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Title: The Salterton Trilogy by Robertson Davies ISBN: 0-14-015910-X Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: December, 1991 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.69 (16 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Lightly humorous, a great introduction to Davies
Comment: This trilogy was the first I read of Robertson Davies. I went on to read the Deptford trilogy and the Cornish trilogy as well as other assorted works. These three books are definitely a great introduction to his style. One thing that Davies excels at is characterization, and these books (particularly Tempest-Tost) are full of amusing and interesting characters. Tempest-Tost is the story of an amateur group putting on a Shakespeare play, and the plot is amusing and entertaining. I would say Tempest-Tost is the most humorous of the three, particularly with all of Freddy Webster's dialogue and the drunken choir master. Leaven of Malice involves a mysteriously submitted incorrect newspaper announcement which somehow involves an interesting twist of fate. Leaven wraps up very neatly and you will appreciate the ending of it. Mixture of Frailties is sort of a domestic novelistic story and quite different from other Davies I have read. I think that buying all three books of the trilogy together is a good idea, because you will definitely want to read each proceeding book. I would recommend this book to anyone who has heard of Robertson Davies but isn't sure which of his books to read. These three novels are very accessible to all levels of readers.
Rating: 4
Summary: Charming and Funny
Comment: The Salterton trilogy is "lighter" than Davies' other work, but I hesitate to call it "lesser." While the Deptford Trilogy is unquestionably his finest work, I personally prefer the lighthearted humor of the Salterton trilogy to the disjointed and uneven Cornish Trilogy. The first two books -- "Tempest-Tost" and "Leaven of Malice" -- are both incredibly witty; dozens of different characters are described with incredible insight and relish. However, "A Mixture of Frailties" represents Davies' first "serious" novel -- and remains one of the best descriptions of the making of an artist that I have read. The first time I read the trilogy, the change in tone disappointed me; however, "A Mixture of Frailties" has since become my favorite of the three. These are books that can be enjoyed in one long rapturous sitting, or in small chapters over time; they continue to entertain in reading after reading.
Rating: 4
Summary: Quaint? I think not
Comment: Robertson Davies' "Salterton Trilogy" is a well-written, often funny and sometimes poignant look at the realistically odd occupants of Salterton, the deceptively quaint Canadian city with two cathedrals and one university.
"Tempest-Tost" opens with the organization of an amateur production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest." A motley crew of actors join it, including an exuberent professor, his quiet daughter, a quiet mama's boy, a beautiful rich girl, a womanizing soldier, and an infatuated schoolteacher. Love, ambition, jealousy and infatuation rapidly tangle together, climaxing in an unusually dramatic opening night.
"Leaven of Malice" is half satire and half mystery. The Salterton Bellman announces that Solly Bridgetower and Pearl Vambrace are engaged -- the only problem is that it isn't true. Professor Vambrace sees it as a personal affront, and sues the paper. Pearl and Solly are haunted by false rumors, reports, and claims about who faked the announcement. All they can do is try to find out themselves.
"Mixture of Frailties" opens with the death of Solly's domineering mother. Her will leaves money to Solly's family only if he produces a male heir with his wife Veronica (previously known as Pearl); until then, her money is to be used in a trust for a young female artistic hopeful, who will go to Europe for a few years to study whatever she is good at. And finding the right girl is only the start of Solly's problems.
The tone of the Salterton Trilogy is lighter and less introspective than Davies' other books. Sometimes it's outright hilarious (there's a girl called The Torso, for crying out loud!). The first book is perhaps the funniest and most real-seeming, but it's also rather unfocused because there is no plot. The second and third books are tighter, but a little more rarified in humor and a little more surreal in tone.
Solly Bridgetower is the unacknowledged center of the trilogy. He barely registers in "Tempest-Tost," but becomes the central figure of the second and third books. He's not a strong person, but he is a likable one. Pearl is only a little more prominent at first, but it's great to see her break out of her shell and become her own person. And without a doubt, Humphrey Cobbler is Davies' best character -- a vivid, devil-may-care artistic genius who winks and nudges in every book.
The Salterton Trilogy is often eclipsed by Davies' better-known Deptford Trilogy, but that doesn't mean it's bad. By no means. It's a pleasant and warmly amusing trio of interconnected stories, and ones you won't forget in a hurry. Highly recommended.
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Title: The Deptford Trilogy: Fifth Business/the Manticore/World of Wonders by Robertson Davies ISBN: 0140147551 Publisher: Viking Press Pub. Date: October, 1990 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Cornish Trilogy: The Rebel Angels/What's Bred in the Bone/the Lyre of Orpheus/3 Books in 1 Volume by Robertson Davies ISBN: 0140158502 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: February, 1992 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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Title: Murther & Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies ISBN: 0140168842 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: December, 1992 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: The Cunning Man: A Novel by Robertson Davies ISBN: 0140248307 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: February, 1996 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies ISBN: 0140062718 Publisher: Viking Press Pub. Date: January, 1983 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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