Overall, lorna doone is a beautiful story that is worth the effort. It was an historical novel, based on actual events and characters in devon in the seventeenth century, particularly ones occurring in the. First published in 1869, lorna doone is the story of john ridd, a farmer who. This book is from our pre isbn stock and is therefore over 50 years old. Set amid the political turmoils of the late 17th century, lorna doone brings west country history and legends alive with wonderfully imaginative fiction.
He is just a boy when his father is slain by the doones, a lawless clan inhabiting wild exmoor on the border of somerset and devon. I do really like this book, i found the storytelling engaging and. Lorna doone is the perenially popular story of how john ridd, a devon farmer, falls in love with the aristocratic lorna doone, kidnapped as a child by the outlaw doones of exmoor. The perceptive, lovable character of the author peaks out from every page, and the drama of the story and its vivid characters engross me all the more each time i read it. Blackmore, was one of the most famous english novelists of the second half of the nineteenth century. A palace of the preadamite kings, a city of the anakim must have appeared so. But john ridd, the narratorsuitor is well aware of his own faults and more than makes up for lorna s perfection. Lorna doone is a beautifully written historical novel published in 1869. Blackmores lorna doone for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. Book description wordsworth editions 05111993, 1993. First published in 1869, lorna doone is the story of john ridd, a farmer who finds love amid the religious and social turmoil of seventeenthcentury england. It is all very straightforward, with the doones cast as upper class robbers, thieves and cut throat murderers one of them having killed johns father while he was still a child and the ordinary people the heroes and heroines with john chosen by the author as their representative. In 1673, when the story of lorna doone begins, charles ii was king of england.
Some beautiful descriptions of nature though i did find the story slow to start. A romance of exmoor is a novel by english author richard doddridge blackmore, published in 1869. The novel is set in 17thcentury exmoor, a remote area of devon, england, and concerns a virtuous and somewhat mysterious young woman who has been raised by bandits who abducted her when she was young. Blackmore 18251900 wrote more than a dozen novels, five books of poetry.
This reader is accompanied with a cd that contains the full audio of the text in mp3 format. She is sweet, caring, and curious, and feels ashamed of her familys bad reputation. Lorna doone, by richard doddridge blackmore, published in 1869, was one of the earliest and by far the most popular of all blackmores dozen or more novels. Set against this historical background, this beautiful novel tells the story of young john ridd who as he grows into manhood and rights the wrong done to his family and parish by a group of noble outlaws and at the same time winning the hand and heart of the beautiful and noble lorna doone. Books for mks is a charity organization that donates books to missionary kids on the foreign mission field all over the world. I find this 1920 summary to be overly harsh, but wished to include it as an instructive example of how fickle reputations can be in the literary world. An account of nineteen rebels that were executed at tauntondean, in the county of somerset, on vvednesday the 30th of september, 1685, for hightreason against his most sacred. It reminds me of thomas hardys writing, and, since he loved the book, this doesnt surprise me. Living amongst them is the pretty lorna doone, kidnapped by them as an infant. Lorna doone is also interesting because of its historical details and descriptions of the devon countryside and life in the late 1600s. Blackmore this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever.
John enters the forbidden doone valley by climbing a steep and. The language is beautiful and the story flows well. Brimming with vivid descriptions and cliffhanging action, it is a true classic of romantic adventure. There are few narrators that are more lovable than john ridd, the protagonist of this great romance and adventure. Since it was first published in 1869, the novel has remained constantly in print. In 1673 young john ridd meets a little girl called lorna doone. Lorna doone pleasance kennedy ao 10 may 1927 30 august 2014 was an australian politician and civic leader who served as the lord mayor of hobart, the capital of tasmania, from 1986 until 1996. Blackmore and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. John ridd is the son of a respectable farmer who was murdered in cold blood by a member of the notorious doone clan, a oncenoble family now living in the isolated doone. Lorna doone, a romance of exmoor is an historical novel of high adventure set in the south west of england during the turbulent time of monmouths rebellion 1685.
