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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An excellent story about class. Lovely characters with great growth. I took one star off because it's longer than it needs to be.
About 200 pages in, a parliamentary candidate is dismissed by the book's hero as a "muff" because it is discovered that he would "vote for an extension of the franchise, and the admission of the Jews into Parliament."
So, on the one hand I will probably keep reading these as they're delightful Victorian romances. But on the other hand, fuck you Anthony Trollope, you dirty Jew-hating asshat.
So, on the one hand I will probably keep reading these as they're delightful Victorian romances. But on the other hand, fuck you Anthony Trollope, you dirty Jew-hating asshat.
I have never read a Trollope before, of either the Anthony or Joanna variety - I am only just about old enough to remember how much people laughed at John Major when he said he liked to go to bed with a Trollope but until now that was not something I had ever done. So a new experience. One of his better known creations are the Barchester novels and around a decade and a half ago I heard a bit of Dr Thorne on the radio so though it is number 3 in the sequence, this was the one I was actually interested in reading. Also - the earlier ones seemed suspiciously like church politics which let's face it there's enough of right now in real life. I absolutely loved this novel though ... for my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/dr-thorne-anthony-trollope.html
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/dr-thorne-anthony-trollope.html
reflective
slow-paced
The story of illegitimate Mary Thorne, who is brought up by her uncle (Dr Thorne), and who falls in love with the son of the local squire, Frank Gresham. Frank falls in love with her back, but his parents want him to marry money, since they have mismanaged the estate so badly. I found this novel rather tiresome: there were endless discussions of what "good blood" the Gresham line was and whether it was appropriate for them to marry people "in trade", let alone an illegitimate woman. There was far less humour than I expect from a Trollope novel and about two-thirds of the way through I just wanted Frank to shut up about his plight, go out and get a proper job and marry Mary already. Everything seemed to drag and the same dilemmas were rehearsed over and over again.
Frank's father and sisters are, we are told endlessly, very fond of Mary, but they treat her disgracefully. Mary (and indeed Frank and Dr Thorne too) are a bit lacking in the personality department, although, on the other hand, Lady Arabella and Miss Dunstable were great characters. The story of Augusta, Mr Gazebee and Lady Amelia was a nice touch. I know it was intended to be history repeating itself, but the deaths of Sir Roger and then his son were dealt with at greater length than seemed necessary.
Overall, I was confused about what Trollope was saying about marriage and money and birth. The doctor is described as very proud of his birth and yet he brings Mary up in ignorance of her true circumstances, allows her to run around with the squire's children and to think of herself as a lady. What did he intend for her? If she had not so conveniently become an heiress, should she have married Frank? Should Frank have been told of her parentage before he proposed for the first time? Was he right to say it made no difference (or did he really mean that it was too late?)
Frank's father and sisters are, we are told endlessly, very fond of Mary, but they treat her disgracefully. Mary (and indeed Frank and Dr Thorne too) are a bit lacking in the personality department, although, on the other hand, Lady Arabella and Miss Dunstable were great characters. The story of Augusta, Mr Gazebee and Lady Amelia was a nice touch. I know it was intended to be history repeating itself, but the deaths of Sir Roger and then his son were dealt with at greater length than seemed necessary.
Overall, I was confused about what Trollope was saying about marriage and money and birth. The doctor is described as very proud of his birth and yet he brings Mary up in ignorance of her true circumstances, allows her to run around with the squire's children and to think of herself as a lady. What did he intend for her? If she had not so conveniently become an heiress, should she have married Frank? Should Frank have been told of her parentage before he proposed for the first time? Was he right to say it made no difference (or did he really mean that it was too late?)
From BBC radio 4:
Anthony Trollope's Dr Thorne by Michael Symmons Roberts
Episode 1 of 3
When Frank Gresham proposes to Dr Thorne's niece Mary on his twenty first birthday, his parents are horrified. Mary is poor and her parentage is unknown. To save the indebted Greshambury estate Frank must marry for money, not love. A rich heiress is hastily thrust towards him as a more suitable prospect.
