Sweet Thames

by Matthew Kneale

London in the summer of 1849. With a deadly cholera epidemic threatening, young engineer Joshua Jeavons is convinced it is his mission to save the capital and reform its festering sewers. Meanwhile in his dometsic life he is troubled by the baffling coldness shown towards him by his beautiful bride, Isobella. As he struggles to win her round, he works feverishly on a revolutionary drainage plan. This is his dream, his dazzling vision of the a London free of effluent. Then a sudden and mystifying disappearance throws his whole life upside-down. He is forced to embark on a harrowing search, which plucks him from his respectable life and throws him into a London previously unknown to him. A netherworld of slum-dwellers, pickpockets and scavengers of the sewers. He will find it is this very world that holds unexpected answers to the mysteries that surround him.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, British Literature, 19th Century, Novels, Historical, 20th Century

319 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Matthew Kneale was born in London in 1960, read Modern History at Oxford University and on graduating in 1982, spent a year teaching English in Japan, where he began writing short stories.

Kneale is the son of writers Nigel Kneale and Judith Kerr, and the grandson of essayist and theatre critic Alfred Kerr.

Reviews

[Mike Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter gave me this to read. A book set in London in 1849 during a Cholera epidemic. The sort of thing only her dad would love. But after just reading the first paragraph I was hooked:

‘The glory of a London unobstructed by effluent. This was the vision of the future that flashed into my imagination as I stood above the sewerage outlet on the north Thames bank. Our metropolis free from noxious odours affronting the nostrils, from unsightly deposits, from the miasma cloud of gases hanging above the roof-tops. I grew lightheaded at this dazzling prospect. Until I realised, surprised, that juices were stirring in my loins.’

The story of Joshua Jeavons, a young engineer with plans to upgrade the sewer systems to make profits selling waste to farmers. His relationship with his 19 year old bride. His search for her and his succumbing to cholera. All told,we find later, in a book he is writing two years later in Italy.

Whilst the middle part of the story slowed for me. This was offset by the strong beginning and end.

I will search out this author again.

Ps

Typo - ‘I stumbled only a few years (sic) before weakness and further spasms sent me back.’

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most interesting books that I read in 2018. It's historical fiction at it's best. The book recreated London of 1849 and how one man does his best to stop cholera from spreading while his home life falls apart, his wife disappearing. It was not only interesting to learn what caused cholera and how he intends to fight it but also to see what happened to his wife. He is forced to turn himself into a detective and to follow any clues he can find to solve both cases.

The book introduced me to some new terms, like effluent. And to find out they had stinky rivers of it flowing through the city! It also introduced the common ideas that people had at the time, like that bad smells caused disease. They had some pretty odd ideas back then as they didn't know any better.

[Jennifer G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my new most favorite author in the world. By accident, I noticed my swelling bookshelves housed TWO books by him (chosen seperately at different times and bookstores). I went on to buy a third book by him. All are completely different and completely wonderful. Though none can top the greatness of his English Passengers, Sweet Thames is still a kick ass book of mid-19th century when the sewer problem of London was reaching epic nasty proportions and the infamous Cholera outbreak was on the verge of erupting. In the center of all this is an ambitous engineer and his own personal dramas. Historical fiction is always my favorite and this guy is fantastic. Academic and accurate without being too serious and dry. Entertaining and funny without being ridiculous. And with the ability to make yourself feel connected to the most unfortunate character in the book. Or is that just me?

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that is interchangeably about, building a new sewerage system, a cholera outbreak and a missing wife. It should not work but it does. The key is the gritty real depiction of London in 1849. Unusually it is not from the perspective of the Ton, but from a working Engineer who moves between the worlds of the working, middle and some upper classes. It reminded me of Daniel Defoe - A Journal of the Plague Year. With a mix of fiction and fact and discussions of what London was really like and the huge hygiene and disease issues. So while interesting, the real interest was in the last chapter and the rest of the book lacked a gripping plot of the last chapter. Others saw dark humour and descent into madness of the main character. I just saw someone confused and frustrated, with desperation only truly noticeable in the last 20 pages. I think if more of the book was similar to the last few pages I would have enjoyed this more. But it is easy and quick to get through considering the subject matter and time period it is based in. So it you enjoy a slow build and real interest in the 1849 London I think you will enjoy this. If you are more interested in the mystery probably not.

