A Ladder to the Sky
by John Boyne
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Description
"A satire of writerly ambition wrapped in a psychological thriller . . . An homage to Patricia Highsmith, Oscar Wilde and Edgar Allan Poe, but its execution is entirely Boyne's own."--Ron Charles, The Washington Post NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE Maurice Swift is handsome, charming, and hungry for fame. The one thing he doesn't have is talent--but he's not about to let a detail like that stand in his way. After all, a would-be show more writer can find stories anywhere. They don't need to be his own. Working as a waiter in a West Berlin hotel in 1988, Maurice engineers the perfect opportunity: a chance encounter with celebrated novelist Erich Ackermann. He quickly ingratiates himself with the powerful - but desperately lonely - older man, teasing out of Erich a terrible, long-held secret about his activities during the war. Perfect material for Maurice's first novel. Once Maurice has had a taste of literary fame, he knows he can stop at nothing in pursuit of that high. Moving from the Amalfi Coast, where he matches wits with Gore Vidal, to Manhattan and London, Maurice hones his talent for deceit and manipulation, preying on the talented and vulnerable in his cold-blooded climb to the top. But the higher he climbs, the further he has to fall. . . . Sweeping across the late twentieth century, A Ladder to the Sky is a fascinating portrait of a relentlessly immoral man, a tour de force of storytelling, and the next great novel from an acclaimed literary virtuoso. Praise for A Ladder to the Sky "Boyne's mastery of perspective, last seen in The Heart's Invisible Furies, works beautifully here. . . . Boyne understands that it's far more interesting and satisfying for a reader to see that narcissist in action than to be told a catchall phrase. Each step Maurice Swift takes skyward reveals a new layer of calumny he's willing to engage in, and the desperation behind it . . . so dark it seems almost impossible to enjoy reading A Ladder to the Sky as much as you definitely will enjoy reading it."--NPR "Delicious . . . spins out over several decades with thrilling unpredictability, following Maurice as he masters the art of co-opting the stories of others in increasingly dubious ways. And while the book reads as a thriller with a body count that would make Highsmith proud, it is also an exploration of morality and art: Where is the line between inspiration and thievery? To whom does a story belong?"--Vanity Fair show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
pdebolt The obvious connection is the plagiarism by the husband of his wife's work, which leads to world-wide renown.
hairball I read these a few weeks—maybe a month—apart. This is the really obvious pairing.
allthegoodbooks Similar theme - an author stealing a story from someone else.
Member Reviews
***NO SPOILERS***
A Ladder to the Sky is the story of villain Maurice Swift, a writer desperate to achieve literary fame but lacking the necessary skill. For others in a similar situation the dream would remain a dream forever, but Maurice is different. Where he is skilled is in conning people, and he wields his charm and cunning to attain his heart’s desire: his life is punctuated by carefully orchestrated encounters with famous writers that he can potentially seduce. John Boyne placed readers inside this disturbing man’s mind in some sections; in others, he placed them in the mind of Maurice's targets (or would-be targets). These varied perspectives show specifically how this dishonest character operates as he ages from twenty-two show more at the beginning to sixty-something by the end.
This is a bleak story. Readers spend 362 pages immersed in the world of Maurice, and a few other minor (but just as unscrupulous) villains play their parts too. All of these characters cause unspeakable harm to their victim(s), cementing this as a book with a very cynical view of humankind. This isn’t a criticism, though; Boyne wanted to write about the dark side of humanity and he achieved what he set out to do. The result is an engaging read that surprises and piques curiosity throughout. He especially deserves praise for making his main character a villain. Because readers are naturally biased against villainous characters, centering an entire story on one is bold, and a thorough fleshing-out and a detailed backstory is necessary to humanize them.
Maurice as he presents himself to the world is well fleshed out. As he interacts with others, his swagger comes through vividly, as does his confidence in his good looks. Dialogue is natural, so he’s easy to hear too. He's slick, and how he can cast a spell on people is obvious. However, he’s a simple villain, coolly psychopathic, with no guilt, regret, doubt, or even an ounce of fear to inhibit him. Boyne spent a lot of time on the portrayal, mostly in showing how Maurice works hard to con all kinds of people, but he neglected to explore what truly compels this character to crave fame so much that he’ll engage people in long, elaborate cons. There was no probing of the character’s inner life so readers could appreciate the context for the evil behavior, or sympathize with him on some level. This would have been a fuller story with some of this background--or, if he was born that way, what his childhood looked like. Maybe Boyne intended for his villain to really be this simple, but when all is said and done, Maurice seems like a caricature.
