Book Recommendations

The Bedlam Stacks

By Natasha Pulley

Fiction, General, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Historical, Magical Realism | 337 pages
1 recommendation

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE'S ENCORE AWARD 2018
LONGLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE 2018

'A sheer fantastical delight' The Times

'Epic' New York Times
'An immense treat' Observer Books of the Year
'A fast-paced adventure story' i
'Magical' Sunday Express

In uncharted Peru, the holy town of Bedlam stands at the edge of a mysterious forest. Deep within are cinchona trees, whose bark yields the only known treatment for malaria.

In 1859, across the Pacific, India is ravaged by the disease. In desperation, the India Office dispatches the injured expeditionary Merrick Tremayne to Bedlam, under orders to return with cinchona cuttings. But there he meets Raphael, an enigmatic priest who is the key to a secret which will prove more valuable than they could ever have imagined.

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Lizette Sutherland
13th Nov 2024
"Having recently traveled in Peru, this book was a really interesting read, which captures both factual and fictional aspects of the Peruvian cultures, beliefs and history. It's a fascinating story of finding a way in a world that have cast aside the physically disabled, finding strength buried deep inside oneself, believing in magic and deep connections spanning decades and generations."