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The Quality of Mercy: A Novel (Sacred Hunger #2)

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 214 ratings · 68 reviews

Barry Unsworth returns to the terrain of his Booker Prize-winning novel Sacred Hunger, this time following Sullivan, the Irish fiddler, and Erasmus Kemp, son of a Liverpool slave ship owner who hanged himself. It is the spring of 1767, and to avenge his father's death, Erasmus Kemp has had the rebellious sailors of his father's ship, including Sullivan, brought back to Lon...more Barry Unsworth returns to the terrain of his Booker Prize-winning novel Sacred Hunger, this time following Sullivan, the Irish fiddler, and Erasmus Kemp, son of a Liverpool slave ship owner who hanged himself. It is the spring of 1767, and to avenge his father's death, Erasmus Kemp has had the rebellious sailors of his father's ship, including Sullivan, brought back to London to stand trial on charges of mutiny and piracy. But as the novel opens, a blithe Sullivan has escaped and is making his way on foot to the north of England, stealing as he goes and sleeping where he can.

His destination is Thorpe in the East Durham coalfields, where his dead shipmate, Billy Blair, lived: he has pledged to tell the family how Billy met his end.

In this village, Billy's sister, Nan, and her miner husband, James Bordon, live with their three sons, all destined to follow their father down the pit. The youngest, only seven, is enjoying his last summer aboveground.

Meanwhile, in London, a passionate anti-slavery campaigner, Frederick Ashton, gets involved in a second case relating to the lost ship. Erasmus Kemp wants compensation for the cargo of sick slaves who were thrown overboard to drown, and Ashton is representing the insurers who dispute his claim. Despite their polarized views on slavery, Ashton's beautiful sister, Jane, encounters Erasmus Kemp and finds herself powerfully attracted to him.

Lord Spenton, who owns coal mines in East-Durham, has extravagant habits and is pressed for money. When he applies to the Kemp merchant bank for a loan, Erasmus sees a business opportunity of the kind he has long been hoping for, a way of gaining entry into Britain's rapidly developing and highly profitable coal and steel industries.
Thus he too makes his way north, to the very same village that Sullivan is heading for . . .

With historical sweep and deep pathos, Unsworth explores the struggles of the powerless and the captive against the rich and the powerful, and what weight mercy may throw on the scales of justice.(less)

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published January 10th 2012 by Nan A. Talese (first published September 1st 2011)

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Jun 07, 2012 April rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Once again, here I go giving lukewarm reviews to Booker Prize authors. Something about this book just left me cold...it seemed formulaic in some way. The writing was wonderfully descriptive and lovely; I also enjoyed the way the book moved back and forth between different points of view. However, you have the unusual proto-feminist as the only fully explored female character in the book, set in England in the late 1700s. You have her brother, the fully sympathetic abolitionist, and then you have...more

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May 25, 2012 Robert Strandquist rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: while-in-belgium

Masterful - Barry Unsworth weaves a wide web of complex sub-plots in a narrow time frame that are bound more by the theme of social justice than by the coincidences of their interactions. I love his style of writing that blends the atmosphere of the late 1760's with the psychological sensitivity of the 20th century. It's masterfully written. The omniscient narrator leaves nothing for readers to wonder about. Every certainty in a character's attitude is counterbalance by a doubt in another's. I r...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Felice rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the spirit of full disclosure I want to tell you that Barry Unsworth is one of my favorite authors. His Man Booker Prize winning novel Sacred Hunger is one of my all time revered, most recommend, if-it-turns-out-you-don’t-appreciate-it-don’t-tell-because-I-will-think-less-of-you books. When I found out a few months ago that Unsworth’s new novel would be a sequel to Sacred Hunger, The Quality ofMercy, my excitement was strong enough to be slightly embarrassing.

