Jack Maggs by Peter Carey

Jack Maggs by Peter Carey (1997)
Read: February 2010

Dad brought this book out with him when he visited...over a year ago! And it's taken me this long to read it :( Scotty read it in the Autumn and enjoyed it, so lent it to a friend who enjoyed it too. So come our February break I knew it was time for me to read it too and enjoyed having the time to spend on it.
It was set nicely in the 1800's London and Maggs' character evolved slowly in the first half of the book. Although the story followed Maggs, you only found out about him as the other characters did. At times to me he was a Jeckle and Hyde type, with one persona that he presented to his employers and another presented as he hunted for his nemesis; Henry Phipps. This second persona comes out in his letters and in the first person chapters that read as a man's ramblings. These read so much as a ramblings, that it takes me half the book to be sure what Jack really wants, and where the story might be going.
It wasn't really Jack's criminal past that intrigued me, as it did Tobias Oates, in the book, but Maggs' mind in general, that Oates persevered in observing. Oates is an author, but actually is looking for any way to make his ends meet and to keep in the "inner circle" and when he has to trust Jack, and Jack trust him, this is actually when the book gets interesting. Similarly the relationship between Jack and the maid; again one of one-way interest (this time of the maid in Jack, but Jack needing the maid's confidence, as he needs Oates'), is one that I was sorry to see end sadly.

This book was not what I was expecting, but it was a good read - something different for me. I didn't whizz through it, but did enjoy it and find it an interesting challenge. Maybe I should read those other books dad left....