Customer Reviews:
 What a let down! October 12, 2008
The cover of this novel promises many things, and "Gothic" is one of them, particularly as bodysnatching is its main theme, but I found it a complete disappointment. The writing is disjointed, characters are not developed, and there are umpteen "snapshots" of various people passing through the novel. Also, what I found completely baffling was that it was a Richard and Judy Summer Read choice. The novel is hardly one you would read on the beach, as it is more appropriate for autumn/winter!
Perhaps James Bradley had an impatient editor? I think so, as the book may have been initially a longer one, but has suffered because of excessive editing. Bradley's descriptions of early 19th century London are excellent: its cruelty, poverty and general throwaway attitude to life, but the novel is totall lacking in soul and depth.
I found The Resurrectionist in a local charity shop and thought it might be worth reading. I was wrong. A pity, as the novel could have been so much better.
 Awful. October 11, 2008
Like many others, I had high hopes for this book because of the setting. Unlike a lot of the other people on here, I actually can sympathise with Gabriel and his descent into addiction and truly dark antics, but I have to agree that the characterisation is atrocious - nobody has any sort of memorable qualities and you will constantly be wondering who is who. The ending in Australia seems tacked on, goes nowhere and is really confusing too.
In all, a waste of your precious time. Worth the one star only for the bit in the middle where Gabriel starts robbing graves - that's the only part where you sense something is actually going to happen and force the characters to act/react.
Buy 'The Minutes of the Lazarus Club' instead.
Hype Over Substance October 8, 2008
Another example of hype over substance. This book does not warrant the publicity it received. In the hands of a better writer the story could have been excellent. Sadly it falls flat. Spend your hard earned cash on something else.
The Resurrectionist - A Badly written, plotless book October 7, 2008
This book started ok - however any possibility of a plot fled after about the 10th page. It was also extremely badly written - the grammer leaving a lot to be desired.....
Personally I have to say this was, in fact, possibly the worst book I have ever read - I even shred it after I finished it!
I can quite understand 'Richard and Judy' liking it though.....
 Wonderful Book Club fodder! October 5, 2008
It was my turn to select a book for our book club, running out of time I grabbed the first interesting looking jacket from the shelves,pausing just long enough to register the R&J sticker. Bound to be at least passable then. I read the book in two three hour sittings and found the only thing that was true from the cover was 'philosophical'. I think that the whole 'story line', of which there was indeed very little, was unimportant. The characters were deliberately undeveloped, the change of setting towards the end deliberately unsubtle. I think the author wanted us to see Gabriel (angel of resurrection and hope) as representation of the ease with which mankind can fall into evil and by lucky chance be delivered from that evil. The Gabriel of this story is alone and unloved,falls into bad company, turns to drugs,indulges in an unfulfilling relationship, craves acceptance,has a lucky escape, tries to reinvent himself, touches base again briefly with his past, falls in love, but knows that untimately he can never be truly free of his demons. It could be anyone's story. Do give this book a chance. Yes it's short, yes it could give us more in terms of characterisation, yes the central character is flawed. It could be set in any century, any town, with any wrongdoing as its theme. The fact that it's grave robbing and murder in this case, is incidental. Give this book a chance and I promise you plenty of lively discussion!
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