Customer Reviews

Barchester Towers (Unabridged)

Following The Warden, we return in a longer book to the fictional world of Barchester, and the intrigues festering within the ecclesiastical community. The new Bishop, Mr Proudie and his fearsome wife, have moved into the city, with their chaplain, the oily Mr Slope. The wardenship of the hospital is to be given, but there is much debate as to whether it should be given to its previous occupant, the delightful Mr Harding, or to the deserving, if weak, Mr Quiverful, an impecunious gentleman with fifteen children and a determined wife. The main subplot is Mr Slope's inept wooing of the widow, Mrs Bold (Mr Harding's virtuous and sensible daughter), and the feeling of her friends that she should have nothing to do with him.

What marks Trollope as a great original is the way he takes the reader into his confidence - he has no time for the writer who is mysterious as to the outcome: we have no doubt as to the happy outcome for Mrs Bold, but the interest is in how the denouement is reached. And in seeing how many men can make fools of themselves with the Countess Neroni. This superb novel has a variety of well-drawn supporting characters, and the reader will find himself living their dramas with them. The other author who comes most to mind is Austen, but Trollope has a wider cast of characters. The strong women characters are drawn from Trollope's own family: his mother, Frances, herself a noted novelist, was a strong-willed woman who kept their family together in the face of her husband's impecunious habits. This is rightly regarded as one of Trollope's many masterpieces, and is a firm favourite with Trollopians. After reading it, I can easily see why.

This was the first Trollope's novel that I had ever read and since then or maybe because of it I became a faithful fan of Mr Trollope. I have read all the series of Barset. In my opinion although not so well known as others English writers, Trollope is one of the best of this period. I like him a lot better than Dickens for instance. Like Austen he speaks about people and about the normal everyday things that happens to normal people and like Austen he created real alive characters, not perfect, not absolutely good or bad but human beings, and so much lovable because of it. You learn to love as much the nice people in this novel as the less worthy people because Trollope makes you to know them so well. They become just like your family, you have to love them in spite of their faults or just more because of them.

The bishop for instance ... How can you learn to love so much this weak and rather contemptible character? Well, you do love him because Trollope makes you feel that he is lovable in spite of everything. He makes you feel tenderness about him. Even Mrs Proudie, such absolutely repellent character, she is described with so much humour and so much life that you have to enjoy her and like her. The same you can say of the wonderful Mr Slope so masterful portrayed. I think that I almost like better these characters than the "good" ones. With the exception of course of Mr Harding that is the grand-father anyone would love to have.

Of course we can find that the way Trollope writes is in many ways old fashioned. Now, we are not used to have the writer including his own personal opinion about the characters... but even that, I have learn to love it, just as a characteristic of himself. Just as his characters, not perfect, but because of this even more lovable.

When I finished this book I didn't stop until I read all the five books about Barset. I wasn't disappointed. I couldn't had enough of Barset and its people. A whole world for you to enjoy it.

Barchester Towers is the second book in the Barchester Chronicles series. A new bishop is appointed, Dr Proudie, with a wife who dominates him, and a scheming chaplain (Mr Slope) who rapidly earns the dislike of all of the existing clergy in the town. Mrs Proudie and Mr Slope battle for control of the Bishop's actions, largely over the appointment of the warden for Hiram's Hospital. Mr Harding, the former warden, waits to find out if he will get his old position back. His daughter Eleanor is now a wealthy widow, and her family become convinced that the detestable Mr Slope is courting her and that she is responding to his charms.

Trollope often warns his readers what to expect, so nothing that happens in the novel comes as a great surprise, but somehow, reading it is still a joy. I couldn't put this book down because the characters are so involving, and Trollope's easy to read style and his humourous observations make the book a pleasure to read. If you like a book where the unexpected often happens, this probably isn't for you. If you're a fan of Jane Austen though (another author famous for her subtle observations about her characters), then you will probably find this a worthwhile read.

There are three reasons why Barchester Towers stands out as one of the finest of all Victorian novels: Mr Slope, Mrs Proudie and the Signora Madeline Vesey Neroni, fabulous individual characters all! Of course, like all excellently drawn characters, they need a decent stage on which to perform and Trollope's tale of clerical shabby beaviour regarding the appointment of the warden at Hiram's Hospital, and the various plays for the hand of the demurely lovely Eleanor Bold, provide a fabulous backdrop. Mr Slope would walk away with the title of oiliest character in English lterature: he slides furtively beside Eleanor as he attempts to gain her hand in marriage (and her income); he moves with silent greasy ease between the respective cases of Mr Quiverful and Mr Harding as they vie for the position of warden in Hiram's Hospital and he fawns shamelessly upon the bishop and the bishop's wife, Mrs Proudie, playing one off against the other as the situation demands. Everything he does is purely for his own benefit and no sychophantic act is too demeaning or shameful. The character of Mrs Proudie has been well documented, surely one of the most icily fearsome women in literature, a masterful portrayal of sustained closet ferocity. But perhaps the greatest character of the three is the Signora Madeline, a lady who is carried everywhere due to a hip injury and who reclines at parties holding court on a large sofa surrounded by the adoring husbands of other women. Any male who comes with ten yards of her falls head over heels in love and proceeds to make a complete idiot of himself, professing undying devotion regardless of his own marital status or position in life. If I could actually meet a character from a novel it might well be her (but then again, perhaps by saying that, I'm only making an idiot of myself.....). Fabulous creature!

