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You must read The Quincunx, a remarkable novel in the Victorian style. Charles Palliser crafted an exceptional narrative with multiple layers, unveiling family secrets, enigmatic clues, a protagonist with a humble origin, pervasive immorality, and the perpetual presence of the foggy and mysterious 19th century London.

The Dickensian Heir | Why The Quincunx is the Lost Classic of the 20th Century

Look no further than The Quincunx by Charles Palliser if you crave a Victorian epic that rivals the sprawling narratives, unforgettable characters, and grand mysteries of Charles Dickens. LitStack considers The Quincunx a masterpiece unjustly relegated to the realm of 20th century “lost classics.” The book isn’t simply another entry in the genre; it’s a meticulously crafted labyrinth of intrigue, social commentary, and unforgettable characters, and it deserves a prominent place on your bookshelf alongside the best historical novels.

A Dickensian World Reborn

Step into the gaslit streets of 19th century England, a world teeming with both opulent estates and desperate poverty. Our protagonist, John Huffam, is a young man raised in humble circumstances with a mother who is mysteriously paranoid and protective. A whisper of a grand lineage and a stolen birthright propel John on a captivating quest to uncover the truth about his past. This journey mirrors the grand adventures of Pip from Great Expectations, and Esther Summerson from Bleak House, but with a darker, more complex, and modernized edge.

Beyond Imitation | A Masterful Tribute

Palliser does not imitate Dickens, the author suffers no such foolishness of ego. Palliser captures the essence of Dickens, the master storyteller–the vivid social commentary, the heart-wrenching pathos, and the darkly comic wit–and weaves these into a story that feels fresh and original. The novel’s intricate structure, with its five-part, five-book, five-chapter organization, reflects the titular “quincunx pattern” (a pattern of five), adding another layer of intrigue, mystery, and puzzle sleuthing that Dickens himself likely would have admired.

A Labyrinth of Secrets and the Weight of the Past

As John delves deeper into his family’s secrets, he encounters a cast of characters worthy of Dickens’ best novels. There are scheming relatives who wouldn’t feel out of place in Bleak House, a mysterious benefactor with hidden motives, and a cunning lawyer who chills you to the bone. Through these characters, Palliser paints a powerful and authentic picture of Victorian society–the ruthless pursuit of wealth, the vast disparity between classes, and the ever-present weight of the past that shapes generations–this becomes the overarching theme of the novel. John’s struggle for identity and inheritance is not just a personal quest, it is the novel’s metaphor for the burden of history that Victorian England, obsessed with tradition and lineage, carries.

A Symphony of Words | The Power of Language

Palliser doesn’t just tell a captivating story; he uses language like a master musician to create a truly immersive experience. His first-person narration uses sentences rich with evocative descriptions that transport you to the bustling streets, grand estates, dusty legal offices, and poverty-strewn shanty towns and hideaways. Palliser masterfully varies the sentence rhythm, using short, punchy sentences to build suspense, and longer, flowing passages for introspection. Figurative language is used to perfection, the similes, metaphors, and personification bring the narrative to life, and add depth and color and immediacy to the novel’s world and the characters who inhabit it.

A Voice Both Familiar and Unique

The narrative voice of The Quincunx is another triumph. Palliser’s first-person narrator, John Huffman, channels the spirit of Dickens without being imitative, employing unreliability for deft touches of humor, satire, and not shying away from hints of melodrama. There’s a distinct modern sensibility woven in, and the result is a narrative voice that feels both comfortably familiar to fans of Dickens and fresh and engaging and sympathetic for contemporary readers.

A Lost Classic Awaits Rediscovery

While The Quincunx garnered critical acclaim upon publication in 1989, it hasn’t achieved the recognition it surely deserves. This is your chance to delve into a literary masterpiece that is waiting to be rediscovered. The Quincunx offers a captivating blend of mystery, social commentary, and Dickensian grandeur, all delivered through Palliser’s masterful use of language. So grab your copy, settle in for a captivating journey, and experience the magic of this “lost classic.”

Your Next Must-Read

If you yearn for the intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and social commentary that made Charles Dickens a literary giant, if Bleak House is a book that left you hoping to find more of the same, if you crave an epic Victorian England historical adventure along the lines of Great Expectations or Oliver Twist or David Copperfield, then the novel The Quincunx is your next must-read.

The Quincunx isn’t just a worthy successor to Dickens’ masterpieces; it is captivating and epic in its own right. Embark on the novel’s journey through Victorian England’s gaslit streets, opulent estates and poverty-infested hovels. Unravel a family mystery and inheritance, encounter a cast of unforgettable characters, and lose yourself in the lyrical and insightful prose of a master storyteller. The Quincunx awaits – a masterful novel you must discover. 

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About Charles Palliser, Author of The Quincunx

Charles Palliser has published six works of fiction including the novels The Quincunx, The Sensationist, The Unburied, Betrayals, Rustication, and Sufferance, as well as the non-fiction book They Gave Me A Hurricane. Palliser has written plays for BBC radio and the stage. Before becoming a full-time writer in 1990 he taught literature and creative writing in universities in the UK and the USA. His fiction has been translated into a dozen languages. The Quincunx was awarded the Sue Kaufman Prize by the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. With Irish and US citizenship, he has lived mostly in the UK and is now based in London. Source: Amazon

Other Books by Charles Palliser

Other LitStack Resources

Be sure and look at our other LitStack Reviews for our recommendations on books you should read, as well as these reviews by Lauren Alwan, and these reviews by J.S. Hood and by Sharon Browning.

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