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Title: Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor by Richard Blackmore ISBN: 0-89966-350-8 Publisher: Buccaneer Books Inc Pub. Date: 01 December, 1989 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.17 (12 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: More than just the story.
Comment: Lorna Doone is a classic tale of romance and bravery, vengance and villany. What is important about the book besides the story is the societal subtext. When you read this book you get a picture of what made the British Empire great. We see Master Jan, or John Ridd, a simple squire, who catches his own fish, harvests his own wheat at the head of his labourers. This humble man is not afraid to take matters all the way up to his king and expect justice in return. We see a comedy of errors as militia groups vie with each other and end up fighting each other instead of the enemy. The whole tale is told amid the last battles ever fought on English soil during the little known Monmouth rebellion. A remarkable and noteworthy book, which tells more than the main story. It is both a great read and a portrait of English rural society of the time.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent romantic and historical novel
Comment: Lorna Doone is a blend of romance and historical fiction. It is both a romantic and action novel. The Doones are a large outlaw clan who were cheated out of their wealth and privilege (they are based on a real historical group of outlaws), who live in Badgworthy Valley and regularly rob and terrorize the local community. For various reasons they are left alone by the authorities and allowed to multiply mainly by kidnapping local women for their wives.
The story is told by John Ridd whose father is killed by one of the Doones when John is 12. One day John accidentally wanders into Doone Valley, where he meets 8 year Lorna. He is immediately smitten and what seems an impossible romance develops several years later. The brutal Carver Doone wants Lorna for his wife, so John must rescue her. The Doones, of course, want her back. John and Lorna also have to overcome differences in rank (she has it, he doesn't), money (she has a lot more than he does) and religion (she's Catholic, he's Protestant).
Blackmore's book vividly describes the Devon countryside in which the novel is set, and the lifestyle of a yeoman farmer. Some people may find all these details unnecessary, and a distraction from the central story but I really enjoyed learning about the lifestyle of late 17th century rural England.
The story is set against the historical backdrop of the death of King Charles II, the Monmouth Rebellion, the brutal suppression of that rebellion by Judge Jeffreys known as the Bloody Assizes, and the short-lived assent of the very Catholic King James to the throne (and fears of 'Papist' rule). I recommend doing some brief research on these events on the Internet before reading this book. An understanding of the historical context will make this an easier and more understandable read.
If you enjoy a good romance novel you will love this book. If you enjoy historical fiction you will also love this book. This book is moving, action packed and educational.
Rating: 5
Summary: Surprisingly Good
Comment: I was surprised that Lorna Doone by Richard Blackmore was a good as it turned out to be. It had a very compelling story and good characters even if the novel seemed a bit wordy at times. Lorna Doone is also the single best example of a romantic novel. It may not be among the very best of this category (like The Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick, or any of Jane Austen's novels), but it does fit every criteria. It had a major emphasis on feeling as the whole of the book is a love story between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. The book also has a lot of high adventure in it and an emphasis of nature (Blackmore was just about the only English forerunner of Thomas Hardy in novels in this respect). The novel was even about the common man.
The plot of the novel follows John Ridd. He is a respectable farmer who one day happens into the valley of the Doone's, a family/community of outlaws who had killed his father. There, he ends up falling in love with one of the Doone's own, Lorna. Then, John has to find a way to save his love and overcome their differences of birth.
Lorna Doone is a very interesting read. It may not be for everyone because it is long and does tend to dwell on some trivial things for a bit too long. The novel would be good for anyone who likes classics of romanticism. Lorna Doone can be a very worthwhile read.
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Title:Lorna Doone ASIN: B00005B1VM Publisher: A & E Entertainment Pub. Date: 29 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $24.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $22.46 |
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Title: The Scarlet Pimpernel (Signet Classics (Paperback)) by Baroness Orczy Emmuska, Gary Hoppenstand ISBN: 0451527623 Publisher: Signet Classics Pub. Date: 01 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: The Three Musketeers (Puffin Classics) by Alexandre Dumas ISBN: 0140367470 Publisher: Puffin Books Pub. Date: 01 November, 1995 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
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Title: Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott ISBN: 0812565657 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $3.99 |
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Title: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne ISBN: 0812550927 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 1995 List Price(USD): $3.99 |
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