A Bit of a Slog

The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter's Tale by Robert Louis Stevenson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Though I generally enjoy Robert Louis Stevenson, this novel was a bit dry for my taste.

There are some great scenes and some very nice language, but if you're looking for an adventure novel, this isn't the one. There is a bit of adventure, a bit of piracy, and a bit of skulking in the woods along the frontier, but this is mostly a character study.

The narrator is a servant in the house of Ballantrae, and he is a meddling and supercilious functionary who inspires little empathy from the reader. (Well, I'll speak for myself--I didn't like him.) He's alright, I guess, most of the time, and gives decent advice, but you kinda feel he earns the names they call him (old woman, for instance) and the bullying he gets for being a judgmental scold. He doesn't mix with company well. When he's made sport of, he doesn't deny anything as if he's fully aware of who he is, and you figure he should have been a better person if he knew how he was perceived.

The Master of Ballantrae refers to the older brother who loses his inheritance by being involved in the Jacobite conspiracy. He's charming at times but otherwise is a real jerk--when he isn't being an out and out criminal. On reflection, he's close to the definition of sociopath, especially the way he tries to turn his brother's wife and son away from him, though I don't think that was intended (even if substituting more fitting language for the 19th century). However, like so many bad boys in literature, he's the most interesting part of the story. His exploits as an accidental pirate are the best part of the novel, and when he was in the midst of evil men I was rooting for him. Written from his perspective instead of the younger brother and his servant, this might have been more exciting. Definitely would have.

IMO, this story isn't very entertaining, and I don't much recommend it. But you know. Maybe. It might could make a better musical or something.......

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