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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A new Bishop arrives in town bringing his overbearing wife and an oily (Trollope’s descriptor - not mine) chaplain. They cause a ton of turmoil with their control issues and scheming. Lots of clergy infighting ensues. Peripherally (but much more entertainingly) we are reunited with Mr Harding and Eleanor from The Warden whose fates are tied up in a multitude of romances and (failed) seductions. 4/5⭐️s.
Five things about Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope.
1. Why does anyone stop reading The Warden and not immediately pick up Barchester Towers? So much heartache could be saved if these were bound as one book!
2. While some of the preaching about what church should be and the evils of journalism can become repetitive and dulling...the majority of this book is laugh out loud hilarious.
3. Chapter 27 “A Love Scene” may be one of my all time favorite passages in all of Victorian literature. I loved it so much that I’ve reread it several times. Absolutely hilarious.
4. I’m still not ready to trust Trollope...I know he’s capable of greatly disappointing me. After The Warden, I went into Barchester Towers with a huge block against investing in any of these characters. Someday, I’ll reread this book - knowing where it’s going - and allow myself to go deeply into it. It might even be a five star read for me next time.
5. I’ll probably never reread The Warden. For me, this series begins with Barchester Towers. On to Doctor Thorne!
Five things about Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope.
1. Why does anyone stop reading The Warden and not immediately pick up Barchester Towers? So much heartache could be saved if these were bound as one book!
2. While some of the preaching about what church should be and the evils of journalism can become repetitive and dulling...the majority of this book is laugh out loud hilarious.
3. Chapter 27 “A Love Scene” may be one of my all time favorite passages in all of Victorian literature. I loved it so much that I’ve reread it several times. Absolutely hilarious.
4. I’m still not ready to trust Trollope...I know he’s capable of greatly disappointing me. After The Warden, I went into Barchester Towers with a huge block against investing in any of these characters. Someday, I’ll reread this book - knowing where it’s going - and allow myself to go deeply into it. It might even be a five star read for me next time.
5. I’ll probably never reread The Warden. For me, this series begins with Barchester Towers. On to Doctor Thorne!
Read with The Trollope Society #BigRead. My first Trollope, and a wonderful surprise! His writing and asides had me laughing out loud. A book about an English countryside cathedral? Don’t fear, this writing is hilarious, dramatic, and the furthest thing from bland. Trollope’s female characters are especially strong, dynamic and multifaceted, a welcome finding for a Victorian novel. I don’t think I’ll soon forget Signora Vesey Neroni’s schemes or Mrs. Bold’s comebacks. Highly recommend even (especially) if you haven’t read many Victorian classics.
So far this is great fun to listen to - way better than the usual book on tape this is a true radio play and very well done. My first Trollope and I think I am in love!
I did end up so enjoying this. Looking forward to the rest of the Barchester Chronicles.
I did end up so enjoying this. Looking forward to the rest of the Barchester Chronicles.
I actually found this book to be more complicated with church politics than The Warden was. This surprised me. It took me a long time to finish this, but the audiobook narrated by David Shaw-Parker was delightful. I might continue the rest of the series on audiobook. I really enjoyed reuniting with these characters. Obadiah Slope reminded me of Uriah Heep from David Copperfield. I loved the author’s voice, how he would talk directly to the reader and reassure them that some evil things would not come to pass. I look forward to continuing with the series and hopefully will be less bogged down by church politics.
It was a cute start to the Barsetshire Chronicles. I had to look up a lot of the church stuff, but it was amusing and cute at the same time. Really clever and I will continue onto the next one.
challenging
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Anthony Trollope will always be a favorite of mine and Barchester Towers is right up there with some of my other favorite books of his (my favorite so far is The Eustace Diamonds). He has such a friendly, conversational style and will often spend entire chapters 'talking' to the reader about Victorian era idiosyncrasies. Barchester Towers also seems a timely read at the moment since it follows the political intrigues of two parties of people of the diocese and the cloister. The conflict is intense, and the beauty of this book is that it is not about the issues, but who comes out on top, and that seems to be the reigning notion in politics today (or maybe always?)
Mr. Slope's self-promotion is so beautifully crafted in this novel that you can't help but sit back and wonder at it. The conflicts between he and Mrs. Proudie are laughably absurd and these two villains easily take center stage. The shenanigans of the bizarre Stanhope family keep you hooked... how funny is Dr. Stanhope, who went to Italy to recover from a 'scratchy throat' FOR 12 YEARS! but spent most of it catching butterflies on the shores of Lake Como? Or his daughter, the so called 'Signora Madelina Vesey Neroni i' who is a notorious flirt, insanely beautiful, a cripple, and is carried around at parties by Italian men she brought back with her to England? Trollope is an author I'll always come back to - his memorable characters, twisted plot lines, hilarity, and cozy conversational style always make for an engrossing read.
