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The Dante Club #2
The Dante Chamber
From Mathew Pearl, the bestselling author of The Dante Club, a masterful tale of literature, obsession, and murder
The year is 1870. Five years after a series of Dante-inspired killings disrupted Boston, a man is found murdered in the public gardens of London with an enormous stone around his neck etched with a verse from the Divine Comedy. When more mysterious murders erupt across the city, all in the style of the punishments Dante memorialized in Purgatory, poet Christina Rossetti fears her brother, the Dante-obsessed artist and writer Gabriel Rossetti, will be the next victim.
Christina enlists poets Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson, and famous scholar Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, to assist in deciphering the literary clues. Together these unlikely investigators rush to unravel the secrets of Dante's verses in order to find Gabriel and stop the killings. Racing between the shimmering mansions of the elite and the dark corners of London's underworld, they descend further and further into the mystery. But when the true inspiration behind the gruesome murders is finally revealed, Christina realizes that the perpetrator has even bigger and more horrific plans than she had initially thought.
A dazzling tale of intrigue from the writer Library Journal calls "the reigning king of popular literary historical thrillers," The Dante Chamber is a riveting adventure across London and through Dante. Expertly blending fact and fiction, Pearl gives us a historical mystery like no other, captivating and enthralling until the last page.
The year is 1870. Five years after a series of Dante-inspired killings disrupted Boston, a man is found murdered in the public gardens of London with an enormous stone around his neck etched with a verse from the Divine Comedy. When more mysterious murders erupt across the city, all in the style of the punishments Dante memorialized in Purgatory, poet Christina Rossetti fears her brother, the Dante-obsessed artist and writer Gabriel Rossetti, will be the next victim.
Christina enlists poets Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson, and famous scholar Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, to assist in deciphering the literary clues. Together these unlikely investigators rush to unravel the secrets of Dante's verses in order to find Gabriel and stop the killings. Racing between the shimmering mansions of the elite and the dark corners of London's underworld, they descend further and further into the mystery. But when the true inspiration behind the gruesome murders is finally revealed, Christina realizes that the perpetrator has even bigger and more horrific plans than she had initially thought.
A dazzling tale of intrigue from the writer Library Journal calls "the reigning king of popular literary historical thrillers," The Dante Chamber is a riveting adventure across London and through Dante. Expertly blending fact and fiction, Pearl gives us a historical mystery like no other, captivating and enthralling until the last page.
357 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2018
227 people are currently reading
3997 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Pearl
37 books1,403 followersNote from the author:Hi everyone. My newest novel is The Dante Chamber, out May 29, 2018. It's a follow-up to my debut novel, The Dante Club, but you do not have to read one before the other, each stands on its own two feet. Hope you'll enjoy any of books you choose to pick up.
Matthew Pearl's novels have been international and New York Times bestsellers translated into more than 30 languages. His nonfiction writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, The Atavist Magazine, and Slate. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Matthew's books are part of "the growing genre of novel being written nowadays -- the learned, challenging kind that does not condescend." Globe and Mail declares him "a writer of rare talents," Library Journal calls Matthew "the reigning king of popular literary historical thrillers," and the New York Daily News raves "if the past is indeed a foreign country, Matthew Pearl has your passport." Matthew has been chosen Best Author for Boston Magazine's Best of Boston and received the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction.
In addition to Goodreads, you can keep in touch and learn more at my website, www.matthewpearl.com, and:
Twitter: @matthewpearl
Facebook: fb.me/matthewpearlauthor
Instagram: matthewpearlauthor
Matthew Pearl's novels have been international and New York Times bestsellers translated into more than 30 languages. His nonfiction writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, The Atavist Magazine, and Slate. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Matthew's books are part of "the growing genre of novel being written nowadays -- the learned, challenging kind that does not condescend." Globe and Mail declares him "a writer of rare talents," Library Journal calls Matthew "the reigning king of popular literary historical thrillers," and the New York Daily News raves "if the past is indeed a foreign country, Matthew Pearl has your passport." Matthew has been chosen Best Author for Boston Magazine's Best of Boston and received the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction.
In addition to Goodreads, you can keep in touch and learn more at my website, www.matthewpearl.com, and:
Twitter: @matthewpearl
Facebook: fb.me/matthewpearlauthor
Instagram: matthewpearlauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
dnf
May 25, 2018I am going to place this one in my DNF file. It was just too overly done for my tastes. If one loves poets, Dante, and the fact that they may have come together to solve a mystery than this book would surely be for you.
I did get up to the 20% mark, but just found that I received no pleasure from the story.
I did get up to the 20% mark, but just found that I received no pleasure from the story.
July 22, 2018
It's been several years since I read THE DANTE CLUB, but I still remember how engrossed I was with the book, even though the details of the book is a bit hazy. Nevertheless, reading THE DANTE CHAMBER brought some memories back of what happened in THE DANTE CLUB.
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
May 25, 2018
4.5 stars
To say that Matthew Pearl likes literature is an understatement. Many of his books are literary related in some way or another, making them really intriguing to me.
My first experience with Pearl was with the book THE LAST BOOKANEER which was a wonderful read, but more importantly it was different. I have also had THE DANTE CLUB on my radar for the better part of six years, so when this one came up for review I was stoked. So why haven’t I read THE DANTE CLUB you ask…..I have no idea.
Maybe it’s because it’s been on my TBR list for so long that I’ve forgotten about it as I keep adding new books or maybe it’s because I don’t own a copy of the first book. Whatever it is—when this book came up for review, I gave it a solid ‘hell ya’ to review!
So let’s get the obvious question out of the way first….this is the second in a series, having not read the first book did I feel lost? No. I did not. I see that a number of readers also commented that this book was a true standalone book and I would agree. Pearl did a great job at helping new readers navigate this new novel and filled in any of the gaps and questions from the first book in the series but again, if you haven’t read the first book do not feel like you need to go back and read it to enjoy this one.
For me, this book was more of a thinker book rather than a casual novel where you just read lightly and enjoy the story as it happens. This book makes you engage actively in the story and makes you think. The plot is basic yet the characters and narrative style are more tedious and it does take some time to process and get used to so be prepared to focus and pay attention throughout this book.
This kind of meandering style seems to be a signature of Pearl’s as I remember his style being similar in THE LAST BOOKANEER. He takes a lot of time to set readers up for the story and the characters. This approach might bore some readers but I encourage you to stay the course because this is a very interesting and well written book with a thrilling historical mystery!
This book is obviously heavy on the literary references as well, while you certainly don’t need to be an English Lit scholar to read this book, you will find lots of little references to love and endear this novel to you if you have a basic understanding of English Lit. I myself have a degree in English Lit so I loved all the little nuances of this novel because of that.
I think this book is the sort of book that appeals to a certain type of reader. While I think most audiences will find this book ‘great’ I think a more specific audience will find it ‘outstanding’. If you like sophisticated mysteries with a smart narration style, then you will likely rate this book as outstanding. I would say it came in at a 4.5 for me. While I loved the mystery itself and the ‘thinking’ piece, I found the first half of the book a little tedious….not enough to make me rate it lower than a 4 though. What bumped it to the 4.5 rating though was all the fun literary references in the book…..that’s Pearl’s bread and butter right there!
On a final note….the cover. OMG the cover! I am swooning at how perfect it is! I absolutely love it—much more than the cover of any of his other novels. Who ever designed this cover art had a wonderful vision and it captured my eye and made the book stand out even more!
See my full review here
To say that Matthew Pearl likes literature is an understatement. Many of his books are literary related in some way or another, making them really intriguing to me.
