A Unicorn Dies: A Novel of Mystery and Ideas
Ebook
Overview
Giles Questing, an undergraduate student at the University of Oxford, finds his life taking an unexpected turn after the suspicious death of a PhD student, a death the police believe to be suicide. He determines to solve the mystery by following a trail of artworks that depict a unicorn. Travelling to museums and galleries, he gradually discovers the truth about whether the student has taken his own life or been murdered, and who - if anyone - is guilty. His quest immerses him in the world of the unicorn in medieval and Renaissance art, and introduces him to the present-day obsession with the unicorn in the media, advertising, and social networks. All this enables him to crack the code of the unicorn that has been buried in the tradition of the Christian church for many years, and to answer the questions he has about a death that deeply affects him personally and that finally threatens his own life.
“An extraordinary achievement . . . the author has
invented a new genre. . . . He writes very beautifully—finely
rhythmic sentences and great descriptive phrases, holding the
tension until the end.”
—Micheal O’Siadhail, Distinguished Poet in Residence, Union
Theological Seminary
“Gripping and complex.”
—Baptist Times
“Medievalists, art historians, and travelers will find much to
enjoy in this imaginative first novel.”
—Church Times
“Elegantly written and with real substance and complexity to its
plot.”
—Search: A Church of Ireland Journal
“The plot is absolutely ingenious and both characterization and
dialogue are wonderful.”
—John Barton, Oriel & Laing Emeritus Professor of the
Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford
“This intriguing novel is a significant achievement. The way in
which Fiddes presents the myths and symbols connected with the
unicorn is remarkably convincing and rewarding. . . . A Unicorn
Dies is illustrative of narrative fiction’s unique ability to
present a story that is not just entertaining but thoughtful and
thought-provoking, particularly by demonstrating the need for
historical knowledge and ethical reflection.”
—Jakob Lothe, Professor of English literature, University of
Oslo
“Notable Oxford academics, like J. R. R. Tolkien or C. S. Lewis,
send their heroes on hazardous journeys. Paul Fiddes lays an
intricate trail from York to Paris to Rome, from New York to Colmar
to Stirling, as his undergraduate hero, Giles, investigates two
suspicious deaths which are linked to mythological depictions of
the unicorn. This is another Oxford murder mystery, but with a
theological twist, as the code of the death of the unicorn is
finally revealed.”
—Susan Gillingham, Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of
Oxford
Product Details
- Title : A Unicorn Dies: A Novel of Mystery and Ideas
- Author: Fiddes, Paul S.
- Publisher: Cascade Books
- Publication Date: 2019
- ISBN: 9781532693670