There is always a question with...more In the spirit of full disclosure I want to tell you that Barry Unsworth is one of my favorite authors. His Man Booker Prize winning novel Sacred Hunger is one of my all time revered, most recommend, if-it-turns-out-you-don’t-appreciate-it-don’t-tell-because-I-will-think-less-of-you books. When I found out a few months ago that Unsworth’s new novel would be a sequel to Sacred Hunger, The Quality ofMercy, my excitement was strong enough to be slightly embarrassing.

There is always a question with sequels, “Do I have to read the books in order?” That question is also a dead giveaway. Real readers never ask that question. They HAVE TO read connected novels whether they are a series of two or twenty-two in order. It’s hard wired into the DNA. So I answer the question for all of the less obsessive readers in the world. The answer is, “Yes.”
It is inevitable that in putting down my thoughts on The Quality of Mercy I will be spilling out some plot from Sacred Hunger as well. There will be absolutely no spoilers concerning The Quality of Mercy in this review but there will be a couple spoilers regarding Sacred Hunger.

The Quality of Mercy is set in 1767, two years after the end of Sacred Hunger. In Sacred Hunger Unsworth designed his brilliant turmoil around the deadly slave triangle of England, Africa and the New World. The central plot in The Quality of Mercy centers on a court case resulting from the mutiny of the slave ship in Sacred Hunger. Erasmus Kemp is looking for financial compensation for slaves lost on his Father’s ship. His legal nemesis is the abolitionist Frederick Ashton. Ashton’s passion for ending slavery extends as far as freeing the slaves and sending them back to their homeland but not as far accepting them as equals.

On other fronts mutinous members of the crew are still on the loose and need to be rounded up for prosecution and as witnesses. Kemp is looking to purchase a mine. This particular mine is desirable because it is worked by children and therefore more of a money maker than most mines. This subplot highlights the many forms of slavery that existed across races and countries. The mine workers were as hopelessly tied to mines as the African slaves were to the plantations.

Barry Unsworth is the historical novelist that all other novelists daydream about being. He writes from a position of authority. He has every social and historical detail in place, every conversation is pitch perfect, every thought or action ascribed to a character is in keeping with the historical period and with that character’s personality. All that is amazing but what is truly astonishing is the nuanced way in which Unsworth carries all this research and plotting into what we all want the most-- captivating and rewarding storytelling.(less)

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May 12, 2013 Sheri rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: male-female-power-sex-attractivenes, poverty-class-issues

I was less than impressed with this book. It was written in 2011 in the style of Dickens (working conditions of the poor) and Hardy (pastoral love stories with some grit thrown in), but ultimately it felt to me as if it was just too forced and intentional.

First, everything was just too contrived. Sullivan escapes, but heads to Durham which is where Kemp is newly interested in coal mines; Kemp's arch-enemy in the fight for the insurance on the slaves is Ashton who is brother to Kemp's newfound lo...more I was less than impressed with this book. It was written in 2011 in the style of Dickens (working conditions of the poor) and Hardy (pastoral love stories with some grit thrown in), but ultimately it felt to me as if it was just too forced and intentional.

First, everything was just too contrived. Sullivan escapes, but heads to Durham which is where Kemp is newly interested in coal mines; Kemp's arch-enemy in the fight for the insurance on the slaves is Ashton who is brother to Kemp's newfound love interest. Really? We are talking about all of England in 1767, why are these people so inter-twined?

Second, this novel was purported to be about abolution, but Unsworth couldn't help putting a communist (or maybe socialist after all, this is England) spin to things. Since this is set in mid 1700s, I was struck by the inappropriateness of some of the "means of production talk" (especially coming out of the mouths of common-folk). After all, Marx was not even born until 1818. I think the book would have been stronger if Unsworth wasn't so divided trying to address issues of poverty/class/working conditions of the miners and slavery.

On the other hand, there were a couple interesting quotes. Particularly about greed and property ownership:
"There is no country in Europe where a man of woman or child, especially of the poorer classes, is more likely to be hanged for offenses against property than this great country of ours." and

"Rights were measured with money, in his view of things. The terms were more or less interchangeable. Kemp had money in plenty, but those with money always wanted more. It was a fact of life; he had never encountered a single exception to it." and

"Fairness was not a fixed value; it depended on the nature of the end to be served."

