Arthur and George – julian barnes

What’s it about?
Author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle inventor of the Sherlock Holmes detective stories, comes to the rescue of George Edalji a mixed race lawyer imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Based loosely on the true case of The Great Wyrley Outrages of the late 1800s.

Highs n lows
This isn’t really a detective novel, in fact two thirds of the book is spent getting in to the heads and lives of the two main characters, before the crux comes in the last third where the creator of Sherlock Holmes turns detective in ‘real life’.

This novel is notable for its detailed and vivid expose of the everyday lives of two very different main characters, as much as it is for its highlighting of a long forgotten case of injustice.

It’s not a page turner, but if you’re interested in finding out about how life was lived one hundred odd years ago, Sir Arthur, the vagaries of the British justice system, the impact of spiritual beliefs or the state of race prejudice at the time you’ll probably enjoy this. Don’t read it for the intrigue of solving the crime, you’ll be disappointed. Information about the crimes involved in the case, though detailed, is patchily outlined. The action is slow, and the resolution of the actual case no more than a one line postscript towards the end of the book.

Is it any good?
3 out of 5. Those who care will want to know that this was a Richard and Judy book club recommendation for the British Book Awards 2006, and shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2005.