[Carmel Hulse · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't great; lost count of how many times the word 'miasma' was used, it drove me crazy.
I wouldn't recommend.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during the Cholera epidemic of the 1840s, It tells the story of Joshua Jeavons who has plans to reform the sewage systems in London - and at the same time investigates the disappearance of his wife. The characters and story are loosely based on real people.

Whilst I didn't enjoy it as much as Kneale's English Passengers it was a great story. I find his characterisation excellent and he is superb at painting a really vivid picture of Victorian London, both of the upper classes and the slum dwellers who live in close proximity in the city.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

A darkly humorous, entertaining read. Following Joshua Jeavons as he descends into a state of madness, searching for his wife who has mysteriously disappeared while he tries to convince the authorities that his is the best plan for managing London's sewage problem, we learn of the various ideas for dispersing effluent, the quack cures suggested for curing cholera, and the theory that cholera is caused by a miasma permeating London's atmosphere rather than by polluted drinking water. Using Mayhew's 'London Labour and the London Poor' as historical background, Kneale paints an authentic portrait of the squalor of London's slums in the mid 19th century. A good story balanced by black humour and well researched history - a perfect combination for me. Recommended.

[George ⚰️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

As ever, Matthew Kneale's writing style is engaging, with vivid descriptions of various aspects of mid-19th century London. Slums, industrial factories, how close under the nose of committees those slums were, it's all written in such a way that you could reach out and touch it.
I wasn't too fond of the plot regarding Isabella, but that's not a point against the book, as I would've liked to read about the ins and outs of just the drainage back and forth, which wasn't the point of the story, so it's just a matter of my preference.
Overall, thoroughly worth it.

[Colin G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the English Passengers, so thought I would try this one.
Gave up reading it about half way through as I found it slow and plodding and just didn't really care about any of the characters!?.

[Amitanshu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly pleasant and gripping - what started out as a jovial story about drainage engineering turned into a dark and grim mystery. The author has an inventive style of using Victorian English and manages to inject humour and suspense adeptly across chapters.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this on the strength of English Passengers, one of my books of the year for last year. It was written ten years ago, before Kneale got famous by winning the Whitbread Prize last year. This book won a prize too -- the John Llewellyn Rhys prize -- but Kneale hadn't yet developed the dazzling range he shows in English Passengers.

Sweet Thames is set in London, in 1849 -- the summer of one of the great cholera epidemics. The story is narrated by young engineer Joshua Jeavons, obsessed by his grand plan to improve London's sewers, and recently married to a strangely cool and distant young wife. When Isabella mysteriously disappears, Joshua sets out to look for her and is drawn into a world of slum-dwellers, pickpockets, prostitutes, scavengers of the sewers, and other dubious characters.

Kneale was inspired by the writings of Henry Mayhew (London Labour and the London Poor) and paints a gruesome and convincing picture of the filth and squalor of early Victorian London -- most Dickensian. The plot takes some interesting twists and turns as Joshua slips further into the mire (literally at times) and gradually grasps that the world is not at all that it seems. In the process he has to challenge some long-held assumptions -- parallel to the search for Isabella is the attempt to understand the causes of cholera (long thought to be carried via a "miasma" in the air, when in fact it was waterborne and spread by those very same noxious sewers). There's an unexpected ending too.

I enjoyed it, but would probably have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read the vastly superior English Passengers first -- it suffered in comparison. Joshua's style is rather pedestrian, which is quite in character, but less dazzling than the multiple voices in English Passengers. Kneale uses the same device of "flashforwards" (with interludes where Joshua is looking back at the events), gradually piecing the story together as more is revealed, but the plot here is considerably more straightforward, and lacking the fierce black humour of English Passengers.