I also found a few of the scenes between Kemp and Jane to be beautifully written, such as: "when she raised her eyes to look at him she found his gaze fixed on her, the space between them was canceled, an it was as though they were continuing some conversation close together in a pause between words."

Overall I did not find it particularly compelling or thought provoking. It was just a mediocre read.(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 aPriL MEOWS often with scratching rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, literary

I think Robert Strandquist's review is the best review that suits what I would say about this book.

I would add that the excellence of 'The Quality of Mercy' relies on the way it tackles so much and does it so well. Unsworth has written a historical novel that captures the sounds, scents, dress, and even the English household accroutrements of the middle 18th century. In 300 pages he has deftly strung together the atmospheres of living stranded in Florida, being aboard a slave ship and inside an...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Philip rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At first sight, The Quality Of Mercy by Barry Unsworth might appear to be a sequel. Sacred Hunger, the novel that won the author the Booker Prize, is a vast and highly moving tale about the slave trade. The Quality Of Mercy continues some of the loose ends that Sacred Hunger left, but it goes far beyond being a mere adjunct to its larger predecessor. The Quality Of Mercy makes its own points, just as significant as those of Sacred Hunger, but its form is more succinct and, in some ways, its mess...more At first sight, The Quality Of Mercy by Barry Unsworth might appear to be a sequel. Sacred Hunger, the novel that won the author the Booker Prize, is a vast and highly moving tale about the slave trade. The Quality Of Mercy continues some of the loose ends that Sacred Hunger left, but it goes far beyond being a mere adjunct to its larger predecessor. The Quality Of Mercy makes its own points, just as significant as those of Sacred Hunger, but its form is more succinct and, in some ways, its message is more telling.

As ever with Barry Unsworth, the novel goes far beyond mere story, describes much more than the countable events that befall its characters. In Sacred Hunger, the focus was a mercantilist venture in the inhumane human trade of the eighteenth century. It was the history, its veracity, its credibility, its rawness and ultimately unacceptable reality that shone through and rendered the book a completely satisfying experience both as a narrative and as an intellectual experience.

In The Quality Of Mercy, Barry Unsworth continues the tale of the Liverpool Merchant, the ship that made Sacred Hunger’s voyage in the triangular trade. But it is more than a decade since the endeavour came to its unfortunate end and Erasmus Kemp, son of the venture capitalist whose dreams of profit proved no more substantial than a pending insurance claim, is pursuing an action against a gang of mutineers from the ship who still languish in a London jail. He is also pursuing the insurance claim, the outcome of which depends in part on how the crewmen’s mutiny is seen.

The Ashtons are brother and sister and, for their own reasons, support the abolition of slavery. One of the hand-clapping surprises of reading Barry Unsworth is his ability to interpret the history associated with his plots. There is no mere plod through events as they unfold. Neither is there cheap sensationalism derived from overstatement. What Barry Unsworth achieves is a rounded picture of issues that incorporates the complications, contexts and nuances of a debate that are often lost in summary accounts. And he always manages to achieve this with elegance, wit and considerable beauty. Abolitionists, you see, were not all liberals campaigning for human rights and concepts of freedom. Politics have always been more complex than that. Read the book to understand the nuances.

Well, the Ashtons oppose Kemp, at least the brother does. The sister, Jane, eventually makes liaisons of her own with Erasmus Kemp. His anticipation of willing enslavement by her prompts the delamation of some rather uncharacteristic promises of the kind that men are prone to make when presented with opportunity.

