Landscapes of Decadence
Literature and Place at the Fin de Siècle

'Alex Murray generously places Landscapes of Decadence: Literature and Place at the Fin de Siècle within the context of current studies on Decadent British writers, but he offers a fresh perspective on Decadent writing. His work beautifully demonstrates the richness and continuing appeal of a movement that epitomizes stylistic experimentation.' Martha Vicinus, Victorian Studies Journal

'Murray's book has many merits. It is engagingly written, has a wide and eclectic range of reference, and is organized through a variety of tropes and metaphors that are informative and often witty. Principal examples of these are the conceit that allows the construction of the book's argument to be described in terms of a physical journey, and consequently the range of Murray's argument to be seen in terms of map-making - the narrative development of his book is described by him as a species of cartography.' Ian Small, English Literature in Transition, 1880–1920

'Murray understands 'Decadence' as a set of stylistic strategies aimed at challenging conventions by pushing them to the point of 'dissolution', and so distinguishes it from 'decadence' as the more general watchword for conservative reactions to cultural decline. Though the protests of decadence are many, Murray is primarily interested in the resistance it offers to traditional notions of place in an era of intensely nationalist thinking. … With this close attention to place, Murray highlights an important comparative dimension to decadence.' Robert Volpicelli, Modernism/modernity