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elisabethl's review against another edition
4.0
Here is the benefit of reading the books in order (which is my goal this year): you can see how the themes and even plot lines of "Can You Forgive Her" are recycled in this book -- only this time the Mr Gray/Mr Palliser character is Mr Kennedy and in this version he is not allowed to break free from his vision of the world like Mr Palliser does or to woo his chosen partner to his side as Mr Gray does. Instead, Mr Kennedy becomes the dry and unlovely illustration of the failures of the British marriage laws. This is most striking in that Trollope does not portray Kennedy as evil or even cruel, just unimaginative and utterly fixed in his view.
Similarly, Phineas Finn is the very positive revision of George Vavasor, who sees going into parliament as the way to power and internal satisfaction. Phineas, unlike George, keeps debt free and keeps free from all sorts of other degradations, all the while doing useful work.
Very interesting to reread though sometimes a little heavy going through the political back and forth-ing (which I still see is vital to the other points Trollope makes about the nature of the British political system).
Similarly, Phineas Finn is the very positive revision of George Vavasor, who sees going into parliament as the way to power and internal satisfaction. Phineas, unlike George, keeps debt free and keeps free from all sorts of other degradations, all the while doing useful work.
Very interesting to reread though sometimes a little heavy going through the political back and forth-ing (which I still see is vital to the other points Trollope makes about the nature of the British political system).
ruthiella's review against another edition
4.0
Ah Phineas was such a frustrating hero! He has pretty much everything handed to him on a plate in this novel, yet he constantly second-guesses his decisions and his luck. It would have been very easy to dislike him had Trollope not made him so charming.
In some ways, the initial plot was reminiscent of Framely Parsonage: young, ambitious man gets burned by flying too close to the sun. But it was actually quite different. First off Mark Robarts of Framely was a happily married father of two whereas Phineas is single and fancy free; his marriage options naturally make up quite a bit of the plot. Secondly, Robarts was a vicar and Phineas, in the first chapter, is elected to Parliament and the ins and outs of Parliamentary politics are ultimately what steer Phineas’ circumstances and choices in life. While there was a romantic element to the book (which didn’t turn out the way I had hoped, but alas me!), the real love affair here is Phineas’ zeal for civil service.
I know next to nothing about British politics, but it was very helpful to determine early on that “The First Lord of the Treasury” is the same as the Prime Minister! No doubt, however, there was much else that I missed.
I am very pleased to know that Phineas Redux is coming up as the fourth book in the Palliser series! I want to know how the rest of his life turns out. Here’s to second chances.
In some ways, the initial plot was reminiscent of Framely Parsonage: young, ambitious man gets burned by flying too close to the sun. But it was actually quite different. First off Mark Robarts of Framely was a happily married father of two whereas Phineas is single and fancy free; his marriage options naturally make up quite a bit of the plot. Secondly, Robarts was a vicar and Phineas, in the first chapter, is elected to Parliament and the ins and outs of Parliamentary politics are ultimately what steer Phineas’ circumstances and choices in life. While there was a romantic element to the book (which didn’t turn out the way I had hoped, but alas me!), the real love affair here is Phineas’ zeal for civil service.
I know next to nothing about British politics, but it was very helpful to determine early on that “The First Lord of the Treasury” is the same as the Prime Minister! No doubt, however, there was much else that I missed.
I am very pleased to know that Phineas Redux is coming up as the fourth book in the Palliser series! I want to know how the rest of his life turns out. Here’s to second chances.
velocitygirl14's review against another edition
4.0
This is not as funy or as lighthearted as the Barshetshire novels, but it is a faithful snapshot of its time and what it takes to be in the parliament and all of the politicking and backdoor dealings needed in order to do so.
Finn is a pleasant enough guy, a bit dense, but you really want him to succeed. He's got his heart in the right place and he does try, but he is far too honest to be in parliament and suffers for it.
As do the women in his life, due to needing to marry within their class. Most of them fare well, but some, like Laura Standish, don't. It was good read, so now I'll mov onto the next one.
Finn is a pleasant enough guy, a bit dense, but you really want him to succeed. He's got his heart in the right place and he does try, but he is far too honest to be in parliament and suffers for it.
