[AUA]≫ PDF The Ingenious Edgar Jones garnerelizabeth 9780755343607 Books

The Ingenious Edgar Jones garnerelizabeth 9780755343607 Books

Download As PDF : The Ingenious Edgar Jones garnerelizabeth 9780755343607 Books

The Ingenious Edgar Jones garnerelizabeth 9780755343607 Books

During the mid 1800's, at the time of the Victorian Industrial Revolution, an unusual baby boy is born to a barmaid and an Oxford University watchman. This incredibly odd boy named Edgar Jones arrives into the world with a fur lined spine and a feisty personality of unbound curiosity and strength. From his toddler years into his early teens, Edgar is a willful unruly boy forever challenging everyone's patience. He shows no aptitude for learning his books, but oddly enough, is talented in ways of ingenious invention. Edgar is a tinkerer, he has a keen eye for solving problems of steel and iron and can unravel and rebuild any gadget or invention put in front of him at the blink of an eye. Shrugging the life of a scholar, his early years are spent working with the local blacksmith, as apprentice to the bellows and fire that melt and mold the town's wares of iron.

Seeing this boy's potential, a local professor buys Edgar's apprenticeship from the blacksmith and brings him to Oxford's grounds where a monumental gothic natural history museum is being erected. Edgar finds himself in his element, surrounded by steel girders, gothic arches and flying buttresses. There he swings high in the rafters and climbs ratlines of monstrous metal, assisting other steelworkers to create one of Oxford's greatest architectural wonders, and proves his young brain is more than talented. But sadly when the project is finished, Edgar is discarded by the professor he came to love as mentor, and tossed aside to apprentice again as an assistant to a local inventor. A local merchant with a shop to keep, the inventor retrains Edgar to now hone his talents towards creating mechanical toys, timepieces, and scientific instruments.

This is a bittersweet story of a boy misunderstood by his simpleminded God-fearing parents, a tale of a boy born for destiny and fame at the wrong time and place. Inner demons haunt Edgar's dreams, his secret wish to once and for all prove his worth to his father who is easy to condemn his achievements and squash his dreams, and gain respect among his mentors, torment him day and night. Frustration and revenge soon invade Edgar's heart when time after time his abilities are disregarded. At a time when Christianity still reigned over science and technology, moral and religious ethics enter the story offering the reader an insight to Victorian philosophy and into the views on what will soon become the age of invention, and the shocking realization of mankind's birth and evolution.

In trying to prove himself among his peers, and at the same time retaliate against his enemies, tragedy strikes in an innocent accident causing disaster. Edgar's life is at stake, questions of legal and moral rights for a child come into play. Edgar's innocence, and the negligence of his parent's guidance are thrown before a judge and jury, this innovative heartbreaking novel now becomes intense as the court brings the reader a startling verdict. Readers will love the character of our playful and inventive Edgar Jones, and will enjoy his growth from baby to boy as his heart and mind show us how innocent faith and determination can win against the odds. However, this story is also a wake up call to the cruelty and ignorance of people at a time when the Victorian world is rocked on it's heels with new wonders that threaten God's existence. The beauty and wonder of this world is shown to us through the eyes of a child, evoking a heartwarming experience for the reader that will travel full circle from mechanical marvels, to the menace of man, only to return back to the beginning with the magic of invention.

Garner's command of the language to write beautiful prose and bond the reader's heart to Edgar, shows amazing new talent to the literary world. I loved this story for it's innovation and creativity and can't wait until she writes another. This would be a fabulous book for any book club group as there are many topics worth discussing, as well as a great choice to top a high school required reading list. The Ingenious Edgar Jones is a sensational debut not to be missed.


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The Ingenious Edgar Jones garnerelizabeth 9780755343607 Books Reviews

I got a copy of this in England, and really enjoyed it. It's set in Victorian Oxford, so the story (birth and youth of Edgar) is against a historical backdrop of class snobbery and manners, the contemporary debates and discoveries about evolution and also the development of the industrial revolution - that skills and technology can change the world and what role a person can play. But all these ideas are handled lightly - Edger and his family and the people in his world are all real characters, and the architecture and geography of Oxford itself is a solid physical world. If you know the town of Oxford, or are interested in it, then this is a great snapshot recreating a historical moment, while the story itself takes flight with the power of a child's imagination to transform. It's supposed to be coming out in the US at some point, so look out for it.
I was all set to rate this book with four stars. It's a good story with interesting characters, and it's well told. Edgar Jones is a hero you can get behind, as he goes from triumph to pitfall and climbs again. However, the last 5 pages made me knock it down to a 3 star book. I'm sure there was some sort of symbolism involved that went well beyond me, but the author left the fate of two of the main characters hanging out there. For one, I was left with a general sense that he was okay - resolved. The other, I have no idea what became of him. It was very bizaare. If it had been a book steeped in sybolisim this would have been forgiveable, but the author took a story that could be taken literally and switched gears to one that couldn't at the end.