Episode 2 of 3
Back from a term at Cambridge, young Frank Gresham is more determined than ever to win the hand of Mary Thorne. Frank's mother Lady Arabella, is equally determined that such a match will never take place, for Frank must marry money to save the indebted Greshambury estate.
Episode 3 of 3
After an enforced year away from Mary Thorne, Frank returns to Greshambury. Yet, with rumours that Frank did not spend his year alone and Louis deciding to re-direct his attentions to Mary, Lady Arabella is ever hopeful that Frank will do his duty and marry money.
Written by Michael Symmons Roberts
Directed by Susan Roberts
Produced by Charlotte Riches
Dr Thorne is the third instalment in a new series of dramatisations of Anthony Trollope's complete Barchester Chronicles. Dr Thorne has always kept the parentage of his niece and ward Mary a secret. When young Frank Gresham, the heir to the aristocratic Greshambury estate, expresses his desire to marry Mary, she suddenly finds her standing in society under scrutiny. Dr Thorne realises that the secret he has concealed for so long can no longer stay secret.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042d57m
2* Miss Mackenzie
3* Orley Farm
3* The American Senator
3* Christmas at Kirkby Cottage
TR Cousin Henry
TR The Three Clerks
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
CR Dr. Thorne
TR Framley Parsonage
TR The Small House at Allington
TR The Last Chronicle of Barset
Anthony Trollope's Dr Thorne by Michael Symmons Roberts
Episode 1 of 3
When Frank Gresham proposes to Dr Thorne's niece Mary on his twenty first birthday, his parents are horrified. Mary is poor and her parentage is unknown. To save the indebted Greshambury estate Frank must marry for money, not love. A rich heiress is hastily thrust towards him as a more suitable prospect.
Episode 2 of 3
Back from a term at Cambridge, young Frank Gresham is more determined than ever to win the hand of Mary Thorne. Frank's mother Lady Arabella, is equally determined that such a match will never take place, for Frank must marry money to save the indebted Greshambury estate.
Episode 3 of 3
After an enforced year away from Mary Thorne, Frank returns to Greshambury. Yet, with rumours that Frank did not spend his year alone and Louis deciding to re-direct his attentions to Mary, Lady Arabella is ever hopeful that Frank will do his duty and marry money.
Written by Michael Symmons Roberts
Directed by Susan Roberts
Produced by Charlotte Riches
Dr Thorne is the third instalment in a new series of dramatisations of Anthony Trollope's complete Barchester Chronicles. Dr Thorne has always kept the parentage of his niece and ward Mary a secret. When young Frank Gresham, the heir to the aristocratic Greshambury estate, expresses his desire to marry Mary, she suddenly finds her standing in society under scrutiny. Dr Thorne realises that the secret he has concealed for so long can no longer stay secret.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042d57m
2* Miss Mackenzie
3* Orley Farm
3* The American Senator
3* Christmas at Kirkby Cottage
TR Cousin Henry
TR The Three Clerks
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
CR Dr. Thorne
TR Framley Parsonage
TR The Small House at Allington
TR The Last Chronicle of Barset
I really enjoyed Trollope's writing style when I read Small House, and found the same enjoyment in Doctor Thorne. Austen's influence is manifest, but unlike Austen, the neighborhood feels more fleshed out and the characters more real. (I love Austen and I love how absurd her characters are, but they can veer on caricatures.)
I was getting pretty frustrated as I was reading it though. I like seeing characters fall in love, and Frank's declaration of love for Mary so early in the book hampered my investment in their love story. The solution to the obstacles facing their engagement also was very apparent near the beginning of the story, and yet the characters still muddled on in ignorance. Of course, I understand why Trollope set it up this way, but it was a little annoying.
But I loved the writing style and was delighted to meet Miss Dunstable, a deliciously full character who I want to star in a full novel of her own.
I was getting pretty frustrated as I was reading it though. I like seeing characters fall in love, and Frank's declaration of love for Mary so early in the book hampered my investment in their love story. The solution to the obstacles facing their engagement also was very apparent near the beginning of the story, and yet the characters still muddled on in ignorance. Of course, I understand why Trollope set it up this way, but it was a little annoying.
But I loved the writing style and was delighted to meet Miss Dunstable, a deliciously full character who I want to star in a full novel of her own.