Despite this flaw, A Ladder to the Sky as a whole does have dimension and complexity. What drives it is obviously the interesting philosophical question that’s no doubt been debated since books were first written and published: To what extent do writers own stories? Also confronted is the subject of morality. Most of the underhanded behavior in this story (whether from Maurice or others) is inarguably immoral, but some behavior raises the question of whether youthful impulsiveness or a noble end goal can exempt the culprit.
The book pushes readers to ponder these things--but via an intense, tragic story that can be emotionally draining. A Ladder to the Sky is superbly written and smartly organized, but reading about an unapologetically abhorrent person and the pain he causes others is just hard. To say this book is enjoyable doesn’t sound right. It’s more like it’s captivating to see just how far the main character will go in each new situation with new characters. It’s definitely not a book for everyone and not one many readers will care to revisit. show less
A Ladder to the Sky is the story of villain Maurice Swift, a writer desperate to achieve literary fame but lacking the necessary skill. For others in a similar situation the dream would remain a dream forever, but Maurice is different. Where he is skilled is in conning people, and he wields his charm and cunning to attain his heart’s desire: his life is punctuated by carefully orchestrated encounters with famous writers that he can potentially seduce. John Boyne placed readers inside this disturbing man’s mind in some sections; in others, he placed them in the mind of Maurice's targets (or would-be targets). These varied perspectives show specifically how this dishonest character operates as he ages from twenty-two show more at the beginning to sixty-something by the end.
This is a bleak story. Readers spend 362 pages immersed in the world of Maurice, and a few other minor (but just as unscrupulous) villains play their parts too. All of these characters cause unspeakable harm to their victim(s), cementing this as a book with a very cynical view of humankind. This isn’t a criticism, though; Boyne wanted to write about the dark side of humanity and he achieved what he set out to do. The result is an engaging read that surprises and piques curiosity throughout. He especially deserves praise for making his main character a villain. Because readers are naturally biased against villainous characters, centering an entire story on one is bold, and a thorough fleshing-out and a detailed backstory is necessary to humanize them.
Maurice as he presents himself to the world is well fleshed out. As he interacts with others, his swagger comes through vividly, as does his confidence in his good looks. Dialogue is natural, so he’s easy to hear too. He's slick, and how he can cast a spell on people is obvious. However, he’s a simple villain, coolly psychopathic, with no guilt, regret, doubt, or even an ounce of fear to inhibit him. Boyne spent a lot of time on the portrayal, mostly in showing how Maurice works hard to con all kinds of people, but he neglected to explore what truly compels this character to crave fame so much that he’ll engage people in long, elaborate cons. There was no probing of the character’s inner life so readers could appreciate the context for the evil behavior, or sympathize with him on some level. This would have been a fuller story with some of this background--or, if he was born that way, what his childhood looked like. Maybe Boyne intended for his villain to really be this simple, but when all is said and done, Maurice seems like a caricature.
Despite this flaw, A Ladder to the Sky as a whole does have dimension and complexity. What drives it is obviously the interesting philosophical question that’s no doubt been debated since books were first written and published: To what extent do writers own stories? Also confronted is the subject of morality. Most of the underhanded behavior in this story (whether from Maurice or others) is inarguably immoral, but some behavior raises the question of whether youthful impulsiveness or a noble end goal can exempt the culprit.
The book pushes readers to ponder these things--but via an intense, tragic story that can be emotionally draining. A Ladder to the Sky is superbly written and smartly organized, but reading about an unapologetically abhorrent person and the pain he causes others is just hard. To say this book is enjoyable doesn’t sound right. It’s more like it’s captivating to see just how far the main character will go in each new situation with new characters. It’s definitely not a book for everyone and not one many readers will care to revisit. show less
It took me a long time to get into this book, in part because of all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but also in part because I just did not care for it at first. Had it not been written by John Boyne, whose “The Heart’s Invisible Furies” was among my favorite books of 2017, I might have simply abandoned it. But after the holidays, I sat down with it, determined to see it through to the end. I am glad I did. Brilliant writing and storytelling and well worth my time. If I have any criticism at all it would be that, in my view, Mr. Boyne broke a cardinal rule of writing: grab your readers from the beginning. Had this been his first novel and I had not loved the first book of his I read, I might have abandoned this, given show more the now immense to-read pile that has amassed during the last several months as we dealt with family matters. I suppose successful writers can get away with breaking the rules though, and the payoff in the end was nothing short of masterful. The main character, Maurice Swift, is one of the most despicable, fully-developed characters, I have ever encountered in literature - a train wreck of a human being from whom I could not divert my eyes. I might have given it less than five stars because of how I was not grabbed at the start, but four stars was too low, so five it is. show less
Rooting for the scoundrel is difficult, but knowing that novels rarely allow karma to be done away with completely, kept me reading. The nefarious Swift is a wonderfully deplorable man who we find ourselves loving to hate. The way he just rather saunters from loathsome deed to outrageous rationalization is despicable. Consider this book to be a warning about the criminally conceited and how power corrupts. Also, one that reminds us that we each have our own secrets.
