Reviews - An Instance of the Fingerpost

343 reviews for:

An Instance of the Fingerpost

Iain Pears

3.83 AVERAGE

alexandrahirons's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark informative lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

niceb4's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

npldirector's review against another edition

2.0

The plot of this book sounded so interesting: 3 different narrators telling the story of the same murder. Even more interesting it takes place in England during the early years of Charles II reign, a period that I haven't read much about. Unfortunately the dense prose (which is probably period correct) and emphasis on the politics of this time period really made the book drag and I ended up skipping a good chunk of it and just reading the last couple of pages to see how it turned out. There is a somewhat surprising plot twist at the end, but it happens way too late to save the book from being a boring tale told by a bunch of self-important men who aren't smart, rich or endearing enough to sustain the reader's interest.

oberonmallory's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lytlekt's review against another edition

4.0

I think I really would have enjoyed this book more if it wasn't so large. I have a hardback copy (it is huge!) and have been lugging it on the subway for weeks.

The story was really engaging, even though it is presented 4 times, once from the point of view of four different characters. Each time through the narrator has a different personal agenda and it was entertaining to find out how the narratives wove together/cancelled each other out/defended one another/ran parallel.

I liked it. However, some of the religious "mystery" added in in the final section felt a little open-ended, after everything else wrapped up for the most part. That was a little weird, but I came to terms with it.

assaphmehr's review against another edition

5.0

challenging informative mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I've had this on my TBR for a while, and when it was recommended by The Rest Is History podcast I decided it was time.

What to Expect

A Rashomon-style story in 17th century England. A Venetian dilettante physician arrives in England nominally to address his father's collapsing business concerns, but spends very little time on that. He goes on a trip to Oxford, where he gets involved with the local men of science, and treats an old lady whose daughter is then hanged for murder. 20 years later he publishes memoirs about this, which causes others involved to publish successive rebuttals. With each retelling, we get a different and conflicting views about what really happened, both with the girl and the murder as well as the Italian traveller's agenda.

What I liked

An absolutely amazing historical novel which perfectly captures the essence of the period. Not only are most of the people real historical figures (and the handful which aren't are closely based on real ones), Pears perfectly captures the mindset and events of the period. The novel is set in 1663, right after the restoration of Charles II, and the scars from the civil wars and shaky position of the monarch are very much on mind. At the same time we see the beginning of the enlightenment, with the rise of scientific thinking clashing with traditional views, and the struggle to reconcile everything with the deeply religious mindset. Not only the story itself, but the language Pears employs is absolutely beautiful, and the way he draws the reader into the period and people is unmatched. It's a complex story, with multiple unreliable narrators with their own presumptions and biases, observing but not always understanding the big events of their times.

What to be aware of

Though nominally an historical mystery, it's a hefty tome that circles around the events of the murder and how they expose and relate to much bigger events and national traumas. By necessity this is a very broad canvas, and it's not a thriller pace. The memoir style and language that so fit the period make for a longer tale. Also note that in doing such an amazing job of recreating the mindset and worldviews of 17th century men, the modern reader is confronted with chauvinistic and intolerant attitudes. If you can't face the ugly side of human history, this may be a harsh encounter.

Felix's and Jack's Reviews

Both Felix and Jack enjoyed the novel tremendously for its literary merits. Felix wished the mystery aspects could have been more prominent, and he always finds the fascination with kings and religious schisms somewhat weird to his Roman Republican eyes. Jack loves history and is more intimately knowledgeable with the period (being a man of more modern times), and finds the attitudes and casual violence a good explanation of why Britain is so rife with ghosts -- some of whom he has to deal with.

Summary

The perfect historical novel. Whether you are deeply interested in the period or have just a passing knowledge, it's absolutely recommended reading for the sheer skill in building and telling a period-appropriate story.

Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck are those Felix and Jack fellows? Glad you asked! Felix is the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome, and Jack is the police detective running the Unusual Crimes Squad, dealing in occult crimes in modern-day Australia.

Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.