- Hardcover: 128 pages
- Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd; 1st Edition edition (7 Sep 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1921145625
- ISBN-13: 978-1841958385
- ASIN: 1841958387
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 112,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
"When a book is big it had better be good - this one is. Dive in. Enjoy!" Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones "Irresistibly readable, cool and rather wonderful." Ruth Rendell, Sunday Times "Opening a new Michel Faber is somewhat like watching a bonkers celebrity being interviewed... You know it will be interesting, you know you'll be unable to tear yourself away, and you have absolutely no idea what they will come up with next." Independent On Sunday "A sybaritic pleasure and a ripping yarn." The Times "Both mind-bogglingly clever and page-turningly tempting. Don't miss it." Daily Telegraph "Takes the historical novel and, in the spirit of its subject matter, submits it to a good rogering in terms of graphically exposing the sexual details Dickens and Co couldn't (or wouldn't) write about." Sunday Herald"
Review
"When a book is big it had better be good - this one is. Dive in. Enjoy!" Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones "Irresistibly readable, cool and rather wonderful." Ruth Rendell, Sunday Times "Opening a new Michel Faber is somewhat like watching a bonkers celebrity being interviewed... You know it will be interesting, you know you'll be unable to tear yourself away, and you have absolutely no idea what they will come up with next." Independent On Sunday "A sybaritic pleasure and a ripping yarn." The Times "Both mind-bogglingly clever and page-turningly tempting. Don't miss it." Daily Telegraph "Takes the historical novel and, in the spirit of its subject matter, submits it to a good rogering in terms of graphically exposing the sexual details Dickens and Co couldn't (or wouldn't) write about." Sunday Herald"
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
72 of 73 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Back in 2003, Michel Faber published The Crimson Petal and The White - see pages and pages of rave reviews on amazon. I, along with countless other people hoped that eventually another volume of this fantastic saga would come along. Well, we kept on waiting, and now Michel Faber has provided us with a set of short stories, or maybe episodes would be a better word, about some of the characters in the earlier novel. Those who were thirsting for more will have to make do with this - it is a short book and I actually managed to read it in a day (OK, so I commute to work on the train). But it is definitely up to the same standard as the novel, and provides some revealing glimpses of what happened next (or even what happened before in one or two instances).
The main character Sugar appears, but in an episode before her starring role in the novel. Others who were "undone" are shown to have been truly undone, and never achieved a state of contentment or happiness. I won't describe the stories in any detail - they are short enough, but I think its fair to say, that this is worth reading if you loved the novel, but unfortunately have the effect of making the reader want a more substantial historical novel from Mr Faber. I regret I was not so impressed with his science fiction interlude Under The Skin (although it was good), and feel that Faber's main skill is depicting the life and manners of the Victoria era with all its heights and depths, its passion and its hypocrisy.
The main character Sugar appears, but in an episode before her starring role in the novel. Others who were "undone" are shown to have been truly undone, and never achieved a state of contentment or happiness. I won't describe the stories in any detail - they are short enough, but I think its fair to say, that this is worth reading if you loved the novel, but unfortunately have the effect of making the reader want a more substantial historical novel from Mr Faber. I regret I was not so impressed with his science fiction interlude Under The Skin (although it was good), and feel that Faber's main skill is depicting the life and manners of the Victoria era with all its heights and depths, its passion and its hypocrisy.
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Crimson Petal and the White has to be one of my favourite books of all time. I was intrigued from the moment I heard about it at one of our conferences and as soon as I had the opportunity to grab one of the largest proofs ever, I had the mighty tome open and plunged right in. Over the following days, I was fully immersed, only to be drawn painfully away by inconveniences such as work and sleep.
When the book was over, I felt bereft. Not due to the admittedly astonishing open-end to the story, which I loved, but the world in which I had inhabited for those days had been riven away from me and I was reluctantly falling back into reality.
The Crimson Petal and the White is one of those books where the detail of the locations and the people are so precise they leave an indelible stain upon your imagination and they never leave you.
When I was handed The Apple, the world of late nineteenth century London was engulfing me once more. Within the pages lie seven pure gems of storytelling from a true master of the art. Whether you are learning about the mental decline of William Rackham in his later years or of Sugar's history prior to the events of the first book, you are entranced by the depth of character and the realism of their lives.
There are other characters that we learn more about who may have been a minor player in the original story, but here they are fleshed out even further.
