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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Greatly enjoyed the lengthy character development, but found some of the asides long and unnecessary. Interesting insight into class structure and constraints. I also want to mention the anti-semitism in this book is offensive and frequent toward the end.
This was honestly an easier read than the Phineas Finn books, but with harder, less sympathetic characters to stand. Lizzie Eustace is selfish and self-serving. She wouldn’t be out of place in today’s vapid world.
The whole diamond fiasco just serves to show how shallow and grasping she is. You can tell that Trollope had a lot of fun making fun of society and these women with how sharply he writes her.
The whole diamond fiasco just serves to show how shallow and grasping she is. You can tell that Trollope had a lot of fun making fun of society and these women with how sharply he writes her.
What happens when you marry an older man for his money, he dies, and then his family wants the diamonds back? What lengths will you go to and what lies will you tell? Read to find out!
Originally published on my blog here& in August 2000.
The third novel in the Palliser series is probably the least political of all of them. It shares characters and the background of London society with the rest of them, but little else.
The novel is dominated by the amoral Lizzie Eustace, whom Trollope keeps on insisting is the heroine. The gentle, submissive and not very bright Lucy Morris fits the stereotypical part of nineteenth century novel heroine better, but Trollope gives her a much more subordinate role. Lizzie is effectively an adventuress, who has made a rich marriage. When her husband dies, she keeps the famous Eustace family diamonds, inventing a story that he had given these heirlooms to her.
The family rather naturally attempts to regain the jewels, but it looks as though Lizzie will manage to keep hold of them, until they are stolen. By this point, she has become really tired of the diamonds; her original lie was only prompted by a kind of instinctive acquisitiveness, but it has got her into all kinds of unwelcome difficulties.
Her character is the main unconventionality in the novel, which is predominantly not particularly unusual. Trollope is always entertaining, but not as challenging as the best of his contemporaries.
The third novel in the Palliser series is probably the least political of all of them. It shares characters and the background of London society with the rest of them, but little else.
The novel is dominated by the amoral Lizzie Eustace, whom Trollope keeps on insisting is the heroine. The gentle, submissive and not very bright Lucy Morris fits the stereotypical part of nineteenth century novel heroine better, but Trollope gives her a much more subordinate role. Lizzie is effectively an adventuress, who has made a rich marriage. When her husband dies, she keeps the famous Eustace family diamonds, inventing a story that he had given these heirlooms to her.
The family rather naturally attempts to regain the jewels, but it looks as though Lizzie will manage to keep hold of them, until they are stolen. By this point, she has become really tired of the diamonds; her original lie was only prompted by a kind of instinctive acquisitiveness, but it has got her into all kinds of unwelcome difficulties.
Her character is the main unconventionality in the novel, which is predominantly not particularly unusual. Trollope is always entertaining, but not as challenging as the best of his contemporaries.
Lost a star for unsavoriness and also how infuriated I am about Lucinda Roanoke. This aside, I loved it. Trollope's hunting scene is just--so very, very lifelike and believable. His characters are real, realer than Dickens, and I am very pleased to have made Trollope's literary acquaintance.
Lizzie Eustace marries a dying man for his money and then schemes to keep control of a diamond necklace which is rightfully a family piece, rather than her personal property. The necklace is stolen and Lizzie lies and schemes away. The third in the Palliser/political series, there is very little politics (although what little there is includes attempts to introduce decimal currency) and not much of the Pallisers either. Lizzie is a wonderful baddie and I am giving this five stars despite a) the obligatory hunting chapters, b) plenty of anti-semitism and c) the fact that I think Lucy should have told Frank where to go.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
The characters are strongly drawn and the plots tightly woven together. A lot of not quite heroism together with some sheer wickedness. Suspense held up well
From BBC Radio 4 - Classical Serial:
Anthony Trollope's enthralling novel about beautiful but deceitful widow Lizzie Eustace.
This is the third book of the Palliser series where the characters of Plantagenet Palliser, his wife Lady Glencora and their uncle the ailing Duke of Omnium are in the background.
The plot describes the life of a fortune-hunter, Lizzie Greystock who marries Sir Florian Eustace. One month later of their marriage, Sir Florian dies and leaves his fortune to Lizzie and his son.
Before his death, Sir Eustace gave to Lizzie a 10.000 pounds diamond's necklace to wear.
Though these diamonds belong to her husband's estate, Lizzie refuses to relinquish them. She lies about the terms under which they were given to her, leaving their ownership unclear. The indignant Eustace family lawyer, Mr Camperdown, strives to retrieve the necklace, putting the Eustaces in an awkward position.
In the meantime, Lizzie, after her mourning, spend her time searching for another husband: her suitors are Lord Fawn and her cousin Frank Greystock.
A police investigation is settled once the diamonds are supposed stolen....
Mr. Camperdown asking Lizzie Eustace where the diamonds are.
This novel was first published in 1871 as a serial in the Fortnightly Review.
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
And the audio version is available at LibriVox.
2* Miss Mackenzie
3* Orley Farm
3* The American Senator
3* Christmas at Kirkby Cottage
The Palliser series:
4* Can You Forgive Her?
