Product Description

This book is set in London, 1826. Leaving behind his father's tragic failures, Gabriel Swift arrives to study with Edwin Poll, the greatest of the city's anatomists. It is his chance to find advancement by making a name for himself. But instead he finds himself drawn to his master's nemesis, Lucan, the most powerful of the city's resurrectionists and ruler of its trade in stolen bodies. Dismissed by Mr Poll, Gabriel descends into the violence and corruption of London's underworld, a place where everything and everyone is for sale, and where - as Gabriel discovers - the taking of a life is easier than it might seem.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6844 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Markus Zusak, author of THE BOOK THIEF
'Months after you've turned the last page, James Bradley's words are still with you - brave, compelling, unforgettable.'

Daily Telegraph
'A classically claustrophobic Gothic chiller.'

Big Issue
'An earthy brooding Gothic horror ... Gory at times, philosophical at others, this is atmospheric stuff.'

Customer Reviews

Another disappointed reader
I started enthusiastically enough - after reading the back cover and normally loving historical novels I thought this would be a book to relish. The initial descriptions of London were powerful and enthralling but I might as well have stopped after the first dozen pages as it degenerated into a weak plotted, characterless but "nasty" little book. If I wanted to read about drug addicts and animal torturers but don't enjoy following a plot that is at least believable I would have been chuffed with my choice of book - but as that isn't my normal literary entertainment I completely wasted my money. My husband did only get about twenty pages in (without knowing my opinion)and chucked it in the bin.
My advice - don't bother, buy something else, it's not worth a quid let alone all the paper it wasted. Quite simply the worst book in so many different ways that I've read in years.

Don't judge a book...
This book starts well enough...and of course the cover is good too! The problem which becomes more apparent as the book goes on, is that there is not enough substance to the characters. If we don't understand what is going on in their minds (and during some of the long time gaps between chapters), how could we possibly care Gabriel Swift or what he does in London or Australia?

I can think of many better ways to spend time than reading this book!

Really Hardgoing!
I wish I had read all these reviews before I bought this book. I very very rarely give up on a book, but I am in "grave" danger of not finishing this one, and I hate doing that.
I think the author has tried too hard with his narrative, the prose is wordy, and doesn't get anywhere. If I read the phrase "for a long moment" again, I will throw the book out of the window.
I was looking forward to reading this book, but what a disappointment. I am not getting involved with the story or the characters at all, and really have a sense of wasting my time continuing to read it.
Beautiful cover though!