Cultural Dessert

‘Now We Shall Be Entirely Free’ by Andrew Miller

3 April 2020

I can highly recommend Andrew Miller’s 2018 novel ‘Now We Shall Be Entirely Free’ (which I read as an unabridged audio book, narrated by Joe Jameson). It’s a historical novel, set during the Napoleonic Wars, and written in the style of authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson. It’s a gripping chase thriller but it’s also incredibly funny. It reminded a lot of Matthew Kneale’s marvellous comic historical novel ‘English Passengers’ (also highly recommended) and also has much in common with ‘Captain Corelli's Mandolin’ by Louis de Bernières. ‘Now We Shall Be Entirely Free’ is beautifully written with countless lovely lines you could quote. But it triumphs primarily because Andrew Miller really makes you care about his characters, who become increasingly sympathetic as the novel progresses.

Labels: Books

posted by Robin Simpson @ 2:28 pm