Mr. Slope's self-promotion is so beautifully crafted in this novel that you can't help but sit back and wonder at it. The conflicts between he and Mrs. Proudie are laughably absurd and these two villains easily take center stage. The shenanigans of the bizarre Stanhope family keep you hooked... how funny is Dr. Stanhope, who went to Italy to recover from a 'scratchy throat' FOR 12 YEARS! but spent most of it catching butterflies on the shores of Lake Como? Or his daughter, the so called 'Signora Madelina Vesey Neroni i' who is a notorious flirt, insanely beautiful, a cripple, and is carried around at parties by Italian men she brought back with her to England? Trollope is an author I'll always come back to - his memorable characters, twisted plot lines, hilarity, and cozy conversational style always make for an engrossing read.
Reviewed for Books and livres
I still don't know why I always thought that series of novels would be boring (maybe a certain Chesterton influence with a certain book), but those thoughts are long gone since I began reading The Warden.
People in there are fighting like cats ! It should have been called "A hornet's nest" ! Those (more or less, depending) respectable clergymen and their families insinuate, manipulate, intimidate with a righteous indignation (more or less, depending) that is downright hilarious. The balance of powers and ambition are important for most of the characters, bishops, would-be deans, archdeacons, prelates and even tenants ("The Lookalofts and the Greenacres", who have a chapter by their names). There are a few exceptions that allow us to take our breath, but they are trapped in the spider's web as well as the others.
I started reading this book at night. I usually have two books on at the same time : one in paperback during the day, one on Kindle during the night - when I can't sleep, I can read without waking my companion. However, I quickly had to give up reading in the middle of the night because I was dying to burst out laughing. For instance :
"It is not my intention to breathe a word against the caracter of Mrs. Proudie, but still I cannot think that, with all her virtues, she adds much to her husband's happiness. The truth is that in matters domestic, she rules supreme over her titular lord, and rules with a rod of iron. Nor is this all. Things domestic Dr. Proudie might have abandoned to her, if not voluntarily, yet willingly. But Mrs. Proudie is not satisfied with such home dominion and stretches her power over all his movements, and will not even abstain from things spiritual. In fact, the bishop is hen-pecked."
The various characters are described in a way that is a joy to read. I could imagine Trollope's delectation while he was writing them, the same way the Signora feels when she draws men to her. The women are no less important than the men ; in fact, in several couples, they're the bosses. The vocabulary is that of war, sprinkled with French words (the language of love, I heard) : "That which of all things he most dreaded was that he should be outgeneralled by Mr. Slope ; and just at present, it appeared probable that Mr. Slope would turn his flank, steal a march on him, cut off his provisions, carry his strong town by a coup de main, and at last beat him thoroughly in a regular pitched battle."
I often laughed at the bishop but also felt sorry for him, even if his wife finally managed to make him happy while making herself happy. My heart went out to the Quiverfuls, especially to Mrs. Quiverful, a couple with 14 children on the edge of poverty. There is laughter, irony, wit and a wonderful story, even a love story : such a great book !
I still don't know why I always thought that series of novels would be boring (maybe a certain Chesterton influence with a certain book), but those thoughts are long gone since I began reading The Warden.
People in there are fighting like cats ! It should have been called "A hornet's nest" ! Those (more or less, depending) respectable clergymen and their families insinuate, manipulate, intimidate with a righteous indignation (more or less, depending) that is downright hilarious. The balance of powers and ambition are important for most of the characters, bishops, would-be deans, archdeacons, prelates and even tenants ("The Lookalofts and the Greenacres", who have a chapter by their names). There are a few exceptions that allow us to take our breath, but they are trapped in the spider's web as well as the others.
I started reading this book at night. I usually have two books on at the same time : one in paperback during the day, one on Kindle during the night - when I can't sleep, I can read without waking my companion. However, I quickly had to give up reading in the middle of the night because I was dying to burst out laughing. For instance :
"It is not my intention to breathe a word against the caracter of Mrs. Proudie, but still I cannot think that, with all her virtues, she adds much to her husband's happiness. The truth is that in matters domestic, she rules supreme over her titular lord, and rules with a rod of iron. Nor is this all. Things domestic Dr. Proudie might have abandoned to her, if not voluntarily, yet willingly. But Mrs. Proudie is not satisfied with such home dominion and stretches her power over all his movements, and will not even abstain from things spiritual. In fact, the bishop is hen-pecked."
The various characters are described in a way that is a joy to read. I could imagine Trollope's delectation while he was writing them, the same way the Signora feels when she draws men to her. The women are no less important than the men ; in fact, in several couples, they're the bosses. The vocabulary is that of war, sprinkled with French words (the language of love, I heard) : "That which of all things he most dreaded was that he should be outgeneralled by Mr. Slope ; and just at present, it appeared probable that Mr. Slope would turn his flank, steal a march on him, cut off his provisions, carry his strong town by a coup de main, and at last beat him thoroughly in a regular pitched battle."
I often laughed at the bishop but also felt sorry for him, even if his wife finally managed to make him happy while making herself happy. My heart went out to the Quiverfuls, especially to Mrs. Quiverful, a couple with 14 children on the edge of poverty. There is laughter, irony, wit and a wonderful story, even a love story : such a great book !