Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
Trivia: John Buchan worked for Thomas Nelson in its early days - the same Thomas Nelson which is now the largest Christian house in the world and the fifth-largest trade house.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Written in 1915, this is a story of a rich man on the run, galivanting about the countryside as a self-styled spy, after a chance encounter with an earnest conspiracy theorist. Originally published as a magazine serial it is quite the adventure story. I hazard to suppose that the author had no interest or talent in writing female characters, as he has none in his story, even going so far as to make some of the characters widowers. As far as fantasies go, a world where women are only the "downstairs" maids is a little flat.
The backdrop of the action is picturesque and botanical. Richard Hannay steals expensive motorcars, sleeps rough in Scotland, impersonates wealthy businessmen and lowly workers, wears disguises and fakes accents to carry off his Method acting, solves puzzles and discovers secret bases, and even sets bombs.. all in a mad dash to escape nefarious Germans and the confused local constabulary. He claims to be able to rub shoulders with both the working-man and the upper-class, but is terrified and mystified by the middle-class.
Some of the older language was a little confusing for me. This is in part due to it being an audiobook so I could not see the spelling of some things. Some descriptions felt hilarious in their absurdity.
The backdrop of the action is picturesque and botanical. Richard Hannay steals expensive motorcars, sleeps rough in Scotland, impersonates wealthy businessmen and lowly workers, wears disguises and fakes accents to carry off his Method acting, solves puzzles and discovers secret bases, and even sets bombs.. all in a mad dash to escape nefarious Germans and the confused local constabulary. He claims to be able to rub shoulders with both the working-man and the upper-class, but is terrified and mystified by the middle-class.
Some of the older language was a little confusing for me. This is in part due to it being an audiobook so I could not see the spelling of some things. Some descriptions felt hilarious in their absurdity.
A pink and blue June morning found me at Bradgate, looking from the Griffon Hotel over a smooth sea to the light ship on the cock sands which seemed the size of a bell-boy.
The archaic setting was also probably the reason for some of the obvious anti-semitism, and the fanciful tales from far-off lands, such as a man recounting how his horse was eaten by a lion in Senegal. It's probably literary device that has rich men in urgent meetings discussing important matters, while also indulging digressive but exotic anecdotes... or maybe that is just the wont of the Upper-Class .. I wouldn't know.
I find it interesting that one of the recurring themes is the omnipresent boredom of the Rich, but I don't know if this is an observation that the author is self-describing, or an off-hand criticism of his "betters".
I felt myself imagining how this tale would differ if it was portrayed on screen, as much of the tension is carried off by men who are dressed in disguises. Only after the book was finished did I look it up and discover that Alfred Hitchcock had made the film, but I haven't seen his rendition. I can see how it could form the bones of an interesting film, but the book was not much to my taste, so I won't be chasing down any more of these serial adventures any time soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Antisemitism, Car accident
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An enjoyable book to listen to, certainly of its time, but the story was entertaining and engaging.
I loved listening to the section set in Dumfries and Galloway, I grew up there and it was fun to hear place names I knew in a book.
I loved listening to the section set in Dumfries and Galloway, I grew up there and it was fun to hear place names I knew in a book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Colonisation
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this because I used to tutor the SATs. In the book I tutored from, one of the sample passages was from the first chapter of this book, edited down. I read over and over about Hannay’s boredom, and the conversation with the man who was already dead. It cut off right after the man I now know as Scudder revealed that detail. That is the version I wish still lives in my memory.
The first chapter is the best of this book. And it was better with all of the anti semitism edited out. I don’t need a lot of logic in my stories, but this one was strained. There was no serious danger for Hannay, as he always had the right skill (or benefactor) at the right time.
Buchan might be a better writer now, I think. The storytelling techniques he uses are old. There’s an idea in this, and there are moments that could have been great. But it does not stand up to a modern eye, and frankly doesn’t compare incredibly favorably with his contemporaries either.
The first chapter is the best of this book. And it was better with all of the anti semitism edited out. I don’t need a lot of logic in my stories, but this one was strained. There was no serious danger for Hannay, as he always had the right skill (or benefactor) at the right time.
Buchan might be a better writer now, I think. The storytelling techniques he uses are old. There’s an idea in this, and there are moments that could have been great. But it does not stand up to a modern eye, and frankly doesn’t compare incredibly favorably with his contemporaries either.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No