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The Quincunx: The Inheritance of John Huffam
 
 
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The Quincunx: The Inheritance of John Huffam (Paperback)

by Charles Palliser (Author) "It must have been late autumn of that year, and probably it was towards dusk for the sake of being less conspicuous ..." (more)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
RRP: £14.99
Price: £11.56 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Frequently Bought Together

The Quincunx: The Inheritance of John Huffam + The Unburied + An Instance of the Fingerpost
Total RRP: £30.97
Price For All Three: £24.71

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  • The Unburied by Charles Palliser

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Product details

  • Paperback: 1248 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin; New Ed edition (29 Jun 1995)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140177620
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140177626
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 5.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 157,270 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #1 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > P > Palliser, Charles

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Product Description

Product Description

The Quincunx is an epic Dickensian-like mystery novel set in 19th century England, and concerns the varying fortunes of young John Huffam and his mother. A thrilling complex plot is made more intriguing by the unreliable narrator of the book - how much can we believe of what he says? First published in 1989, The Quincunx was a surprise bestseller and began a trend for pastiche Victorian novels. It remains one of the best.

About the Author

Charles Palliser was born in the US but has lived in the UK since childhood. For a number of years he lectured in English at the University of Strathclyde but resigned to write full time after the success of The Quincunx. He is the author of four novels
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First Sentence
It must have been late autumn of that year, and probably it was towards dusk for the sake of being less conspicuous. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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The Quincunx: The Inheritance of John Huffam
87% buy the item featured on this page:
The Quincunx: The Inheritance of John Huffam 4.4 out of 5 stars (35)
£11.56
Wolf Hall
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The Unburied
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The Unburied 3.9 out of 5 stars (22)
£7.19
The Meaning of Night
3% buy
The Meaning of Night 4.1 out of 5 stars (70)
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Customer Reviews

35 Reviews
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3 star:
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2 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (35 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Best of its Kind, 15 Mar 2006
In response to an earlier review, I have just reached the point where I can read this again, 10 years after first reading it, and I can confirm that it just gets better with time. Wilkie Collins, Dickens, Conan Doyle are all pastiched wonderfully and knowingly in this book, but with a level of interpretation which eludes all but the most observant readers on first reading - myself included. I finished the book on first reading with the nagging feeling that the understanding the narrator arrives at by the end is missing something important - and the joy reading this the second time around is tracking this hidden plot beneath the explicit plot. With the apparent revival of interest in the Victorian mystery in recent years - witness the success of Fingersmith, another great read - I am amazed that this masterpiece is relatively little known. Perhaps it is the 1200 pages that put off casual readers? If you are willing to lose yourself completely for weeks or months, this is the book to do it in.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, 11 Feb 2007
By India Knight (London, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is breathtakingly good. I literally couldn't stop reading - in fact one morning last week I took the absurd step of setting my alarm an hour early so I could get my fix before starting the day. I came to The Quincunx circuitously, having loved The Crimson Petal and The White, The Meaning of Night, and a slew of other Victorian semi-pastiches. This knocks them all into a cocked hat - not only is it vastly superior to any of them, but it's a work of sheer imaginative brilliance in its own right, regardless of when it might be set. I couldn't recommend it more - but be prepared to set aside days of your life, because it's compulsive, up-till-three reading.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars historical masterpiece, 4 Nov 2002
I wanted a complete change from the type of books I had been reading and after The Unburied, also brilliant! I brought Quincunx. I can sympathise with one reviewer on the US site who wouldn’t get passed the first few pages, I made it after the forth attempt and I’m so glad I persevered for this is a wonderful book!! The plot is just unrelenting, hurling the main character(s) from one adventure to the next. The detail is breath taking, the descriptions of poverty seem so real and the characters, well drawn out and in so much detail... I can’t recommend this book enough, it’s brilliant!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars A long way from Dickens
This book is often referred to as a 'Victorian novel' or even as 'a homage to Dickens', but it is not particularly convincing even as a pastiche, and certainly never reaches the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. N. R. Ash

5.0 out of 5 stars Scintillating
Encountered The Quincunx by accident and dived straight in, emerged several days later and wondered where I'd been - just had to read it again straight off. Read more
Published 4 months ago by New Rose

5.0 out of 5 stars A sense of comic consternation
A tremendous achievement at 1,206 pages, packed with action and adventure. The Quincunx, despite its length, doesn't flag for a moment. Read more
Published 4 months ago by E. Shaw

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent modern "victorian" novel with a dense and complex plot
I read this book about 15 years ago and it still resonates. Whilst the book is modern, it feels like a victorian novel with a plot which is extremely complex and dense. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Aquinas

5.0 out of 5 stars Dickensian and a suspenseful mystery - what's not to love?
Great, dense plot and a myriad of beautifully drawn characters. It feels very much like a Dickens novel written for a modern audience. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Script Angel

5.0 out of 5 stars a highly addictive read, very enjoyable
this book should have a government health warning. it is highly addictive. in the few weeks it took me to read its 1200 or so pages i frequently had trouble putting the book down... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mr. P. Skinner

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
I don't have time to write a review that could begin to do this book justice, but I'm astonished it doesn't have a higher overall score (i.e. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Miki

5.0 out of 5 stars best book I've read in a long time
Having read some of the reviews here on this book I do agree with some points made by others.It was a very convoluted plot and John did escape from situations which were... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Barbara A. Middleton

5.0 out of 5 stars Palliser's perfect page-turner
I'm completely baffled by the review below of one my favourite books. Has Book Maven read the same book that I have? Read more
Published on 26 Oct 2007 by Jim Bead

2.0 out of 5 stars A professor's didactic novel
Charles Dickens had a good reason for writing volumes - he was paid by the word. His disciple Charles Palliser was not, so no such justification for the self-indulgent verbosity... Read more
Published on 25 Oct 2007 by Book Maven

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I am confused about the ending to The Quincunx 4 January 2009
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