The Absolutist
The Absolutist
paperback
Published:
5 July, 2012
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Description
September 1919: Twenty-year-old Tristan Sadler takes a train from London to Norwich to deliver a clutch of letters to Marian Bancroft. Tristan fought alongside Marian's brother Will during the Great War. They trained together. They fought together.
But in 1917, Will laid down his guns on the battlefield and declared himself a conscientious objector, an act which has brought shame and dishonour on the Bancroft family.
The letters, however, are not the real reason for Tristan's visit. He holds a secret deep within him. One that he is desperate to unburden himself of to Marian, if he can only find the courage. Whatever happens, this meeting will change his life – forever.
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9780552775403 |
| ISBN10 | 0552775401 |
| Number Of Pages | 432 |
| Item Weight | 303 g |
| Product Dimensions | 131 x 199 x 27 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | Transworld Publishers Ltd |
| Format | paperback |
Media Reviews
Extraordinary... The narrative is by turns surprising and tragic in equal measure while its troubling conclusion will stay with readers long after they've closed the book -- Carlo Gebler
Powerful, poignant and beautifully written. This will become a classic war novel * Bookseller *
Compulsive, stylish and gripping * Reader's Digest *
A wonderful, sad, tender book -- Colm Toibin
John Boyne brings a completely fresh eye to the most important stories. He guides us through the realm of history and makes the journey substantial, poignant and real. He is one of the great craftsmen in contemporary literature -- Colum McCann
A superb evocation of the Great War and its very human effects * Choice Magazine *
A fiercely interrogative novel that asks not just what it means to be a man but also what it means to be a human being in the extreme circumstances of war * Irish Times *
Boyne's fluid writing and strong characterisation brings the story to life and delivers a strong, unexpected emotional punch at the end * Edinburgh Evening News *
There is an old-fashioned feeling to this readable and well-written novel * Independent *
Boyne's twinning of the subjects of homosexuality and conscientious objection is inspired * Metro *
GoodReads Reviews
Author's Bio
John Boyne is the author of nineteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, a picture book and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes, including most recently the 2025 FNAC novel prize for The Elements. His novels are published in sixty languages.
Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooks
Instagram: @JohnBoyneAuthor