Palace of the Peacock (Faber Editions): 'A masterpiece' - Monique Roffey

"The Palace of the Peacock" is a visionary masterpiece that follows a riverboat crew's dreamlike jungle voyage through the rainforests of Guyana. The crew is led by Donne, a conquistador-like figure obsessed with hunting for a mysterious woman and exploiting indigenous people. The novel is a modernist fever dream, prose poem, modern myth, and elegy to the victims of colonial conquest. It has defied definition for over sixty years and is reissued for a new generation of readers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2021
Publisher: Faber & Faber

The visionary masterpiece, tracing a riverboat crew's dreamlike jungle voyage, is a testament to the power of literature to transport readers to new worlds. Written by the Guyanese author Wilson Harris, the novel is a haunting exploration of the human condition, set against the backdrop of a turbulent river and the rainforests of Guyana.

The crew of men, led by the domineering Donne, is on a mission to hunt for a mysterious woman and exploit the indigenous people as plantation labour. However, their expedition is plagued by tragedies, haunted by drowned ghosts: spectres of the crew themselves, inhabiting a blurred shadowland between life and death. As their journey into the interior - their own hearts of darkness - deepens, it assumes a spiritual dimension, guiding them towards a new destination: the Palace of the Peacock.

The novel is a modernist fever dream, prose poem, modern myth, and elegy to the victims of colonial conquest. It has defied definition for over sixty years and is reissued for a new generation of readers. Harris's writing is praised for its poetic intensity, and his ability to create vivid, unforgettable characters and landscapes.

The novel's themes of power, exploitation, and the human condition are still relevant today, and it continues to inspire and challenge readers. It is a testament to the power of literature to transcend boundaries and explore the depths of the human experience.

In conclusion, The Riverboat Crew is a masterpiece of literature that transports readers to new worlds, explores the human condition, and challenges the boundaries of imagination. It is a testament to the power of literature to inspire, challenge, and transform.

Weight: 148g
Dimension: 132 x 198 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571368044
Edition number: Main