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tculp's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this one. I adore Trollope’s series, and this one gets better and better.
tome15's review against another edition
4.0
Trollope, Anthony. Phineas Redux. Palliser No. 4. 1873.
As the title suggests, Phineas Finn is back in the fourth of the Palliser novels, completing a story that was begun in the second novel and largely abandoned in the third. If the third volume, The Eustace Diamonds, grafted the usual marriage plots to a Dickensian crime plot, Phineas Redux weds (sorry, could not resist) a couple of marriage plots to a courtroom drama that gives fiction--if not the first—one of its earliest hard-drinking, rumpled old barrister heroes. In fact, the courtroom drama is the only thing that seems to really interest Trollope. The marriage plots here are perfunctory, as are the political stories, and there is way too much fox-hunting filler. The fox-hunting theme meant something in The Eustace Diamonds. It doesn’t here. This is not my favorite Trollope novel by any means, but Trollope novels are like big popcorn balls—you just keep chewing, no matter what. 4 stars.
As the title suggests, Phineas Finn is back in the fourth of the Palliser novels, completing a story that was begun in the second novel and largely abandoned in the third. If the third volume, The Eustace Diamonds, grafted the usual marriage plots to a Dickensian crime plot, Phineas Redux weds (sorry, could not resist) a couple of marriage plots to a courtroom drama that gives fiction--if not the first—one of its earliest hard-drinking, rumpled old barrister heroes. In fact, the courtroom drama is the only thing that seems to really interest Trollope. The marriage plots here are perfunctory, as are the political stories, and there is way too much fox-hunting filler. The fox-hunting theme meant something in The Eustace Diamonds. It doesn’t here. This is not my favorite Trollope novel by any means, but Trollope novels are like big popcorn balls—you just keep chewing, no matter what. 4 stars.
suzmac's review against another edition
5.0
I'm putting aside Trollope for a while. But this was a clean, thought-provoking, elegant finish to my run. What does it all mean? Why show-up to vote in Parliament at all if these are your countrymen? Fate toys with Phineas in this one. He is down but not broken. Splendidly done.
Also read some chapters by critics on Trollope’s themes. Great fun to match the lead character with his different women as his career changes and what each means to him, and he to them. There are no unrelated subplots. Also Trollope is apparently fascinated in the difference between what people say and believe and what they do. He dissects character beautifully (if sometimes long-winded!)
Also read some chapters by critics on Trollope’s themes. Great fun to match the lead character with his different women as his career changes and what each means to him, and he to them. There are no unrelated subplots. Also Trollope is apparently fascinated in the difference between what people say and believe and what they do. He dissects character beautifully (if sometimes long-winded!)
csd17's review against another edition
4.0
Quite confident and informative in tone, I found this one to be one of the most enjoyable so far. Far from the satisfactory train wreck that was Lizzie Eustace, this novel was cleverly set in a new realm of the Trollope court. It was delightful to really get to know previous acquaintances (Madame Max) and meet/revisit old friends and see how time had been allowed to change them. I think that Lady Laura was, perhaps, the anomaly. She had not allowed time to change her and, in doing so, suffered.
chelseavk's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ruthiella's review against another edition
4.0
He’s baaaack! Phineas Redux is book number four in the Palliser series and a sequel to both Phineas Finn and The Eustace Diamonds. Phineas, newly widowed, returns from Ireland to try his hand at getting a seat in Parliament again.
There was ever so much description of fox hunting and parliamentary procedures, both which were like Greek to me. But let’s forget about all that. The real crux of this book, despite the death of the old Duke of Omnion, a thrilling murder trial and romantic subplot of Planty Pall’s young cousin Adelaide Palliser, is will Phineas choose Lady Laura if she ever becomes free of her estranged husband, Robert Kennedy or will he return to Madam Max Goesler, who possibly may still hold a candle for Finn.
Phineas can still be a rather frustrating hero, but I do think that he is able to remain true to his convictions and come off well generally. As in the first book, Phineas is irresistible to women. He hasn’t become any less handsome or gallant since the reader last met him three years prior. His innate ability to charm the fairer sex is his Achilles heel but also maybe his secret superpower. I think Trollope was a little in love with P.F. himself, to be honest.
There was ever so much description of fox hunting and parliamentary procedures, both which were like Greek to me. But let’s forget about all that. The real crux of this book, despite the death of the old Duke of Omnion, a thrilling murder trial and romantic subplot of Planty Pall’s young cousin Adelaide Palliser, is will Phineas choose Lady Laura if she ever becomes free of her estranged husband, Robert Kennedy or will he return to Madam Max Goesler, who possibly may still hold a candle for Finn.
Phineas can still be a rather frustrating hero, but I do think that he is able to remain true to his convictions and come off well generally. As in the first book, Phineas is irresistible to women. He hasn’t become any less handsome or gallant since the reader last met him three years prior. His innate ability to charm the fairer sex is his Achilles heel but also maybe his secret superpower. I think Trollope was a little in love with P.F. himself, to be honest.
velocitygirl14's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the working of the politics of the day and the descriptions of life behind closed doors of the nobility.sad that not much has changed since then. This is a book that thrives on the support of the secondary characters more than the main ones, who can be a bit tedious. I'm sure this novel was ignored due to that and the almost oppressive politics in it. Still a good portrait of the time.
janey's review
5.0
I read someplace that this was a story about the mature Phineas and oh hell no this is a nail biter-- even knowing that this is Trollope so the good are rewarded and the bad are punished, how the drama unfolds is gripping! And yeah spoiler alert I assume that in the next volume I'll learn that Lady Laura talked her father to death.
smcleish's review
3.0
Originally published on my blog here in August 2001.
The fourth Palliser novel, as its title says, is about Phineas Finn's return to the political scene. Standing once again for parliament takes up the first part of the story, along with the renewal of his acquaintance with the women who played an important part in his early career before his marriage, Lady Laura Kennedy, Madame Goestler and Glencora Palliser, now the Duchess of Omnium.
The second half of the novel rather overshadows this, however. Here, Phineas is accused of the murder of a political rival on circumstantial evidence; it takes the efforts of the three women to unearth the evidence which proves him innocent at the last minute of his sensational trial.
Phineas Redux is clearly from the middle of a series; it would be inconceivable as a stand-alone novel. Its purpose is to contain the further adventures of characters well known to its readers. Its main interest is the depiction of Phineas' mental state while he is in prison awaiting his trial. Phineas Redux does not particularly grab the attention; it is one of Trollope's poorer novels.
The fourth Palliser novel, as its title says, is about Phineas Finn's return to the political scene. Standing once again for parliament takes up the first part of the story, along with the renewal of his acquaintance with the women who played an important part in his early career before his marriage, Lady Laura Kennedy, Madame Goestler and Glencora Palliser, now the Duchess of Omnium.
The second half of the novel rather overshadows this, however. Here, Phineas is accused of the murder of a political rival on circumstantial evidence; it takes the efforts of the three women to unearth the evidence which proves him innocent at the last minute of his sensational trial.
Phineas Redux is clearly from the middle of a series; it would be inconceivable as a stand-alone novel. Its purpose is to contain the further adventures of characters well known to its readers. Its main interest is the depiction of Phineas' mental state while he is in prison awaiting his trial. Phineas Redux does not particularly grab the attention; it is one of Trollope's poorer novels.