My first experience with Pearl was with the book THE LAST BOOKANEER which was a wonderful read, but more importantly it was different. I have also had THE DANTE CLUB on my radar for the better part of six years, so when this one came up for review I was stoked. So why haven’t I read THE DANTE CLUB you ask…..I have no idea.
Maybe it’s because it’s been on my TBR list for so long that I’ve forgotten about it as I keep adding new books or maybe it’s because I don’t own a copy of the first book. Whatever it is—when this book came up for review, I gave it a solid ‘hell ya’ to review!
So let’s get the obvious question out of the way first….this is the second in a series, having not read the first book did I feel lost? No. I did not. I see that a number of readers also commented that this book was a true standalone book and I would agree. Pearl did a great job at helping new readers navigate this new novel and filled in any of the gaps and questions from the first book in the series but again, if you haven’t read the first book do not feel like you need to go back and read it to enjoy this one.
For me, this book was more of a thinker book rather than a casual novel where you just read lightly and enjoy the story as it happens. This book makes you engage actively in the story and makes you think. The plot is basic yet the characters and narrative style are more tedious and it does take some time to process and get used to so be prepared to focus and pay attention throughout this book.
This kind of meandering style seems to be a signature of Pearl’s as I remember his style being similar in THE LAST BOOKANEER. He takes a lot of time to set readers up for the story and the characters. This approach might bore some readers but I encourage you to stay the course because this is a very interesting and well written book with a thrilling historical mystery!
This book is obviously heavy on the literary references as well, while you certainly don’t need to be an English Lit scholar to read this book, you will find lots of little references to love and endear this novel to you if you have a basic understanding of English Lit. I myself have a degree in English Lit so I loved all the little nuances of this novel because of that.
I think this book is the sort of book that appeals to a certain type of reader. While I think most audiences will find this book ‘great’ I think a more specific audience will find it ‘outstanding’. If you like sophisticated mysteries with a smart narration style, then you will likely rate this book as outstanding. I would say it came in at a 4.5 for me. While I loved the mystery itself and the ‘thinking’ piece, I found the first half of the book a little tedious….not enough to make me rate it lower than a 4 though. What bumped it to the 4.5 rating though was all the fun literary references in the book…..that’s Pearl’s bread and butter right there!
On a final note….the cover. OMG the cover! I am swooning at how perfect it is! I absolutely love it—much more than the cover of any of his other novels. Who ever designed this cover art had a wonderful vision and it captured my eye and made the book stand out even more!
See my full review here
March 7, 2018
Oh, Matthew Pearl, Dante Alighieri, Oliver Wendell Holmes et. all, how I love thee.
Allow me to count the Levels.
One, Ante-Purgatory or Stubbornness, where you wash me upon the shore in uncertain anticipation as to what journey you will enforce upon me and if I will be able to get anything done until I finish each and every page. I feel no guilt for those the people and tasks that I will ignore as I devour your words and characters. In short, I feel no need for repentance, just leave me and my book be. It is where the invisible “P” for Pearl is written on my forehead, much like the “P” for Purgatory on Dante during his journey.
I quickly become entranced by your characters that will not back down from the good fight, no matter the cost. So entranced that I forget to warn everyone that I've gotten my hands on a new Matthew Pearl book and totally fall into the idea of tuning everyone out now and asking for forgiveness now. I forget to repent before diving in.
Two, Pride, is the point that I squeal with glee and rub it into everyone's faces that I have the book already and they don't. Social Media, face to face, total strangers are all made aware of my accomplishment that they didn't manage. While continuing to do this, I slowly fall into the framework of his book, get to know the related characters, download their relevant works if they are based on real-life people, which they usually are and oh, the googling that happens at those moments that I am able to rip my attention away for a moment.
Three, Envy, is where I mutter a curse that Pearl has much better grasp of his characters real life characters, Robert Browning, Christina Rossetti, Gabriel Dante Rossetti, Dante Alighieri, Oliver Wendell Holmes (again), England’s Poet Laureate Lord Tennyson, etc. I nearly pull my hair out when I realize that he also is intimately familiar with the dead wives of both Browning and Rossetti, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Elizabeth Siddal. Does this man’s knowledge ever stop, two continents, multiple poets and authors? Argh!
Four, Wrath, is the point where I’m trying to catch up by reading the great works of those mentioned above while still reading Matthew Pearl’s book and failing miserably. Blast that magician of a writer! How will I ever fully understand all of his work without understanding the works of the people that he knows so well.
Fifth, Sloth, that point where I give up on my extraneous reading and let Pearl’s work just wash over me without effort, page after page, unable to stop, unable to bath, unable to bother with anything or anyone else.
Sixth, Avarice, I am punished for my ambition to be as great and well researched a writer as Matthew Pearl by bluish bags under my eyes, my brain on fire, and pain from the tenseness of my muscles as I have read. I’m left laid out in med, popping Aleve like Tic-Tacs as I continue to turn pages. I am bound to the book and the book is bound to me. We cannot be parted and I must suffer my punishment until the very end.
Seventh, Gluttony, in which I have finished the book and remember that I haven’t eaten since I turned the first page. I lie there, too entranced by the story to move yet imagining the feast I will prepare once I am over the afterglow of The Dante Chamber’s awesomeness. Perhaps because I’m in mourning for being done with the latest work of Matthew Pearl, the magical invisible “P” is removed from my forehead.
Eighth, we have Lust, where I am made walk through hot coals in trying to figure out how to review a book that meant so much. I think of the great professional critics and know that I will never match up just like my review will never encompass all of the entrancement that Matthew Pearl’s latest work. Like Dante, I know that I must pass through this gauntlet of fire, yet I know that while I might be able, it will be a poor poor excuse for a review. That is...unless...I become inspired as Dante and Pearl did and create something unique along with Dante/Pearl-esque in the process.
At the summit of this mountain and like Dante, after all of my trials, I am left in Paradiso. What adventures await me here? Dante spelled it out yet will Pearl continue the tale or will Paradise be too much for even such a talented writer and Dante scholar as he to continue? One can only wish that Dante’s Beatrice, the mystery of her and her final message to him will be too much for Pearl to resist. I live in hope at the gates of Paradise.
In all honesty, I have never regretted reading any of Pearl’s work and they always leave me in awe of his research and therefore ability to grasp real life people in a way that makes one feel as if they almost know them. What I also appreciate is that he doesn’t play fast and loose with the facts and timelines, sure there are tweaks here and there, yet much less than most other historical fiction authors. I grab his new work like one would grab a life raft on a sinking boat, nothing else matters except for his latest work and I must finish it before doing anything else. It’s almost an addiction and I am nowhere near ready for a 12 step group for help thank you very much. They always introduce me deeply to works of his characters with a drive that I wouldn’t have if I was just picking them up at random. His work gives me the desire to really grasp the work of people like Holmes, Longfellow, Christina Rossetti, Robert Browning and more, even though I tend to scoff at poetry.
For example, last night I read Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market and at first, saw a weird fairy tale. I continued to ruminate on it and found much more symbolism as the clock ticked by and my insomnia kicked into overdrive. Perhaps, only perhaps, Pearl’s work may finally get to move beyond the grasp of poetry that I left behind in high school and go forward. No promises. As my daddy used to say sarcastically, “It’s something to shoot for.” For that and the hours of pleasure Pearl’s work has given me, I thank him.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Penguin Press for the early review copy.
Allow me to count the Levels.
One, Ante-Purgatory or Stubbornness, where you wash me upon the shore in uncertain anticipation as to what journey you will enforce upon me and if I will be able to get anything done until I finish each and every page. I feel no guilt for those the people and tasks that I will ignore as I devour your words and characters. In short, I feel no need for repentance, just leave me and my book be. It is where the invisible “P” for Pearl is written on my forehead, much like the “P” for Purgatory on Dante during his journey.
