Items related to Instances of the Number 3
The much anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of ‘Miss Garnet’s Angel’. Salley Vickers has been hailed as the new Penelope Fitzgerald by critics and readers alike.
Bridget Hansome and Frances Slater have only one thing in common. And that's Peter Hansome, who has died suddenly. Without their husband or lover, the women find that before they can rebuild their lives they must look to themselves and unravel mysteries that they had never before even suspected. So begins an unlikely alliance between wife and mistress and a voyage of discovery that is as comic as it is profound.
INSTANCES OF THE NUMBER 3 is a funny, beguiling exploration of love, bereavement, Shakespeare, illusion and the impossibility of escaping your past.
‘Compulsive, like the Sultan listening to Scheherazade.’ John Bayley
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Review:
Salley Vickers' novel Instances of the Number Three is set in London and Shropshire. It describes the relationship between a dead man, his wife and his mistresses and is illuminated by philosophical ponderings on Hamlet and his ghost, and the poetry of Dante, Gerald Manley Hopkins and John Donne. Peter Hansome is the dead husband who walks through the pages of the novel, appearing to his wife Bridget in "his old tweed jacket and cords. He was, in fact, exactly, but without the disfiguring cuts and bruises of the accident, as she had seen him last--in his coffin. "To come to terms with his life and death, literature-loving Bridget makes friends with his mistress, Francis, an ex-artists' model: "She ... had a capacity for stillness and the kind of body which reflects planes of light." But as the omniscient narrator says:
Review:
This is not an account of feminine jealousy, or even revenge, instead its a story of negotiation and discovery as the characters orbit each other like little planets.Vickers' prose style is witty, literary and decorous, her musing on the instances of the number three take in purgatory, heaven and hell; the eternal lovers triangle and the trinity (memorably described as the "different flavours of a Neapolitan ice"). The book is a controlled meditation on personal identity, passion and art, where emotions are analysed and reconciled. Sally Vickers' trick is to keep you interested in the hearts and lives of the characters as her novel of ideas gently unfurls.
This is a fine successor to Vickers' hugely successful debut novel, Miss Garnett's Angel, a subtle story of an older woman's emotional epiphany set in contemporary Venice. --Eithne Farry
‘Salley Vickers is a remarkable optimist. She shows that happiness can be found even after it seems to have died.’ David Sexton, Evening Standard
‘Gentleness of perception and sharpness of intellect ... sustains you long after the last page.’ Bel Mooney, The Times
‘Admirable. Salley Vickers has a way with persuasive characters and crisp narrative.’ Penelope Lively, Independent
‘Vickers writes sympathetically about the bereaved women as they remake their lives.’ Margaret Walter, Sunday Times
‘Studded with observations and asides that stop you in your tracks.’ Julie Wheelwright, Scotland on Sunday
‘The reader glides through it effortlessly. The plot is simple, yet has an amazing amount of narrative power. Vickers’ second novel confirms that she will have a long and outstanding career.’ Martyn Goff, The Times
‘Lovely. Distinctive grace.’ Murrough O’Brien, Daily Telegraph
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- PublisherFourth Estate
- Publication date2001
- ISBN 10 1841156582
- ISBN 13 9781841156583
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages320
- Rating
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Instances of the Number 3
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Peter Hansome's death in a car crash, his mind on neither his wife, nor his mistress, precipitates all sorts of relationships between those he leaves behind. Not that Peter has entirely left. Some sort of spirit, whom Bridget recognizes as Peter, has something he needs to do. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR002752292
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Used; Very Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine. Seller Inventory # CHL1474104
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Used; Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Inscription on the first page, typically just a name but may include a dedication or a brief personal message. Seller Inventory # CHL9413341
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Book Description Condition: Very Good. Shipped within 24 hours from our UK warehouse. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee. Seller Inventory # 6545-9781841156583
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Book Description Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 38505615-20
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