[Lin Barrett West · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster. Wasn’t sure if this was a Victorian penny-dreadful pastiche, a titillating sex romp where the sex doesn’t quite materialise, a mystery in the Sherlock Holmes genre, or a novel based on real life events in the world of 19th century engineering.
The hero reminded me of the hapless Pooter in Diary of a Nobody.

Actually, it had elements of all, hence my bemusement. Also, there are a couple of time shifts so abrupt, that I checked my (public library) copy to make sure some pages hadn’t been torn out.

Having said all that, I enjoyed the chaotic journey and learned more than I ever thought possible about Victorian effluent and its disposal. The author is passionate about sewers, that’s for sure. I will certainly look out for more of his books, just to see if the rest are as bonkers as this one. I can’t help but admire his daring plotting.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any book about life in Victorian London, especially among the poor, is something I like to read. The squalor, the terrible conditions, the illness, death….I cannot say why I enjoy learning about this, except perhaps it helps remind me of how lucky we are in our modern age with sewage treatment and a social welfare net for all.
Sweet Thames is set in the 1849 during a Cholera outbreak. At this point in time the volume of sewage in London was at the tipping point. Enter Joshua Jeavons, who is an ambitious engineer with his personal dream of solving the sewage problems by entering a contest for the best idea. In the meantime Joshua’s wife has mysteriously disappeared and he goes on a mad quest to find her. Within a week a letter from Isabella makes it clear she has left her home of her own free will and Joshua is not to pursue her. His continued obstinate attempts to locate her was something I did not like about Joshua. To say the least his judgement was terrible, and his loyalty misplaced.
I adored the author’s rendition of the language of the street people. Here is a quote, spoken by Jem, a street urchin who has made good by running a pickpocket ring:
"What a friggin’ lark meeting you here, eh?" His manner of speech, too, had altered. he had adopted an important way of uttering phrases in one quick-fire delivery. “Ow’s ya drains then – still runnin’ round them sewers with the baldy bloke, is ya – what you doin’ ‘ere anyways?”
"At least I’ve not resorted to thieving."
Jem was not in the slightest put out. “Per’aps you’ve bin missing out – come up an’ see me rooms, why don’t ya – just round here I lives now – grand place as you’ve never seen with two fireplaces an’ a real chandelier on the ceiling – got me own gal too as is called Sal – almost fifteen she is, that’s a yer older than me an’ she’s got tits like you’d never believe – come up an’ see why don’t ya – ‘ave som’it to eat – look like you need it – what you bin doin’ with yourself – bin livin’ in them sewers of yours or som’it?”
Sanitary conditions were truly terrible in London during this time, due to continued growth of the population and a sewage disposal system which could not keep up. We learn of the complete lack of sewage treatment; it is literally flowing in the streets. We learn of the quackery cures suggested to cure Cholera. At that time the theory was that cholera is caused by a miasma permeating London's atmosphere rather than by polluted drinking water.
The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson, and set one year later in 1850 was a better book if you want to read the details of how the mystery of cholera was finally solved and beaten. It is a semi-biography of John Snow, who definitely proved that Cholera was caused by contaminated water. Sadly, it was many more years before the Establishment adopted this theory and made changes.

[Eleanor Morton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

Overall I enjoyed this book. It wasn't like anything else I've read but it was a really nice mix of historical fiction and kind of mystery. I really enjoyed the links to cholera and the real historical events that happened and the writing really transported you to that period of time.

One thing that put my off a bit was the pacing. I feel like it took a long time for it to get to his wife running away and then it became very stagnant and appeared to go down many different plot lines at once. The final part of the book I felt was very rushed, and I'm still not 100% sure what actually happened at the end. Everything was concluded in 2 pages and it was just implied that this thing happened. Whereas, I feel it needed to have a much bigger explanation as it wad the main plot line of the book.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it!

[GBL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Kneale tells the story of the 1849 cholera epidemic through the fictional memoir of Joshua Jeavons, and engineer with a plan to tackle the problem of London’s sewage problem.

