A Place of Greater Safety
Exploring the tumultuous lives during a revolutionary era
Format:Paperback
Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers
Published:5th Mar '07
Should be back in stock very soon
This historical novel explores the lives of key figures during the French Revolution, particularly focusing on Danton, Robespierre, and Desmoulins in A Place of Greater Safety.
In A Place of Greater Safety, Hilary Mantel weaves an intricate narrative set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. The story revolves around three pivotal figures: Georges-Jacques Danton, a passionate and impulsive leader; Maximilien Robespierre, a meticulous strategist haunted by his own fears; and Camille Desmoulins, whose charm and eloquence often mask his unpredictability. As these men navigate the tumultuous political landscape, they become entangled in the intoxicating allure of power, which ultimately leads to devastating consequences.
The novel delves deep into the complexities of their personalities and the relationships that bind them. Danton's vivacity clashes with Robespierre's rigidity, while Desmoulins’ charisma both captivates and alienates those around him. Mantel's portrayal of these historical figures is rich and nuanced, bringing to life their ambitions, doubts, and the moral dilemmas they face as they strive to reshape their world. The narrative captures the fervor and chaos of revolutionary France, highlighting the stark contrasts between ideals and reality.
Through A Place of Greater Safety, readers are invited to witness not only the personal struggles of these men but also the broader societal upheaval that defined an era. Mantel's masterful storytelling and keen insights into human nature make this epic work a compelling exploration of power, loyalty, and the price of change.
‘You could read this a dozen times and not come to the end of its originality, its moral intelligence, its gargantuan flair’ Katherine Rundell, author of Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne
‘Superbly readable…an assured and strange masterpiece’ Sunday Telegraph
'One of the best English novels of the 20th century' Diana Athill, The Oldie
‘Hilary Mantel has soaked herself in the history of the period…and a striking picture emerges of the exhilaration, dynamic energy and stark horror of those fearful days’ Daily Telegraph
‘I cannot think of a historical novel as good as this until one goes back to Marguerite Yourcenar’s “Memoirs of Hadrian”, published forty years ago.’ Evening Standard
‘Marvellous…It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Hilary Mantel captures it all’ Time Out
‘Intriguing…She has grasped what made these young revolutionaries – and with them the French Revolution – tick’ Independent
‘Crafty tensions, twists and high drama…a bravura display of her endlessly inventive, eerily observant style’ Times Literary Supplement
‘An extraordinary and overwhelming novel…immensely detailed and yet fast-moving…she has set herself to capture the excitement and intellectual fervour of the period. She does it admirably…a tour de force’ Scotsman
'Riveting…the book overflows with a natural storyteller's energy' New Yorker
‘Much, much more than a historical novel, this is an addictive study of power, and the price that must be paid for it…a triumph’ Cosmopolitan
'This is a high-class historical blockbuster' Red Magazine
‘Hilary Mantel has pulled off the apparently impossible…an ambitious, gripping epic’ Vogue
ISBN: 9780007250554
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 56mm
Weight: 610g
880 pages