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Review
A heady brew of crime, romance and satire set amid the sordid glitz of London nightlife in the 1920s . . .
Shrines of Gaiety sees Atkinson on her finest form . . . A marvel of plate-spinning narrative knowhow . . . a peak performance of consummate control. — Anthony Cummins ― OBSERVERSharp, witty and fiendishly plotted … you don’t so much as read it as surrender to it ―
FINANCIAL TIMES, ‘Best books of 2022’Seduction, betrayal and larger-than-life characters that will have you hooked until the last page. ―
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPHKate Atkinson is on deliciously acerbic form in
Shrines of Gaiety … exposing the underbelly of London nightlife in the roaring 20s ― GUARDIAN, ‘Books of the Year’Atkinson has a plotter’s mind: intricate, clever, satisfying.
Shrines of Gaiety is all about life’s tangled lines, intersections and synchronicities…The kind of fine-tuned observation that can produce an enormous, vibrant cast is quite something and I can think of few writers other than Dickens who can match it. Shrines of Gaiety is engrossing and fun, powered by subtle skills. ― THE SUNDAY TIMESThis book is one to savour, for the energy, for the wit, for the tenderness of characterisation that make Atkinson enduringly popular. ―
GUARDIANAs vividly filthy, populous, dangerous as anything described by Dickens, but writing is closer to Thackeray’s… Atkinson is a novelist of unrivalled immediacy, authority, and skill. ―
FINANCIAL TIMESKate Atkinson is simply one of the best writers working today, anywhere in the world…she’s a global treasure… [Shrines] is set during Jazz Age London, in all its fizzy madness and desperation for the new, the better, the hustle. Atkinson has a magician’s ability to switch a reader’s mood within a few paragraphs, and as dark as her stories can get, within them always shines a beacon of humanity. ―
GILLIAN FLYNNAtkinson is a thoughtful writer with an astute understanding of 20th-century social history. This is the perfect novel for uncertain times, when comfort of a particularly English and nostalgic stripe is required. ―
THE TIMESA rich cast of characters, an elegantly intricate plot – this is classic Atkinson. ―
OBSERVERAtkinson has a tremendous gift for bringing the past to life but wearing her research lightly. With charismatic characters, witty dialogue and a compelling plot, she captures the reckless atmosphere of a city still coming to terms with the horrors of the First World War. It’s an absorbing read and a novel to savour. — Charlotte Heathcote ―
DAILY EXPRESSAtkinson at her inimitable best. ―
VOGUEDickensian, yes, but infused with a playful knowingness that’s pure Atkinson. — Hephzibah Anderson ―
MAIL ON SUNDAYA deliciously immersive novel full of deftly drawn characters. ―
REDThis part-literary, part-thriller novel showcases a host of glittering characters…Full of dry wit and charm…if you loved Peaky Blinders, you’ll love this. ―
WOMAN & HOMEExuberant, immersive storytelling featuring intrigue and betrayal is matched with wit and tenderness ―
MAIL ON SUNDAYWith charistmatic characters, witty dialogue, and a compelling plot, she captures the reckless atmosphere of a city still coming to terms with the horrors of the First World War. It’s an absorbing read and a novel to savour. ―
DAILY EXPRESS, ‘Fiction Highlights of 2022’Full of grit and atmosphere. ―
PRIMAAtkinson captures both the glamour and the seediness of this heady period with consummate skill in a book teeming with memorable characters. Gorgeously vivid, often strange and always very funny, it should cement her reputation as one of our finest novelists. — Jake Kerridge ―
SUNDAY EXPRESSIf Dickens had lived to write about The Jazz Age, he would have produced a novel much like Kate Atkinson’s “Shrines of Gaiety”… masterful. ―
WASHINGTON POSTThere is the perfect balance throughout of sweetness and heartbreak. And, as always, there is the unmistakable zest of Ms. Atkinson’s dry wit. — Anna Mundow ―
WALL STREET JOURNALCombines the colour of a historical drama with the pace of a thriller and the detail of a police procedural… masterful. ―
i NEWSThe novel grabs the reader from the outset. It paints a picture of the capital’s glittering nightlife and its seedier underside so vivid, that it is almost possible to smell the stale cigarette smoke and taste the alcohol… the story of Nellie and her family, and the characters they associate with, builds to a satisfying ending as the strands of their lives are deftly woven together. ―
INDEPENDENTMagnificent. A rich and vivid portrayal of sly, brilliant characters in the nightlife of 20s London. I fell in love with them all, even the villains … I loved every minute. ―
Laura Shepherd-RobinsonAbout the Author
From the Publisher
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‘This is
the perfect novel for uncertain times.’ THE TIMES‘I can think of
few writers other than Dickens who can match it’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Brilliant’ RICHARD OSMAN‘Kate Atkinson is
simply one of the best writers working today, anywhere in the world‘ GILLIAN FLYNN____
1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time.
At the heart of this glittering world is notorious Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie’s empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho’s gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost.
With her unique Dickensian flair, Kate Atkinson brings together a glittering cast of characters in a truly mesmeric novel that captures the uncertainty and mutability of life; of a world in which nothing is quite as it seems.
_____
‘Seduction, betrayal, and larger-than-life characters that
will have you hooked until the last page’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH‘This book is
one to savour, for the energy, for the wit, for the tenderness of characterisation that make Atkinson enduringly popular’ GUARDIAN‘As vividly filthy, populous, dangerous as anything described by Dickens, but writing is closer to Thackeray’s…
Atkinson is a novelist of unrivalled immediacy, authority, and skill.’ FINANCIAL TIMES
Yolla reader –
This novel quite captivated the mores of the late 20s. The characters were entertaining and the double double crossing made hilarious reading. The evil of the various crimes were flayed to show their callous regard to life, especially young doe-eyed teenage girls. The manic desire to live life for the very second, post WW1, was neatly juxtaposed with the prodigal removal of life with the seedy elements of criminal London. A great read, excellent characterisation and brilliant use of language to captivate the reader. Thsnk you Kate.
Clare Y –
A joy to read.
Gail Merritt –
A well written book with sharply focused descriptions. I enjoyed the characters, particularly the devilish ones. The family antics would turn your hair grey. A satisfying end, if not conclusive. I want to know what happened next. The Inspector was a likeable man of his times. Looking forward to Kate Atkinson’s next book.
Mae Gregory –
Instead of spoiling the ending I’ll just leave my review with just a headline and the reader can form their own opinion!
Miss Thommo –
A detective story wrought around the 1920’s club scene, drugs, war and crooks. Entertaining.