Book Review

As an anglophile in general, and specifically a Londonphile, I eagerly read Clare Clark's The Great Stink.  In the first third of the book, the plot moves a little slow as the book introduces the major characters.  However, the descriptive language immediately grabs a hold of you.  Clarke's description of the sewers of Victorian London engage all your senses; sight, sound, and smell.  

After about 100 pages the plot really takes off and the suspense kicks into high gear.  The story centers around the building of the modern London Sewer system in 1855.  William May is one of the engineers building the sewer and he get caught up in a web of corruption and murder.  A second narrative steam involves a man named Long Arm Tom.  Tom also makes his living in the sewers of London and the way Clark brings together the stories of these two men is brilliant.

The Great Stink is good read because both the plot and the writer's use of the English language are strong.  One another thing should be strong before you begin you adventure in the London sewers, and that is your stomach.  If you think you have a strong enough stomach then pick up a copy of The Great Stink.