My book club ventured into new territory with lorna doone. Lorna doone, is for me, a step back in time to my home county, a place i love and a place i often feature within my own novels. Lorna doone is a classic that deserves five stars because of its beauty beauty of characterization, beauty of depiction of an era, beauty of description of love of place. A proclamation, for a thanksgiving throughout the kingdom of scotland, for the late defeat of the kings enemies published. Set against this historical background, this beautiful novel tells the story of young john ridd who as he grows into manhood and rights the wrong done to his family and parish by a group of noble outlaws and at the same time winning the hand and heart of.
This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. Although richard blackmore has written this novel in firstperson narrative, thus depicting the defined sentiments of the gentle giant john ridd, he manages to convey others perspectives via dialogue. Lorna doone isnt a book with a blurred dividing line between good and evil and shades of grey. The book lorna doone a romance of exmoor is set in the 17th century in the region of exmoor in devon and somerset, in west of england. The novel is set in 17thcentury exmoor, a remote area of devon, england, and concerns a virtuous and somewhat mysterious young woman who has been raised by bandits who abducted her when she was. A romance of exmoor is a novel by english author richard doddridge. Consider that the american author herman melville was not widely read during his lifetime and died in literary obscurity only to gain wide. For the dark winter months of december and january the merl book group rural reads read lorna doone. Blackmore set lorna doone in the heightened exmoor of his imagination, a fitting place for giants such as john ridd and carver doone. Lorna doone, a romance in exmoor is a beautiful romance and adventure story set in the south west of england during the monmouth rebellion. Blackmore, a free text and ebook for easy online reading, study, and reference. This 70page guide for lorna doone by richard doddridge blackmore includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 75 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. By richard doddridge blackmore illustrated and millions of other books are available.
It is all very straightforward, with the doones cast as upper class robbers, thieves and cut throat murderers one of them having killed johns father while he was still a child and the ordinary people the heroes and heroines with john chosen by. Description lorna doone is a golden, squareshaped shortbread cookie since 1912 thick, rich and full of buttery flavor and melt in your mouth taste. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. It has a general appearance commensurate with its age including age effects to page edges, binding and boards. Set in the wilds of exmoor northern devonshire, eng. It is also a moving love story told through the life of the young farmer john ridd, as he grows to manhood determined to right the wrongs in his land, and to win the heart and hand. All of the pages are unmarked and tightly bound, the only flaws are some scuffs, marks and small rips to the covers, a name written on the inside front page and a few of the pages have creases to them.
Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability. Beloved for its portrait of starcrossed lovers and its surpassing descriptions of the english countryside, lorna doone is r. For more than seventy years, penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the englishspeaking world. The novel begins on november 29, 1673, john ridds twelfth birthday and his last day at blundells school, tiverton, devon. Exiled to a remote part of exmoor which is in englands west country and now a national park, they rob travellers and local farms. It is a romance based on a group of historical characters and set in the late 17th century in devon and somerset, particularly around the east lyn valley area of exmoor.
Lorna doone is one of those classics that needs to penetrate every living person. Kennedy was the first woman to be elected lord mayor of hobart and remained the citys only female mayor until the election of sue hickey in 2014. I have been to the place of its outworking and am reading the story for the third time. Lorna doone is the tale of a young boy, john ridd, whose father is killed by scottish outlaws the doones. Lorna doone, the character, is a little too good to be truetolife. Richard doddridge blackmore 7 june 1825 20 january 1900, known as r. Join facebook to connect with lorna doone and others you may know. And they who light upon this book should bear in mind not only that i write for the. I still rooted for lorna despite her annoying flawlessness. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Lorna doone, fictional heroine of the historical romance lorna doone 1869 by r. By some critics it has been esteemed one of the great pieces of english fiction, but this praise is undoubtedly excessive. He won acclaim for vivid descriptions and personification of the countryside, sharing with thomas hardy a western england background and a strong sense of regional setting in his works.
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