I am sure that the questions on many people's lips will be about the aftermath of the original novel. Michel Faber does state categorically in his foreword that there will be no sequel to purely sate the appetites of the curious, but in the final story of this collection, we do have a joyous insight into one particular character's future to allay any fears we, as a reader, may have had for someone we began to care about as dearly as we would a real friend or family member. I shall leave it as a surprise for when you read it yourself.
As far as I am concerned, I would like Michel Faber to continue to write stories from the world of Crimson Petal, for I would be entirely content to return there time and time again.
When the book was over, I felt bereft. Not due to the admittedly astonishing open-end to the story, which I loved, but the world in which I had inhabited for those days had been riven away from me and I was reluctantly falling back into reality.
The Crimson Petal and the White is one of those books where the detail of the locations and the people are so precise they leave an indelible stain upon your imagination and they never leave you.
When I was handed The Apple, the world of late nineteenth century London was engulfing me once more. Within the pages lie seven pure gems of storytelling from a true master of the art. Whether you are learning about the mental decline of William Rackham in his later years or of Sugar's history prior to the events of the first book, you are entranced by the depth of character and the realism of their lives.
There are other characters that we learn more about who may have been a minor player in the original story, but here they are fleshed out even further.
I am sure that the questions on many people's lips will be about the aftermath of the original novel. Michel Faber does state categorically in his foreword that there will be no sequel to purely sate the appetites of the curious, but in the final story of this collection, we do have a joyous insight into one particular character's future to allay any fears we, as a reader, may have had for someone we began to care about as dearly as we would a real friend or family member. I shall leave it as a surprise for when you read it yourself.
As far as I am concerned, I would like Michel Faber to continue to write stories from the world of Crimson Petal, for I would be entirely content to return there time and time again.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Although a great doorstep of a book (in the best sense of the term), Michael Faber's "The Crimson Petal and the White" leaves you wanting more. "The Apple" supplies a little more. It contains a fascinating sequence of unconnected stories featuring characters from Crimson Petal (or with Petal connections). Some of them, it is clear, got what (we might think) they deserved after Petal closed - others get a backstory that casts light on their actions in the main volume. Most of the mystery is, though, preserved together with the scope for each reader to imagine their own continuation of the main book. (My guess, by the way, was that Sugar used the money William had given her, and her knowledge of his business, to set up her own concern - probably some distance away, in York, perhaps - which grew over time to rival and eventually supplant his. From what I read in The Apple I don't now think this is very likely, though it remains possible).
In summary, anyone who enjoyed Petal will love this - if you didn't read that book, shame on you: but you can redeem yourself now by starting with this, and then getting to know the characters better through Petal.
In summary, anyone who enjoyed Petal will love this - if you didn't read that book, shame on you: but you can redeem yourself now by starting with this, and then getting to know the characters better through Petal.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good but not great
I loved the Crimson Petal and was left wanting more, so turned to this book. It's short but fills in some, many gaps, but is somehow utterly forgettable.
Published 18 days ago by R. Banister
An easy read but not all questions answered
If you haven't read `The Crimson Petal and the White', don't read any further because there will be spoilers for that particular book. Read more
Published 22 days ago by Robin Webster
Crimson petal and the white
Consumed these two books hungerly in the first few days of my holiday! Having whatched the dramatisation on televisIon and liking it I thought I would take I risk on the book! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Brecon
Disappointing
The Crimson Petal and the White is one of my all-time favourite books and, having re-read it a couple of months ago, I was left wanting to know more about these incredible... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Andrea Smith
Moving return to old friends.
A very welcome return to the wonderful writing of Michel Faber. I found the final story particularly engaging and moving.
Published 4 months ago by W. Scourfield
A slim book
This is the first kindle book I wish I had seen before buying it. As far as short sories go it was good but with less than 200 pages I felt short changed.
Published 7 months ago by oaklands88
A pleasurable read for any fan of The Crimson Petal and The White...
If you are purchasing The Apple in the hopes of discovering what happened to Sugar and Miss Sophie after leaving the Rackham household then you may be disappointed. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Rachel Walker
The Apple
The original The crimson petal and the white was absolutely fabulous. I didn't want it to end. Purchasing The Apple explained the outcome of some of the characters, which one... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jude
A Mighty Horde of Women in Very Big Hats, Advancing
Seven opportunities to pick up where Faber ended his seductively popular, longest and best novel to date, 'The Crimson Petal and the White', (TCPATW) are provided in this... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Eileen Shaw
Seriously disappointed
Having thoroughly enjoyed the Crimson Petal and the White, to the extent that I read all 800plus pages in record time, I felt a little let down at the end though. Read more
Published 10 months ago by KERNOWDAY
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