The String of Pearls (Wordsworth Mystery & Supernatural) (Tales of Mystery & the Supernatural)
by Anon
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Book Summary Information
Author: AnonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-03-04
ISBN: 1840224835
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Book Reviews of The String of Pearls (Wordsworth Mystery & Supernatural) (Tales of Mystery & the Supernatural)
Book Review: Sweeney "will polish you off now, sir"
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first purchased the OCR soundtrack of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," back in 1979, I discovered, through the liner notes, that the story's origins lie in a serialized novel entitled "The String of Pearls," published in 1846-7. I searched for that Victorian era penny dreadful, in bookstores and libraries, with no success. Nearly thirty years later, on a whim, I searched Amazon and, to my delight, found that the book was available, along with an explanation as to why I was never able to find it before. It had, for all intents and purposes, vanished from the public eye, until Wordsworth Classics published it, complete and unabridged, in 2005.
The novel, in part, tells the story of Johanna Oakley, who is desperate to discover the fate of her intended, Mark Ingestrie, when he fails to return to her, as promised, after a long voyage at sea. It also focuses on the (mis)adventures of Tobias Ragg, the boy who works in the barber shop of Mr. Sweeney Todd. There is quite a large cast of characters and, when reading, one must remember that the story was published in installments, so it may not have the flow one is accustomed to when reading a novel, and, as Dick Collins points out in his informative introduction, there could have been as many as three authors penning the tale, "hack" writers with varying degrees of talent. Overall, however, the story is a gripping yarn; there were a good number of tightly written chapters, true page turners, that spurred me to read on, anxious to discover what happened next.
Anyone familiar with Sondheim's musical will already know the "secrets," but I recommend this nonetheless. In fact, knowing the musical will add to the enjoyment of the novel. There are several characters and events in "String of Pearls" which made it into Sondheim's masterpiece, in one form or another (which came from its source material, the Christopher Bond adaptation, sadly unavailable). I could not help but smile when reading Sweeney's brief exchange with a young woman named "Lucy," or when Mr. Fogg relates the story of a perfectly sane girl committed to his asylum, or the other female inmate who sings endlessly in her cell. Unlike the Bond play, or the Sondheim/Wheeler opera, Todd is not a tragic anti-hero; he is a cold, murderous, villain, through and through, and yet, a wickedly enjoyable one. A reader almost admires his cunning, blackguard though he is. It should be pointed out that Mrs. Lovett, although present, is a very minor character here, the story centers around Todd. I hesitate in revealing specifics of the plot, as it would amount to nothing but spoilers, and ruin the experience for any would be readers. I will say there is romance, mystery, deductive reasoning, daring plans, and, pardon the pun, close shaves with danger.
Despite the, at times, quaint vernacular and occasional unevenness of a chapter here and there, "String of Pearls" is a must read, for both Sweeney fans, or those who enjoy Victorian era mystery/thrillers. It took just shy of three decades for me to get this into my hands; don't let the opportunity to own this intriguing tale pass you by.
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Summary of The String of Pearls (Wordsworth Mystery & Supernatural) (Tales of Mystery & the Supernatural)
The String of Pearls - the original tale of Sweeney Todd, a classic of British horror - was first published as a weekly serial in 1846-7 by Edward Lloyd, the King of the Penny Dreadfuls. One of the earliest detective stories, it became an important source for Bram Stoker's Dracula. After 157 years of obscurity, it appears here for the first time in book form.Classics Books
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