Bellman & Black
A Novel
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3.5 • 50 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
#1 New York Times bestselling author
“An astonishing work of genius.” —Bookreporter
“Magically transformative.” —Bookpage
Can one moment in time haunt you forever?
From the instant #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Tale comes a “poetic and mysterious” (Booklist) story that will haunt you to your very core.
Caught up in a moment of boyhood competition, William Bellman recklessly aims his slingshot at a rook resting on a branch, killing the bird instantly. It is a small but cruel act, and is soon forgotten. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to have put the whole incident behind him. It was as if he never killed the thing at all. But rooks don’t forget…
Years later, when a stranger mysteriously enters William’s life, his fortunes begin to turn—and the terrible and unforeseen consequences of his past indiscretion take root. In a desperate bid to save the only precious thing he has left, he enters into a rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner. Together, they found a decidedly macabre business.
And Bellman & Black is born.
Customer Reviews
Interesting Read
Bellman & Black is all about consequences. In the story, young William Bellman does something cruel that follows him and affects everything else in his life. The book was interesting and tragic, and is a good reminder that thought for consequences should come before action.
What happened to Mrs. Setterfield?
I fell in love with The Thirteenth Tale and waited ages to read this. What a disappointment! Is this even the same author? I stood until the end because I thought maybe there it will redeem itself, but NO! This book was dull and weird. Why so many details about the mill, the clothes, the businesses? The only thing I enjoyed was Mrs. Setterfield’s beautiful prose. At least that is still there. Not worth your money.
A very disappointing read
Having absolutely loved Ms. Setterfield's previous work, THE THIRTEENTH TALE, I looked forward with great anticipation BELLMAN & BLACK. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. I found it to be a tortuous read - written almost completely in narrative - never allowing one to truly connect with the characters. In addition, the book is littered with tedious detail about the fabric business, leaving this reader cold and bored. Sorry, but I cannot recommend it.