The Forger's Requiem
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"Like the love child of Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle . . . delightful to read."--NPR.org, on The Forgers A gripping literary thriller that brings readers inside the world of expert forgery, rivalrous fury, and generations of dark family secrets, with Mary Shelley's voice and life woven throughout Literary forger Henry Slader, assaulted and presumed dead by his longtime nemesis, Will, awakens in a shallow grave, suffocating in dirt. Concussed and disoriented, Slader exhumes himself and sets out to exact revenge on his rival, orchestrate Will's downfall, and make a fortune along the way--armed with a devastating secret about Will's past. Slader quickly draws in Will's daughter, Nicole, wielding his threats against her father to blackmail her into forging inscriptions by such authors as Poe, Hemingway, James Joyce, and Gertrude Stein. As Nicole's skill grows, so does her devotion to--and doubts about--her father's integrity, until she commits the ultimate betrayal for the sake of his freedom. With breathtakingly precise background knowledge and virtuoso execution, Nicole forges a suite of brilliantly convincing and surpassingly valuable letters by Frankenstein author Mary Shelley--planting within them the seeds of Slader's doom. Moving between upstate New York, a village in Ireland, London, and ending in a shocking standoff at the site of Mary Shelley's grave in a coastal town in Southern England, The Forger's Requiem is both a compelling standalone novel and the crescendo ending to the trilogy Joyce Carol Oates has called "lethally enthralling to read."
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Book Review: The Forger's Requiem by Bradford Morrow š
Rating: 3 Stars
I recently finished The Forger's Requiem by Bradford Morrow, and it didn't quite hit the sweet spot for me. This story follows Henry Slader, a literary forger who finds himself in a precarious situation after a brutal confrontation with his long-time rival, Will. Awakening in a shallow grave (yikes!), Slader manages to dig himself out and sets off on a quest for revenge, fueled by a dark secret about Will that could bring him down while also lining Sladerās pockets. š±š
One of the more intriguing aspects of the plot is how Slader manipulates Willās daughter, Nicole, into helping him forge inscriptions from literary giants like Poe and Hemingway. As she gets deeper into the world of forgery, her loyalties are tested, leading to a shocking betrayal that reveals just how tangled their lives have become. The book takes us on a journey through various locationsāfrom upstate New York to the coastal town in Southern England where Mary Shelley restsāculminating in a gripping finale at her grave. šāļø
Now, let's talk about the cover. Itās absolutely gorgeous! I was immediately drawn to it, and it definitely adds an aesthetic charm to the reading experience. However, I must admit that I went into this book without realizing it was the final installment of a trilogy. Perhaps if I had read the first two books, I would have appreciated the characters and their arcs more fully. As it stands, I felt like I was diving into a complex narrative without all the context. šØš
Overall, The Forger's Requiem has its captivating moments and is certainly well-crafted, but it left me feeling a bit disconnected. If youāre a fan of literary thrillers and appreciate intricate plots, you might find a lot to admire hereābut be sure to start from the beginning of the trilogy for the full experience! ā ļø
ā ļøThis review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may varyā ļø
Originally posted at tinyurl.com.
