Summary and Reviews of The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox

The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox

The Meaning of Night

A Confession

by Michael Cox
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  • Critics' Consensus (8):
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  • First Published:
  • Sep 18, 2006, 672 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Oct 2007, 704 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

Convinced he is destined for greatness, Glyver will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he knows is rightfully his. A story of betrayal and treachery, of death and delusion, of ruthless obsession and ambition.

The atmosphere of Bleak House, the sensuous thrill of Perfume, and the mystery of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell all combine in a story of murder, deceit, love, and revenge in Victorian England.

"After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper."

So begins the extraordinary story of Edward Glyver--booklover, scholar, and murderer. As a young boy, Glyver always believed he was destined for greatness. A chance discovery convinces him that he was right: greatness does await him, along with immense wealth and influence. Overwhelmed by his discovery, he will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he knows is rightfully his.

Glyver's path to reclaim his prize leads him from the depths of Victorian London, with its foggy streets, brothels, and opium dens, to Evenwood, one of England's most beautiful and enchanting country houses, and finally to a consuming love for the beautiful but enigmatic Emily Carteret. His is a story of betrayal and treachery, of death and delusion, of ruthless obsession and ambition. And at every turn, driving Glyver irresistibly onward, is his deadly rival: the poet-criminal Phoebus Rainsford Daunt.

The Meaning of Night is an enthralling novel that will captivate readers right up to its final thrilling revelation.

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Reviews

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The characters are delightfully typecast - there's the tragic figure of our much put-upon anti-hero who is driven to commit violence for what he believes is a justified cause; a truly dastardly old-Etonian poetry-spouting villain (who, if this was a play, would receive hisses from the audience every time he came on stage); the exceedingly wealthy and influential Lord Tansor, living off the gains of his brighter ancestors; a dead-ringer for Uriah Heap; plus a massive supporting cast representing every strata of society, both urban and country; and last but not least, Evenwood House itself and its great library - the representation of everything that Edward yearns for but that remains tantalizingly out of reach...continued

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Beyond the Book



In the acknowledgments for The Meaning of Night, Michael Cox notes that three real places contributed in various ways, to the making of Evenwood, the extremely grand private estate at the heart of this novel. These are Drayton House and Deene Park, both in Northamptonshire and Burghley House. If you have plans to read this book, or have read it, it's worth a few minutes of your time to visit these houses online, to get a sense of what Evenwood would have been like.


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Read-Alikes

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When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.

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