Book Log 2017 #28: The Quincunx by Charles Palliser

This sprawling novel set in 18th century England tells the story of a boy who, unaware of his background, grows up trying to learn the secret of who is father is and why there are various forces at work trying to prevent this. It's an epic work in length and detail, with a repeated motif of the number five that runs through everything. It's very reminiscent of Dickens, to the point where one reviewer noted that "Mr. Palliser appears to have set out not merely to write a Dickens novel but to write all Dickens novels."

And like the Dickens novels I've read in the past, there's a lot to recommend it, interspersed with moments of tedium and decisions that strain the suspension of disbelief. The attention to detail (both historic and legal) is impressive, and helped keep me involved when the plot seemed a little off (there are points where it is very hard to believe that the narrator isn't putting the clues together).

The book does require a significant investment in time and attention, but if you like Dickens or are a fan of books set in the period it's worth a try.