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A review by pgchuis
Dr. Thorne by Anthony Trollope, Ruth Rendell
4.0
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?)