Evil personified can be very captivating - almost like visiting with the rich and famous - which we also do in this novel when Gore Vidal steps in for a few pages. Vidal calls our spade a spade in his own inimitable way. I purchased this book at full price, but do not show more consider this fact to be essential to my own semi-unbiased assessment. Overall - loved it. show less
Evil personified can be very captivating - almost like visiting with the rich and famous - which we also do in this novel when Gore Vidal steps in for a few pages. Vidal calls our spade a spade in his own inimitable way. I purchased this book at full price, but do not show more consider this fact to be essential to my own semi-unbiased assessment. Overall - loved it. show less
John Boyne is a relatively new discovery for me, a writer of immense talent. In his latest novel, he not only tells a compelling story with a complex protagonist, but also explores the integrity of the publishing business. AND, as if that weren't enough, he forced me to ponder the nature of personal morality in a way that STILL has me thinking.
The central character is Maurice Swift. When we meet him he is a young and very handsome waiter working in Berlin with only two life ambitions: he wants to be a successful writer and he wants to become a father. He is fascinated with stories. When Maurice spots an older, well-known British author in the cafe, he introduces himself and the two begin a friendship that begins to open doors for show more Maurice.
One of the most interesting aspects of this book is its changing voice. While Maurice eventually narrates SOME of his own story, much of what we learn about him comes from the viewpoint of others who enter and then fade out of Maurice's life. First, from that older writer at the cafe, Erich Ackermann. Then, from a second-rate American writer, Dash Hardy, to whom Maurice is introduced. Later, author Gore Vidal crosses Maurice's path. Then from Maurice's wife and son. And much later, from a would-be biographer.
Central to Maurice is his ambition. As his story progresses, we begin to witness all the ways he uses both his looks and those around him to advance his career. It beings with simple "networking." But slowly, as he achieves greater success and reveals more about himself, Maurice's interactions and decision-making become more questionable.
Along the way, Boyne manages to raise other profound questions. Is the publishing industry overly ruthless in its quest for financial success? How important are looks to achieving success? If a mistake, made in youth, comes to light when the perpetrator is much older, should it still matter? Exactly where is "the line" that should NEVER be crossed when trying to achieve your dream?
Anytime I come across a book that offers me a great story AND forces me to BOTH think about important life questions AND feel strong emotions, I consider that great literature. This book easily qualifies. show less
The central character is Maurice Swift. When we meet him he is a young and very handsome waiter working in Berlin with only two life ambitions: he wants to be a successful writer and he wants to become a father. He is fascinated with stories. When Maurice spots an older, well-known British author in the cafe, he introduces himself and the two begin a friendship that begins to open doors for show more Maurice.
One of the most interesting aspects of this book is its changing voice. While Maurice eventually narrates SOME of his own story, much of what we learn about him comes from the viewpoint of others who enter and then fade out of Maurice's life. First, from that older writer at the cafe, Erich Ackermann. Then, from a second-rate American writer, Dash Hardy, to whom Maurice is introduced. Later, author Gore Vidal crosses Maurice's path. Then from Maurice's wife and son. And much later, from a would-be biographer.
Central to Maurice is his ambition. As his story progresses, we begin to witness all the ways he uses both his looks and those around him to advance his career. It beings with simple "networking." But slowly, as he achieves greater success and reveals more about himself, Maurice's interactions and decision-making become more questionable.
Along the way, Boyne manages to raise other profound questions. Is the publishing industry overly ruthless in its quest for financial success? How important are looks to achieving success? If a mistake, made in youth, comes to light when the perpetrator is much older, should it still matter? Exactly where is "the line" that should NEVER be crossed when trying to achieve your dream?
Anytime I come across a book that offers me a great story AND forces me to BOTH think about important life questions AND feel strong emotions, I consider that great literature. This book easily qualifies. show less
The first novel I read by John Boyne was last year’s The Heart’s Invisible Furies. I don't know if you all remember, but it was one of the books I raved about last fall. A Ladder to the Sky is just as good, if not a tiny bit better.
