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'There is pleasure here, in passion and in absurdity, in landscape and in conversation, in costume and in food. There is pleasure, above all, in writing. A delightful entertainment, a timely social and political commentary, and a highly literary and ambitious novel.' Ahdaf Soueif, Guardian 'Outstanding... Hensher reveals the significance of the small moment, of great figures seen in close-up, and of a subtle, sensuous intimacy with the fabric of these long-gone lives. The effect is exhilarating.' Helen Dunmore, The Times 'A huge, perhaps unique achievement... deeply human, gorgeous, glittering and never dull.' Murrough O'Brien, Independent on Sunday 'Exuberant, overflowing with life, highly-coloured, entrancing: a novel to lose yourself in... Nabokov said that the novelist must be storyteller, teacher, and enchanter. In this novel Hensher is triumphantly all three.' Allan Massie, Scotsman 'Loaded with exotic local detail, from London to Calcutta, St Petersburg to Kabul... Irresistible.' Daily Mail 'A remarkable achievement. I can pay Philip Hensher no higher compliment than to say his overview of the follies of history recalls War and Peace... The rich imagery and the vivid characterisation of a splendidly varied cast make The Mulberry Empire a truly tremendous read.' Mail on Sunday 'A triumph of style and research: a novel as brocaded, exuberant, colourful and violent as its subject matter.' LRB 'An exotic cautionary tale alive with topical relevance, ideal for lovers of superbly written historical fiction.' Sunday Express

Quite apart from the sheer weight of the book, when a chap starts a novel by listing all 54 sons of the Amir Dost Mohammed Khan by name, the experienced reader at once senses that here's a bloke who's going to allow himself plenty of space to tell his story. And so it proves. But what a story. Philip Hensher has taken an all-but-forgotten fragment of history - the build-up to the First Afghan War soon after Victoria's accession to the throne - and fashioned a compelling and marvellous tale set in Calcutta, the slums of Kabul, the drawing-rooms of Mayfair, the brothels of St Petersburg and a decaying country house in Gloucestershire. He casts his net wide, and the opening of the novel in the Amir's palace is more than a bit like reading the Old Testament; but this piece of narrative is vital in that it shows the antiquated background against which the invasion of the clottish British military force is set. The author handles his enormous cast of eccentric stereotypes with the fascination he obviously feels, and a lot of historical figures (among them Lord Palmerston and Queen Victoria herself) flit across the scene in the course of the book, which adds to the fun. Tricky things as a rule, historical novels, but handled here by a master of the craft: take his description of an ageing Afghan potentate as 'a moulting crow held together with rubies'. This story of blunt-headed, scarlet-clad soldiers representing civilization and imposing themselves on traditions that are timelessly ancient is both brutish and shocking. This is a magnificent book: it echoes Paul Scott, Patrick O'Brian, William Golding and even Jane Austen, and demands to be read. An odd masterpiece, and a wonderful achievement. (Kirkus UK)

'There is pleasure here, in passion and in absurdity, in landscape and in conversation, in costume and in food. There is pleasure, above all, in writing. A delightful entertainment, a timely social and political commentary, and a highly literary and ambitious novel.' Ahdaf Soueif, Guardian 'Outstanding!Hensher reveals the significance of the small moment, of great figures seen in close-up, and of a subtle, sensuous intimacy with the fabric of these long-gone lives. The effect is exhilarating.' Helen Dunmore, The Times 'A huge, perhaps unique achievement!deeply human, gorgeous, glittering and never dull.' Murrough O'Brien, Independent on Sunday 'Exuberant, overflowing with life, highly-coloured, entrancing: a novel to lose yourself in!Nabokov said that the novelist must be storyteller, teacher, and enchanter. In this novel Hensher is triumphantly all three.' Allan Massie, Scotsman 'Loaded with exotic local detail, from London to Calcutta, St Petersburg to Kabul!Irresistible.' Daily Mail 'A remarkable achievement. I can pay Philip Hensher no higher compliment than to say his overview of the follies of history recalls War and Peace! The rich imagery and the vivid characterisation of a splendidly varied cast make The Mulberry Empire a truly tremendous read.' Mail on Sunday 'A triumph of style and research: a novel as brocaded, exuberant, colourful and violent as its subject matter.' LRB 'An exotic cautionary tale alive with topical relevance, ideal for lovers of superbly written historical fiction.' Sunday Express 'Prepare to be dazzled! The Mulberry Empire is executed with flair, confidence and great energy -- a really terrific read and one hell of an achievement.' Victoria Glendinning, Daily Telegraph The cast of characters is extensive, the grandiloquence of empire wonderfully evoked; The Mulberry Empire will be read with pleasure for years to come.' Justin Marozzi, Spectator

