October 2005 the cacophony of sights, sounds and smells emanating from the seamier side of victorian london seethe like the city itself in the pages of this highly atmospheric debut novel that chooses an unusual backdrop for murder. The great stink by clare clark 2005, hardcover for sale. Clare clarkes first book is a rich and suspenseful novel that draws the reader right into victorian london and into the worlds of its characters desperately attempting to swim the. The great stink by clare clark hampshire library service. It is within this pungent milieu that clare clark sets her richly imagined story of murder, madness and corruption centering on a humble surveyor with the. Aug 07, 2019 clare clark is the author of four novels, including the great stink, which was longlisted for the orange prize and named a washington post best book of the year, and savage lands, also longlisted for the orange prize. It is 1855, and engineer william may has returned home to london and his beloved wife from the horrors of the crimean war.
She is married with two children and lives in london. This is a novel of sewers, of lightless tunnels, of the stink of excrement and the slippery. Clare clarks critically acclaimed the great stink reeks of talent as it vividly brings to life the dark and mysterious underworld of. The great stink by clare clark, 9780141018331, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Its the way the author combines these with themes of the london underworld, corruption in high places and selfharm which produces a breathtakingly racy thriller. Set in 1855, it tells the story of william may, an engine. Buy the great stink by clare clark, in very good condition. The speakers are oscar greenwood, studying physics at cambridge just when. She is a writer of historical fiction, much praised for the authenticity of the periods she recreates and described by hilary mantel as one of those writers who can see into the past and help us feel its texture. When the great stink of the titlethe product of an oppressive heat wave combined with putrid. Meanwhile, the fancy visit the slums for sport, indulging in betting to alleviate their boredom.
Clark is painstaking in her detail and ever so slowly draws out the strands to develop her plot, which can take a patient reader. Clark has talent and passion and once or twice they collide. It was published by harvest and has a total of 372 pages in the book. The great stink, her first novel, won the quality paperback book club s new voices fiction award. The great stink was an event in central london in july and august 1858 during which the hot weather exacerbated the smell of untreated human waste and industrial effluent that was present on the banks of the river thames. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Clare clark is the author of four novels, including the great stink, which was longlisted for the orange prize and named a washington post best book of the. The great stink by clark, clare and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Ever since joyce posed bloom with that newspaper, sniffing the blossom of his bowels, it has become a lazy shorthand for realism, and that is certainly the case in clare clark s first novel. A senior scholar at trinity college cambridge, she graduated with a double first in history. Clare clarks critically acclaimed the great stink reeks of talent the washington post book world as it vividly brings to life the dark and mysterious underworld of victorian london. The crumbling infrastructure of the sewers, as they were in victorian times, is vividly portrayed, as are the horrors of the crimean war. Set in 1855, it tells the story of william may, an engineer who has returned home to london from the horrors of the crimean war.
William may returns to london after the horrors of the crimean war. With vivid characters and unflinching prose the great stink marks the debut of an outstandingly talented writer. The great stink by clare clark free ebook download. Clare clark graduated from trinity college, cambridge with a double first in history and now lives in london with her husband and two children. It is 1855, and engineer william may has returned home to his beloved wife from the battlefields of the crimea. Originally published on curled up with a good book at. When he secures a job transforming the citys sewer system, he believes it will prove his salvation, as, in the subterranean world beneath the city, he begins to lay his ghosts to rest. By the summer of 1858, things had reached a fever pitch as a cholera epidemic ravaged the city and a sewage backup gave rise to a stench so repulsive it became known as the great stink. The title of this book is the great stink pa and it was written by clare clark. Clare clark is the author of four novels, including the great stink, which was longlisted for the orange prize and named a washington post best book of the year, and savage lands, also longlisted for the orange prize. Clare clarks first novel opens much like saturday night fever, sketching a. Clare clarks first book is a rich and suspenseful novel that draws the. Its an historical novel set in london during the industrial su skip to the content. There, in the darkness of the stinking tunnels, may escapes his demons and discovers another side of the greatest city in the world.
Clare clark s first novel opens much like saturday night fever, sketching a young mans character by the way he walks down a street. The great stink by clare clark overdrive rakuten overdrive. Our cheap used books come with free delivery in the uk. Clare clark reveals the reallife inspiration behind her new. Clare clarkes first book is a rich and suspenseful novel that draws the reader right into victorian london and into. He secures a job transforming londons sewer system and begins to lay his ghosts to rest. We that are left, by clare clark the new york times. The great stink, the nature of monsters, savage lands, beautiful lies and we that are left. William may, a veteran of the crimean war who suffers from psd works for the board charged with designing and developing and building a sewage system for the city of london.
Clare clark is the author of the great stink, a washington post best book of the year, and the nature of monsters. The problem had been mounting for some years, with an ageing and inadequate sewer system that emptied directly into the thames. The great stink by clare clark 6apr2006 paperback clare clark on. The great stink by clare clark and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The tone of the book is set from the very first line. Dickens fans should devour british author clarks debut novel, a gripping and richly atmospheric glimpse into the literal underworld of victorian. The great stink is a crackerjack historical novel that combines the creepy intrigue of caleb carr, the sensory overload of peter ackroyd and the academic curiosity of a. Iscriviti a prime ciao, accedi account e liste accedi account e liste resi e ordini iscriviti a prime carrello. Its a fauxvictorian melodrama, akin to such recent successes as michel fabers the crimson petal and the white and sarah waterss fingersmith. The great stink by clark, clare and a great selection of related books. Although ultimately a book that disappointed, the great stink is intensely readable.
Clare clarks critically acclaimed the great stink reeks of talent the washington post book world as it vividly brings to life the dark and mysterious. Ever since joyce posed bloom with that newspaper, sniffing the blossom of his bowels, it has become a lazy shorthand for realism, and that is certainly the case in clare clarks first novel. The great stink by clare clark epub clare clarks critically acclaimed the great stink reeks of talent the washington post book world as it vividly. Clare clarks first novel opens much like saturday night fever, sketching a young mans character by. There is more than one author in the goodreads database with this name. Its an historical novel set in london during the industrial su.
Scarred and fragile though he is, he lands a job at the heart of bazalgettes transformation of the london sewers. A novel of corruption and murder beneath the streets of victorian london by clare clark. Clare clark reveals the reallife inspiration behind her. Clare clarks critically acclaimed the great stink reeks of talent as it vividly brings to life the dark and mysterious underworld of victorian london the washington post book world.
Her sixth novel, in the full light of the sun, will be. Beautifully written, evocative and compelling and with a fantastically vivid cast of characters, clare clarkes first book is a rich and suspenseful novel that draws. Beautifully written, evocative and compelling, with a fantastically vivid cast of characters, clare clarks first book is a rich and suspenseful novel that draws the reader right into victorian london and into the worlds of its characters desperately attempting to swim the tides of change. Posted on september 17, 2014 by karin, hampshire libraries. Clare clarks critically acclaimed the great stink reeks of talent the washington post book world as it vividly brings to life the dark and mysterious underworld. For those not afraid to get a little grimy in the sewers of victorian london clare clarks the great stink is an intriguing read with a great atmospheric setting and well developed characters. Review of the great stink by clare clark, plus backstory and other interesting facts about the book. This is a fascinating picture of victorian london and an excellent historical novel.
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