There is the case of Evans, who in theory has been manumitted and thus rendered a free man, but whose former owners still regard as their property to sell. There is Sullivan, an Irish fiddler from the Liverpool Merchant, who breaks out of prison to fulfil a promise to a deceased crew member that he would contact his family to tell of his fate. That family lives in Durham and work in the mines, work in a domestic slavery from the age of seven, the dark underground galleys of the mine reminding us directly of the below deck cargo hold of the ocean-going slaver. Then there is the mine’s owner, a landowner and a Lord, no less, who lives in a state of permanent debt, more interested in trinkets than lives. And then there is the dawn of capitalism in the form of the nouveau-riche Kemp’s intended purchase and reform of the Lord’s mines, a proposal characterised by notions of technological innovation, increased efficiency and projected profit. A little piece of previously unwanted land might hold all kinds of keys.

The Quality Of Mercy is thus much more than an historical novel. It is also much more than a tale of slavery and emerging capitalism. It is more than mutiny aboard ship and revenge via the Law. It is also much more than an essay o social class relations at the start of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. It is no less than a Barry Unsworth novel and therefore simultaneously emotional and intellectual, a rounded and completely satisfying experience for the reader. But it is a complex book about complex issues. Expect to be challenged.
(less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Phil rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Almost twenty years and six novels and other writings separate The Quality of Mercy and Sacred Hunger. If Unsworth has planned a trilogy, I hope it appears sooner, given my age, rather than later. There is a darkness to Savage Hunger reflected in the slaving industry and the institution of slavery. The Quality of Mercy deals more with the legal and moral implications of the industry and institution.
Again, Unsworth delineates wonderfully memorable characters, both heroes and anti-heroes. Extended...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

What a sad thing that this was Barry Unsworth's last book, especially since it seemed to hint at a sequel at the very end.

As it is, The Quality of Mercy is itself a sequel to his award-winning Sacred Hunger, which told the tale of a slave ship crew and "cargo" who rose up to take over their foundered ship and then live as a polyglot community in Florida.

In "Quality," the multiracial idyll in Florida has been shattered by Erasmus Kemp, the son of the slave ship owner (who committed suicide after...more
What a sad thing that this was Barry Unsworth's last book, especially since it seemed to hint at a sequel at the very end.

As it is, The Quality of Mercy is itself a sequel to his award-winning Sacred Hunger, which told the tale of a slave ship crew and "cargo" who rose up to take over their foundered ship and then live as a polyglot community in Florida.

In "Quality," the multiracial idyll in Florida has been shattered by Erasmus Kemp, the son of the slave ship owner (who committed suicide after the loss of his vessel). Kemp has gone into the slave-dependent sugar trade to earn a quick fortune, married into a banking family to achieve more permanent wealth, and has used his newfound power to launch an expedition to arrest the slave ship's surviving occupants and bring them in chains back to England to be tried for murder.

This spine is interwoven with three great subplots. In one, Erasmus is smitten by Jane Ashton, the progressive sister of one of his main opponents, an abolitionist. In another, one of the crewmen, the Irish fiddler Sullivan, waltzes out of prison because of a mistake and heads north toward the mining village of Thorpe, to tell the family of his friend, Billy Blair, how Billy had died in Florida. And in the mining village, the Bordon family struggles with the harshness of their lives, as they wait for their youngest son to follow the family trade, going underground at the age of 7.

Unsworth makes each of these stories worth reading on their own, and sends them to their inevitable collision as Erasmus acquires a financial interest in the mines and tries to persuade Jane of his desirability with his ideas for modernizing its ways.

Unsworth does not avoid dramatic moments when they occur naturally, but he also never makes the mistake of relying on them to keep you interested. Instead, you become invested in the characters and their relationships -- and always, in his books, in the ideas and great political debates that roiled the times and lives of his characters.

