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1kidzdoc
This thread is for discussion of Derby Day by D.J. Taylor, which was selected for the 2011 Booker Prize longlist.
2kidzdoc
Here is my review of Derby Day:
This subtitled Victorian mystery is centered around George Happerton, a man of uncertain means, questionable morals and high ambitions, who seeks to make a fortune by obtaining a race horse and entering him in the biggest horse race of the year. To accomplish this, he connivingly marries the daughter of a well-to-do lawyer in London, and the two manage to wheedle the funds he needs to purchase the animal. Happerton engages several shady characters to obtain additional capital, which he uses to bet in the race.
This was a well written mystery novel, which held my interest for the first 2/3 of the book. However, the last 1/3, which corresponded to the day of the race, was a long slow drag, which seemed like a 45 rpm record suddenly being played at 33 rpm. Overall this was an enjoyable novel, in keeping with this year's "Booker Lite" theme, but it will leave no strong impression with me, and did not deserve to make this year's longlist.
This subtitled Victorian mystery is centered around George Happerton, a man of uncertain means, questionable morals and high ambitions, who seeks to make a fortune by obtaining a race horse and entering him in the biggest horse race of the year. To accomplish this, he connivingly marries the daughter of a well-to-do lawyer in London, and the two manage to wheedle the funds he needs to purchase the animal. Happerton engages several shady characters to obtain additional capital, which he uses to bet in the race.
This was a well written mystery novel, which held my interest for the first 2/3 of the book. However, the last 1/3, which corresponded to the day of the race, was a long slow drag, which seemed like a 45 rpm record suddenly being played at 33 rpm. Overall this was an enjoyable novel, in keeping with this year's "Booker Lite" theme, but it will leave no strong impression with me, and did not deserve to make this year's longlist.
