Test of Wills, A vs The Talleyrand Maxim: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Mystery
Test of Wills, A
More
“Todd has written a first novel that speaks out, urgently and compassionately, for a long-dead generation….A meticulously wrought puzzle.”—New York Times Book Review“An intricately plotted mystery. With this remarkable…
vs
The Talleyrand Maxim
“Linford Pratt, senior clerk to Eldrick & Pascoe, solicitors, of Barford, a young man who earnestly desired to get on in life, by hook or by crook, with no objection whatever to crookedness, so long as it could be performed in safety and secrecy, had once during one of his periodical visit to the town Reference Library, lighted on a maxim of that other unscrupulous person, Prince Talleyrand, which”
More
The “Talleyrand Maxim” holds that “With time and patience, the mulberry leaf is turned into satin.” The adage has the character of guidance for life for an ambitious legal clerk, Linford Pratt. Unlike most people, he…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Test of Wills, A has the widest readership — 341 ratings behind its score.
Scores by source
| Test of Wills, A | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 3.9 (180) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (341) | 4.5 (13) |
Reception
| Test of Wills, A | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 341 | 180 |
| Editions | — | 115 |
| Want to read | — | 102 |
| Reading it now | — | 28 |
| Written reviews | — | 30 |
| Pages | — | 195 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Test of Wills, A or The Talleyrand Maxim?
Test of Wills, A has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Test of Wills, A 4.0/5, The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9/5).