Set in the tumultuous backdrop of 1930s Brighton, 'Brighton Rock' follows the chilling ascent of the young gangster Pinkie Brown. With a predilection for violence and moral ambiguity, Pinkie finds himself entangled in a web of betrayal, obsession, and fate. As he vies for control over his turf and grapples with his conscience, the lines between good and evil blur. The novel weaves a gripping narrative that explores the dark corners of human nature, particularly through a haunting love story that challenges Pinkie’s hardened exterior. Will he succumb to the very evil he embodies, or is redemption on the horizon?
By Graham Greene
Published: 2004
""I’ve always been a bad egg. I can’t help it, it’s just who I am.""
"Hale knew, before he had been in Brighton three hours, that they meant to murder him..." Graham Greene's chilling exposé of violence and gang warfare in the pre-war underworld is a classic of its kind. Pinkie, a teenage gangster on the rise, is devoid of compassion or human feeling, despising weakness of both the spirit and the flesh. Responsible for the razor slashes that killed mob boss Kite and also for the death of Hale, a reporter who threatened the livelihood of the mob, Pinkie is the embodiment of calculated evil. As a Catholic, however, Pinkie is convinced that his retribution does not lie in human hands. He is therefore not prepared for Ida Arnold, Hale's avenging angel. Ida, whose allegiance is with life, the here and now, has her own ideas about the circumstances surrounding Hale's death. For the sheer joy of it, she takes up the challenge of bringing the infernal Pinkie to an earthly kind of justice. This Penguin Classics Deluxe edition features an introduction by J. M. Coetzee. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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“"I’ve always been a bad egg. I can’t help it, it’s just who I am."”
Brighton Rock
By Graham Greene
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Graham Greene (1904-1991) was a renowned British author known for his impactful novels that often explore moral ambiguity and the complexities of human nature. Some of his most notable works include 'The Power and the Glory,' 'The Heart of the Matter,' and 'The End of the Affair.' Greene's writing style is characterized by its rich narrative, psychological depth, and an acute examination of faith and existential themes. His ability to blend thrilling plots with profound philosophical questions has established him as a significant figure in 20th-century literature.
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