In the Skin of a Lion

Books | Fiction / Literary

3.7

(113)

Michael Ondaatje

Bristling with intelligence and shimmering with romance, this novel tests the boundary between history and myth. Patrick Lewis arrives in Toronto in the 1920s and earns his living searching for a vanished millionaire and tunneling beneath Lake Ontario. In the course of his adventures, Patrick's life intersects with those of characters who reappear in Ondaatje's Booker Prize-winning The English Patient. 256 pp.

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More Details:

Author

Michael Ondaatje

Pages

256

Publisher

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Published Date

2011-04-06

ISBN

0307776638 9780307776631

Community ReviewsSee all

"Incredibly evocative imagery, this is one of my favourite books of all time"

Ceilidh

"I liked this even better than the English Patient (and I really liked the English Patient)"

Vanessa McMain

"That description doesn’t truly describe the book all that well. The book is interesting because though the characters are fictional, much of it is set in Toronto or parts of Ontario, Canada- which makes it intriguing geographically. Also, the book really paints a picture of what life there may have been like historically in that time 1920’s/1930’s period. There is much focus on the construction within the city, and the dangers for the hard-working poor. Be sure to note characters as you read!"

Ellem

"The book is completely circular; last pages flow directly back into the beginning. Good luck not reading it a second time! I loved the history of some of Toronto's most important infrastructure such as the Bloor St viaduct, and the east end water treatment facility. All in all I couldnt put into words how beautifully written this book is."

B B

Beth B