A wonderful vacation read: a rich story that kept me as happy as a beach book, but with enough heft to make me feel quite noble.(less)

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Apr 29, 2013 Suzanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Feb 26, 2012 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

A worthy sequel to the excellent Sacred Hunger, I'm glad I didn't have to wait twenty years between books and that I was able to read them consecutively instead. Not quite as epic or grand in scale as its predecessor, it's still very, very good book, though I wonder how it would be received by someone who hadn't read the first one. As with the first, it is an accurate re-creation of late 18th-century England, and though less focused on slavery it does not ignore the subject entirely and effectiv...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Derek Bridge rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Unsworth died this year (2012). Booker Prize aside, he was insufficiently regarded. He leaves a mighty oeuvre, including the magnificent Sacred Hunger, Morality Play and Land of Marvels. The Quality of Mercy, his last novel, is in the second rank of his works, but even these are brilliant (including Pascali's Island and The Song of the Kings). It's very nicely plotted - a page-turner. But there are bigger themes too: the role of women, industrialization, and the abolition of slavery. Unsworth's...more

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May 11, 2012 Riet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dit boek is het vervolg op "Sacred hunger" waarmee Unsworth 20 jaar geleden de Booker prijs won. Dat is een erg goed boek en dit vervolg, hoewel veel korter, is minstens zo goed. Het lijkt mij moeilijk om dit beok te begrijpen, als je het eerste niet gelezen hebt. Het gaat uiteindelijk over de slavernij, de morele en juridische aspecten. In het tweeede boek wordt ook aandacht besteed aan de onmenselijke omstandigehden in de kolenmijnen van die tijd. Het klinkt allemaal wat moralistisch, maar Uns...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Sheri rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Enjoyable, but on a much lower level than Sacred Hunger, which it follows. Erasmus Kemp was a compelling figure in the first book -- complex, intriguing -- but much more cartoonish here. The plot happens, but does not compel in any significant way, and none of the characters are developed sufficiently to become more than simple carriers of the story line. The final paragraph briefly mentions events in some minor characters' lives much later in time, which seems to be a rather clumsy connection t...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Chaitra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, part-of-a-series, sacred-hunger, barry-unsworth, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, set-in-1700s, set-in-england, british-literature, ensemble, racism-segregation-slavery

I thought the Sacred Hunger was complete in itself and that it did not need a sequel. But, Unsworth wrote an extremely compelling character in Erasmus Kemp and when I figured out Quality of Mercy was about him, I was quite happy to read it. But Erasmus of this book is just not as compelling as the one in Sacred Hunger. His adversary if that is who he is - Frederick Ashton - is no Matthew Paris.

It's actually quite pointless, this story. The mutineers come back with Kemp to England and are in pri...more I thought the Sacred Hunger was complete in itself and that it did not need a sequel. But, Unsworth wrote an extremely compelling character in Erasmus Kemp and when I figured out Quality of Mercy was about him, I was quite happy to read it. But Erasmus of this book is just not as compelling as the one in Sacred Hunger. His adversary if that is who he is - Frederick Ashton - is no Matthew Paris.

It's actually quite pointless, this story. The mutineers come back with Kemp to England and are in prison awaiting sentence. Ashton, an abolitionist, takes an interest in the case. But, he has another case of slavery going as well - one that has no connection to Erasmus - one that means more to Ashton (not for us, we don't know Evans and we never get to know him) than the Kemp case. There's not much passion in it, but Erasmus comes in contact with Ashton's sister (the one lady who supposedly defies convention because she does not like hoop skirts!!!). She likes his regard for her but takes way too long to decide whether she really likes his regard. We get some really crappy chapters where Erasmus smolders at her and she preens at her power over him and they talk about the coal business. Romantic. It does not help that I kept getting the image of actor Orlando Bloom as Erasmus Kemp - maybe it was the brooding, earnest douche-bag that did it.

In another thread of the story, Sullivan the fiddler makes a lengthy trip from prison to Billy Blair's sister in the coal mines in Durham. We get treated to chapter after chapter of him gaining money by some weird means and then losing it because he's too dumb. This is fun for the first two times and quickly gets old. Kemp for plot contrivance purposes, comes over to the same coal fields in Durham and meets Sullivan. Now we think Erasmus has another adversary to get rid of! But no. Nothing happens. Erasmus turns forgiving for no reason at all. There's also a standoff with Blair's nephew, in which Erasmus just plain hands him the round. Is this what Jane Ashton gave to you Erasmus? Temporary insanity? Stay away!

