"After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper." So begins the "enthralling" (Booklist, starred review) and "ingenious" (Boston Globe) story of Edward Glyver, booklover, scholar, and murderer. As a young boy, Glyver always believed he was destined for greatness. A chance discovery convinces him that he was right: greatness does await him, along with immense wealth and influence. Overwhelmed by his discovery, he will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he knows is rightfully his. ...
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"After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper." So begins the "enthralling" (Booklist, starred review) and "ingenious" (Boston Globe) story of Edward Glyver, booklover, scholar, and murderer. As a young boy, Glyver always believed he was destined for greatness. A chance discovery convinces him that he was right: greatness does await him, along with immense wealth and influence. Overwhelmed by his discovery, he will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he knows is rightfully his. Glyver's path to reclaim his prize leads him from the depths of Victorian London, with its foggy streets, brothels, and opium dens, to Evenwood, one of England's most beautiful and enchanting country houses, and finally to a consuming love for the beautiful but enigmatic Emily Carteret. His is a story of betrayal and treachery, of death and delusion, of ruthless obsession and ambition. And at every turn, driving Glyver irresistibly onward, is his deadly rival: the poet-criminal Phoebus Rainsford Daunt. The Meaning of Night is an enthralling novel that will captivate readers right up to its final thrilling revelation.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Good. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 722 p. May show signs of wear, highlighting, writing, and previous use. This item may be a former library book with typical markings. No guarantee on products that contain supplements Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Twenty-five year bookseller with shipments to over fifty million happy customers.
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New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 722 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 722 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Good. Minimal signs of wear. Corners and cover may show wear. May contain highlighting and or writing. May be missing dust jacket. May not include supplemental materials. May be a former library book.
If you like Victorian London mysteries and history and intriguing plots, this is the book for you. It thickens with every chapter and keeps you wanting to read it in one gulp.......but don't, savor and enjoy this like a mini series. I read there is a sequel and I have not yet looked into that but I guarantee it will be my next purchase. Michael Cox knows how to weave excitement in a slow deliberate way. Many footnotes regarding all manner of historical facts, places, languages and so on. This is a literary mystery and not a monthly punched out pulp fiction.
MTWDRW
Jul 30, 2009
well written intrigue
Erudite faultless writing. Long slog loving nod to the 19th c genre
perfected by Mary Braddon. Dive in if you are a distance swimmer.
Not for the literary feeble, you need to know your classic references
to appreciate it.
playchess
Apr 4, 2007
Fascinating
"After killing the red-haired man I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper." From the first sentence, The Meaning of Night grabs you and doesn't let go. Reminiscent of Wilkie Collins and the Brontes, Michael Cox's novel paints a detailed portrait of Victorian England. The tone is classic Victorian potboiler, with an intricate plot hinging on a dispossessed heir, a long-buried secret, and obsessive retribution. Think The Count of Monte Cristo, Bleak House, and Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But this is contemporary in that there is no moral center to the book. Edward Glyver is an unlikely hero: not only a cold-blooded killer, he is also an unreliable narrator. The reader is kept unsure -- is Edward deluding himself in his obsession with Phoebus Daunt? All the characters here know more than they're saying. Edward is advised to "trust no one", and the reader should keep this in mind as well. The problem is that none of the characters is truly likeable. The book is also somewhat slow-moving, with every plot twist set up well in advance. It is interesting enough - and the reader is kept off balance enough - that the pages keep turning, but it does make the book slightly unsatisfying. A well-researched, convincing, and richly imaginative novel, I recommend it with slight reservations.