Product Description
"Superb.... An engrossing and complicated tale...that touches on every aspect of Victorian society."—Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World

"After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper." So begins the "enthralling" (Booklist, starred review) and "ingenious" (Boston Globe) story of Edward Glyver, booklover, scholar, and murderer. A chance discovery convinces Glyver that greatness awaits him. His path to win back what is rightfully his leads him to Evenwood, one of England's most enchanting country houses, and a woman who will become his obsession.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 79 reviews)

Pulled back the facade of eloquence and found only a mediocre story

If rating on the author's eloquence and choice of words alone, I would rate this book with five stars. However, beyond the eloquence and beauty of the words, my hopes for a story with a great plot or the promised surprises were lost. This is an extremely slow-moving story written by someone with a large eloquent Victorian vocabulary. The narrator is self-absorbed and my perception of the author is that he may be as well. The concept behind the format of the book is simple, but showed promise: a confession supposedly left behind with footnotes by the editor. However, the author failed to use the format to the story's advantage. Instead, I felt that the purpose for using this format was only to show off his knowledge of Victorian England. By the middle of the book, I was actually becoming disgusted with the author and his footnotes that simply provided a date or an address of a pub. I was unable to identify with any of the characters in the novel or find compassion for a single one. I only read on in the hopes that the story would end in a way that would make me appreciate the many hours I spent reading over 700 pages. Unfortunately, it didn't. The story ended right where it began. The 700 pages in between could have been shortened to two paragraphs (in fact, there are two paragraphs in the book that do summarize those 700 pages - I wish I'd read only them). I only give the book three stars rather than something less because I admit that I did get caught up in the eloquence of the writing and the descriptions of Victorian England. I do not expect that I will read the sequel.
January 03, 2009

Magnificent story with descriptive details

Michael Cox has written a brilliant novel. Very descriptive, a vast array of emotions thoroughly displayed, and a plot that is very captivating (as well as believable). He captures the settings of each location immaculately, and personifies each character with splendid realism. Although this is written as fiction, it would not strike me odd were it to be true.

My only criticisms are: there are few "true" surprises throughout the story and there are two or three chapters that I was unengaged in. However, neither of these critiques are strong enough to lower the book's rating to four stars. It truly is a wonderfully written novel, and I am eager to read the sequel.
December 30, 2008

Just okay

The book's electric start gives us enough of a plot line with which to enjoy this novel, but the execution of the premise leaves a little to be desired. It's played out in a chronological mismatch that sometimes makes things more confusing than they need to be.
November 27, 2008

A must read! A+++

I loved the way this story was narrated. The narrator confesses to a murder and the premise of the book is the story that leads you to understand his cold-blooded motive. It is a sizzling murder mystery, but the mystery is not who did it, but instead why he did it. The language is easy to read, but still transports you to Victorian London. Unbelievably suspenseful and intriguing with plenty of twists and characters you will love to hate!! A must read! A+++
October 31, 2008

A Review - The Meaning of Night by Stephens James

[...]

THE MEANING OF NIGHT - BY MICHAEL COX c.2006

As I near the last remaining pages of this excellent work of fiction by Mr. Michael Cox, I must say that the "The Meaning of Night" has to this point ( as I have yet to read the few remaining final chapters) been both entertaining and mysterious. And, if the reader enjoys mysteries of Victorian lost birthrights and descriptions of old London, I do believe, they would also be pleased. Both of these literary interests of mine may have influenced my high regard for the work in that I, as possibly the author, have an unmitigated love for Dickensonian-style literature.

Written in the style of "Oliver Twist" and "The Bleak House." I have only read one other modern well written Dickens style novel that would compare to this work. It being "The Quincux" by Charles Palliser, and Mr. Micheal Cox exhibits an intimate knowledge of old London (the great leviathan) and its surrounds in the mid eighteen hundreds and describes them in sometimes minute detail.

The story that unfolds in the 703 pages will hold your interest and wonder throughout, and you are constantly guessing as to the ultimate outcome. I write this first part of the review without finishing the remaining pages so as to not cloud my overall opinion of the whole works that sometimes an unexpected conclusion may cause. I am in hopes that the ending is as well written as the beginning. One particular phrase that rang out in the work was "And an advantage, however small, is everything to the resourceful man." The next chapters shall tell the tale.

October 10, 2008

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