Sir Walter Scott rocks!

[dreamshark]

For the time being I've given up on the fickle library collection of e-books and am now reading some of the (free) classic historical fiction that I gave Amber for Christmas. Lorna Doone had its moments, but was frankly kind of a slog. But Ivanhoe is fantastic!  I can't believe I never read this book before. My mother kept trying to get me to read it, but for some reason I found the title off-putting; it just sounded grandiose and stuffy. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's a rollicking good story, artfully told, with just a hint of dry humor running along underneath. Action, intrigue, damsels in distress (plucky, resourceful ones). Heroic swineherds and jesters. Incognito knights in black armor. Evil Knights Templar. A thoroughly despicable villain whose French name translates roughly as "Meathead."  And, of course... ROBIN HOOD!

Comments

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

I, too, always thought 'Ivanhoe' sounded stuffy. I must reconsider...

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

I think you would like it. As I said, the damsels in distress are plucky, resourceful, indignant and extremely articulate - your type of fairy tale princess, I think.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Sounds like Sir Walter Scott was ahead of his time - or knew women who were.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Admittedly, these damsels still need a lot of rescuing. But they're not just passive bags of beauty and sweetness. I'm about halfway through the book, and Rebecca seems to be emerging as the strongest character. Ivanhoe himself is kind of a cipher. He's not so much as the protagonist as the Maguffin - the object around which the other characters' stories revolve.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Sounds good! I'm adding this to my (admittedly long) reading list.