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Jack Maggs

By Peter Carey
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Jack Maggs by Peter Carey is a gripping novel that reimagines the story of a character inspired by Dickens' Abel Magwitch from Great Expectations. Set in 19th-century London, the book follows Jack Maggs, a convict returning from Australia seeking out a mysterious young gentleman who shapes his fate. As Maggs navigates the city's underbelly, he encounters deception, betrayal, and secrets from his past in this thrilling and vivid tale.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have a fascination with Victorian England, complex character studies, and a gripping tale of secrets and redemption. It offers a fresh twist on familiar literary themes, making it a captivating read for those who appreciate historical fiction with rich narrative depth.

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Jack Maggs

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Winner of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and the Miles Franklin Award, Peter Carey's Jack Maggs is dazzlingly entertaining.

The year is 1837, and ex-convict Jack Maggs has returned illegally to London from Australia. Installing himself in the household of a genteel grocer, he attracts the attention of a cross-section of society.

Saucy Mercy Larkin wants him for a mate, while writer Tobias Oates wants to possess his soul through hypnosis. Maggs, a figure both frightening and mysteriously compelling, is so in thrall to the notion of a gentlemanly class that he's risked his life to return to his torturers.

His task is to shed his false consciousness and understand that his true destiny lies in Australia.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Jack Maggs by Peter Carey is a richly imaginative novel that has captivated many with its take on Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations," told from the perspective of a different character. Reviews applaud Carey's ability to blend history with fiction, crafting a compelling and atmospheric narrative. Critics often highlight the book's vivid characterisation and the depth of emotional complexity, noting Carey's skill in exploring themes of identity and redemption.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760896447

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2020

Country: Australia

Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 39.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 440g

Pages: 480

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Peter Carey

About the Author

Peter Carey was born in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, and now lives in New York. He is the author of fourteen novels (including one for children), two volumes of short stories, and two books on travel. Amongst other prizes, Carey has won the Booker Prize twice (for Oscar and Lucinda and True History of the Kelly Gang), the Commonwealth Writers' Prize twice (for Jack Maggs and True History of the Kelly Gang), and the Miles Franklin Literary Award three times (for Bliss, Oscar and Lucinda and Jack Maggs). He is an officer of the Order of Australia and a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Literature and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

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