A Ladder to the Sky Summary
Boyne, John

A Ladder to the Sky Overview

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne follows the literary career of the relatively untalented writer Maurice Swift as he manipulates, steals and even murders his way to the top rungs of literary acclaim. Told from five different points of view, the novel exposes the means which Maurice employs to ensure his success and illustrates the devastating effects on the lives of those who trust him with their hearts. His actions can easily be deemed as those of a psychopath, yet even as he spends his final years incarcerated for his crimes, Maurice still comes out on top as he continues his pursuit of literary fame. The novel addresses themes of integrity in storytelling, lack of moral consciousness, self-imposed isolation, the pursuit of success, and revenge.