Here's the thing. We don't get the feeling that Erasmus has changed. He hasn't, but we're told he has. He gets a happy ending, but I'm not too sure he did anything to deserve it. I know that at the end of Sacred Hunger there's intimation that Paris' death changed him, but we only get lip service to that part in this book. The bulk of it (which is all concentrated towards the end of the book) seems to be attributed to Jane Ashton without the hoop skirts - but even that is explicitly told. He never actually thinks that he was wrong to have done what he did, but he's still supposedly redeemed. Maybe Unsworth was in a hurry to complete this. I know he died not long after. But, as it stands, I'm not sure it actually needed to be written.(less)

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Mar 05, 2012 Mij Woodward rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: walter-scott-prize-hist-fict, favorites, hist-fiction

One of my favorite books ever.

The reason for that is because it was such a high to have my eyes opened, not only about the slave trade, the landed gentry, coal mining and more in England during the 1760's, but also about how it is that people do the things they do sometimes.

Toward the end, I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!!! I forced my husband to wait for any conversation at our morning coffee yesterday until I had finally reached the last page, and then I forced him to listen to me go on and on...more One of my favorite books ever.

The reason for that is because it was such a high to have my eyes opened, not only about the slave trade, the landed gentry, coal mining and more in England during the 1760's, but also about how it is that people do the things they do sometimes.

Toward the end, I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!!! I forced my husband to wait for any conversation at our morning coffee yesterday until I had finally reached the last page, and then I forced him to listen to me go on and on about the book, why I loved it so, and how I could hardly wait for him to read it so I could tell him more (not wanting to spoil his discovery of the plot, etc.)

The two things I loved the most about this book: (1) I loved the way the various streams of stories all came together at the end, how the various characters all interacted with each other toward the end; and (2) I loved learning about how things were "back then" in England, all brought to life for me, transporting me back there.

One of my ancestors worked in coal mines in Scotland, as a child and young man, in the latter part of the 1800's, a century after the time period set for the mining town of Durham in The Quality of Mercy. By the 1800's, things probably had improved for coal miners and their families, but likely much of the horrors of this labor remained the same. Details were given me by Barry Unsworth that no history book could relay. I needed to identify with the characters he gave me in Durham, who worked in the mines, including the children, to get a picture of the whole thing. And that beautiful stretch of land called the Dene the workers walked through on the way to and from work. I pictured it all.

With all this praise for the book, I will admit that it actually took me until half way through to become engrossed. What kept me glued was the history I was learning. And then, during the second half of the book, I became more glued because I then cared about what was going to happen to each of these characters.

It's been about 24 hours since I finished reading The Quality of Mercy, and I am still on cloud nine. (less)

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Jun 08, 2012 Veronica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

I finished reading this yesterday, and today I learned that Barry Unsworth had died. He was a very talented historical novelist, although none of his other books, including this, matched up to Sacred Hunger, one of the best historical novels I've read.

That's not to say this isn't a good book, just that it doesn't have the intensity and drama of Sacred Hunger. It's about mercy and justice, much of it taken up with court cases, so inevitably it's less exciting and more contemplative. I didn't feel...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The prequel to this book won the Booker Prize in 1992 an this is worthy follow up. I loved Sacred Hunger and was fearful this would not live up to its predecessor, but it does. Although it certainly can stand on its own, reading Sacred Hunger first will enlighten the reader to the two main characters in the novel. This is historical fiction at its best - a thoughtful examination of people and their time in history. Set in the late 18th century, its thrust is the disparity between the rich and th...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Hasan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this book a lot. It is the sequel to Sacred Hunger and continues the saga of the remnants of the crew of William Kemps slave ship that are returned to England. It also continues to follow the life and dreams of Kemp’s son, now wealthy in his own right and looking to establish himself. It is a more uplifting story than Sacred Hunger, but it is fairly easy to be more uplifting than a story focused almost solely on the slave trade and it related suffering.