3* Phineas Finn
3* The Eustace Diamonds
TR Phineas Redux
TR The Prime Minister
TR The Duke's Children
The Chronicles of Barsetshire series:
2* The Warden
TR The Barchester Towers
TR Dr. Thorne
TR Framley Parsonage
TR The Small House at Allington
TR The Last Chronicle of Barset
Anthony Trollope's enthralling novel about beautiful but deceitful widow Lizzie Eustace.
This is the third book of the Palliser series where the characters of Plantagenet Palliser, his wife Lady Glencora and their uncle the ailing Duke of Omnium are in the background.
The plot describes the life of a fortune-hunter, Lizzie Greystock who marries Sir Florian Eustace. One month later of their marriage, Sir Florian dies and leaves his fortune to Lizzie and his son.
Before his death, Sir Eustace gave to Lizzie a 10.000 pounds diamond's necklace to wear.
Though these diamonds belong to her husband's estate, Lizzie refuses to relinquish them. She lies about the terms under which they were given to her, leaving their ownership unclear. The indignant Eustace family lawyer, Mr Camperdown, strives to retrieve the necklace, putting the Eustaces in an awkward position.
In the meantime, Lizzie, after her mourning, spend her time searching for another husband: her suitors are Lord Fawn and her cousin Frank Greystock.
A police investigation is settled once the diamonds are supposed stolen....
Mr. Camperdown asking Lizzie Eustace where the diamonds are.
This novel was first published in 1871 as a serial in the Fortnightly Review.
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
And the audio version is available at LibriVox.
2* Miss Mackenzie
3* Orley Farm
3* The American Senator
3* Christmas at Kirkby Cottage
The Palliser series:
4* Can You Forgive Her?
3* Phineas Finn
3* The Eustace Diamonds
TR Phineas Redux
TR The Prime Minister
TR The Duke's Children
The Chronicles of Barsetshire series:
2* The Warden
TR The Barchester Towers
TR Dr. Thorne
TR Framley Parsonage
TR The Small House at Allington
TR The Last Chronicle of Barset
Now that I've had a few days to let my thoughts settle, I feel that I can write them with a little more clarity than before. This book with unlike the previous two Palliser novels in that so many of the characters were unlikable. I would have much preferred to spend the chapters with good Lucy Morris than with Lizzie Eustace, but I suppose that's how the action fell. And though I felt the truth of Frank's behavior toward both Lucy and Lizzie, it was a constant irritant to watch him continually fall into Lizzie's traps (or nearly fall at least) simply because she was beautiful. He would not have believed the half of her story had she not been pretty. It was irritating, too, that Lucy got no apology for how she was treated, and perhaps even more so that she seemed to expect no apology. Even the sweetest of women have a breaking point, and I really felt she was ill-treated beyond any sensible breaking point.
Still, I cannot mark the story as a whole too low, because it captured the same haunting guilt and fear associated with a dreadful deed as Macbeth or Crime and Punishment, and in such an effective manner as to be intriguing on those grounds. And the comparisons between Lizzie and Lucy and between Frank and Lord Fawn were very striking without be silly or over-simplified. It is, overall, a well-executed work of storytelling, if not one I found particularly enjoyable.
Still, I cannot mark the story as a whole too low, because it captured the same haunting guilt and fear associated with a dreadful deed as Macbeth or Crime and Punishment, and in such an effective manner as to be intriguing on those grounds. And the comparisons between Lizzie and Lucy and between Frank and Lord Fawn were very striking without be silly or over-simplified. It is, overall, a well-executed work of storytelling, if not one I found particularly enjoyable.
As all Trollope novels I've read so far, this is funny, witty, has a critical look at society and so many characters that can remind the reader of people they know from the real world. Also, some observations and attitudes are really relatable. The books deals critically with Wealth, Marriage and the problems that arise from the value that is placed on it.
Apart from the two main plotpoints, I also much enjoyed the Lucinda side story.
While I was thoroughly entertained by the book, it is much longer than it needs to be. The story and the characters, which are not typical heroes of a story and often unlikable, are great and together with Trollopes amazing writing, the novel never got boring, however there was a lot of stuff that could have been cut with no effect and the rather simple story line does not need to be dragged out for that long to work.
I didn't feel like you absolutely need to have read the previous installments in the series. I haven't l, and apart from some minor characters you are expected to know, I never felt like I missed out on something.
Not the Trollope novel I would recommend most, but still a really good one.
Apart from the two main plotpoints, I also much enjoyed the Lucinda side story.
While I was thoroughly entertained by the book, it is much longer than it needs to be. The story and the characters, which are not typical heroes of a story and often unlikable, are great and together with Trollopes amazing writing, the novel never got boring, however there was a lot of stuff that could have been cut with no effect and the rather simple story line does not need to be dragged out for that long to work.
I didn't feel like you absolutely need to have read the previous installments in the series. I haven't l, and apart from some minor characters you are expected to know, I never felt like I missed out on something.
Not the Trollope novel I would recommend most, but still a really good one.