Bookseller Reviews
View all
The Enchanted
Although this isn't the happiest book I have ever read, it is quite possibly one of the best and most powerful. The writing style is incredibly poetic and ... READ MORE
Ugly and Beautiful at the same time.
7/10
A prisoner sits on death row. We do not know his name. We do not know his story. We do not know what he did to get there. But using the power of lan... READ MORE
Bleak but utterly beautiful
This was a read in one sitting book as once I started I just couldn't put it down. It's not for everyone as the subject matter isn't for the faint of hea... READ MORE
Dark, grim, utterly engrossing and beautifully written
This is a novel not for the faint of heart. The subject matter is dark and Rene Denfeld paints a raw, grim image of life on death row. However the writing ... READ MORE
A work of beauty about monsters
This book is a work of beauty about monsters. A prisoner sits on death row. A maximum security prison that is falling apart. No one cares. No one should. O... READ MORE
Enchanting
As you get drawn in to the world of crime and punishment you know you should not like these characters but you will. You will empathise with them and warm ... READ MORE
Achingly Enchanting!
I was upset this did not make the grade for The Baileys Longlist 2014 as it is an incredible read.
Narrated by one sensitive soul on Death Row you see the ... READ MORE
Bleak, Brutal but Utterly Beautiful
This was a read in one sitting book as once I started I just couldn't put it down. It's not for everyone as the subject matter isn't for the faint of heart... READ MORE
One Hell Of A Book
'She perseverates, is the medical term, which is fancy talk for saying getting stuck in a hell of an annoying way.'
How astute is Denfeld's writing? Heartf... READ MORE
Synopsis
A powerful and hauntingly beautiful novel set on death row - like THE GREEN MILE or THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION written by Cormac McCarthy.
Even monsters need peace. Even monsters need a person who truly wants to listen - to hear - so that someday we might find the words that are more than boxes. Then maybe we can stop men like me from happening...
A prisoner sits on death row in a maximum security prison. His only escape from his harsh existence is through the words he dreams about, the world he conjures around him using the power of language. For the reality of his world is brutal and stark. He is not named, nor do we know his crime.
But he listens. He listens to the story of York, the prisoner in the cell next to him whose execution date has been set. He hears the lady, an investigator who is piecing together York's past. He watches as the lady falls in love with the priest and wonders if love is still possible here. He sees the corruption and the danger as tensions in 'this enchanted place' build. And he waits.For even monsters have a story . . .
Publisher information
- Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
- ISBN: 9780297870494
- Number of pages: 288
- Dimensions: 199 x 138 x 23 mm
- Weight: 340g
Customer Reviews
View allTruth or fantasy?
I was sent this book for free to review by another site. Looking at the blurb on the back I would never really have given this book much notice as it is n... READ MORE
If you enjoyed the Green Mile, you will enjoy this novel
Rene Denfield has used her experience of working with prisoners on death row to bring us a novel so rich in confused emotion, and a deep understanding of ... READ MORE
Rather disappointing
This sounded like a really great book. One that was going to leave me breathless, astonished, and in a frenzy to recommend it to everyone I know. It promis... READ MORE
A very sombre and sometimes disturbing read
A very sombre and sometimes disturbing read, The Enchanted is set in a prison. While a prisoner waits on death row The Lady (investigator) sets about tryi... READ MORE
Can we accept the possibility of such prisons in the future?
This is not a novel that's a bundle of laughs. There's a few 'happy endings', in a way, but more as a triumph over adversity than anyone finding and achiev... READ MORE
I got this book as a free to review from Waterstones. I must say, I really enjoyed this book.
A prisoner on death row sits in his prison cell waiting for ... READ MORE
An excellent dark and gritty tale
I really loved the book ‘The Enchanted’, which is a fiction book about death row. It’s written in an unusual style from the perspective of one of the inmat... READ MORE
Very different
Well this book looked unusual and enticing from the cover alone, I couldn't wait to dive in.
I found it hard to even guess the genre from the cover and bl... READ MORE
Great book to read
The book was slow to start with but once you get into it, you want know what happens towards the end. Knowing this book is fictional, it is a great read!!!... READ MORE
The Enchanted really is quite captivating
A short but perfectly polished novel; The Enchanted is a striking story that is unlike anything that I've read before. How can a dark, desolate, run down p... READ MORE
Exceedingly touching
Rene Denfeld has been working as a death penalty investigator for several years. She loves her job spending time with her clients on death row, creating a ... READ MORE
Review: The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld
This is Rene Denfeld's debut novel and will be published on 13th March 2014. I'd like to thank everyone at The Lovereading Review Team for the ARC of this ... READ MORE
Review: The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld
This is Rene Denfeld's debut novel and will be published on 13th March 2014. I'd like to thank everyone at The Lovereading Review Team for the ARC of this ... READ MORE
Review: The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld
This is Rene Denfeld's, debut novel and will be published on 13th March 2014. I'd like to thank everyone at The Lovereading Review Team for the ARC of this... READ MORE