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The Scar


Synopsis


Winner of the British Fantasy Award, The Scar by China Miéville is a colossal fantasy of incredible diversity and spellbinding imagination, set in the richly visualized world of Bas-Lag.

A human cargo bound for servitude in exile . . .

A pirate city hauled across the oceans . . .

A hidden miracle about be revealed . . .

These are the ingredients of an astonishing story. It is the story of a prisoner's journey. Of the search for the island of a forgotten people, for the most astonishing beast in the seas, and ultimately for a fabled place - a massive wound in reality, a source of unthinkable power and danger.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Discovery

* A group of tourists, including Amelia and Paul, visit an abandoned building in an isolated area.
* They stumble upon a hidden room with a bloodstained mattress and a severed hand.
* Amelia notices a strange scar on Paul's arm, matching the hand's severed thumb.

Chapter 2: The Investigation

* The police are called, and Detective Inspector Hayes investigates.
* He discovers that the hand belongs to Agnes Butler, a woman who disappeared 20 years ago.
* Amelia and Paul become suspects due to their discovery and the scar on Paul's arm.

Chapter 3: The Family History

* Amelia researches Agnes Butler's family and finds out that she had a sister named Isobel.
* Paul reveals that he has a secret family history involving Isobel and her scarred son, Thomas.

Chapter 4: The Haunted Memories

* Amelia and Paul visit Isobel's old house, now a nursing home.
* They encounter strange and unexplained phenomena, including flickering lights and whispers in the darkness.
* Isobel provides cryptic clues about Thomas's scar and the secrets of the past.

Chapter 5: The Dark Truth

* Hayes uncovers a connection between the tourists and the family involved in Agnes's disappearance.
* Amelia confronts Paul about his involvement, leading to a tense standoff.
* Paul confesses that Thomas, his estranged cousin, was involved in Agnes's murder and has been stalking them.

Chapter 6: The Final Confrontation

* Hayes and his team track down Thomas and confront him about his crimes.
* A violent struggle ensues, and several people are injured.
* Thomas reveals the horrifying truth behind the scar and his twisted motive for seeking revenge.

Chapter 7: The Aftermath

* Thomas is arrested and charged with Agnes's murder.
* Paul and Amelia are cleared of suspicion, but haunted by the memories of the ordeal.
* The scars of the past are finally exposed, but they leave an indelible mark on everyone involved.