About this title: Pearl reopens one of literary history's greatest mysteries, in a tale filled with the dazzling twists and turns, the unerring period details, and the meticulous research that thrilled readers of bestsellers "The Dante Club" and "The Poe Shadow."
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781400066568ISBN:1400066565
Description: Good. Used item may show library stamps, stickers and marks. Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Description: Like New. 2009-Paperback-May contain minor shelf-wear. Otherwise, volume un-read and in "As-New" condition. -Used-Like New-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781400066568ISBN:1400066565
Description: Like New in Fine jacket. Like New-Book is in the same condition as it was published. Book may have been previously read. Our ultimate goal is to provide you with a satisfying customer experience. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House
Date Published: 2009-03-17
ISBN-13:9781400066568ISBN:1400066565
Description: New. ~NEW~FIRST EDITION~HARDCOVER WITH DUST JACKET~SAME AS PICTURED~**Check out my other listings: BOOKS, CDS, DVDS, VIDEOS, GAMES**Fast Delivery*** read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harvill Secker
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781846550843ISBN:184655084X
Description: Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House Inc
Date Published: 2009-03-17
ISBN-13:9781400066568ISBN:1400066565
Description: NEW. Hardcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9781400066568. read more
Edition: US 1st Ed., First Printing Hardcover Signed on the Title Page
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781400066568ISBN:1400066565
Description: Fine in Fine jacket. Mystery Protected in clear Mylar cover. Bubble wrapped and shipped in a box. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781400066568ISBN:1400066565
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Edition: First edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House, New York
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781400066568ISBN:1400066565
Description: New in new dust jacket. Signed by author. SIGNED by author on title page (signature only). 1st edition, 1st printing, complete number line. New, unread copy in protective mylar sleeve. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 386 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
"Reason for Reading: I'm always interested in Victorian historical fiction plus I've read two other books this year that concerned Charles Dickens: 'Drood' by Dan Simmons and 'Wanting' by Richard Flanagan. Therefore I thought why not add a third to the mix especially since this concentrated on Dickens last novel as did 'Drood'.
Comments: Dickens has just died leaving his last book "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" only half-finished. But one of the partners of his American publishing house James Osgood is certain he may be able to find clues to Dickens' intentions for the story's ending if he travels to England which leads him into a much deeper, darker and dangerous mystery than he had counted on. The book also flashes back a few years to a plot line that follows Dickens' final book tour of America and the trials and tribulations that accompanied him on that last trip. And finally, the book follows a third less frequent plot line of Frank Dickens, Charles' son, who is an officer stationed in India. The time period being consistent with the recent death of his father.
This is a much researched and historically accurate tale as far as Dickens and his family and acquaintances go. Many small real life incidents of his life are included which adds authenticity to the period. I found the characters and the setting to be spot on with regards to Victorian attitudes and ambiance. While the book is populated fiercely with a motley crew of characters, two do stand out as the main characters and I found both James and Rebecca to be both truly believable and completely compelling. Rebecca never stepped out of her place as a woman of her times but as a divorced woman working as a bookkeeper she took no nonsense from anyone as regards her sex. I loved her stinging, yet witty remarks, that kept her completely within her confines as a Victorian woman.
The plot follows many clues and red herrings sending James and (sometimes) Rebecca all over London's shadier sides and to the East End and finally to the dregs of opium dens and thieves quarters. While certainly an interesting read that did keep me reading, I found the pacing slow. It was a book I could put down and not be in a hurry to pick up again. Not because I wasn't liking it but just that it didn't have that certain intensity to it. The ending does increase in pace and there is a typical high energy rush in the final chapters as the mystery is solved, which is all rather cleverly done on the author's part.
One thing I did find fascinating was the description of the the cut-throat world of American publishing at the time. The underhanded dealings, the nefarious goings on, the blatant disregard for international copyright, and in particular the way in which the Harper Brothers were portrayed. If the beginnings of Harper & Bros. and the characters of the brothers themselves have been portrayed realistically here an historical fiction on their family would be an amazing read.
This book would be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a good literary mystery but I also think it will satisfy all the people who did not like 'Drood' by Dan Simmons very much because of the supernatural elements. Now I loved that other book, but for those of you who didn't, I think you'll love 'The Last Dickens' more than I did."
"I was really interested to read this book for several reasons. First, I have always wanted to read Dickens, but have felt intimidated by the size of his works. Secondly, I never realized that he died before finishing The Mystery of Edwin Drood and that there was all of this interest in how the story would end or if missing chapters were somehow hidden. And thirdly, because I love a good mystery centered in and around anything English. This book did not disappoint me on any levels. At first the reading was very tedious and slow going, but once I started to get the characters all figured out and had a feeling where the story was headed, my reading pace picked up. I thought Pearl did a fantastic job of weaving real characters with fictional ones. I loved reading about the cutthroat ways of the publishing houses in America during this time. Makes reading seem a little bit dangerous!! The only distraction for me were the chapters that had to deal with Frank Dickens. I honestly thought that they could have disappeared altogether and wouldn't have been missed. But remember, this is just my opinion. Overall, this was a well-written mystery that had its share of twists and turns and in the end I was satisfied."
It's 1870 shortly after the death of Charles Dickens. James Osgood, of Fields, Osgood, & Co., Dickens authorized American publisher, sends a young clerk down to the docks to get the incoming packet containing the last completed sections of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD.
When he turns up dead and the packet missing, Osgood and Rebecca Sand, the dead clerk's sister, begin a search for who's responsible.
The manuscript is easily replaced from England. The problem, though, is America doesn't follow international copyright laws. Anyone can publish a book by a foreign author without paying royalties. When a lawyer present at the clerk's death is found with his throat cut, the mystery deepens.
Convinced Dickens finished the book, Osgood and Rebecca travel to London looking for clues.
A series of flashbacks set during Dickens reading tour of America a few years before his death involves a stalker and dovetails nicely at the end to present day events.
"The first Matthew Pearl novel I read was THE POE SHADOW, which was a fascinating concept --- allowing the reader to experience such a famous (and mysterious) writer as a real person. I felt that the idea was not equaled by the execution in that book. I thought I would try one more time, however, so I just finished reading THE LAST DICKENS, obviously a novel featuring Charles Dickens. Once again, the concept was great. In both cases the author based his characters and events on true stories and remembrances. While it might be jarring to hear the iconic Edgar Allen called "Eddie Poe" and Dickens called "Chief," I loved the realism of it. The author's research was impeccable, and his settings in 1870 London and Boston were rich in atmosphere and mood. I learned a tremendous amount about the publishing wars in both countries, of which I had no prior knowledge. And it was amazing to realize that Charles Dickens was probably bigger in his time than any "superstar" we have today. Picture the reaction to personal appearances by the Beatles, and that's pretty much what the public reaction was at the time.
My problems with this book once again had nothing to do with the author's ideas, plots, or research. My criticisms have to do with his writing style. First of all, the story moves at a snail's pace and was more boring than it should have been considering all the murder and mayhem it contained. The main problem, however, was Pearl's disjointed writing style. He jumped around so much that the story became unnecessarily hard to follow. His sentence composition was often awkward and some sections were so unclear that I had to reread them several times to figure out what in the world he was trying to say. Some of the plot twists made little sense, and the characters were a bit cardboard. All in all, I give him an A for the concept, but a C for the finished product. A disappointment."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
