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The American Boy
 
 
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The American Boy (Hardcover)

by Andrew Taylor (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 485 pages
  • Publisher: Flamingo; 3rd Edition edition (7 Jul 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 000710961X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007109616
  • Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 308,249 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Review

* 'Like Hitchcock, Taylor pitches extreme and gothic events within a hair's breadth of normality' TLS * 'Skilful, elegant, powerfully atmospheric, in which ancient evil shimmers like images trapped in a corridor of mirrors' Literary Review * 'This author knows precisely how to wield suspense' Independent on Sunday * 'Taylor is marvellous and devilishly clever' Mail on Sunday * 'Andrew Taylor is one of the most interesting, if not THE most interesting novelist writing on crime in England today' Spectator


Jane Jakeman, Independent, July 2003

"He has created his own Gothic world... deeply absorbing and beautifully written."
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Customer Reviews

45 Reviews
5 star:
 (19)
4 star:
 (15)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (45 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling 19th century tale of Mystery, Romance, and Murder, 9 Aug 2006
This review is from: The American Boy (Paperback)
The American Boy is an enthralling tale that takes place in 19th century London. Thomas Shield is a schoolmaster, who, in the course of his duties, meets two young boys: Charles Frant and Edgar Allan. Through these boys, Mr. Shields is introduced to London's high society and in particular, two wealthy banking families: the Frants and Carswells. Shield is immediately attracted to the striking Mrs. Frant and Miss Carswell. But two murders propel the story forward to its unexpected, terrifying conclusion.

The author's fluid prose and authentic 19th century language is totally captivating. One gets immediately transported to the past unlike other historical novels. Don't get fooled: the story is about Thomas Shield's narrative account of the Wavenhoe banking family and the murder or disappearance of Mr. Henry Frant, not Edgar Allan Poe. The boy, who later becomes the famous mystery writer, is only peripheral character, and yet his actions, subtle as they are, actually affect the course of events. Taylor uses this technique brilliantly. Furthermore, the author's deft use of other historical events, such as the Banking crisis and the War of 1812, as well as an authentic portrayal of the notorious London slums make for a satisfying and gritty novel.
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133 of 137 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars 500 pages of escapism bliss ! Buy it !, 20 April 2005
By M. J. Holland (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The American Boy (Paperback)
Here's another book I only read because it was on the list of 10 books nominated for a Best Read Award on Richard and Judy. The author was new to me and I was also not in the habit of reading historical fiction. So this book was a wonderful surprise and having read it I could fully understand all the praise heaped upon it.
Once I began it was hard to put the book down.This is almost 500 pages of escapism bliss as Taylor's beautifully told tale slowly unfolds. It's a hybrid of historical and crime fiction that is incredibly atmospheric of nineteenth century London. The novel it most reminds me of,if you want a pointer, is Wilkie Collins' "Woman in White" and the fact that I compare it to that great classic shows how highly I think of this book.If you like Wilkie Collins or maybe even Charles Dickens you will love this book.
I see no point in revealing any details of the intricate plot as I'm sure any literate reader will be quickly gripped by Thomas Shield's quest.I will,however,say that I was pleased with the conclusion of the book, which is not one of those banal denouements where all the loose ends are miraculously tidied up and everyone lives happily ever after.
If you are looking for an engrossing and pleasurable read you cannot possibly go wrong with this book. I can guarantee that you will be enthralled and perhaps a bit sad that it isn't even longer !
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46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A real page-turner, 14 Feb 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: The American Boy (Paperback)
It may be a cliche to use the term 'page-turner', but that's what this book is. There's an air of menace even in the most innocent of scenes, of something terrible just out of sight, that won't let you stop reading. The historical setting - from the sights and smells of nineteenth-century London to a snowbound country estate - is vividly conveyed without ever becoming turgid. Even the words in which this beautifully-crafted book is written have a subtle flavour of the nineteenth century. But what I like most about the novel is that it's a story about recognisable people, with real human emotions. The hero is someone whose fate the reader cares about, there's a whole cast of well-defined minor characters, and the story of the love affair that runs through the novel is delicately drawn, though none the less passionate for that. A most enjoyable book, which would certainly bear re-reading.
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