This book definitely has its lengths,
but I found myself minding them less and less, and as I was getting
closer to its end, I even wished for it to go on just a little bit more.
As is my habit when writing a
review for my blog, I did a bit of research and found
that "Mary Anerley - A Yorkshire Tale" by R. D. Blackmore was originally
published in a magazine's issues spanning more
than a year, from July 1879 to September 1880. That explains the length!
The plot is quickly told: In
1801, when free trade (= smuggling) was as lucrative as it was dangerous, 17-year-old Mary Anerley from Anerley farm
comes across a man who runs for his life, with
coast guard officers shooting at him in hot pursuit. Mary saves him by
showing him a hiding place, and agrees to meet at the same spot again
one week later.
You guessed it - this is the
start of a love story. But the book is so much more than just the
romance of Mary and the smuggler, and how their true love overcomes all
obstacles in the end. There are several threads followed
in alternating chapters, such as who is the true heir to Scargate Hall;
where did the toddler washed ashore and dressed in lace and gold originally come from; why was the Lieutenant shot, and by whom; will
Lancelot of Scargate Hall ever beome a decent person;
is the General Factor going to be successful in his secret business,
and will Dr. Upround find someone else to play chess with? These are
just a few examples of the rich tapestry the book weaves of lives
crossing each other at various points, and for various
reasons.
I loved the often very witty
descriptions of the characters and their way of acting (and even
thinking); it shows the author's acute observational skill. The setting
is the coast of Yorkshire, with all its rough beauty
and strong-minded people. Even of the elderly couples who have been
together for decades, the author allows the reader glimpses of when they
were young and fell in love, and shows the relationship between them
now, expressed in their words and actions towards
each other.
Of course this was another
one of the many free ebooks I keep finding at Amazon's kindle shop.
Because of the seaside jargon (and the age of the book), I had to look
up several words, but that did not diminuish my pleasure.
About the author I knew
nothing at all - not even whether "R. D. Blackmore" was a man or a
woman. Wikipedia tells me that Richard Doddridge Blackmore lived from
1825 to 1900 and was "one of the most famous English novelists
of the second half of the 19th century".
This author is most famous for Lorna Doone which I listened to on the radio (a BBC production on US radio in the '50s) for more than a week once when I was sick as a little girl. It is set in the days of outlaws and highwaymen and is quite the 17th century thriller.I think I will go to amazon and see if we have Mary Anerley available here.
ReplyDeleteYes, the wikipedia article mentions "Lorna Doone" and says that although it was his most popular work, it wasn't the author's own favourite.
DeleteI did get Mary Anerley for a very low price....If you had not blogged about it I would never have seen it, most likely....I also subscribe to bookbub which will email you free or very cheap possible kindle deals in whatever categories you select.
DeleteBrace yourself for a rather long (but enjoyable) read then, Kristi!
DeleteAs above, RD Blackmore's most famous work is "Lorna Doone", which is a tremendous tale. I read it in its original form for a post I did awhile back - http://bitaboutbritain.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/the-dastardly-shooting-of-lorna.html - and found it really heavy going! I suppose I should give Mary Anerley I try..!
ReplyDeleteThank you! This was most interesting. And I know exactly what you mean about the 20 words v. 1 word... ;-)
DeleteOne of the best things about ebooks is the availability of books that most of us have never heard of. I've read several old books, and enjoyed them a lot.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Nan! At least 80 % of what's on my kindle are books I would have never, ever come across otherwise - and even if I had happened to see them on a shelf at the library or a book shop, I doubt I would have taken them.
DeleteThrough my kindle and Amazon's kindle shop, a whole new world of old books - and all that entails - has opened to me.
Interestingly whilst I know of Lorna Doone because Mum used to talk about it amongst other reasons (though I haven't read it and don't even think I have it) I'm not conscious of knowing it's author so I've learned something this evening.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that, for a change, it was the other way round, Graham - usually it's me learning from other people's blogs, including yours.
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