I quickly become entranced by your characters that will not back down from the good fight, no matter the cost. So entranced that I forget to warn everyone that I've gotten my hands on a new Matthew Pearl book and totally fall into the idea of tuning everyone out now and asking for forgiveness now. I forget to repent before diving in.
Two, Pride, is the point that I squeal with glee and rub it into everyone's faces that I have the book already and they don't. Social Media, face to face, total strangers are all made aware of my accomplishment that they didn't manage. While continuing to do this, I slowly fall into the framework of his book, get to know the related characters, download their relevant works if they are based on real-life people, which they usually are and oh, the googling that happens at those moments that I am able to rip my attention away for a moment.
Three, Envy, is where I mutter a curse that Pearl has much better grasp of his characters real life characters, Robert Browning, Christina Rossetti, Gabriel Dante Rossetti, Dante Alighieri, Oliver Wendell Holmes (again), England’s Poet Laureate Lord Tennyson, etc. I nearly pull my hair out when I realize that he also is intimately familiar with the dead wives of both Browning and Rossetti, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Elizabeth Siddal. Does this man’s knowledge ever stop, two continents, multiple poets and authors? Argh!
Four, Wrath, is the point where I’m trying to catch up by reading the great works of those mentioned above while still reading Matthew Pearl’s book and failing miserably. Blast that magician of a writer! How will I ever fully understand all of his work without understanding the works of the people that he knows so well.
Fifth, Sloth, that point where I give up on my extraneous reading and let Pearl’s work just wash over me without effort, page after page, unable to stop, unable to bath, unable to bother with anything or anyone else.
Sixth, Avarice, I am punished for my ambition to be as great and well researched a writer as Matthew Pearl by bluish bags under my eyes, my brain on fire, and pain from the tenseness of my muscles as I have read. I’m left laid out in med, popping Aleve like Tic-Tacs as I continue to turn pages. I am bound to the book and the book is bound to me. We cannot be parted and I must suffer my punishment until the very end.
Seventh, Gluttony, in which I have finished the book and remember that I haven’t eaten since I turned the first page. I lie there, too entranced by the story to move yet imagining the feast I will prepare once I am over the afterglow of The Dante Chamber’s awesomeness. Perhaps because I’m in mourning for being done with the latest work of Matthew Pearl, the magical invisible “P” is removed from my forehead.
Eighth, we have Lust, where I am made walk through hot coals in trying to figure out how to review a book that meant so much. I think of the great professional critics and know that I will never match up just like my review will never encompass all of the entrancement that Matthew Pearl’s latest work. Like Dante, I know that I must pass through this gauntlet of fire, yet I know that while I might be able, it will be a poor poor excuse for a review. That is...unless...I become inspired as Dante and Pearl did and create something unique along with Dante/Pearl-esque in the process.
At the summit of this mountain and like Dante, after all of my trials, I am left in Paradiso. What adventures await me here? Dante spelled it out yet will Pearl continue the tale or will Paradise be too much for even such a talented writer and Dante scholar as he to continue? One can only wish that Dante’s Beatrice, the mystery of her and her final message to him will be too much for Pearl to resist. I live in hope at the gates of Paradise.
In all honesty, I have never regretted reading any of Pearl’s work and they always leave me in awe of his research and therefore ability to grasp real life people in a way that makes one feel as if they almost know them. What I also appreciate is that he doesn’t play fast and loose with the facts and timelines, sure there are tweaks here and there, yet much less than most other historical fiction authors. I grab his new work like one would grab a life raft on a sinking boat, nothing else matters except for his latest work and I must finish it before doing anything else. It’s almost an addiction and I am nowhere near ready for a 12 step group for help thank you very much. They always introduce me deeply to works of his characters with a drive that I wouldn’t have if I was just picking them up at random. His work gives me the desire to really grasp the work of people like Holmes, Longfellow, Christina Rossetti, Robert Browning and more, even though I tend to scoff at poetry.
For example, last night I read Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market and at first, saw a weird fairy tale. I continued to ruminate on it and found much more symbolism as the clock ticked by and my insomnia kicked into overdrive. Perhaps, only perhaps, Pearl’s work may finally get to move beyond the grasp of poetry that I left behind in high school and go forward. No promises. As my daddy used to say sarcastically, “It’s something to shoot for.” For that and the hours of pleasure Pearl’s work has given me, I thank him.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Penguin Press for the early review copy.
April 29, 2018
I absolutely loved The Dante Club and was so excited to see there was a sequel. At the beginning it seemed like a repeat of the story with just a change in scenery from Boston to London but things take an unpredictable path and the copycat Dante killer is not what he seems. This is not at all a replay of The Dante Club it is a completely different animal. If possible, it’s even more surprising, more suspenseful and more shocking. The twists were jaw-dropping. One astonished me so completely that I actually had to stop reading, put the book down and say “Oh my god” out loud. I could not believe what I was reading! The reason for these deaths blew my mind! While The Dante Club started a bit slowly and then picked up, The Dante Chamber had much better pacing and was exciting right from the start and all the way through.
The writing is smart and incredible, the characters are so well done that I really felt like I knew these poets. High school English was never very exciting as all the old, dead, white guys weren’t very relatable to my teenage self. If only I had known them like they are in The Dante series. They’re so vibrant and real that I forget this is fiction. If you ask me about Tennyson I will be sure to note that he was pretty well blind and loved to quote his own poems which he would praise as brilliant! . Browning loved his wife deeply but was a bit of a pompous ass. I don't know if all this is true but it feels like the truth and it's the version of these famous men that I will remember in the future. These poets act like divas. They are self centered, self important, patronizing and absolutely hilarious! The Dante Chamber is a thoughtful read that will require you to use your brain but it is so clever and funny that it will be completely painless! :)
I received this book for free through a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway but this has not influenced my review in any way.
The writing is smart and incredible, the characters are so well done that I really felt like I knew these poets. High school English was never very exciting as all the old, dead, white guys weren’t very relatable to my teenage self. If only I had known them like they are in The Dante series. They’re so vibrant and real that I forget this is fiction. If you ask me about Tennyson I will be sure to note that he was pretty well blind and loved to quote his own poems which he would praise as brilliant! . Browning loved his wife deeply but was a bit of a pompous ass. I don't know if all this is true but it feels like the truth and it's the version of these famous men that I will remember in the future. These poets act like divas. They are self centered, self important, patronizing and absolutely hilarious! The Dante Chamber is a thoughtful read that will require you to use your brain but it is so clever and funny that it will be completely painless! :)
I received this book for free through a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway but this has not influenced my review in any way.
May 29, 2018
Delicious, dark, and dreamy historical thrillers are Matthew Pearl’s specialty, and he again delivers with THE DANTE CHAMBER. Though it is preceded by THE DANTE CLUB, the book stands alone as a world contained.
The fascinating London literati of the mid-nineteenth century populate the pages, and are an utter delight because of their absurdity, their egos, and their unique views of the world. Christina Rossetti is the heart of the book, at once intimidating, otherworldly, and sympathetic. Tennyson, Browning, and Holmes come alive, each remarkable and strange, certain to inspire readers to revisit their works or learn more about them.
The mystery is unique and captivating. Readers will gain new insights into Dante’s DIVINE COMEDY, and the implications for how criminal or obsessive minds could corrupt its message. THE DANTE CHAMBER is not a simple read–it is layered, complex, and dense. I recommend it to readers who enjoy deep character development and rich explorations of time and art.
The fascinating London literati of the mid-nineteenth century populate the pages, and are an utter delight because of their absurdity, their egos, and their unique views of the world. Christina Rossetti is the heart of the book, at once intimidating, otherworldly, and sympathetic. Tennyson, Browning, and Holmes come alive, each remarkable and strange, certain to inspire readers to revisit their works or learn more about them.
