Observatory Mansions

Simply the best Gothic fantasy of the new century. This first novel by Edward Carey… is stunning in its use of a dark fantasy atmosphere even though, as in Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast books, nothing fantastical happens… [ The beauty of the prose, and the clear yet gothic quality of the narration gave me the chills. I must confess that the novel got under my skin and moved me deeply…In all ways that count, Observatory Mansions is a major work. I consider it the best fiction yet published in the 21st century.