The Last Dickens
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Hardcover
The Last Dickens Author: Matthew Pearl
3.5*
It's June 1870, and Charles Dicken has just died, leaving his novle, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, unfinished. His U.S. publishers, Fields & Osgood, are faced with financial ruin, and the rival Harper Brothers plan to print cheap unauthorized copies fo the book, based on the portions that have already been serialized and printed. If Fields & Osgood could just find some clue as to how the story would end, they could publish it in their authorized version, and save the business. Thus, James Osgood sets off on an adventure to Engand, where he hopes to be able to discover some clue as to where Dickens intended to take the story .. no matter how small. The book alternates between Osgood's investigation and flashbacks of Dickens' readint tour in America that took place in 1867-68.
The book was a little slow to start, but once I was halfway in, I couldn't wait to see where it would take me next. Thecharacters were perfectly drawn and the action was (mostly) believable. The insights into the early days of publishing and copyrights were quite eye-opening. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, even if I did suspect who the villain was early on.
3.5*
It's June 1870, and Charles Dicken has just died, leaving his novle, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, unfinished. His U.S. publishers, Fields & Osgood, are faced with financial ruin, and the rival Harper Brothers plan to print cheap unauthorized copies fo the book, based on the portions that have already been serialized and printed. If Fields & Osgood could just find some clue as to how the story would end, they could publish it in their authorized version, and save the business. Thus, James Osgood sets off on an adventure to Engand, where he hopes to be able to discover some clue as to where Dickens intended to take the story .. no matter how small. The book alternates between Osgood's investigation and flashbacks of Dickens' readint tour in America that took place in 1867-68.
The book was a little slow to start, but once I was halfway in, I couldn't wait to see where it would take me next. Thecharacters were perfectly drawn and the action was (mostly) believable. The insights into the early days of publishing and copyrights were quite eye-opening. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, even if I did suspect who the villain was early on.
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