Douglas-Fairhurst is extremely well-read in nineteenth-century literature, knowledgeable about his chosen authors, and sensitive to detail with an excellent ear for nuance and echo. He is adept at collecting strange and beautiful quotations and often has interesting and perceptive things to say about them.

The Yearbook of English Studies

This book is one of the most impressive critical analyses of nineteenth-century literary culture that I have read in a long time. A closely written and argued discussion of theories of literary influence in a nineteenth-century context, it ranges widely and makes always interesting and sometimes brilliant connections ... This is a major work of Victorian literary criticism, and a book to be read over and over again for its myriad insights and felicities.

Tennyson Research Bulletin

Close readings unravel the manner in which 'dead' voices haunt Tennyson's poetry, and the author is uncommonly sharp-eared for nuance.

Scotland on Sunday

Ambitious, delightful, frustrating, wide-ranging, often beautifully written ... Its sheer range sets it apart from the usual academic monograph ... refreshingly free of jargon.

Angela Leighton, Times Literary Supplement

One of the enjoyable features of Douglas-Fairhurst's writing is its commitment to close reading. He can make a word or line come alive by a turn of phrase which resonantly prolongs its momentum.

Angela Leighton, Times Literary Supplement