The mystery is unique and captivating. Readers will gain new insights into Dante’s DIVINE COMEDY, and the implications for how criminal or obsessive minds could corrupt its message. THE DANTE CHAMBER is not a simple read–it is layered, complex, and dense. I recommend it to readers who enjoy deep character development and rich explorations of time and art.
June 26, 2018
Very engrossing, fun, and quite a ride......and now I am finally reading Purgatory, which is a big part of this novel....with the poem, intertwined through out the story. Twists and turns all along the way. I enjoyed the history part of it, and the literary people involved. Set in London, when the first book was set in Boston.....and Dante and his Divine Comedy , the star.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
September 20, 2020
Years ago, I read the book that this is a sequel to. It blew me. I was just sucked into it. This book didn't have that same chemistry, but still a good book to read.
We have many of the same characters (poets) and - of course - The Divine Comedy, but not the same feeling. Characters are focuse on and then left hanging. This book could have been much better.
We have many of the same characters (poets) and - of course - The Divine Comedy, but not the same feeling. Characters are focuse on and then left hanging. This book could have been much better.
July 14, 2018
Victorian versifiers (Christina Rossetti, Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson, and Oliver Wendell Holmes) tussle with a serial killer in this continuation of events chronicled in The Dante Club (2003). Pearl's modus operandi throughout his clutch of historical novels is his interweaving of literary stylistics. In his latest, the twentieth century Serial Killer Novel melds with the nineteenth century Novel of Sensation and adds a filigree of the eighteenth century Gothic Tale. The 'murders' Pearl devises are ingenious equivalents for the punishments meted out in the stanzas of Dante's second part of his Divine Comedy, Purgatory. All of this has to do with a reckoning of mankind's sinfulness and preparation for his fall, or some such eschatological balderdash. Regardless, it is quite an enjoyable, if slightly schematically-rendered, read.
June 30, 2018
I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. I didn't even like it much, and finished it out of loyalty to the author, who has written some fine thrillers, including The Dante Club. I found it difficult to put that first book down, but found this one about as hard to pick up. The sequel seems much more Dante-centric, to the point of obsession. Pearl even falls into the trap of incorporating expository literary history into internal monologues and dialogue in sometimes unconvincing and obvious ways. Even though I find literary history interesting, this was too much, and became tiresome for me. If you've never read Pearl, start with The Dante Club, and take your time getting to this one. Every book can't be a writer's best. This one isn't.
tried-a-chapter-unhaul
April 24, 2025DNF - end of chapter 1
I have no earthly idea why I got the sequel to a book I did not like, other than it was probably a dollar.
I have no earthly idea why I got the sequel to a book I did not like, other than it was probably a dollar.
April 15, 2019
While I didn't like it as well as the previous Dante Club. I found the atmosphere of 1870's London to just as central a character as those trying to solve the murders. There is also the disappearance of Christina Rossetti's brother and together with Robert Browning, Oliver Wendell Holmes and Alfred Tennyson. They try to find out if her brother who was obsessed with Dante Inferno. Could he be the one behind the murders or the next victim.
June 21, 2018
Having multiple device issues and bad weather may have thrown me into a less than friendly mood as I read this book. I must admit that I did not read the first book in the series either. I read a book by this author a few years ago and saw that I did not respond well to his writing style then either. Many more words are used than necessary.
I also said about that earlier book that there was great potential in plot and characters. This Dante series probably does appeal to any Dante fans as well as historical fiction fans who like to see famous authors, poets and artists populating the pages. Just not for me.
I also said about that earlier book that there was great potential in plot and characters. This Dante series probably does appeal to any Dante fans as well as historical fiction fans who like to see famous authors, poets and artists populating the pages. Just not for me.
July 2, 2018
I don't really have a lot to say about this book, as much as I love the subject matter.. Dante, Holmes, Browning, & Tennyson... It just didn't click with me.
The beginning sets up a nice plot, with a murder found to be based on the works of Dante, but then it just sort of falters, there is too much interpretations of Dante's work and less focus on the actual plot, which honestly kept throwing me off. The ending is basically where the action is and there's not much of it.
I found it interesting and well researched, but overly wordy and the story too broken up with interpretations of Dante's works. It just wasn't for me.
*I received an advanced copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The beginning sets up a nice plot, with a murder found to be based on the works of Dante, but then it just sort of falters, there is too much interpretations of Dante's work and less focus on the actual plot, which honestly kept throwing me off. The ending is basically where the action is and there's not much of it.
I found it interesting and well researched, but overly wordy and the story too broken up with interpretations of Dante's works. It just wasn't for me.
*I received an advanced copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 15, 2018
Matthew Pearl is a mystery writer with equal parts erudition, skill, pacing, and historical intrigue. In this second entry into his Dante Club series the scene shifts to London and a series of apparent gruesome murders based on the 7 terraces of Dante's Purgatorio. Bringing back Oliver Wendell Holmes and introducing Robert Browning, Christina Rossetti, and Alfred Lord Tennyson into the investigative team, Pearl delivers a thrilling mystery that at no point resorts to cheap tricks while at the same time provides several hints and references that readers of his other works will appreciate. This is mystery writing at its most erudite and exciting, great stuff!
February 23, 2019
This was definitely not "The Dante Club". I found this book rather dry, not particularly compelling mystery-wise, and generally difficult to get into. I slogged my way through 63% of the book and decided to quit. This is the first book I've quit in a couple of years. I'm a little disappointed.
July 2, 2019
After the terrible happenings in Boston of a deranged killer trying to copy the work of Dante's "Comedy" they thought it was all over but evil has crept back...
The scene is London and a politician is found dead with clues that lead back to Dante.
Incredibly it all lends suspicion to the Rosetti siblings, Gabriel in particular.
Christina is single minded in her conviction that it's not her brother committing these crimes and sets out with the help of her literary friends, including Wendell Holmes from the first novel to try and solve the clues and track down the real killer but will she be in time?
With echoes of earlier events this is a clever narration and continuance of the Dante club effortlessly weaving some fact with a huge dose of fiction.
A truly worthy and for me, a much anticipated sequel which I enjoyed just as much as the first.
The scene is London and a politician is found dead with clues that lead back to Dante.
Incredibly it all lends suspicion to the Rosetti siblings, Gabriel in particular.
Christina is single minded in her conviction that it's not her brother committing these crimes and sets out with the help of her literary friends, including Wendell Holmes from the first novel to try and solve the clues and track down the real killer but will she be in time?
With echoes of earlier events this is a clever narration and continuance of the Dante club effortlessly weaving some fact with a huge dose of fiction.
A truly worthy and for me, a much anticipated sequel which I enjoyed just as much as the first.
Read
August 2, 2018Did not finish: quitting on page 120. I really liked The Dante Club when it came out...15 years ago, but haven't been too impressed with Pearl in the books I've read since then. Since this was a direct sequel I was hoping that the magic would come back. Sadly, it didn't really work. All the pieces were there, but there wasn't anything that hooked me.
July 14, 2022
I remember reading book one in high school and thoroughly enjoyed the historical fiction, mystery, and Dantean inspired deaths. This is more of the same, and I got no complaints 😁.
May 26, 2018
Read my review next Friday on bookreporter.com .
June 22, 2018
I am not a poet, nor do I know much about poets. So, I was not familiar with the writings of Browning, Tennyson, or the others that Matthew Pearl refers to in Dante’s Chamber. There were times that I felt like I was lost, times I felt like I had no clue what was being referred to but I kept reading. I wanted to know where Christina’s brother was.
