyver, so I shall likewise use it. Glyver starts off the novel with the line, "After killing the red haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper." Cox takes a tremendous gamble in starting the novel with the protagonist already a murderer, with no obvious reason given. After the dastardly deed, Glyver meets up with an old school chum and tells the story of his life, up until the point where he has chosen to kill an innocent stranger.
The beginning of Glyver's life is characterized by poverty and mystery. He is brought up by a single, novel-writing mother, yet is visited by a strange, wan woman. At school, he loves reading and academics and plans to attend one of the great universities of England. However, his relationship with a fellow student, Phoebus Daunt, soon puts an end to that dream. Glyver's connection with Daunt and desire to avenge himself chart the course of the rest of the novel.
I very much enjoyed following the plotline of the novel, though I must say I could predict many of the twists and events ahead of time. That little affected my enjoyment of the novel, however. I thoroughly admired Cox's descriptive prose, and the format of the novel (as an edited version of a "found" manuscript) added to the experience of reading it. However, there were moments where Cox abruptly changes tense, and those moments shocked me out of my groove of reading.
Perhaps though, those moments were deliberate. Cox takes great pains to show that Glyver is not a reliable narrator. Glyver is an opium-fiend, a consummate liar, and a frequent user of prostitutes (even when he claims an all-consuming love for another woman). However, like Nabaokov with Humbert Humbert, Cox manages to make the reader sympathetic to Glyver despite his myriad faults.