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tctimlin's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Delightful
bostonienne's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. Thoroughly enjoyed this 2nd book in the Barcetshire Chronicles. I was very happy that the characters in "the Warden" continued in this book.
amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
I heartily enjoy Trollope - I think more the Barchester novels than the Palliser. Mostly I love meeting Trollope's women - Mrs. Proudie, Eleanor Bold, the Signora - he can't help himself but to write more three dimensional characters than he is even aware that he is writing. He judges them by his age but he writes them in such a way that we in the modern era know them well enough to understand them. Also, I love a slimy villain like Slope and a sensible hero like Arabin and well, I'm happy to read the next one as well.
cemoses's review against another edition
3.0
The first book The Warden was better. Some parts of Barchester Towers was good but too much time was given to a romantic comedy of errors. The problems of the church were more itneresting in the first book.
benedettal's review against another edition
2.0
Look, it’s getting 2 stars because it picked up at the end, but church stories are just not for me. Literally nothing wrong with the writing and themes (maybe a few too many characters?), the narrator has a good, funny voice and I’m sure this would have been terribly charming to a contemporary audiences. You can blame my ignorance of the anglican church (also it does sound like a joke so was never gonna with with me tbh) but I really didn’t feel invested in all the talk about sermons, positions, titles, I mean half the time I was confused about who was talking because the titles are all so similar and stupid. Obviously the little love intrigues are the much better part, and even then it was dragged far too much and I only found like I could follow it properly once the circle tightened in the last couple hundred pages.
I think if the setting wasn’t like this I would have liked it a lot more, but maybe not. It doesn’t have an edge, it’s just your typical “righteous character gets the cake” classic. Like I know not all books can be withering heights, but it would be a lot better if they were.
I think if the setting wasn’t like this I would have liked it a lot more, but maybe not. It doesn’t have an edge, it’s just your typical “righteous character gets the cake” classic. Like I know not all books can be withering heights, but it would be a lot better if they were.
ula_mizhir's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
c7trange's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jameskeates's review against another edition
4.0
The second book in Trollope's Barchester series picks up where The Warden left off. Gentle, ironic comedy about little local personality clashes (and 19th Century C of E controversies) that is more enjoyable than it sounds.