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Rating: 
Summary: Gothic chills and local flavour
Review: A rather weird novel that does not lack local flavour and even comical characters is the result of Scott's excursion into gothic style of writing. The atmosphere of the novel is perfectly eerie. Falling down residences, a mad old woman, the shadow of death on Lammermoor from the beginning. A feud between to families in which the Ashtons, have taken over all the possessions of the Ravenswoods, forces Edgar, the only offspring of that ill-fated house, to live in the decaying Wolf's Crag. A grim prophecy foretells his end, if he ever should ride to Ravenswood (now inhabited by the Ashton's, among others the gentle Lucy). And, last but not least, he himself senses that he will never by happy. It is no surprise that the dreamer Lucy falls in love with this dark hero after he has saved her and her father from an angry bull. It is clear from the very beginning that this love can only end in despair, madness and death. Which is, in my opinion, not a flaw of the book, but one of the things that make it special. - Even Lucy and Edgar must know that their love will never come to a good end, but yet they follow the path of their destiny; they can not help themselves. It is that sense of doom that makes the instants at the fountain so precious and moving, or the moment where the lightening illuminates the profiles of the lovers in Edgar's derelict castle. The characters try to act, but in one way or the other are manipulated by Lady Ashton. She IS fate, or much more nemesis. Her "victims" don't have a chance. But the book has more to offer than just a tale of stark tragedy. Scott draws vivid pictures of his characters, for example Caleb (Edgar's faithful old servant) - and plays with the his rough humour against the sombre background. Or the strange people of the village and the weird women in the graveyard who must have been characteristic for rural Scotland in Scott's day. All in all it is a capturing book one is not likely to forget so soon.
Rating:
Summary: Indispensible edition of a flawed classic
Review: Scott's venture into the gothic genre is problematic, but Bride of Lammermoor is strikingly effective in creating suspense and unease within the framework of a crucial period in Scottish history. The Edinburgh edition's return of the novel to its original pre-Union setting casts fascinating new light on Scott's intentions.
Rating:
Summary: A good one to start with
Review: Sir Walter Scott was once considered the equal of Shakespeare by some. His influence on 19th century literature was immense. What's more, he still offers good reading. You might not know it from the typical undergraduate British literature survey text, though, where he is likely to be neglected in favor of writers more fashionable today.I had to read Scott on my own -- fired by the enthusiasm of C. S. Lewis, whose essay on Scott in SELECTED LITERARY ESSAYS is warmly recommended. The first one I read, Kenilworth, wasn't all that good. Better were The Antiquary, Redgauntlet, Rob Roy, The Heart of Midlothian, and Waverley. This novel, The Bride of Lammermoor, is a good one to start with -- being not as long as many of his masterpieces. I suggest the first-time reader skip to the second chapter and start there. Be independent! Find out for yourself why your great-great-great grandparents loved this guy. If you like a warm-hearted storyteller, you should look into Sir Walter.
Rating:
Summary: A good one to start with
Review: Sir Walter Scott was once considered the equal of Shakespeare by some. His influence on 19th century literature was immense. What's more, he still offers good reading. You might not know it from the typical undergraduate British literature survey text, though, where he is likely to be neglected in favor of writers more fashionable today. I had to read Scott on my own -- fired by the enthusiasm of C. S. Lewis, whose essay on Scott in SELECTED LITERARY ESSAYS is warmly recommended. The first one I read, Kenilworth, wasn't all that good. Better were The Antiquary, Redgauntlet, Rob Roy, The Heart of Midlothian, and Waverley. This novel, The Bride of Lammermoor, is a good one to start with -- being not as long as many of his masterpieces. I suggest the first-time reader skip to the second chapter and start there. Be independent! Find out for yourself why your great-great-great grandparents loved this guy. If you like a warm-hearted storyteller, you should look into Sir Walter.
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