The Quickening Maze
8 journalers for this copy...
amazon.com:
Based on real events, The Quickening Maze won readers alike with its rapturous prose and vivid exploration of poetry and madness. Historically accurate yet brilliantly imagined.
In 1837, after years of struggling with alcoholism and depression, the great nature poet John Clare finds himself in High Beach—a mental institution located in Epping Forest on the outskirts of London. It is not long before another famed writer, the young Alfred Tennyson, moves nearby and grows entwined in the catastrophic schemes of the hospital’s owner, the peculiar, charismatic Dr. Matthew Allen, as well as with his lonely, adolescent daughter, and a coterie of mysterious local characters. With remarkable lyrical grace, the cloistered world of High Beach and its residents are richly brought to life in this affecting and enchanting book.
This book is part of the 2009 Booker Prize Roundabout with the following reading list:
1. Cross-patch
2. Katrinat
3. Maforrimond
4. EmgeeNL
5. Franaloe
6. Sidney1
7. cinnycat
8. oppem
-> into the wild or to other interested readers
Journal Entry
2 by
Sternschnuppe28 at
Given To A Friend, Friend -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (11/25/2009 UTC) at Given To A Friend, Friend -- Controlled Releases
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finally off to Cross-Patch. Enjoy reading!
Arrived safely. Thank you Sternschnuppe28...loved the postage stamps,beautiful.
I enjoyed The Quickening Maze very much. The prose is uncomplicated but poetic; the characters are interesting and full-bodied; the world of Dr. Allen's asylum is fascinating and the conclusion came too soon.
Katrinat has asked to be skipped and I am waiting to hear from Mafarrimond before sending it on its way.
Journal Entry
5 by
Cross-patch at
to next participant, a ring/ray -- Controlled Releases on Friday, January 29, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (1/29/2010 UTC) at to next participant, a ring/ray -- Controlled Releases
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I do hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
The book has arrived safely. I am looking forward to reading this.
An incredible story inspiring me to look into the real events behind the story. Intelligently written demonstrating a lot of knowledge about mental illnesses.
I was impressed with the novel as a whole however was a tad disappointed with the ending.
Journal Entry
8 by
mafarrimond at
Texel, Oudeschild, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Friday, February 26, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (2/26/2010 UTC) at Texel, Oudeschild, Noord-Holland Netherlands
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Sending on to franaloe
The book arrived here. I have quite a pile to read before I can start this one, but I'll do my best. I've found all MBP-shortlisted books I've read so far kind of dissapointing, so I'm curious about this one.
I think this was one of the nicest MBP-shortlisted books of this year so far. Overall, I am quite dissapointed by the 2009-shortlist, and I really needed book that truly deserved a place on the list. Thanks for this one!
I have PMed Sidney1 to see if they are ready for receiving this book. Will be send on as soon as I get a reply!
edit 06-04-2010: Sent to Sidney1 today.
I am so sorry, I forgot to register this book :-( It arrived a few weeks ago, and I will start it as soon as I finish the last 80 pages of Wolf Hall. Thank you for your patience.
Journal Entry
12 by
Sidney1 at
München, Bayern Germany on Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Unfortunately, I didn’t think much of this book. Adam Founds has a way with words, and his descriptions are partly delightful. But really the book feels more like a selection of short stories, an accumulation of events and people that never really fit together. The stories feel disjointed. Some passages are good – John Clare’s interludes with the gypsies, Hannah’s efforts to add some meaning and normality to her life through her infatuation with Tennyson. But nobody is really likeable, nobody feels real because Founds doesn’t give himself the time to explore the characters in more than a two-dimensional fashion. Although he frequently changes viewpoints to share thoughts of each protagonist with us, we never have the time to really understand each character and the way they act. The story never gathered momentum, and in that way the title seems rather misleading.
A writer to look out for who needs to find more of a path for his characters.
Off to the US on another lap!
Journal Entry
13 by
BookBirds at
Central Square, New York USA on Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Received this today! thanks for sending, Sidney1! The cover is amazing. I'll start this when I'm finished with my current book.
Journal Entry
14 by
BookBirds at
Central Square, New York USA on Saturday, July 24, 2010
I did like this, but should it have been one of the few books nominated for the 2009 Booker prize? I'm not sure. I'm not a poetry fan so didn't know who John Clare was. Maybe if I knew who he was, I'd have enjoyed the book more but it was still very enjoyable. The writing is very poetic but not too poetic. I love some of the images, like wooden cogs of a machine being described as "nutritious like nuts" which made me wish I had some wooden cogs to eat but maybe I'm just deficient in whatever nutrients are in nuts. haha. I also love the idea of a mental hospital in a forest, as I think a forest would be most helpful in curing patients. But then the patients could never be cured because they were in abusive situations. Can mental hospitals really help patients? Or maybe they aren't supposed to? Maybe they are just for storing patients away. How could witnessing other patients crazy behaviour help? And then on top of that deal with the abuse? Like John Clare, it seems you are better off wandering through nature. I hated the bit about the gypsies eating hedgehogs as I think they are the cutest things ever. I understand other readers saying the characters aren't fleshed out, but with historical fiction with real people through history, I'd find it difficult as a writer to put words and thoughts to a person who was once alive. For me, this may be the only impression I get of John Clare. The writer might not want to entirely fictionalize a person. It might be a lot easier with a character a writer had completely invented. The problem with reading a new book written about the 19th century: it reminds me of all the books actually written in the 19th century that I haven't yet read and I'd almost rather read one of those!
What happened to the individual star ratings again? I swear they were there a couple days ago.
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thanks again for sharing! This will be sent to oppem soon!
Journal Entry
15 by
BookBirds at
Central Square, New York USA on Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (8/25/2010 UTC) at Central Square, New York USA
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Sent to oppem today! Sorry about the wait. thanks again for sharing!
Journal Entry
16 by
oppem at
Hermiston, Oregon USA on Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Arrived in post today along with another book - I have put them both on top of my tbr pile & will enjoy reading in next few days. Thanks so much.
Journal Entry
17 by
oppem at
Hermiston, Oregon USA on Saturday, September 11, 2010
Loved this book - I did not know very much about John Clare but this book inspired me to obtain a copy of this poems .... I loved the writing style of this author and would definately recommend this book to others... thanks so much for sending my way.
( I was the last person on this bookray so will now try to pass this book onto someone else who has an interest.....
Journal Entry
18 by
oppem at
Alton, Illinois USA on Monday, September 20, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (9/20/2010 UTC) at Alton, Illinois USA
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Sent as a prize to one of the three winners in my 100th.wild-release rabck.
Congratulations and hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
Journal Entry
19 by
easterngirl71 at
Alton, Illinois USA on Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Oppm...thanks so much for sending me this book as one of the winners of your 100th Wild Release Book:) Congrats on acheving that accomplishment:) I am looking forward to reading this book. I want to let you know up front that it will be a bit of time before I am able to but I am really looking forward to it:) Thanks again:) s