Broken Bodies

by Sally Emerson

Patrick Browning and Anne Fitzgerald are both young historians, and both have been drawn to research the same Mary Nisbet, the notorious wife of Lord Elgin. Before long, their research spills over into an all too real rivalry, a rivalry charged with tension and attraction-a rivalry which twists their own, scarred love affairs to breaking point.

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2001

About the author

Sally Emerson is the award-winning authors of novels including Heat, Separation and Second Sight and an anthologist of poetry and prose. She lives in London. Her website is www.sallyemerson.com.

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a marvellous page turner of a novel, written in a very distinctive sharp, crisp, elegant style. Emerson regularly brings you up short with her lightness of touch and the daring of her images. The plot is gripping and fascinating. It’s the story of two art historians, Patrick and Anne, both writing biographies of Mary Elgin, wife of the Elgin who took the Elgin marbles, and the story of Mary herself winds subtly through the book, told in her diaries. The diaries contain a mysterious secret and it soon becomes apparent that some very dark and dangerous people are also out to lay their hands on them. This is a thriller, elegantly told, with reflections and meditations on time and the past and how the past reflects on the lives of people in the present subtly woven in. A lovely read.

[Evridiki Amanatidou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Για την ακρίβεια 2,75. Περίμενα κάτι περισσότερο από το μυθιστόρημα. Οι σύντομες καταχωρήσεις του "ημερολογίου" της Μαίρης Νέσμπιτ μου έμοιαζαν σαν κομμάτια παιδικής σχολικής έκθεσης., σαν άχρωμες καταχωρήσεις τις διάβαζα. Όσο εξελισσόταν η πλοκή, μου έδινε την εντύπωση ότι το κοινωνικό στοιχείο του μυθιστορήματος υποσκελιζόταν από όλο και πιο πολλά στοιχεία ενός μυθιστορήματος αγωνίας ή μυστηρίου. Το τέλος δεν ήταν αυτό που περίμενα, πολλές συμπτώσεις, δεν με κάλυψε η αιτιολόγηση της συγγραφέως.

[Zozoka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ενδιαφέρουσα ιστοριούλα για τα Ελγίνεια διανθισμένη με ερωτισμό, περιπέτεια και ανθρωπιά. Αλλά η πιο απλοϊκή γραφή δεν με άφηνε να το απολαύσω όσο περισσότερο γινόταν.

[Victoria Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

About Elgin Marbles & Lady Elgin - her affair and messy divorce. Made of Pentelic marble by one the greatest sculptors ever, Pheidias in the 5th c bc. Straightforward, exciting, I wanted to read on. Interspersed with Lady Elgin's letters. Made me want to read more about Elgin marbles. Didn't know he was imprisoned by Napoleon for example. He wasn't a nice mand. Byron wrote about his decaying nose in a poem.

[Katie Grainger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book which really interested me as it explored a person from history I knew nothing about. I liked the fact that the story of chasing Mary didn't take over it felt more about the characters than the adventure. The ending was in some ways perfect all loose ends tied up and a knowledge of what the future would hold for the two leading characters. Very enjoyable.