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lectora21's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism
ed_moore's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Anthony Trollope’s ‘The Warden’ is the first book in the Barsetshire Chronicles, following the church warden of Barchester, Septimus Harding, as he battles a legal case surrounding his entitlement to the money in the will of the owner of Hyram’s hospital, versus 12 beadsmen under the care of the hospital who believe it is entitled to they and the poor. It is a story of legal deceit and religious corruption, presenting the church as an entity that works to benefit solely itself and highlighting that the extent of empathy in religion and politics is largely unchanged, but placing such blame on the institution rather than the individuals benefiting from the clerical system.
‘The Warden’ was however quite uneventful, it wasn’t that long and I feel it could’ve taken a few more chapters to really explore religious corruption, though did give a sufficient satirisation into the hypocrisy of ‘public newspapers’ which I appreciated and even satirised Dickens and his formula of works. While this was an interesting element, that was the only memorable exploration for I feel the characters were largely flat and uninteresting in their motives, other than possibly the lawyer and suitor John Bold, and the plot really didn’t explore its core themes to the depth that I would expect. The whole book just had an heir of ‘nothingness’, despite such I think I will read ‘Barchester Towers’ one day as I picked up ‘The Warden’ due to a recommendation of its sequel, and if that is equally bland shan’t care for the rest of the chronicle.
connell98's review against another edition
3.0
Not the best piece of Victorian literature, in my opinion, but not the worst either
emmilary's review against another edition
3.0
I read this for a challenge as my Victorian novel choice as I had not yet read anything by Trollope. This novel had some funny social satire, and several cutting comments made me laugh aloud! The Warden himself was an incredibly noble character. That said, the plot revolving around church politics was something I would not typically gravitate toward and I was somewhat bored at times with the minutiae.
mamatoca's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The stakes are lacking in this novel - I am left with the impression, "What was the big deal...why was everyone so upset here?"
nanettels's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lisahopevierra's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is my least favorite of the Barsetshire series
amythereader's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jmenasche's review against another edition
3.0
It was left in a will a long time ago that the hospital should be for 12 men in need of charity and they would receive x amount of money, the rest going to the warden. Many years later, the 12 men get the same amount of money but the amount going toward the warden has increased to 800 a year. The warden's future son-in-law brings the case to a lawyer, the warden is slandered in a newspaper, the warden's daughter asks her soon-to-be betrothed to discontinue his lawsuit, he does, the warden leaves the wardenship position anyway because he isn't sure the situation is just—end of story.
I like Victorian novels, I like the way they are written and the glimpse they give into living life then. This was a fine book if not a tad dull, but I wanted to read it because the other books in this series seem more interesting.
I like Victorian novels, I like the way they are written and the glimpse they give into living life then. This was a fine book if not a tad dull, but I wanted to read it because the other books in this series seem more interesting.