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Apr 10, 2013 Chris Wharton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction-uk, slavery

Historical novel dealing with 18th-century slave trade in Britain (and sequel to 1992 prize-winning Sacred Hunger). Fifteen years after a mutiny (subject of Sacred Hunger), three story lines from different social settings (upper crust, a mining community, and vagabonds) converge around issues of criminal charges, property (slaves) insurance, and abolitionism. Good on social, intellectual, legal settings, but one story line drags a bit.

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May 20, 2012 Abby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The plotting had an old-fashioned feel [maybe that's appropriate for a 18th C story] but the book drew me in. The legal/financial issues were somewhat more engaging than the personal relationships. One character is compelled to locate the parents of a deceased shipmate but only thinks in passing of his children sold into slavery. There are enough loose ends to support a third book but probably not enough creative energy to sustain the effort.

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Jul 04, 2012 Marge rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: digital-audio

This sequel to Sacred Hunger continues the conflict of the slave-ship owner and the surviving members of his mutinous crew now hauled back to England to stand trial for their lives. New characters and story lines involve the abolitionist movement in Britain and the coal mining industry in small collieries in northeast England. Although perhaps not quite as stunning as the first book, it's a great read.

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Jul 29, 2012 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very well written and interesting. A look at the 18th century slave trade, but indirectly through the lives of several British citizens impacted by it. The author does a great job creating interesting complex characters of many different types and gets inside their heads to very deftly explore their motivations and the consequences of their actions. The book feels very true to life and relatable.

There is also an interesting look at the financial systems of the times, and several very seperate c...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Dellitt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm maybe midway through this book. I love it. He does such a fabulous job of describing people. I find myself laughing frequently.

Update: So, I finished the book last night. I really liked it. I thought it was neat how he intertwined everyone's story together but especially how he examined what motivates people and how they perceive things differently and why that might be. Very good book.

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Aug 31, 2012 Tenli rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was blown away by Sacred Hunger, the novel preceding The Quality of Mercy. Sacred Hunger was not only beautifully written but had a story that was majestic and intimate at the same time, bringing history to life with vivid, specific characters and a sweeping panorama of locations, including a slave ship. This newer book is beautifully written -- Unsworth is a master stylist -- and there were moments when I was completely drawn in: I almost gave it four stars. But ultimately I found it unsatisi...more

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May 02, 2012 Diane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a sequel, the novel suffers from the need to recount the plot of A Sacred Hunger, and mercy is not as riveting as venality. This novel is less about slavery/abolition, and more about capitalism as a force for both good and evil. This is the strength of Unsworth's portrayal: characters, including Erasmus Kemp, are complex, with the potential for change.

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Dec 13, 2012 William rated it 3 of 5 stars

Follows the lives of a number of character in mid 18th century England: Coal miner, itinerant Irish fiddler, ruthless businessman, young high born woman, "ex" slaves, etc. Describes coal mining life, sailor life, vagabond life, and the abolition of slave movement of that era. A little slow in places but very interesting in the whole.

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Apr 14, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Complex and thoughtful characters populate this treatment of Britain's participation in the slave trade during the last half of the 18th century. Alternating between characters, The Quality of Mercy provides deep perspective on the issues that not only illuminates the period in vivid prose but offers some potent commentary on our own.

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Apr 27, 2013 Andi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Incredible writing. At times I struggled to keep all the characters straight, but as their paths started to intertwine it all made more sense. Historical fiction with so many considered elements that the story has depth and perception that is often lacking in others. Marking to read more by Unsworth right now!

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May 30, 2012 Tuck rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sailing-and-fighting

this goes with booker prize "sacred hunger" and MUST BE READ IN ORDER (sorry, but is just must) , and this story follows up with the slave exporter and the mutineers. rich guy decides to buy a coal mine, so gets him some slaves of his own, and lets one of the mutineers free instead of hanging him. hence mercy.

