Julian Barnes took an historical incident (a wrongly accused and imprisoned man and a champion in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) and built it into a remarkable story. He alternates between the two men's stories using the past tense for Sir Arthur's story and the present tense for George Edalji's until their paths cross and then he seamlessly switches back and forth as he continues to unwind his story. His character development is among some of the best I've read and he really gets into the mind of his characters and ponders many issues such as faith and fidelity in the midst of trying circumstances. One might hope for a crackerjack ending with a Sherlock Holmes type of conclusion, but it is based on reality so the ending (without giving away too much) is quite as satisfactory as one might hope. All in all, a very good read! Julian Barnes is a very literate and proficient author and his craft really shows in this book.
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
