The Quickening Maze – Adam Foulds

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The true story of poet John Clare’s incarceration in London’s Epping Forest, a mental asylum run on the reformist principles of occupational therapy. Lord Alfred Tennyson had his brother treated there and the book bases its storyline on the speculation of whether Clare and Tennyson ever met.

The world is a room full of heavy furniture. Eventually you are allowed to leave.

❚ “The thrill of a story being based on real people and actual events seems to enhance its power for me and so it happened too with this book. Adam Foulds seems to be greatly adept at unfolding characters in a gentle and sympathetic manner. The story itself is interesting with many layers of detail within each character’s life.  Well worth reading.” – Jo

❚ “Sympathetic characters and the merging of the actual and imaginary makes this an interesting and thought-provoking story. Not overly exciting and I probably wouldn’t recommend it, but I did appreciate its construction.” – Rachel

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Published 2009
272 pages