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A review by andyshute
The 39 Steps by John Buchan
4.0
I read this many years ago in my teens and seem to recall I wasn't that impressed. Time moves on though and I found this new edition, a lovely tidy hardcover with black and white title illustrations, on sale. So I picked it up to give it another shot.
Given it's almost a hundred years old it still reads easily, though is slightly dated in some aspects. It's a pulp thriller, swift and straight to the point, spending most of the duration after the set up in pursuit. It's thrilling.
The Scottish countryside is brought vividly to life creating a bleak and expansive world for our hero to get lost in (not that successfully though, as they seem to keep finding him). For me this long middle section was the most interesting. Starting light and jovial, becoming all the darker and more desperate. Cracking stuff and a real window to a different time and way of life.
It's almost a let down when he stops the chase and we get back to 'the plot'. The ending comes swiftly and to me is a little disappointing after everything that has come before, though there is a nice sweet/sour little coda.
The book itself is a delight to look at and hold and given it's age and intent, it's a worthy read. A classic of the genre and the prototype for many a Hollywood movie ever since.
Given it's almost a hundred years old it still reads easily, though is slightly dated in some aspects. It's a pulp thriller, swift and straight to the point, spending most of the duration after the set up in pursuit. It's thrilling.
The Scottish countryside is brought vividly to life creating a bleak and expansive world for our hero to get lost in (not that successfully though, as they seem to keep finding him). For me this long middle section was the most interesting. Starting light and jovial, becoming all the darker and more desperate. Cracking stuff and a real window to a different time and way of life.
It's almost a let down when he stops the chase and we get back to 'the plot'. The ending comes swiftly and to me is a little disappointing after everything that has come before, though there is a nice sweet/sour little coda.
The book itself is a delight to look at and hold and given it's age and intent, it's a worthy read. A classic of the genre and the prototype for many a Hollywood movie ever since.