In Mr Boyne’s latest novel, we follow the career of aspiring author Maurice Swift. We first meet Maurice when he’s a humble waiter that catches the eye of award winning novelist Erich Ackerman. Maurice quickly realizes the hold he has on Erich and uses it to his full advantage. Overtime, Erich shares stories with Maurice from his life in Germany in the years leading up to World War 2. Maurice – who is struggling to come up with his own story – simply takes Erich’s life and turns it into a show more smashing debut novel. The repercussions for Erich are terrible, but Maurice doesn’t seem to mind as long as he has his taste of fame. You shouldn't be surprised to hear that Maurice isn’t happy with just a taste – he wants to devour fame and he will do anything to climb his way to the top.
Maurice is a character that will stick with you. He is diabolical. I cannot wait for others to read this book so I can FINALLY talk about how awfully good it is and all of the juicy topics it brings up – especially the cost of ambition. Written through a variety of perspectives, we see Maurice from many angles – from those who love him to those who see through him – Boyne does an incredible job of making each voice distinct. For fans of psychological dramas and real life monsters – this is a book you can sink your teeth into.
Thanks to the publisher for the advance reading copy.
*************************************
So how about that Dan Mallory/A.J. Finn expose in The New Yorker?! If you haven't read it, GO: A Suspense Novelists Trail of Deceptions. I've heard that Boyne says his character is not based on Mallory...but I mean.... WOW.
From an interview with John Boyne in The Irish Times:
A look of boyish mischief passes over Boyne’s face, making him seem much younger than his 47 years. “He came from an experience I had a number of years ago with an aspiring writer who sort of attached himself to me,” he says. “We formed quite a strong friendship and it developed into an unhealthy situation. I was very drawn to this man. I’m no innocent in terms of how it all worked out. We were both maybe using each other slightly. The guy was aware of the fact that I’d a crush on him. I was just charmed to be around him. It eventually reached a point where I had to confront that. Not that I was interested in confronting him about it but confronting myself about why I was allowing myself to be manipulated.” show less
In Mr Boyne’s latest novel, we follow the career of aspiring author Maurice Swift. We first meet Maurice when he’s a humble waiter that catches the eye of award winning novelist Erich Ackerman. Maurice quickly realizes the hold he has on Erich and uses it to his full advantage. Overtime, Erich shares stories with Maurice from his life in Germany in the years leading up to World War 2. Maurice – who is struggling to come up with his own story – simply takes Erich’s life and turns it into a show more smashing debut novel. The repercussions for Erich are terrible, but Maurice doesn’t seem to mind as long as he has his taste of fame. You shouldn't be surprised to hear that Maurice isn’t happy with just a taste – he wants to devour fame and he will do anything to climb his way to the top.
Maurice is a character that will stick with you. He is diabolical. I cannot wait for others to read this book so I can FINALLY talk about how awfully good it is and all of the juicy topics it brings up – especially the cost of ambition. Written through a variety of perspectives, we see Maurice from many angles – from those who love him to those who see through him – Boyne does an incredible job of making each voice distinct. For fans of psychological dramas and real life monsters – this is a book you can sink your teeth into.
Thanks to the publisher for the advance reading copy.
*************************************
So how about that Dan Mallory/A.J. Finn expose in The New Yorker?! If you haven't read it, GO: A Suspense Novelists Trail of Deceptions. I've heard that Boyne says his character is not based on Mallory...but I mean.... WOW.
From an interview with John Boyne in The Irish Times:
A look of boyish mischief passes over Boyne’s face, making him seem much younger than his 47 years. “He came from an experience I had a number of years ago with an aspiring writer who sort of attached himself to me,” he says. “We formed quite a strong friendship and it developed into an unhealthy situation. I was very drawn to this man. I’m no innocent in terms of how it all worked out. We were both maybe using each other slightly. The guy was aware of the fact that I’d a crush on him. I was just charmed to be around him. It eventually reached a point where I had to confront that. Not that I was interested in confronting him about it but confronting myself about why I was allowing myself to be manipulated.” show less
With A Ladder to the Sky, John Boyne is now one of my favorite authors and now has a place on my auto-buy list. His talent and creativity blow me away. Each of his novels that I have read is distinctively different, and he is just as comfortable and successful narrating from a little boy's perspective from the 1940s as he is from a woman's in the present day. All of his characters are alive in a way that makes them more real than your neighbor, and his stories are always compelling regardless of complexity.
