The Resurrection Fireplace

Neniu kovrilo — The Resurrection Fireplace (Hardcover, 2019, Bento Books, Inc.)

Rigidkovrila, 334 paĝoj

Lingvo: English

Eldonita je 31-a de marto 2019 de Bento Books, Inc..

ISBN:: 978-1-939326-20-1

(1 recenzo)

London, 1770. Brilliant physician Daniel Barton and his students are pioneering the modern science of anatomy with cadavers supplied by the “resurrection men” who prowl cemeteries for fresh graves. But their position becomes precarious with the appearance of two unexpected corpses: a boy with amputated limbs and a man without a face. When magistrate Sir John Fielding and his Bow Street Runners become involved, Barton’s students must clear their teacher’s name by uncovering the origin of the corpses—and their connection to Nathan Cullen, an aspiring poet recently arrived in London’s coffee houses whose work attracts the wrong kind of attention from publishers. Unfolding across a lovingly recreated panorama of early modern London, this tale by legendary Japanese novelist Hiroko Minagawa was awarded the 2012 Honkaku Mystery Grand Prize in Japan.

1 eldono

Stephanie Jane recenzis The Resurrection Fireplace de Hiroko Minagawa

An intriguingly plotted mystery

4 steloj

The Resurrection Fireplace is an intriguingly plotted crime mystery which makes full and inspired use of its Georgian London setting. Minagawa shows us the overcrowded city in all her shameful glory and at times I felt as though London's character was more strongly portrayed than those of our sleuths. There are a few more central roles than I thought necessary, particularly in Daniel Barton's five students, three of whom never really rose from the page. However I loved the character of Barton himself - scientifically brilliant, but with limited knowledge of the everyday - and the depictions of magistrate John Fielding's using his blindness as an aide rather than a handicap added a memorably unusual element to the story. John Fielding did actually exist in real life and he and his brother's founding of the Bow Street Runners is referenced in depth. Minagawa does step aside from her story from …

The Resurrection Fireplace is an intriguingly plotted crime mystery which makes full and inspired use of its Georgian London setting. Minagawa shows us the overcrowded city in all her shameful glory and at times I felt as though London's character was more strongly portrayed than those of our sleuths. There are a few more central roles than I thought necessary, particularly in Daniel Barton's five students, three of whom never really rose from the page. However I loved the character of Barton himself - scientifically brilliant, but with limited knowledge of the everyday - and the depictions of magistrate John Fielding's using his blindness as an aide rather than a handicap added a memorably unusual element to the story. John Fielding did actually exist in real life and he and his brother's founding of the Bow Street Runners is referenced in depth. Minagawa does step aside from her story from time to time to impart historical knowledge to her readers which unfortunately I found distracting. The information itself was interesting, but the jumps from being within a historical setting to looking back at history took me out of the atmosphere.

The mystery narrative itself is wonderfully convoluted encompassing the scandals and passions of the day from political intrigues to family secrets. We are led by clues and red herrings all over the city into coffeehouses and pubs, tearooms and private homes. The infamous Newgate prison was particularly harrowing to read about, even more so than autopsy and dissection details of which there are lots (this isn't a novel for particularly squeamish readers). There is so much within The Resurrection Fireplace to make it a great story - plus that gorgeous cover art! - but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. I loved the setting and the whole glorious swirl of London life, but I never quite felt as though I was in step with the mystery elements. Perhaps I wasn't concentrating enough, but even when I finally knew the resolution, I still couldn't quite get everything to fit. It's exasperating! The Resurrection Fireplace may turn out to be one of those rare beasts - a book I shall read twice!