Dante’s Chamber is a slow read. I am usually a quick reader and with this one, I had to read every word and read them slowly so that I could follow the story. Usually, I give up on books like this and I almost did a couple times but I am so glad that I continued reading. I became invested in the story and the characters.
While this is part of the Dante Club series it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I did not read the first book and I was still able to follow along, understand, and enjoy Matthew Pearl’s story.
Dante’s Chamber is a slow read. I am usually a quick reader and with this one, I had to read every word and read them slowly so that I could follow the story. Usually, I give up on books like this and I almost did a couple times but I am so glad that I continued reading. I became invested in the story and the characters.
While this is part of the Dante Club series it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I did not read the first book and I was still able to follow along, understand, and enjoy Matthew Pearl’s story.
October 6, 2022
For the record: I loved The Dante Club. It was dark, cozy, packed with fascinating characters, an entrancing mystery with a jaw-dropping solution, and the sense of place: Post-civil war Boston was immersive.
This attempt to capture that magic in a sequel falls so far short it's embarrassing, it makes me wonder what the heck happened to Pearl; should he go on some kind of retreat?
Taking place in London after the events of the Dante Club, our main characters are Christina Rossetti, the sister to pre-raphaelite painter and poet, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, poet Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson, Oliver Wendell Holmes (for some continuity I suppose?), and Scotland Yard inspector Adolphus "Dolly" Williamson about 10 years away from hunting Jack the Ripper.
...And that's about all that can be said about these characters. They are so 2 dimensional, Pearl may as well have had speech bubbles issuing from portraits. Christina is a tiresome saint who disapproves of women drinking champagne and letting their hair down; Browning's wife died in Italy; Tennyson smokes pipes incessantly; Holmes is a doctor, and Dolly is Scottish. That's it. That's the character profile.
The setting of London is almost immaterial for all it adds to the book. There is such a lack of the sense of it that I seriously doubt if Pearl has ever actually been? I mean, for God's sake, it's grey! It's damp! It's noisy! The streets squelch underfoot with horse manure and mud churned by the wheels of wagons and carriages! There's an everlasting scent of tobacco, damp wool, burning coal, and badly distilled gin! This is not hard!!
And throughout the prose is this sycophantic obsession with Dante. In Pearl's debut novel, The Dante Club, the man was admired, the process of translating his verses in Italian to English illustrating just how much he contributed to poetry as it's practiced in the Western world today. But for all that, he was still human! In the Chamber, he's revered as an actual prophet, and a paragon to live up to. Frankly, this doesn't make sense as the narration frequently references his mental obsession with a dead woman he had seen once while being married and fathering children.
Reader, fans of Matthew Pearl: Pretend this one doesn't exist. Read The Dante Chamber and be happy.
This attempt to capture that magic in a sequel falls so far short it's embarrassing, it makes me wonder what the heck happened to Pearl; should he go on some kind of retreat?
Taking place in London after the events of the Dante Club, our main characters are Christina Rossetti, the sister to pre-raphaelite painter and poet, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, poet Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson, Oliver Wendell Holmes (for some continuity I suppose?), and Scotland Yard inspector Adolphus "Dolly" Williamson about 10 years away from hunting Jack the Ripper.
...And that's about all that can be said about these characters. They are so 2 dimensional, Pearl may as well have had speech bubbles issuing from portraits. Christina is a tiresome saint who disapproves of women drinking champagne and letting their hair down; Browning's wife died in Italy; Tennyson smokes pipes incessantly; Holmes is a doctor, and Dolly is Scottish. That's it. That's the character profile.
The setting of London is almost immaterial for all it adds to the book. There is such a lack of the sense of it that I seriously doubt if Pearl has ever actually been? I mean, for God's sake, it's grey! It's damp! It's noisy! The streets squelch underfoot with horse manure and mud churned by the wheels of wagons and carriages! There's an everlasting scent of tobacco, damp wool, burning coal, and badly distilled gin! This is not hard!!
And throughout the prose is this sycophantic obsession with Dante. In Pearl's debut novel, The Dante Club, the man was admired, the process of translating his verses in Italian to English illustrating just how much he contributed to poetry as it's practiced in the Western world today. But for all that, he was still human! In the Chamber, he's revered as an actual prophet, and a paragon to live up to. Frankly, this doesn't make sense as the narration frequently references his mental obsession with a dead woman he had seen once while being married and fathering children.
Reader, fans of Matthew Pearl: Pretend this one doesn't exist. Read The Dante Chamber and be happy.
June 11, 2018
Having enjoyed the Dante Club, I was looking forward to the Dante Chamber. First, a little too much time has lapsed between the first novel and the sequel. Sprinkled throughout were some references to the previous story but it has been so long ago that I have forgotten a lot. As to this novel, interesting premise following Dante’s travels through purgatory. However, too much explanation of the infinite interpretations of the poem. It broke up the rhythm of the story. Needed some editing. Interesting characters but too much internal angst, especially on the part of Christina Rosetti and her brother Gabriel. Some nice detail but you could see the fingerprints of research unnecessary facts to justify the “historical” of this historical fiction. Since Mr. Pearl has incorporated Dante’s Inferno for the plot of his first novel and Dante’s Purgatory for this novel, can it be assumed that Dante’s Paradise will be the basis for a third novel. Also saw a couple of Easter eggs of his novels about MIT and the Bookeneers. Despite my misgivings, I will probably continue to read Mr. Pearl’s books. Always a quick read and I usually learn something.
September 9, 2023
Matthew Pearl's exhaustive knowledge on literature and poets and the 19th century is something I admire in his work. I feel his love of the subjects, and his dry eagerness to powder every surface with a bit of this passion.
The Dante Chamber has that same stuffing and more. Maybe too much? I had no idea the Rosetti siblings were real historical characters, so the first half of the book felt like a mix between a university history test and an under-zealous fanfic. Well, it kind of is that.
When the plot catches up it fits snugly with Browning and Holmes and Tennyson. Lots of loose ends are connected while still leaving behind a few mysteries and, of course, the wonder that this whole tale could fit perfectly in Actual History without causing a single disturbance. It's pretty masterful. But the plot itself feels like an underdeveloped C-list actor who shows up at the end.
I'm coming out of this having learned a lot about some great poets. Christina Rosetti! What a great one. It's a good book despite feeling a little like homework.
The Dante Chamber has that same stuffing and more. Maybe too much? I had no idea the Rosetti siblings were real historical characters, so the first half of the book felt like a mix between a university history test and an under-zealous fanfic. Well, it kind of is that.
When the plot catches up it fits snugly with Browning and Holmes and Tennyson. Lots of loose ends are connected while still leaving behind a few mysteries and, of course, the wonder that this whole tale could fit perfectly in Actual History without causing a single disturbance. It's pretty masterful. But the plot itself feels like an underdeveloped C-list actor who shows up at the end.
I'm coming out of this having learned a lot about some great poets. Christina Rosetti! What a great one. It's a good book despite feeling a little like homework.
May 17, 2020
His best since his first novel (Dante Club), and I've read all of his novels. The plot gets convoluted. You have to do a lot of disbelief suspending. But ti's a fun and memorable ride. And you'll come away itching to take another look at Dante as well as the works of poets who are characters in the story -- Christina and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Browning, Tennyson, Oliver Wendell Holmes.
December 10, 2018
Matthew Pearl’s debut novel, THE DANTE CLUB --- a terrific blend of history, literature and fiction --- found poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes and James Russell Lowell seeking out a killer who has staged a series of murders throughout the Boston area that resemble some of Hell's punishments as found in Dante's “Inferno.” The book was a breakthrough hit and was extremely well-received.
Since then, Pearl has written successive stories involving literary giants like Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens and, in his previous effort THE LAST BOOKANEER, Robert Louis Stevenson. It is clear that quality literature and its historical context are what Pearl knows best, and it rings true in his intelligent and entertaining works of fiction.