The main character in A Ladder to the Sky is completely unlike any of his previous characters by the mere fact that he is more the villain than the hero. You find yourself loathing Maurice Swift even though he has a tendency to raise show more good questions about intellectual property and ownership. Yet, for all your dislike of Maurice, the story is compulsively readable. You want to find out how he could possibly become an even more deplorable human than he has already revealed himself to be all while anticipating the moment when his peers realize the truth. It is a novel which makes you question the answer to the age-old question of how authors come by the ideas for their stories just as it makes you wonder about the veracity of the picture of the publishing world Mr. Boyne, through Maurice, presents. I loved every minute of it. show less
The main character in A Ladder to the Sky is completely unlike any of his previous characters by the mere fact that he is more the villain than the hero. You find yourself loathing Maurice Swift even though he has a tendency to raise show more good questions about intellectual property and ownership. Yet, for all your dislike of Maurice, the story is compulsively readable. You want to find out how he could possibly become an even more deplorable human than he has already revealed himself to be all while anticipating the moment when his peers realize the truth. It is a novel which makes you question the answer to the age-old question of how authors come by the ideas for their stories just as it makes you wonder about the veracity of the picture of the publishing world Mr. Boyne, through Maurice, presents. I loved every minute of it. show less
“The more you read, the more you write, the more the ideas will appear. They’ll fall like confetti around your head and your only difficulty will be deciding which ones to catch and which to let fall to the floor.”
“You’ve heard the wonderful news, I presume?” “No. Has Mr. Trump died?”
Maurice Swift is young, handsome and utterly charming. He also possesses an unbridled ambition to become a famous writer. The key component he lacks, is talent. Using, his other beguiling attributes, he will find a way and does. This is the rise and inevitable fall of Maurice, as he moves through the years, climbing toward success leaving heartache and devastation in his wake.
I loved Boyne's previous novel, The Heart’s Invisible Furies show more and he has done it again here. The writing is strong and assured, an author at the top of his game, delivering a literary All About Eve, with a much nastier and ruthless streak. Highly recommended. show less
“You’ve heard the wonderful news, I presume?” “No. Has Mr. Trump died?”
Maurice Swift is young, handsome and utterly charming. He also possesses an unbridled ambition to become a famous writer. The key component he lacks, is talent. Using, his other beguiling attributes, he will find a way and does. This is the rise and inevitable fall of Maurice, as he moves through the years, climbing toward success leaving heartache and devastation in his wake.
I loved Boyne's previous novel, The Heart’s Invisible Furies show more and he has done it again here. The writing is strong and assured, an author at the top of his game, delivering a literary All About Eve, with a much nastier and ruthless streak. Highly recommended. show less
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ThingScore 100
John Boyne's new novel, set in the literary world, features a psychopath so intriguing he'll keep you fascinated and appalled to the very end.
This is a hugely enjoyable novel about ambition, fraud, murder and the writing game from an author who, ever since global success of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in 2006, has been fizzing with ideas, is a dab hand at telling a story and creates show more vividly arresting characters, too. show less
added by bergs47
As Picasso is once supposed to have said: good artists copy; great artists steal. It’s a motto by which Maurice Swift, the sociopathic and mesmeric antihero of John Boyne’s latest novel might well live his life.
added by bergs47
Lists
Powell's Indiespensable
79 works; 6 members
Litsy Awards 2018
248 works; 9 members
Kirkus Starred Fiction Reviews of Books Published in 2018
330 works; 3 members
Amazon best fictional genre picks monthly for 2018
418 works; 9 members
Books Read in 2019
4,052 works; 110 members
READ in 2024
262 works; 1 member
Author Information
43+ Works 31,810 Members
Acclaimed Irish novelist John Boyne was born in Dublin, Ireland on April 30, 1971. He studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. He has written dozens of short stories and many novels, including the New York Times bestseller The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. An award-winning film show more adaptation of this work was released in 2008. In 2015 his title, A History of Lonelines made The New Zealand Best Seller List. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Awards
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- A Ladder to the Sky
- Original title
- A Ladder to the Sky
- Original publication date
- 2018-08-09
- People/Characters
- Gore Vidal; Maurice Swift; Erich Ackermann; Dash Hardy; Edith Swift; Theo Field
- Important places
- London, England, UK; Berlin, Germany; New York, New York, USA; Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK
- Important events
- Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Epigraph
- All things which take place in the sexual sphere are not the private affair of the individual, but signify the life and death of the nation.
-Heinrich Himmler - Dedication
- For Stephen Walsh
- First words
- From the moment I accepted the invitation, I was nervous about returning to Germany. It has been so many years since I'd last been there, after all, that it was difficult to know what memories might be stirred up by my return... (show all). -Chapter 1, West Berlin
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The longlist for this year's Prize is being announced tomorrow and, quite honestly, I think I'm in with a very strong chance.
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 823.92
- Canonical LCC
- PR6102.O96
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 1,039
- Popularity
- 24,873
- Reviews
- 70
- Rating
- (4.10)
- Languages
- 7 — Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 29
- ASINs
- 11