Rating: 
Summary: a deeply depressing saga written with panache..
Review: New Grub Street, written by the (now) relatively unknown George Gissing, is a dark story concerning struggling writers in the late 19th century. One set of writers believe in writing for the pure intellectual fulfillment with little/no regards of monetary reward, the other believing in simply writing whatever drivel society will buy just to get oneself rich. Compounding this is a very moving sub-story on the issue of marriage and (the lack of) divorce in late Victorian society.Much of New Grub Street is very depressing, with haunting descriptions of poverty, starvation, illness .. and writer's block. However just when I thought it would all spiral into a sad melodrama George Gissing's strength of capturing genuine emotion between the chief protaganists saves the day. More than that, he produced a novel I will not forget (.. and I read 50-100 novels per year!). New Grub Street is perfect for those who love fine Victorian-era writers such as George Eliot; that is, it is brilliantly written but not "over-written" (like works from Henry James). No need to grapple with your dictionary to enjoy this gem.
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