'Prepare to be dazzled ! A really terrific read' Daily Telegraph 'There is pleasure here, in passion and in absurdity, in landscape and in conversation, in costume and in food. There is pleasure, above all, in writing. A delightful entertainment, a timely social and political commentary, and a highly literary and ambitious novel.' Ahdaf Soueif, Guardian 'Outstanding!Hensher reveals the significance of the small moment, of great figures seen in close-up, and of a subtle, sensuous intimacy with the fabric of these long-gone lives. The effect is exhilarating.' Helen Dunmore, The Times 'A huge, perhaps unique achievement!deeply human, gorgeous, glittering and never dull.' Murrough O'Brien, Independent on Sunday 'Exuberant, overflowing with life, highly-coloured, entrancing: a novel to lose yourself in!Nabokov said that the novelist must be storyteller, teacher, and enchanter. In this novel Hensher is triumphantly all three.' Allan Massie, Scotsman 'Loaded with exotic local detail, from London to Calcutta, St Petersburg to Kabul!Irresistible.' Daily Mail 'A remarkable achievement. I can pay Philip Hensher no higher compliment than to say his overview of the follies of history recalls War and Peace! The rich imagery and the vivid characterisation of a splendidly varied cast make The Mulberry Empire a truly tremendous read.' Mail on Sunday 'A triumph of style and research: a novel as brocaded, exuberant, colourful and violent as its subject matter.' LRB 'An exotic cautionary tale alive with topical relevance, ideal for lovers of superbly written historical fiction.' Sunday Express 'Prepare to be dazzled! The Mulberry Empire is executed with flair, confidence and great energy -- a really terrific read and one hell of an achievement.' Victoria Glendinning, Daily Telegraph The cast of characters is extensive, the grandiloquence of empire wonderfully evoked; The Mulberry Empire will be read with pleasure for years to come.' Justin Marozzi, Spectator

'Prepare to be dazzled ! A really terrific read' Daily Telegraph 'There is pleasure here, in passion and in absurdity, in landscape and in conversation, in costume and in food. There is pleasure, above all, in writing. A delightful entertainment, a timely social and political commentary, and a highly literary and ambitious novel.' Ahdaf Soueif, Guardian 'Outstanding!Hensher reveals the significance of the small moment, of great figures seen in close-up, and of a subtle, sensuous intimacy with the fabric of these long-gone lives. The effect is exhilarating.' Helen Dunmore, The Times 'A huge, perhaps unique achievement!deeply human, gorgeous, glittering and never dull.' Murrough O'Brien, Independent on Sunday 'Exuberant, overflowing with life, highly-coloured, entrancing: a novel to lose yourself in!Nabokov said that the novelist must be storyteller, teacher, and enchanter. In this novel Hensher is triumphantly all three.' Allan Massie, Scotsman 'Loaded with exotic local detail, from London to Calcutta, St Petersburg to Kabul!Irresistible.' Daily Mail

Author Information

Philip Hensher is a columnist for the Independent, arts critic for the Spectator and a Granta Best of Young British novelist. He has written six novels, including The Mulberry Empire and the Booker-shortlisted The Northern Clemency, and one collection of short stories. He lives in South London.

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