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2.5 

Imposture: A Novel

By Benjamin Markovits
Imposture: A Novel by Benjamin Markovits digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

"[Markovits] leaves us wanting, in the most delicious way, more." —Kirsty Gunn, The Observer

Lord Byron was the greatest writer and the most notorious, scandalous lover of his age—an irresistible attraction for a sheltered, bookish, and passionate young woman like Eliza Esmond. Eliza believes she’s met Byron on the doorstep of his publisher, and that her dreams have come true when he arranges to meet her in secret. But what if the man she believes to be Byron is someone else—a look-alike named John Polidori, who once toured Europe as Byron’s doctor?

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Imposture: A Novel Reviews

2.5
“2.5 stars Imposture chronicles Polidori’s aspirations to create his own legacy. Polidori was the physician of Byron and is forever shadowed by his glory, which Polidori is desperate to outdo. The novel is saturated with instances of doubling, most prominently with Polidori and Eliza who claim another’s identity to endow themselves with glamour. The story that Polidori wrote - The Vampyre - is almost replicated in their desire to infuse themselves with the essence of another. With their insatiable thirst to claim the force of someone else, the characters become willing to sacrifice parts of themselves. I found this novel entertaining in its portrayal of ambition, but ultimately it won’t have a lasting impact on me. I also felt that Eliza’s impetuousness, which results in a willingness to destroy her livelihood, was not nuanced enough. It didn’t seem to emphasise the reality of the consequences. So, despite its provocative language and exploration of human ambition, the plot and characters didn’t come alive for me.”

About Benjamin Markovits

Benjamin Markovits grew up in Texas and London, where he now lives. He teaches at the University of London. He contributes to the New York Times, The Paris Review, Granta, the Times Literary Supplement, and others.

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