With the release of his latest novel, THE DANTE CHAMBER, we are thrown back into a murder case that once again involves Dante’s writing. The book is set in 1870, and the principal action takes place in London. When a politician is discovered in a park, his neck broken in horrible fashion by a rock tied around it, the murder calls to mind the Boston killings just five years earlier. A verse from Dante's “Inferno” is found on the deceased gentleman.
Assisting in this effort is a new trio of writers/poets. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes returns, traveling from America to lend his assistance. He is joined by Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson, and all are brought together by another poet, Christina Rossetti, who fears that her brother, artist and writer Dante Gabriel Rossetti, may be the next victim. As other bodies are found throughout London, it is obvious that another Dante-inspired killer is at work as each of these killings resembles the different canticles in Dante's “Purgatory.”
Rossetti had his name changed to reflect his adoration of Dante Alighieri, and this fact is not lost on those who are seeking to protect him. The novel is full of literary references, and it is a treat for those who love classic literature to see names like John Polidori, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron bandied about. As the search for the killer and his whereabouts intensifies, things take an unpredictable turn as law enforcement begins to believe that Rossetti himself may be responsible for these crimes. His overdramatic paintings and morbid poetry have made him the number one suspect.
Christina refuses to believe this, and spurs on her gathered trio of fellow poets to work harder to find the real killer and prove her brother's innocence. There is one chapter that outlines the complete text of an interrogation of Rossetti by the police, and it is chilling. Tennyson begins to buy into the possibility of his guilt, which divides the team and makes their mission that much more difficult.
THE DANTE CHAMBER provides many thrills and continues to dig deeper into Dante's “Inferno.” At one point, the chief investigator states, “Literature, like a parasite, can envelop a man's whole soul when weakened.” Does this allude to the fact that Rossetti may indeed be guilty, or is there something far more horrifying to be uncovered as they all dig deeper? Dante himself was ridiculed and shunned in his heyday, and labeled as arrogant for daring to try to capture the word of God as his own.
Matthew Pearl expertly examines all of these sentiments, and the historical facts lend much credibility to his efforts. In the novel’s postscript, he points out that the years 1870 and 1300 bore an identical calendar. 1300 was the year that Dante claimed he made his journey into the afterlife. Very interesting...
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Since then, Pearl has written successive stories involving literary giants like Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens and, in his previous effort THE LAST BOOKANEER, Robert Louis Stevenson. It is clear that quality literature and its historical context are what Pearl knows best, and it rings true in his intelligent and entertaining works of fiction.
With the release of his latest novel, THE DANTE CHAMBER, we are thrown back into a murder case that once again involves Dante’s writing. The book is set in 1870, and the principal action takes place in London. When a politician is discovered in a park, his neck broken in horrible fashion by a rock tied around it, the murder calls to mind the Boston killings just five years earlier. A verse from Dante's “Inferno” is found on the deceased gentleman.
Assisting in this effort is a new trio of writers/poets. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes returns, traveling from America to lend his assistance. He is joined by Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson, and all are brought together by another poet, Christina Rossetti, who fears that her brother, artist and writer Dante Gabriel Rossetti, may be the next victim. As other bodies are found throughout London, it is obvious that another Dante-inspired killer is at work as each of these killings resembles the different canticles in Dante's “Purgatory.”
Rossetti had his name changed to reflect his adoration of Dante Alighieri, and this fact is not lost on those who are seeking to protect him. The novel is full of literary references, and it is a treat for those who love classic literature to see names like John Polidori, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron bandied about. As the search for the killer and his whereabouts intensifies, things take an unpredictable turn as law enforcement begins to believe that Rossetti himself may be responsible for these crimes. His overdramatic paintings and morbid poetry have made him the number one suspect.
Christina refuses to believe this, and spurs on her gathered trio of fellow poets to work harder to find the real killer and prove her brother's innocence. There is one chapter that outlines the complete text of an interrogation of Rossetti by the police, and it is chilling. Tennyson begins to buy into the possibility of his guilt, which divides the team and makes their mission that much more difficult.
THE DANTE CHAMBER provides many thrills and continues to dig deeper into Dante's “Inferno.” At one point, the chief investigator states, “Literature, like a parasite, can envelop a man's whole soul when weakened.” Does this allude to the fact that Rossetti may indeed be guilty, or is there something far more horrifying to be uncovered as they all dig deeper? Dante himself was ridiculed and shunned in his heyday, and labeled as arrogant for daring to try to capture the word of God as his own.
Matthew Pearl expertly examines all of these sentiments, and the historical facts lend much credibility to his efforts. In the novel’s postscript, he points out that the years 1870 and 1300 bore an identical calendar. 1300 was the year that Dante claimed he made his journey into the afterlife. Very interesting...
Reviewed by Ray Palen
December 27, 2018
Matthew Pearl’s debut novel, THE DANTE CLUB --- a terrific blend of history, literature and fiction --- found poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes and James Russell Lowell seeking out a killer who has staged a series of murders throughout the Boston area that resemble some of Hell's punishments as found in Dante's “Inferno.” The book was a breakthrough hit and was extremely well-received.
Since then, Pearl has written successive stories involving literary giants like Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens and, in his previous effort THE LAST BOOKANEER, Robert Louis Stevenson. It is clear that quality literature and its historical context are what Pearl knows best, and it rings true in his intelligent and entertaining works of fiction.
With the release of his latest novel, THE DANTE CHAMBER, we are thrown back into a murder case that once again involves Dante’s writing. The book is set in 1870, and the principal action takes place in London. When a politician is discovered in a park, his neck broken in horrible fashion by a rock tied around it, the murder calls to mind the Boston killings just five years earlier. A verse from Dante's “Inferno” is found on the deceased gentleman.
Assisting in this effort is a new trio of writers/poets. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes returns, traveling from America to lend his assistance. He is joined by Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson, and all are brought together by another poet, Christina Rossetti, who fears that her brother, artist and writer Dante Gabriel Rossetti, may be the next victim. As other bodies are found throughout London, it is obvious that another Dante-inspired killer is at work as each of these killings resembles the different canticles in Dante's “Purgatory.”
Rossetti had his name changed to reflect his adoration of Dante Alighieri, and this fact is not lost on those who are seeking to protect him. The novel is full of literary references, and it is a treat for those who love classic literature to see names like John Polidori, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron bandied about. As the search for the killer and his whereabouts intensifies, things take an unpredictable turn as law enforcement begins to believe that Rossetti himself may be responsible for these crimes. His overdramatic paintings and morbid poetry have made him the number one suspect.
Christina refuses to believe this, and spurs on her gathered trio of fellow poets to work harder to find the real killer and prove her brother's innocence. There is one chapter that outlines the complete text of an interrogation of Rossetti by the police, and it is chilling. Tennyson begins to buy into the possibility of his guilt, which divides the team and makes their mission that much more difficult.
THE DANTE CHAMBER provides many thrills and continues to dig deeper into Dante's “Inferno.” At one point, the chief investigator states, “Literature, like a parasite, can envelop a man's whole soul when weakened.” Does this allude to the fact that Rossetti may indeed be guilty, or is there something far more horrifying to be uncovered as they all dig deeper? Dante himself was ridiculed and shunned in his heyday, and labeled as arrogant for daring to try to capture the word of God as his own.
Matthew Pearl expertly examines all of these sentiments, and the historical facts lend much credibility to his efforts. In the novel’s postscript, he points out that the years 1870 and 1300 bore an identical calendar. 1300 was the year that Dante claimed he made his journey into the afterlife. Very interesting...
