Post by tintin on Jun 9, 2018 15:17:22 GMT 1
SPOILER WARNING
The girl of the title of this 1886 hunting romance is Miss Nell Fitzgerald whose life and views we are gradually introduced to, along with her roan hunter Sweetheart. Horse and rider are devoted to each other and a formidable combination in the field.
The book primarily concerns two cavalry officers who we first meet embarking on a long leave travelling up to the shires by train from St Pancras. Miles and Dicky intend to spend their leave hunting. The story is told through the eyes of Miles. Dicky is the junior by age and rank and has his eye set on securing a rich bride to support him for the rest of his life.
The book is well written and comparatively fast paced and vividly conveys the officers' holiday, it is, however, a lot more than that, it is a pretty trenchant commentary on mercenary men who marry for money and a plea, through the kindly, clever, glamorous,but gently mickey taking, character of Miss Fitzgerald for men to be more empathetic towards ladies. Miss Fitzgerald sees through peoples pretensions, but is too much of a lady to rip them apart - she lightly and persistently taps them until they fall apart by themselves... The book still has a great deal of truth in it. Dicky is the type of man who is good with women, but no good for them - something of what Americans call a pick up artist. Miss Fitzgerald puts him in his place and ends up with the genuine, but self doubting, Miles and they are both very happy.
The book is very similar in structure to Market Harborough (Mrs Kennard naughtily refers to her characters reading that book), but vastly more readable. 20 years have made a great deal of difference to the style of writing. I think the two things that most date a book are slang and food - there is mercifully little of either here. Mrs Kennard also deplores hit and miss horsemanship and puts her hero in the sick bed for deploying it on two occasions (in one Miles tries to cure a horse of rearing by pulling it over on top of him - he wakes up severely concussed and in some pain - what did he expect?).
What did I like about the book? - well written, fresh for its age and with good values
What did n't I like? - not horsey enough! although she makes up for this in her later book of 1891 which I am reading at the moment. My main dislike of the book, and it is I think a product of the age rather than the writer, is the events surrounding the death of poor Sweetheart who breaks his back. Although she does have the chance to say good bye, the hero forcibly removes her from his death scene. By the time Miles returns the poor horse has expired. That the two who were inseperable in life are parted at the last is bad enough, but that the poor brave, loyal Sweetheart should die alone is to me totally unacceptable. It is probably an accurate reflection of the times though. As late as the 1970's in many areas of the UK women did not attend the grave side of people as it was considered too distressing, although the were expected to nurse the, often insanitary, sick members of the family
Top end of three for me, but only down to the death scene, otherwise 4
About the author - Mrs Kennard wrote in the late 19th century and was a very enthusiastic rider and follower of hounds and most of her novels were set in the hunting world. She also wrote about fishing, golf and motoring. In her day she was a bestseller and as well known as Conan Doyle and Bram Stoker with whom she co-operated, with other well known authors, of the day in a joint novel. By her death in the thirties she had, however, been almost totally forgotten
The girl of the title of this 1886 hunting romance is Miss Nell Fitzgerald whose life and views we are gradually introduced to, along with her roan hunter Sweetheart. Horse and rider are devoted to each other and a formidable combination in the field.
The book primarily concerns two cavalry officers who we first meet embarking on a long leave travelling up to the shires by train from St Pancras. Miles and Dicky intend to spend their leave hunting. The story is told through the eyes of Miles. Dicky is the junior by age and rank and has his eye set on securing a rich bride to support him for the rest of his life.
The book is well written and comparatively fast paced and vividly conveys the officers' holiday, it is, however, a lot more than that, it is a pretty trenchant commentary on mercenary men who marry for money and a plea, through the kindly, clever, glamorous,but gently mickey taking, character of Miss Fitzgerald for men to be more empathetic towards ladies. Miss Fitzgerald sees through peoples pretensions, but is too much of a lady to rip them apart - she lightly and persistently taps them until they fall apart by themselves... The book still has a great deal of truth in it. Dicky is the type of man who is good with women, but no good for them - something of what Americans call a pick up artist. Miss Fitzgerald puts him in his place and ends up with the genuine, but self doubting, Miles and they are both very happy.
The book is very similar in structure to Market Harborough (Mrs Kennard naughtily refers to her characters reading that book), but vastly more readable. 20 years have made a great deal of difference to the style of writing. I think the two things that most date a book are slang and food - there is mercifully little of either here. Mrs Kennard also deplores hit and miss horsemanship and puts her hero in the sick bed for deploying it on two occasions (in one Miles tries to cure a horse of rearing by pulling it over on top of him - he wakes up severely concussed and in some pain - what did he expect?).
What did I like about the book? - well written, fresh for its age and with good values
What did n't I like? - not horsey enough! although she makes up for this in her later book of 1891 which I am reading at the moment. My main dislike of the book, and it is I think a product of the age rather than the writer, is the events surrounding the death of poor Sweetheart who breaks his back. Although she does have the chance to say good bye, the hero forcibly removes her from his death scene. By the time Miles returns the poor horse has expired. That the two who were inseperable in life are parted at the last is bad enough, but that the poor brave, loyal Sweetheart should die alone is to me totally unacceptable. It is probably an accurate reflection of the times though. As late as the 1970's in many areas of the UK women did not attend the grave side of people as it was considered too distressing, although the were expected to nurse the, often insanitary, sick members of the family
Top end of three for me, but only down to the death scene, otherwise 4
About the author - Mrs Kennard wrote in the late 19th century and was a very enthusiastic rider and follower of hounds and most of her novels were set in the hunting world. She also wrote about fishing, golf and motoring. In her day she was a bestseller and as well known as Conan Doyle and Bram Stoker with whom she co-operated, with other well known authors, of the day in a joint novel. By her death in the thirties she had, however, been almost totally forgotten