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Asylum
Penguin
Paperback
: 28 Aug 1997
£9.99
Synopsis
Another plunge into the modern gothic for Patrick McGrath, and another gem from the pen of arguably the greatest unsettler of his generation. Every turn in this dark and enthralling book sends an anticipatory shiver down the reader's spine. It is essentially the story of the development of an obsessive and destructive relationship between the inmate of a hospital for the criminally insane and the wife of its aspiring medical superintendent. The story unfolds under the careful narration of Peter Cleave, colleague of Max Raphael. Cleave being yet another example of McGrath's trademark unreliable narrator. This journey, as with all of the author's work, is easily as enjoyable as reaching the destination.Reviews
Customer Review: 11 September 2002
Reviewer: A reader from London
This book really spoke to me, I was compelled to read for hours on end. I found all the characters unlikeable and yet I couldn't stand to put them down! Stella is a selfish and foolish woman, I hated her for her weakness and the way she treated the people around her. The narrator is a surprise unto himself ; an excellent read, I thoroughly recommend it.
» Submit a reviewCritic Review:
A tragedy of obsessive love... not just an engrossing read, but an intelligent, beautifully observed novel'
David Robson, Sunday Telegraph
A subtly menacing portrait of 1950s hospital life gone desperately wrong. ..McGrath pulls the tension taut until the final page and " creates that rare thing, a chillingly good read'
Julie Wheelwright The New Statesman
Product details
Format :
Paperback
ISBN: 9780140258226
Size : 129 x 198mm
Pages : 256
Published : 28 Aug 1997
Publisher : Penguin
Asylum
£9.99
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