The Rack: The rediscovered ‘powerful love story’ (Sebastian Faulks)

Book Details

• Author: A. E. Ellis

• Publisher: Vintage Classics

• Language: English

• Edition: 2022

• ISBN: 9781784877378

• Pages: 544

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1.7 inches

About the Book

The Rack, originally published in 1958, is a rediscovered British masterpiece that delves into the harrowing and absurd world of medical suffering, love, and human endurance. Set in a Swiss Alps sanatorium, the novel follows Paul Davenant, who arrives with hopes of a cure for his ailment, only to be subjected to brutal and dehumanizing medical procedures. As the weeks drag on, Davenant faces the agony of his condition and the possibility that his case may be beyond hope. Yet, amidst the pain and indignity, he finds humor in the absurdity of his plight and a renewed sense of purpose when he falls in love with a fellow patient.

In The Rack, Ellis creates a powerful narrative that intertwines physical suffering with emotional resilience. The novel raises profound questions about the nature of life, love, and the limits of human endurance. Will Davenant's love and determination lead him to recovery, or will the trials he faces be in vain?

Hailed as a masterpiece upon its release, The Rack was praised for its portrayal of the primitive medical treatments and its powerful love story, drawing comparisons to the works of Proust, Mann, and Camus. This edition reclaims its rightful place as one of the great novels of the 20th century.

Praise for The Rack

• "Quite possibly a masterpiece" – Irish Times

• "A work of sombre power, of soaring comedy" – Cyril Connolly, Sunday Times

• "Book of the year if there ever was one" – V. S. Pritchett, New Statesman

• "I distrust anything deemed a cult classic, but this very moving novel delivers gruelling descriptions of primitive treatments and a powerful love story" – Sebastian Faulks

• "There are certain books we call great for want of a better term, that rise like monuments above the cemeteries of literature: The Rack is one of this company" – Graham Greene