Still, it was a decent story, and I suppose I'm better for having read it, in some symbolic way that I'm yet to understand.
This beautifully crafted novel is worth at least two reads and begs for discussion. Her astute observations about human nature combine with a rare writing talent to produce memorable characters, vivid settings, and a plot that provokes. But oh, that ending! On a certain level, I "understood" it -- each character became their innermost self, even though that required the introduction of a supernatural element for one of them and a suspension of disbelief for another. On a gut level, however, it left me incredibly frustrated and wondering what I missed. The more I think about the way it could have ended, the more sense her choices make, which confuses me even more. This is not a light or satisfying read, but if you enjoy a mental challenge, you'll love this book.
Elizabeth Garner's dense and rich historical allegory is not your typical light summer read. This novel boldly tackles some big issues--scientific progress and its struggle against entrenched religious values, the innocence of childhood, father-son relationships, the gendered politics of domesticity--all within the narrative of a presumably sweet young boy who just might be the devil incarnate. Needless to say, this one will challenge you.

*The Ingenious Edgar Jones* is the kind of novel I wish I were reading in a literature class--this novel requires discussion, debate, and collaborative interpretation. As soon as I finished it, I felt an immediate urge to talk to someone about it. Although the story itself is rather straightforward, there is just so much there to ponder and chew on. Is Edgar a 19th-century Icarus who dared to fly too high on his dreams of invention? Is he a demon spawn sent to destroy the religious foundations of early 19th-century culture? Or is he simply a sweet, innocent boy doomed to shoulder the burdens of society's ignorance?

Garner has woven a strong, thought-provoking narrative in the Dickensian tradition. I'm eager for her next novel.
Author presents the story in great detail. She does an excellent job of showing versus telling. There are elements of fantasy throughout the story, but it is mostly believable.
During the mid 1800's, at the time of the Victorian Industrial Revolution, an unusual baby boy is born to a barmaid and an Oxford University watchman. This incredibly odd boy named Edgar Jones arrives into the world with a fur lined spine and a feisty personality of unbound curiosity and strength. From his toddler years into his early teens, Edgar is a willful unruly boy forever challenging everyone's patience. He shows no aptitude for learning his books, but oddly enough, is talented in ways of ingenious invention. Edgar is a tinkerer, he has a keen eye for solving problems of steel and iron and can unravel and rebuild any gadget or invention put in front of him at the blink of an eye. Shrugging the life of a scholar, his early years are spent working with the local blacksmith, as apprentice to the bellows and fire that melt and mold the town's wares of iron.

Seeing this boy's potential, a local professor buys Edgar's apprenticeship from the blacksmith and brings him to Oxford's grounds where a monumental gothic natural history museum is being erected. Edgar finds himself in his element, surrounded by steel girders, gothic arches and flying buttresses. There he swings high in the rafters and climbs ratlines of monstrous metal, assisting other steelworkers to create one of Oxford's greatest architectural wonders, and proves his young brain is more than talented. But sadly when the project is finished, Edgar is discarded by the professor he came to love as mentor, and tossed aside to apprentice again as an assistant to a local inventor. A local merchant with a shop to keep, the inventor retrains Edgar to now hone his talents towards creating mechanical toys, timepieces, and scientific instruments.

This is a bittersweet story of a boy misunderstood by his simpleminded God-fearing parents, a tale of a boy born for destiny and fame at the wrong time and place. Inner demons haunt Edgar's dreams, his secret wish to once and for all prove his worth to his father who is easy to condemn his achievements and squash his dreams, and gain respect among his mentors, torment him day and night. Frustration and revenge soon invade Edgar's heart when time after time his abilities are disregarded. At a time when Christianity still reigned over science and technology, moral and religious ethics enter the story offering the reader an insight to Victorian philosophy and into the views on what will soon become the age of invention, and the shocking realization of mankind's birth and evolution.

In trying to prove himself among his peers, and at the same time retaliate against his enemies, tragedy strikes in an innocent accident causing disaster. Edgar's life is at stake, questions of legal and moral rights for a child come into play. Edgar's innocence, and the negligence of his parent's guidance are thrown before a judge and jury, this innovative heartbreaking novel now becomes intense as the court brings the reader a startling verdict. Readers will love the character of our playful and inventive Edgar Jones, and will enjoy his growth from baby to boy as his heart and mind show us how innocent faith and determination can win against the odds. However, this story is also a wake up call to the cruelty and ignorance of people at a time when the Victorian world is rocked on it's heels with new wonders that threaten God's existence. The beauty and wonder of this world is shown to us through the eyes of a child, evoking a heartwarming experience for the reader that will travel full circle from mechanical marvels, to the menace of man, only to return back to the beginning with the magic of invention.

Garner's command of the language to write beautiful prose and bond the reader's heart to Edgar, shows amazing new talent to the literary world. I loved this story for it's innovation and creativity and can't wait until she writes another. This would be a fabulous book for any book club group as there are many topics worth discussing, as well as a great choice to top a high school required reading list. The Ingenious Edgar Jones is a sensational debut not to be missed.