What was this novel, again?

August 9, 2010 2:09 PM

Trying to find a comment in Ask about a novel, a lengthy period piece sort of novel, where the protagonist was unsure of relationships between other characters. Multiple family trees involved somehow.

The distinguishing bit I remember was that each chapter or section had an updated or expanded family tree of some kind, as more information was learned. I know it's out there, but I'm drawing a blank and Google is not being my friend. Any ideas?

posted by StrikeTheViol to MetaFilter-Related at 2:09 PM (11 comments total)

I have no idea what AskMe you're talking about, but your description of the novel sounds an awful lot like The Quincunx. That's probably not it, though.
posted by hippybear at 2:12 PM on August 9, 2010 [2 favorites]

The Quincunx it is! The comment was here. I don't normally read much historical fiction that recent, but I was thinking of it for a friend, and might try it out for myself. Thanks hippybear!
posted by StrikeTheViol at 2:28 PM on August 9, 2010

This also sounds like Monsters of Templeton, if you enjoy that kind of book. I thought Monsters was great. Also, part of it is about baseball!
posted by elder18 at 3:07 PM on August 9, 2010

Hey, I'd recommend The Quincunx again, but apparently I already did.
posted by Quietgal at 3:18 PM on August 9, 2010

The Quincunx is a great book. I devoured it, and it still haunts me a bit. I should re-read it, actually. *finds book on shelf, adds to stack*
posted by hippybear at 3:42 PM on August 9, 2010

Are you sure it wasn't Cloud Atlas? It's usually Cloud Atlas.

{/HAMBhamburgerURGER/}
posted by Eideteker at 5:43 PM on August 9, 2010 [2 favorites]

Thanks for the tip! Amazon $.01 copy, yeehaw.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:03 PM on August 9, 2010

Eideteker, are you sure you didn't mean House of Leaves?
posted by Mister_A at 5:52 AM on August 10, 2010

House of what? Never heard of it.
posted by Eideteker at 6:03 AM on August 10, 2010

As long as we're on the topic, I'd like to toss a recommendation to Palliser's less-read but leaner, meaner, and more spectacular Betrayals.

If he had kept on producing like that, he'd be on right up there on the list of Great Unread Novelists, with Harington and Powers.
posted by longtime_lurker at 8:11 AM on August 10, 2010

Are you sure it wasn't Cloud Atlas? It's usually Cloud Atlas.

No, no. This sounds more like The Ethical Slut.
posted by lapsangsouchong at 11:34 AM on August 10, 2010