Beyond This Place [Paperback]

A.J. Cronin (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam; Reprint. edition (1964)
• ASIN: B002KNK9NS
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing experience., March 29, 1999

By 

Michael Adler (Hashmonaim, Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond This Place (Hardcover)

After reading Cronin's The Citadel, I had this excellent author in mind. I came across 'Beyond This Place' by chance, it was a very old edition (40'). Reading this book was a refreshing experience. It has all the ingredients of an up to date bestseller: crooked law system, innocent man in prison, a one man fight against the establishment, unfulfilled love etc. I couldn't leave the book off until finished. I wish it would be reprinted as well as dramatized for Television. The only thing the book doesn't have is Sex, but if you have a good wife, who needs it in theory anyway...

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good 'weekend reading', May 20, 2003

By 

book yeti "book yeti" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond This Place (Hardcover)

An older friend of mine leant me this book...she has owned it since it's publication date in the 1950s, and it's been one of her favorites. Indeed it was quite a captivating novel. A tad bit 'weak' at the outset, but as the story moved along, the plot thickened - and it evolved into a real page-turner.

A young man learns the story behind his father whom he was told had died long ago. Through his own investigations, the son finds that his father was wrongly convicted of a brutal murder 16 years earlier due to a miscarriage of justice, and was sentenced to life in prison. The son learns the father is still in prison and has already served 15 years of his life sentence. After learning the facts, the son strives to clear his father's name. He eventually exposes a cover up by the police and the political system, which sought to frame his father for the horrible crime. I won't spoil the ending for you, but suffice it to say it was relatively a satisfying one.

I must admit there were some occurrences in the novel which seemed a bit dubious, however, nothing overtly outlandish took place that drew attention away from the story line. I would've liked a bit more characterization of some of the secondary characters - you don't learn too much about the way their minds work. You're also left wondering about the fate of some of the characters. For example, the boy's mother - who received almost ALL the focus at the outset, seemed to 'disappear' near the ending of the book.

However, I must say, overall it was well written in my opinion. This book was not heavy reading - it's one you're able to finish in a couple days...a good "weekend novel."

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond this Place, the best book we have read in alltime., July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Beyond This Place (Hardcover)

Beyond this Place, has started my husband reading for the first time, he is now a book worm, where as he had never read a book in his life.The story of a man going to such lengths to seek freedom for a father he hadn't seen for fifteen years. Great Stuff!