The Quincunx

by Charles Palliser

I’m still not sure how I feel about this novel. I chose this title because it has been touted as Dickensian. To me, it is a parody of Dickens and not a very funny one. Briefly: our protagonist, John, stands to inherit an estate. The inheritance is not so straightforward. A court case to rival Jarndyce v Jarndyce, several potential heirs, and a series of improbable misfortunes stand in the way of John’s inheritance. Oh my! So many characters, so many missteps, and so many pages! I can’t believe tha...moreI’m still not sure how I feel about this novel. I chose this title because it has been touted as Dickensian. To me, it is a parody of Dickens and not a very funny one. Briefly: our protagonist, John, stands to inherit an estate. The inheritance is not so straightforward. A court case to rival Jarndyce v Jarndyce, several potential heirs, and a series of improbable misfortunes stand in the way of John’s inheritance. Oh my! So many characters, so many missteps, and so many pages! I can’t believe that I read the whole thing! 9/29/12