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Since then, Pearl has written successive stories involving literary giants like Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens and, in his previous effort THE LAST BOOKANEER, Robert Louis Stevenson. It is clear that quality literature and its historical context are what Pearl knows best, and it rings true in his intelligent and entertaining works of fiction.
With the release of his latest novel, THE DANTE CHAMBER, we are thrown back into a murder case that once again involves Dante’s writing. The book is set in 1870, and the principal action takes place in London. When a politician is discovered in a park, his neck broken in horrible fashion by a rock tied around it, the murder calls to mind the Boston killings just five years earlier. A verse from Dante's “Inferno” is found on the deceased gentleman.
Assisting in this effort is a new trio of writers/poets. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes returns, traveling from America to lend his assistance. He is joined by Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson, and all are brought together by another poet, Christina Rossetti, who fears that her brother, artist and writer Dante Gabriel Rossetti, may be the next victim. As other bodies are found throughout London, it is obvious that another Dante-inspired killer is at work as each of these killings resembles the different canticles in Dante's “Purgatory.”
Rossetti had his name changed to reflect his adoration of Dante Alighieri, and this fact is not lost on those who are seeking to protect him. The novel is full of literary references, and it is a treat for those who love classic literature to see names like John Polidori, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron bandied about. As the search for the killer and his whereabouts intensifies, things take an unpredictable turn as law enforcement begins to believe that Rossetti himself may be responsible for these crimes. His overdramatic paintings and morbid poetry have made him the number one suspect.
Christina refuses to believe this, and spurs on her gathered trio of fellow poets to work harder to find the real killer and prove her brother's innocence. There is one chapter that outlines the complete text of an interrogation of Rossetti by the police, and it is chilling. Tennyson begins to buy into the possibility of his guilt, which divides the team and makes their mission that much more difficult.
THE DANTE CHAMBER provides many thrills and continues to dig deeper into Dante's “Inferno.” At one point, the chief investigator states, “Literature, like a parasite, can envelop a man's whole soul when weakened.” Does this allude to the fact that Rossetti may indeed be guilty, or is there something far more horrifying to be uncovered as they all dig deeper? Dante himself was ridiculed and shunned in his heyday, and labeled as arrogant for daring to try to capture the word of God as his own.
Matthew Pearl expertly examines all of these sentiments, and the historical facts lend much credibility to his efforts. In the novel’s postscript, he points out that the years 1870 and 1300 bore an identical calendar. 1300 was the year that Dante claimed he made his journey into the afterlife. Very interesting...
Reviewed by Ray Palen
December 9, 2018
I liked this sequel to THE DANTE CLUB, but not as much as the first one. Maybe that has something to do with my own feelings that Dante's INFERNO is more intense than the PURGATORIO. There's a reason only the INFERNO is taught in most AP courses.
Certainly all of Pearl's strengths are there--his educated sense of the time period, his development of his characters, and most of all, his diction and sentence structure which have that edge of formality appropriate for the 1800's.
Here is the Kirkus review:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
"This well-wrought sequel of sorts to The Dante Club (2002) shifts the action to England and another set of literary lights who seek to solve crimes tied to The Divine Comedy.
In late 1869, around the time a British member of Parliament dies under the crushing weight of a large stone on which a Latin message is written, the poet Christina Rossetti has an “ominous foreboding” about her missing brother, the erratic artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti. She, Robert Browning, and William Rossetti (another brother) seek clues at Gabriel’s London home, which he shares with a monkey, a raccoon, and other animals. The humans recognize links between the MP’s death and punishments in Dante’s “Purgatory.” They will be joined in their probe by Alfred Tennyson and Oliver Wendell Holmes, visiting from Boston, and bothered by the well-read Scotland Yard Detective Adolphus “Dolly” Williamson, who has trouble with the Fenians but is more intrigued by the Dante killing. Soon it's killings, starting with an opera singer whose eyes are sewn shut before she's bizarrely impaled. While the literati grow concerned that Gabriel is involved in the deaths, an ex-Pinkerton operative arrives in England to try to capitalize on the crimes the way he did with those in Boston that Pearl described in The Dante Club. Displaying extensive knowledge of the period and the writers, Pearl builds an intricate, well-layered plot. His addition of Holmes, one of the previous book’s main players, supplies a bridge between the U.S. and U.K. Dantean crimes. The language has nice period touches but overall is less overdone than in Pearl's past. And his focus on Christina among several imposing male writers makes narrative sense but is also a refreshing choice and produces a complex, appealing character."
Christina is an arresting character, whose faith in her brother, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, never falters. However, both she and Lord Tennyson seem very "buttoned up" compared to Browning and Holmes, and so brought the book to 3 stars for me. I'm sure part of the issue is the time period which is Pearl's trademark, since the mannerisms of the 19th century tend to grate, for me.
Pearl did manage to surprise me with a twist at the end that threw an entire new light on the story.
I had thought to read his other books, two of which center on Dickens and Poe--but I've realized that I've been able to accept the rather formal, stilted writing only because Dante was at the center. His shadow made both of these books resonate in ways that Poe and Dickens don't for me. Still, Pearl deserves praise for his ability to bring a time period to life, and his weaving of true history and fiction is well done.
Certainly all of Pearl's strengths are there--his educated sense of the time period, his development of his characters, and most of all, his diction and sentence structure which have that edge of formality appropriate for the 1800's.
Here is the Kirkus review:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
"This well-wrought sequel of sorts to The Dante Club (2002) shifts the action to England and another set of literary lights who seek to solve crimes tied to The Divine Comedy.
In late 1869, around the time a British member of Parliament dies under the crushing weight of a large stone on which a Latin message is written, the poet Christina Rossetti has an “ominous foreboding” about her missing brother, the erratic artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti. She, Robert Browning, and William Rossetti (another brother) seek clues at Gabriel’s London home, which he shares with a monkey, a raccoon, and other animals. The humans recognize links between the MP’s death and punishments in Dante’s “Purgatory.” They will be joined in their probe by Alfred Tennyson and Oliver Wendell Holmes, visiting from Boston, and bothered by the well-read Scotland Yard Detective Adolphus “Dolly” Williamson, who has trouble with the Fenians but is more intrigued by the Dante killing. Soon it's killings, starting with an opera singer whose eyes are sewn shut before she's bizarrely impaled. While the literati grow concerned that Gabriel is involved in the deaths, an ex-Pinkerton operative arrives in England to try to capitalize on the crimes the way he did with those in Boston that Pearl described in The Dante Club. Displaying extensive knowledge of the period and the writers, Pearl builds an intricate, well-layered plot. His addition of Holmes, one of the previous book’s main players, supplies a bridge between the U.S. and U.K. Dantean crimes. The language has nice period touches but overall is less overdone than in Pearl's past. And his focus on Christina among several imposing male writers makes narrative sense but is also a refreshing choice and produces a complex, appealing character."
Christina is an arresting character, whose faith in her brother, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, never falters. However, both she and Lord Tennyson seem very "buttoned up" compared to Browning and Holmes, and so brought the book to 3 stars for me. I'm sure part of the issue is the time period which is Pearl's trademark, since the mannerisms of the 19th century tend to grate, for me.
Pearl did manage to surprise me with a twist at the end that threw an entire new light on the story.
I had thought to read his other books, two of which center on Dickens and Poe--but I've realized that I've been able to accept the rather formal, stilted writing only because Dante was at the center. His shadow made both of these books resonate in ways that Poe and Dickens don't for me. Still, Pearl deserves praise for his ability to bring a time period to life, and his weaving of true history and fiction is well done.
July 14, 2025
Un sequel del giallo storico Il circolo Dante, uscito a quindici anni di distanza dal precedente e da me letto circa a venti anni di distanza.