0385265301

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Aug 27, 2012 Sarah Harkness rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this much briefer sequel to Sacred Hunger. Where that book really seemed to end in despair and failure, this was so much more upbeat and uplifting. Not everything was seen through to its ending, but the chance of redemption was held out to Erasmus...I think he would have taken it.

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About Barry Unsworth

Barry Unsworth was born in 1930 in a mining village in Durham, and he attended Stockton-on-Tees Grammar School and Manchester University, B.A., 1951.

From 1951-53, in the British Army, Royal Corps of Signals, he served and became second lieutenant.

A teacher and a novelist, Unsworth worked as a lecturer in English at Norwood Technical College, London, at University of Athens for the British Council...more Barry Unsworth was born in 1930 in a mining village in Durham, and he attended Stockton-on-Tees Grammar School and Manchester University, B.A., 1951.

From 1951-53, in the British Army, Royal Corps of Signals, he served and became second lieutenant.

A teacher and a novelist, Unsworth worked as a lecturer in English at Norwood Technical College, London, at University of Athens for the British Council, at University of Istanbul,Turkey for British Council, lived as a Writer in residence, Liverpool University, England, and also at Lund University, Sweden. He was a teacher at the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop, 1999.

Unsworth was twice married, to Valerie Moor, 1959 with whom he had three daughters (marriage dissolved, 1991), and to Aira Pohjanvaara-Buffa, 1992. In later years made his home in Umbria, Italy. He died in Perugia, at age 81, of lung cancer.

Unsworth's first novel, The Partnership, was published in 1966 when he was 36. "...in my earlier novels, especially the two written in the early ’70s, The Hide and Mooncranker’s Gift, there was a baroque quality in the style, a density. The mood was grim, but the language was more figurative and more high-spirited. There was more delight in it, more self-indulgence, too. Among my earliest influences as a writer were the American novelists of the deep south, especially Eudora Welty, and some of that elated, grotesque comedy stayed with me."

Other novels include Mooncranker's Gift (1973) (winner of the Heinemann Award), Stone Virgin (1985), and Losing Nelson (1999). He counts William Faulkner, Eudora Welty and Carson McCullers as his major influences.

Unsworth did not start to write historical fiction until his sixth novel, Pascali's Island. Pascali's Island (1980), the first of his novels to be shortlisted for the Booker Prize, is set on an unnamed Aegean island during the last years of the Ottoman Empire. Reflecting on this shift, Unsworth explained: "Nowadays I go to Britain relatively rarely and for short periods; in effect, I have become an expatriate. The result has been a certain loss of interest in British life and society and a very definite loss of confidence in my ability to register the contemporary scene there – the kind of things people say, the styles of dress, the politics etc.– with sufficient subtlety and accuracy. So I have turned to the past. The great advantage of this, for a writer of my temperament at least, is that one is freed from a great deal of surface clutter. One is enabled to take a remote period and use it as a distant mirror (to borrow Barbara Tuchman’s phrase), and so try to say things about our human condition – then and now – which transcend the particular period and become timeless." Pascali's Island was adapted as a film by James Dearden, starring Charles Dance, Helen Mirren, and Ben Kingsley as the title character.

Morality Play, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1995, is a murder mystery set in 14th-century England. It was adapted as a film, The Reckoning, starring Paul Bettany and Willem Dafoe.

"With time I have grown more sparing with the words. I think less of fire-works and flourishes. I try to get warmth and color through precision of language. This is more difficult, I think, which may be why I find writing novels so challenging and exacting."

Awards:
Heinemann Award for Literature, Royal Society of Literature, 1974, for Mooncranker's Gift; Arts Council Creative Writing fellowship, Charlotte Mason College, 1978-79; literary fellow, Universities of Durham and Newcastle, 1983-84; Booker Prize (joint winner), 1992, for Sacred Hunger; honorary Litt.D., Manchester University, 1998.(less)

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The Quality of Mercy: A Novel (Sacred Hunger #2)

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