Jeavons tells the story of his marriage to Isabella, the daughter of his employer and the problems in their relationship leading to the disappearance of Isabella. Jeavons’ search for his missing wife leads him on a dark journey into the underworld of London.

Kneale is an excellent writer and his style and vocabulary reflect the writing style of a mid Victorian autobiography, giving an authentic feel to the novel. The link between his fiction and the events surrounding the cholera epidemic make this a fascinating read.

[Patricia O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. I have read quite a few of his and this is an older one. It's quite interesting to note the development of a writer over time but in Sweet Thames, Kneale's ability to depict time and place is what sets him apart, be it medieval pilgrims or 19th century pirates. So now, in the cholera ridden and stinking Victorian London of 1840, he proves himself able to speak in a contemporary sounding voice - that of Joshua Jeavons, an ambitious young engineer, who pursues a personal sideline idea to sort this huge public problem. I have to say, Kneale has used excellent sources to ensure authenticity of facts and combining this with an engaging (though meandering) story, it is definitely worth reading.

[Patrick Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed that so I was surprised to see the 3.46 rating. The previous book, I read, The Street Philosopher and this one had something in common "the complete disdain the "better" classes had for the lower classes. They were content to let them die and tragically both books were both based closely on actual historical events.

The mystery side of this was a surprise - I expected it to focus wholly on the cholera epidemic but that was OK. I did guess the likely reason very early so not a great surprise at the end.

[Vincent Hernot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for Kneale since his magnificent English Passagers, so I may not be entirely objeective.
I can see the story is a little bit loose at times, and the pace is unequal so it kind of sags sometimes. But by making use of Mayhew (very closely as well) it steeps the setting in its history in a very natural way.
The main character is well realised, courageous in a way, visionary but also a product of his times and his society.
Very, very nice

[Kyri Freeman]

I think that I might have liked this book a lot had I read it when it came out, but now it reads as painfully dated. For one thing, the big reveal has been spoiled by an excellent nonfiction account that was published in the interim, but more importantly, Isobella has no voice at all. She has agency, and you can sort of see that the author is trying to create a strong female character, but ultimately without success.

FWIW, everything turns out OK with the dog.

[Susan Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought I would like this as it ticked all of the boxes for me in terms of Era and subject matter. Unfortunately, I really couldn't connect with the characters at all. I persevered until half way through, but I really didn't care what happened and so I decided I had too many other books to read to continue.

[Tony O Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensley, the narrative at first glance looked far from inviting SHIT!! Lots of it and the transportation and the ability to get rid of that effluent is one of the most discussed issues of our time.
The morphing of the issue with the life and times of a gent called Joshua Jeavons is just brilliant.
One of the most enjoyable history fiction books I have read

[Saharra George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I was expecting the brilliance of the English Passengers, but I found this book quite disappointing. I like the premise but it just doesn't hang together well - it feels sloppy and poorly plotted, and the ending probably should have been the start of the third act.

[Francesca Bridgewater · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on the Cholera epidemic that led to discovering its link with water. I found the plot slightly clunky, however, and not exactly believable. Still, an interesting insight into some of the more grim aspects of Victorian society. Worth reading.

[Elizabeth Pangbourne · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book centred around drainage systems in London.
This was such a hard read it took my much longer than normal to finish and I very nearly gave up on several occasions.
The end seemed rushed, the “mystery” underwhelming and poorly explained.
Wouldn’t recommend.

[Sofia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fought my way through it at last

[Helen Meads · Rating 4 out of 5]

In places comic, but telling three important stories. I enjoyed the narrative. Kneeled does flawed main characters very well.

[Jean Marriott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lively telling of London in the 1840's about cholera, sewage overload and a missing wife. I enjoyed this book immensely.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to confess to finding this rather tedious

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading about the sewers of London quickly lost the quirky appeal the book started off with. I enjoyed the writing style but tired of the characters

[Maria Dorey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The second star is purely for the historical accuracy...as a novel I was bored to tears. I gave it a good go (25%) but I'm afraid this one joined the DNF pile.