The Forest is a historical novel by Edward Rutherfurd, published in 2000. Drawing on the success of Rutherfurd's other epic novels this went on to sell well and appeared in numbers of bestseller lists.[1]

The Forest
First edition cover
AuthorEdward Rutherfurd
LanguageEnglish
GenreHistorical novel
PublisherCentury Hutchinson
Publication date
6 April 2000
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages624 pp (first edition, hardback)
ISBN978-0-7126-7999-2 (first edition, hardback)
OCLC59431431

Plot summary

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Set in the New Forest of southern England, this novel covers the lives of a number of families tracing their history from the Saxons and Normans in 1099 through a "Jane Austen" style world of the early 19th century to present. Story and characters combine to reveal and decorate the narrative in an important region in England not often used by writers.

Reception

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"As entertaining as Sarum and Rutherfurd's other sweeping novel of British history, London." —Boston Globe[2]
"The Forest is Michener told with an English accent." —St. Louis Post-Dispatch [2]
"As literature, Edward Rutherfurd's historical novels are not successful. They judder slowly along ill-made roads, like carts with square wheels, and the beauty of the scenery through which they pass does not entirely distract the passenger's mind from his aching bottom and tired eyes. As vehicles for delivering the fruits of research, however, they are not only efficient, but might truly be called works of art." - The Independent[3]

Publication details

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Best Sellers: Hardcover Fiction". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Quoted at". Powells. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  3. ^ Coward, Mat (1 April 2000). "Book review: A stroll in the woods". The Independent.

References

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