In short Barchester Towers is a book to curl up with of a winter's evening, a book to cherish and to live with over a few weeks. Cosy and comfortable but not without a definite edge when it comes to social observation. Within its pages you will, I promise you, meet characters you'll never forget.

A blast from my academic past. I first read this book as a a student some 35 years ago and came across it as I was browsing the Kindle lists. What a delight to revisit it. I still remember the BBC version with a young Alan Rickman playing the invidious Mr Slope. A greatly refreshing read especially in this post modern secular society.

Friend recommended Trollope to me - bit heavy going at first not helped by me not realising there was a prequel. However I really got into it, particularly enjoying the characters, the historical perspective and the humour - it did make me laugh on a number of occasions. I plan to read The Warden and subsequent books.

This is a beautiful book for sitting with by a warm fire in the evening while the modern world is bustling away outside. I was transported to a time when there were no cars, motorways or mobile phones but still plenty of power struggles and intrigues.
I would recommend to anyone not familiar with A Trollope's work to start at the beginning of this series with "The Warden" and follow the wonderfully drawn characters through their lives. Well worth reading more than once!

Tennyson's aphorism could have been written for this novel, a tale of the clash between rival Church of England hierarchies, when the comfortably established conservative clergy of Barchester find their complacency disturbed by the newly arrived bishop and his aggressive entourage.

This was the reviewer's first read of Trollope and she found the book extremely enjoyable. She found herself turning the pages, eager to learn how the characters were going to react, and looking forward to the worst of them receiving their comeuppance. Particularly the slippery Mr Slope, from whom the author gradually unpeels layers of greed and duplicity as the newcomer to the parish sets the cat among the pigeons.

There is nothing here of the ponderous verbosity of the times; no multi page descriptions (with the exception of Mr Thorne's house) so much the penchant of Victorian novelists. In fact the pace is positively racy at times. The story unfolds free of distractions, in clear unadorned prose, the ideal vehicle for the novel's aim to poke fun at the church's hierarchy in their attempts at self- aggrandisement. At arrogant dictatorial archdeacon Grantly: henpecked Bishop Proudie and his overbearing spouse; sly unctuous chaplain and wanna-be dean Mr Slope; the sophisticated Stanhopes with their femme fatale daughter the signora Neroni; na�ve beauty Eleanor Bold; and the pathetic Quiverful family.

There exists criticism from some of his contemporaries, Henry James included, who considered Trollope's habit of occasionally addressing the reader personally irksome. This reviewer disagrees, finding the link with the writer pleasant as he reaches out from the past. Others may experience a similar feeling, as from time to time `author and reader move along together in full confidence with each other' he accompanies them on the journey.
Masterpiece as this towering novel is it is seems calumny to offer any censure. The punning surnames are a trial, although they add a touch of humour. But farmer Subsoil?

If there is anything to reprove it is the lack of poetry. Trollope's primary concern is concentration on the cut and thrust between the protagonists; and these self-interested clergymen are perfect subjects for his satire. And therein lies a fault. Satire is not the greatest art form, and here it exists at the expense of lyricism. The Old Hospital, hub around which the main theme of the work revolves, bathed in moonlight looked "lovely." There is no poetry--nothing that really tugs at the heart. One yearns for a glimpse of gaslights in the foggy close: for 'two hearts beating with a single stroke;' for a touch of Edith Wharton's magic paintbrush. It may well be argued there is no room for it and the reviewer respects that view. Atmosphere there certainly is; for instance in the scene where the signora defends herself from Mr Slope's advances with rapier like wit and cold logic, having discovered his concurrent interest in rich widow Eleanor Bold.

It's obviously presumptuous to recommend Barchester Towers. Posterity sets the author among the immortals. But I have to; he's so entertaining. Not all of them are.

Another really enjoyable read from Anthony Trollope. He is excellent at characterisation. We find many delights in every corner of the book, goodies and baddies to love, hate, pity or admire. The more I read the more I want to continue to explore this delightful author. Not a bit stuffy or slow.

I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a book as much as this one, and Dr Thorne, which follows it. Once I got into it, which took a little while (especially as I struggled a little with The Warden, which is the first book about Barchester) I found it an absolute page-turner. I dreaded reaching the end, and am now close to the end of Dr Thorne and feeling the same way again. I would recommend this heartily to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen. Trollope is also satirical, also has great insight into human nature, but he deliberately cultivates a trusting relationship with the reader in a way Austen doesn't, which makes it a "cosier" read than Austen. I'm not saying he's overall better than Austen, but he certainly gives her a run for her money.