A Burnable Book - Tapa blanda

"The reader will be rewarded with a fascinating overview of pre-Renaissance London at its best and worst. A highly literate thriller from medievalist Holsinger."--Kirkus Reviews

"Medieval England never tasted so rich nor smelled so foul as in this descriptive and intricately layered mystery. . . . [Holsinger] succeeds in elevating the missing manuscript genre to new heights that will entertain readers of both fiction and nonfiction."--Library Journal

"The poet John Gower is the perfect narrator and amateur sleuth. . . . Holsinger's research, alongside the energetic vulgarity of a language in flux, delivers up a world where even the filth is colorful."--New York Times Book Review

"Holsinger is a graceful guide to the 14th century, lacing his thriller with just the right seasoning of antique words and all the necessary historical detail without any of the fusty smell of a documentary."--Washington Post

" 'A Burnable Book' is fragrant with the stench of medieval London. . . . The central mystery of the book leads us through the mucky lanes of London, with cunning surprises around every corner. . . . jam-packed tapestry of medieval England."--NPR

"Everything you want in a work of historical fiction: fascinating, rich in period detail, and propelled by a compulsively engaging story. Even better, it's clever and witty...a superb entertainment."--David Liss, author of The Twelfth Enchantment

"Spellbinding . . . A Burnable Book exemplifies the best in historical fiction."--Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Medievalist Holsinger delivers a first novel whose zest, breadth, and color evoke The Canterbury Tales. . . . [T]he intricate plot, sharp characterizations, and sweeping depiction of medieval England make this a memorable fiction debut."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

In 1385 London, poet John Gower is asked by Geoffrey Chaucer to find an ancient manuscript that prophesies the end of England's kings, which draws him into a labyrinthine conspiracy that reaches from the king's court to London's slums and stews—and potentially implicates his own son. 50,000 first printing.