The Quickening Maze by Adam Foulds - Revision history

Sue at 14:39, 18 September 2020

2020-09-18T14:39:13Z

Sue at 07:33, 4 September 2020

2020-09-04T07:33:45Z

Sue at 14:02, 1 March 2018

2018-03-01T14:02:25Z

Sue at 14:21, 13 November 2014

2014-11-13T14:21:36Z

Sue at 10:41, 17 April 2010

2010-04-17T10:41:59Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:15:18Z

1 revision

Keith at 14:45, 26 August 2009

2009-08-26T14:45:01Z

New review

{{infoboxsort
|title=The Quickening Maze
|author=Adam Foulds
|reviewer=Elaine Dingsdale
|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary=Based on true events, this is a reworking of a time that the nature poet, John Clare, spent in a mental institution. The Tennyson brothers also figure largely in this short and descriptive novel.
|rating=3.5
|buy=No
|borrow=Yes
|format=Hardback
|pages=272
|publisher= Jonathan Cape Ltd
|date=May 2009
|isbn=978-0224087469
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224087460</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0224087460</amazonus>
|sort=Quickening Maze
}}

I had high hopes of this novel, as it dealt with some fascinating characters, and I thought the idea of reconstructing the tormented years of the nature poet, John Clare, would provide some intriguing insights into this troubled figure. At times, the text was soaring and inventive, and flowed very smoothly indeed - but somehow, the difficult art of combining fact and fiction in this manner, didn't quite work.

Whilst we are given glimpses into Clare's therapies and lifestyle when he was institutionalised, the overall effect is rather jarring. Rather than a rounded and believable portrait, we are given a series of vignettes into the trouble and tormented psyche of the poet. At its best, we witness Clare whilst socialising with the local gypsy encampment, where he savours his few moments of freedom from his imprisonment - surely the cruellest blow for a man who was at one with the natural world. These scenes are excellent, and how I wish there had been more of them!

Likewise, the Tennyson brothers also appear as rather unfinished characters, which is a pity, as this was one aspect of novel to which I was looking forward to with great anticipation… However, their blandness was in part offset by various humorous interludes and comments, so all was not lost.

Perhaps the most interesting characters were the doctor and his family, who were much better delineated. The somewhat enigmatic and inventive doctor (a case of the lunatic running the asylum?), brings a welcome breath of fresh air and originality to the narrative. He appears as a kindly man, dedicated to his patients and his radical ideas and inventions. His daughter's attempts to ensnare the unsuspecting Tennyson are also handled well - the author does well at describing the young girl's confusion and embarrassment, and this facet gives the novel an interesting twist.

The author is clearly happiest and most confident in descriptive mode. The countryside truly came alive, was well detailed, and there was more than a little poetry in his very atmospheric descriptions. But the amalgam of fact/fiction, didn't really work terribly well - it felt rather contrived, which is a huge pity. The plot is sparse, but that in itself is not too huge a problem, as the strength of the novel lies elsewhere. In the description of the countryside, the evocation of Clare's tortuous suffering, we attain a glimpse into the troubled mind of a poet, whose work embraced so much more than the Romantic Movement.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

If this book appeals then we think that you might also enjoy [[Regeneration by Pat Barker]].

{{toptentext|list=Man Booker Prize 2009}}

{{amazontext|amazon=0224087460}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6366276}}

{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag. We also have a review of [[In The Wolf's Mouth by Adam Foulds]].
-If this book appeals then we think that you might also enjoy [[Regeneration by Pat Barker]].
+If this book appeals then we think that you might also enjoy [[Regeneration by Pat Barker]] and [[Past Continuous by Tony Bayliss]].
 {{toptentext|list=Man Booker Prize 2009}}

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 Perhaps the most interesting characters were the doctor and his family, who were much better delineated. The somewhat enigmatic and inventive doctor (a case of the lunatic running the asylum?), brings a welcome breath of fresh air and originality to the narrative. He appears as a kindly man, dedicated to his patients and his radical ideas and inventions. His daughter's attempts to ensnare the unsuspecting Tennyson are also handled well - the author does well at describing the young girl's confusion and embarrassment, and this facet gives the novel an interesting twist.
-The author is clearly happiest and most confident in descriptive mode. The countryside truly came alive, was well detailed, and there was more than a little poetry in his very atmospheric descriptions. But the amalgam of fact/fiction, didn't really work terribly well - it felt rather contrived, which is a huge pity. The plot is sparse, but that in itself is not too huge a problem, as the strength of the novel lies elsewhere. In the description of the countryside, the evocation of Clare's tortuous suffering, we attain a glimpse into the troubled mind of a poet, whose work embraced so much more than the Romantic Movement.
+The author is clearly happiest and most confident in descriptive mode. The countryside truly came alive, was well detailed, and there was more than a little poetry in his very atmospheric descriptions. But the amalgam of fact/fiction didn't really work terribly well - it felt rather contrived, which is a huge pity. The plot is sparse, but that in itself is not too huge a problem, as the strength of the novel lies elsewhere. In the description of the countryside, the evocation of Clare's tortuous suffering, we attain a glimpse into the troubled mind of a poet, whose work embraced so much more than the Romantic Movement.
-I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
+I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag. We also have a review of [[In The Wolf's Mouth by Adam Foulds]].
 If this book appeals then we think that you might also enjoy [[Regeneration by Pat Barker]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infoboxsort
+{{infobox1
 |title=The Quickening Maze
 |author=Adam Foulds
@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 |rating=3.5
 |buy=No
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=272
 |publisher= Jonathan Cape Ltd
 |date=May 2009
 |isbn=978-0224087469
 |sort=Quickening Maze
 }}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |buy=No
 |borrow=Yes
-|hardback=0224087460
 |pages=272
 |publisher= Jonathan Cape Ltd
@@ Line 35: / Line 34: @@
 {{toptentext|list=Man Booker Prize 2009}}
-{{amazontext|amazon=0099532441}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6366276}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0099532441}}
 {{commenthead}}

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