As do the women in his life, due to needing to marry within their class. Most of them fare well, but some, like Laura Standish, don't. It was good read, so now I'll mov onto the next one.
fabrizio's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pgchuis's review against another edition
4.0
Phineas Finn, son of an Irish doctor, is "elected" to Parliament and then appointed to a junior minister position. He falls for a series of women and has to decide how important his political independence matter to him when he disagrees with his party's policy on Irish tenants' rights. (Thankfully very little hunting in this one).
While I found Phineas a bit tame (he nearly runs into debt on a friend's behalf, but is bailed out by the friend's sister, we wonder if he will have an affair with the unhappily married Laura, but doesn't, he is tempted to be unfaithful to his Irish fiancee waiting for him at home, but resists), I liked many of the other characters. The story of the Kennedys' marriage was convincing and sad and I did enjoy Violet and her tormenting of her aunt. Helpful notes in this edition so that you understand what Trollope feels to be the "right" position on e.g. secret ballots. The ending was extremely abrupt...
Reducing this by one star on a re-read because there was an awful lot of politics and I do feel Phineas acted badly towards Chiltern and Violet.
While I found Phineas a bit tame (he nearly runs into debt on a friend's behalf, but is bailed out by the friend's sister, we wonder if he will have an affair with the unhappily married Laura, but doesn't, he is tempted to be unfaithful to his Irish fiancee waiting for him at home, but resists), I liked many of the other characters. The story of the Kennedys' marriage was convincing and sad and I did enjoy Violet and her tormenting of her aunt. Helpful notes in this edition so that you understand what Trollope feels to be the "right" position on e.g. secret ballots. The ending was extremely abrupt...
Reducing this by one star on a re-read because there was an awful lot of politics and I do feel Phineas acted badly towards Chiltern and Violet.
tenisonpurple's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Really good, lots of detail , some suspense and romantic interest right up to the last page which was a complete let down
lnatal's review against another edition
3.0
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
Free audio version available at LibriVox.
It's the system as I hates, and you, Mr Finn. Well good-bye, Sir.
Millais reproduced from the first edition published by Virtue and Company in 1869
This is the second book of the Palisser series, being the sequel of Can You Forgive Her?
Phineas Finn is a young Irishman who becomes a member of the English parliament. Due to his position, be comes in love with several woman: Lady Laura Standish, Mary Jones - a childhood sweetheart and Violet Effingham.
This books remind me of some other books, such as: The History of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding; the duel scenes as portrayed by Alexandre Dumas in The Three Musketeers.
The sequel of this book, Phineas Redux, is the fourth novel in the series.
There is a TV Series The Pallisers (1974– ) made based on the Palliser series.
Free audio version available at LibriVox.
It's the system as I hates, and you, Mr Finn. Well good-bye, Sir.
Millais reproduced from the first edition published by Virtue and Company in 1869
This is the second book of the Palisser series, being the sequel of Can You Forgive Her?
Phineas Finn is a young Irishman who becomes a member of the English parliament. Due to his position, be comes in love with several woman: Lady Laura Standish, Mary Jones - a childhood sweetheart and Violet Effingham.
This books remind me of some other books, such as: The History of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding; the duel scenes as portrayed by Alexandre Dumas in The Three Musketeers.
The sequel of this book, Phineas Redux, is the fourth novel in the series.
There is a TV Series The Pallisers (1974– ) made based on the Palliser series.
brontes's review against another edition
3.0
As compared with Can You Forgive Her? Phineas Finn lacks a central question. It is more a rambling story that introduces the reader to a character than anything else. The language itself is nice, and there are smaller stories tucked within that have very interesting rising and falling action, they simply don't seem to hold together.
I might be tempted to be more generous, but I really felt at the end that Phineas did not deserve the love of so good, honest, and kind-hearted a girl as Mary Flood Jones, especially after he had treated her so poorly when he went off to London. I almost would have rather he married Madame Max Goesler, though she may well have deserved better too, and left poor, kind marry for a more honest and less ambitious man.
I might be tempted to be more generous, but I really felt at the end that Phineas did not deserve the love of so good, honest, and kind-hearted a girl as Mary Flood Jones, especially after he had treated her so poorly when he went off to London. I almost would have rather he married Madame Max Goesler, though she may well have deserved better too, and left poor, kind marry for a more honest and less ambitious man.