Se devo essere sincera, non ricordo quasi nulla de Il Circolo Dante, tranne il fatto che mi era piaciuto. Non potrei dire se la qualità è scesa nei tre lustri che l’autore ha impiegato per dare alle stampe un seguito del suo romanzo d’esordio, oppure se i miei gusti sono molto cambiati nei quattro lustri trascorsi tra una lettura e l’altra.
Sta di fatto che questo secondo romanzo non mi ha proprio entusiasmato, anzi, devo ammettere che sono rimasta abbastanza delusa.
Quello che mi ha attratto inizialmente in questi due libri è il fatto che la trama sia incentrata sulla Divina Commedia, opera che ho adorato fin dai tempi del liceo (forse l’unica liceale d’Italia a non trovarla noiosa, ma affascinante): i protagonisti, in entrambi i casi, sono studiosi o appassionati del capolavoro dantesco e sono realmente esistiti.
La parte di finzione riguarda invece i delitti, che nel primo libro sono ispirati ai tormenti dei dannati nell’Inferno, mentre nel secondo alle punizioni per espiare i peccati descritte nel Purgatorio.
Pearl riesce ad amalgamare bene realtà storica e finzione e, cosa ancora più incredibile per uno statunitense, si è davvero ben documentato sulla vita e le opere di Dante, oltre che dei poeti protagonisti della sua storia: Christina Rossetti, alla ricerca del fratello scomparso Dante Gabriel Rossetti, con l’aiuto di Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson e Oliver Wendell Holmes, quest’ultimo unico personaggio già apparso nel primo volume della serie.
A parte questo, però, la storia non decolla, forse a causa di uno stile di scrittura piuttosto confusionario e poco appetibile da seguire (ma sarà lo stile di scrittura o la traduzione? Difficile a dirsi), e momenti di stanca che vengono poi spezzati da colpi di scena in successione, nei quali ogni personaggio, come per magia, capisce tutto quello che è successo.
Il finale sembra voler lasciare aperto uno spiraglio per un ulteriore sequel. D’altra parte, avrebbe senso completare la trilogia e dopo l’Inferno e il Purgatorio, incentrare un terzo romanzo sul Paradiso, anche se in quel caso sarà più difficile collegare i delitti alla Terza Cantica dantesca, il regno della beatitudine.
Comunque, se Pearl segue gli stessi ritmi, non se ne riparla prima del 2033.
Se devo essere sincera, non ricordo quasi nulla de Il Circolo Dante, tranne il fatto che mi era piaciuto. Non potrei dire se la qualità è scesa nei tre lustri che l’autore ha impiegato per dare alle stampe un seguito del suo romanzo d’esordio, oppure se i miei gusti sono molto cambiati nei quattro lustri trascorsi tra una lettura e l’altra.
Sta di fatto che questo secondo romanzo non mi ha proprio entusiasmato, anzi, devo ammettere che sono rimasta abbastanza delusa.
Quello che mi ha attratto inizialmente in questi due libri è il fatto che la trama sia incentrata sulla Divina Commedia, opera che ho adorato fin dai tempi del liceo (forse l’unica liceale d’Italia a non trovarla noiosa, ma affascinante): i protagonisti, in entrambi i casi, sono studiosi o appassionati del capolavoro dantesco e sono realmente esistiti.
La parte di finzione riguarda invece i delitti, che nel primo libro sono ispirati ai tormenti dei dannati nell’Inferno, mentre nel secondo alle punizioni per espiare i peccati descritte nel Purgatorio.
Pearl riesce ad amalgamare bene realtà storica e finzione e, cosa ancora più incredibile per uno statunitense, si è davvero ben documentato sulla vita e le opere di Dante, oltre che dei poeti protagonisti della sua storia: Christina Rossetti, alla ricerca del fratello scomparso Dante Gabriel Rossetti, con l’aiuto di Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson e Oliver Wendell Holmes, quest’ultimo unico personaggio già apparso nel primo volume della serie.
A parte questo, però, la storia non decolla, forse a causa di uno stile di scrittura piuttosto confusionario e poco appetibile da seguire (ma sarà lo stile di scrittura o la traduzione? Difficile a dirsi), e momenti di stanca che vengono poi spezzati da colpi di scena in successione, nei quali ogni personaggio, come per magia, capisce tutto quello che è successo.
Il finale sembra voler lasciare aperto uno spiraglio per un ulteriore sequel. D’altra parte, avrebbe senso completare la trilogia e dopo l’Inferno e il Purgatorio, incentrare un terzo romanzo sul Paradiso, anche se in quel caso sarà più difficile collegare i delitti alla Terza Cantica dantesca, il regno della beatitudine.
Comunque, se Pearl segue gli stessi ritmi, non se ne riparla prima del 2033.
November 17, 2018
In this follow-up to The Dante Game, it is five years after the Dante murders in Boston. Deaths mimicking the punishments of Dante’s Purgatorio are occurring in London. Of the original poets, only physician/poet Oliver Wendell Holmes is present for these. He is on a speaking tour in Europe and the British Isles when poets Robert Browning and Christina Rossetti reach out to him for guidance and help. Against his better judgement, he withdraws from the tour to become involved. Poet Laureate Alfred Tennyson and Dante translator Charles Cayley complete the team. These poets are rock stars of their day; their detecting is accompanied by fans following many of their activities.
Christina and Browning are searching for Christina’s tormented brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti who has disappeared from his home and his friendships. They discover he has been present at the bizarre deaths of a politician and an opera singer. They desperately try to find him to protect him from being the next victim. Inspector Adolphus ‘Dolly’ Williamson and Scotland Yard are searching for him as the possible perpetrator.
As in all of Pearl’s novels, time and place become characters exquisitely portrayed. There is distinct tension as events lead to their dramatic conclusion, but not at the expense of character development and period detail. The view of the inner lives of the literary are an added benefit. Highly recommended.
Readalikes:
Pearl’s other historical mysteries; Bob van Laerhoven – Baudelaire’s Revenge; Howard Engel – Mr. Doyle & Dr. Bell; Emma Donoghue – Frog Music; Charles Finch – The Inheritance; B. Akunin – Murder on the Leviathan; Ann Parker – Silver Lies; Peter Lovesey – Wobble to Death; R. . Morris – The Cleansing Flames; Graham Moore – The Sherlockian.
Pace: Leisurely paced
Characters: Well-developed; complex; real people from history
Story: Intricately plotted; elegant language
Writing style: Compelling
Tone: Dark; strong sense of place and time
Frame: London; 1870
Christina and Browning are searching for Christina’s tormented brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti who has disappeared from his home and his friendships. They discover he has been present at the bizarre deaths of a politician and an opera singer. They desperately try to find him to protect him from being the next victim. Inspector Adolphus ‘Dolly’ Williamson and Scotland Yard are searching for him as the possible perpetrator.
As in all of Pearl’s novels, time and place become characters exquisitely portrayed. There is distinct tension as events lead to their dramatic conclusion, but not at the expense of character development and period detail. The view of the inner lives of the literary are an added benefit. Highly recommended.
Readalikes:
Pearl’s other historical mysteries; Bob van Laerhoven – Baudelaire’s Revenge; Howard Engel – Mr. Doyle & Dr. Bell; Emma Donoghue – Frog Music; Charles Finch – The Inheritance; B. Akunin – Murder on the Leviathan; Ann Parker – Silver Lies; Peter Lovesey – Wobble to Death; R. . Morris – The Cleansing Flames; Graham Moore – The Sherlockian.
Pace: Leisurely paced
Characters: Well-developed; complex; real people from history
Story: Intricately plotted; elegant language
Writing style: Compelling
Tone: Dark; strong sense of place and time
Frame: London; 1870
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