James Hynes
autor
Peacock
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Sparrow comes another spellbinding historical epic set in the last days of a dying Roman empire . . . Sparrow has flown from the confines of the Roman brothel where he was raised. Now older and smarter, and having learned the arts of deception and enticement from the women who raised him, he vies to become a player in the internal politics at Arcadia, the home of his new master, a man who is himself playing with political fire. Sparrow soon realizes that the key to survival in this turbulent place is information, and he must gather it at any cost. As the dangers mount for Sparrow, he is forced to choose where his loyalties lie and which of these powerful Romans is most likely to ensure his survival. Epic and intimate, spectacularly vivid, Peacock is the story of a boy becoming a man as an empire falters in the face of the rise of Christianity. On his journey this boy will learn what it is to be in love, and what it is to be hated, but he is also perfecting his own manipulative powers . . . Readers love Peacock:***** ‘So vivid that you feel you are there experiencing Sparrow's life with him’***** ‘A five star read for me: fantastic writing, immaculately researched’***** ‘Impeccable, the book reads almost like a thriller’***** ‘A perfect piece of historical fiction’***** ‘Anyone who likes a good, fast-paced historical adventure will enjoy it’Praise for James Hynes and Sparrow:‘Unforgettable’ – Daily Mail‘Utterly engrossing’ – Emma Donoghue‘Masterful in its portrayal of love, sex and friendship’ – The Observer
Sparrow
Raised in a brothel at the edge of a dying empire, a boy of no known origin creates his own identity. He is Sparrow, who sings without reason and can fly from trouble. His world is a kitchen, a herb-scented garden, a loud and dangerous tavern, and the mysterious upstairs where the 'wolves' - prostitutes and slaves from every corner of the empire - conduct their business.
He spends his days listening to stories told by his beloved 'mother' Euterpe, running errands for her lover the cook, and dodging the blows of their brutal overseer and the machinations of the chief wolf, Melpomene. A hard fate awaits Sparrow, one that involves suffering, murder, mayhem, and the scattering of the women who have been his whole world.
Through meticulous research and bold imagination, James Hynes brings the entirety of the Roman city of Carthago Nova - its markets, temples, taverns of the lowly and mansions of the rich - to vivid, brutal life. Walking through lost places, hearing forgotten voices, this story belongs to the slave class that made an infamous empire function.
This is one of the most powerfully affecting and memorable characters of recent fiction.
This is Sparrow.
Vypredané
19,95 €
