Gates of Paradise

So begins Beryl Kingston’s illuminating and touching novel about the life of William Blake, the famous poet, engraver and illustrator, and author of the renowned Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. The story focuses on Blake’s life when he moved to the small rural village of Felpham in Sussex, where he spent three hard-working years until the dramatic events which led him to court: in 1803 he was charged with sedition, at Chichester, for being too vocal in his response to a soldier he found trespassing in his garden. Half a century later, Alexander Gilchrist arrives, intent on discovering all that he can about the ‘mad poet’s’ time there in order to compile a biography. Beginning his he starts questioning people about their memories of their now departed neighbor. But he soon encounters hostility when the court trial is mentioned – just what do the locals have to hide? Peopled with a cast of colorful characters and set amid the tranquil beauty of the south coast of England, Gates of Paradise is Beryl Kingston’s most exceptional and powerful novel to date.

REVIEWS

"Gates of Paradise is the kind of novel that brings history alive."
The Bookbag

"Beryl Kingston writes with such a lovely light-handed touch it is impossible not to warm to her novels. There are some great character studies, whether of the more eccentric or the more conventional locals, and a terrific mix of mystery and romance."
Historical Novels Review