Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

R. D. Blackmore (Author), Sally Shuttleworth (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Oxford World's Classics | Publication Date: October 28, 1999

This is the only critical edition of this perennially popular story. Sally Shuttleworth's introduction finds, beneath the idyllic evocation of rural bliss and a tale of love and high adventure, a startling sub-text which rigidly defends Victorian values, and portrays a 'manly' hero constantly having to prove his masculinity to himself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Historical romance by R.D. Blackmore, published in 1869. Set in the wilds of Exmoor (northern Devonshire, Eng.) during the late 17th century, the novel concerns the adventurous life of the yeoman John Ridd and his love for Lorna Doone, a beautiful maiden. Blackmore considered the novel a romance and studded it with the high adventure, dramatic set pieces, bloody villainy, and obstacles to love that characterize the genre. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

SS is Lecturer in the School of English at the University of Sheffield

Product Details

• Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (October 28, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192836277
• ISBN-13: 978-0192836274
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,564,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Good, March 9, 2001

By 

John (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lorna Doone (Wordsworth Classics) (Paperback)

I was surprised that Lorna Doone by Richard Blackmore was a good as it turned out to be. It had a very compelling story and good characters even if the novel seemed a bit wordy at times. Lorna Doone is also the single best example of a romantic novel. It may not be among the very best of this category (like The Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick, or any of Jane Austen's novels), but it does fit every criteria. It had a major emphasis on feeling as the whole of the book is a love story between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. The book also has a lot of high adventure in it and an emphasis of nature (Blackmore was just about the only English forerunner of Thomas Hardy in novels in this respect). The novel was even about the common man.

The plot of the novel follows John Ridd. He is a respectable farmer who one day happens into the valley of the Doone's, a family/community of outlaws who had killed his father. There, he ends up falling in love with one of the Doone's own, Lorna. Then, John has to find a way to save his love and overcome their differences of birth.

Lorna Doone is a very interesting read. It may not be for everyone because it is long and does tend to dwell on some trivial things for a bit too long. The novel would be good for anyone who likes classics of romanticism. Lorna Doone can be a very worthwhile read.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heroine AND harvest, Damsel AND ducks., March 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

Yes, this is a romance, complete with endangered heroine, noble highway man, political intrigue, and unlikely last minute reprievals from doom. BUT the hero and narrator, John Ridd, is a farmer; big, strong, no brighter than he ought to be, benevolent, and practical. The fabulous valley of the Doones is firmly ensconced in the everyday Exmoor of 18th century England: the stock must be fed, the hay must be made, the farm-hands managed. In this world it's wonderfully right that the only farmer in Exmoor strong and determined enough to rescue his entire flock from the worst blizzard in years should also rescues lovely Lorna from the vicious Doone clan. Better yet, he also views both extraordinary feats as his simple duty, and describes their despatch more in terms of expedient (the mechanics of snow-shoes, the failure of the signals arranged between the parted lovers) than in flowery language of the heart. Lorna Doone is a paragon of 19th century Romances; Blackmore's writing displays, at their best, the literary qualities sought by his contemporaries: read this book for novel adventure, copiously detailed incident, moral improvement and wonder. You'll wish for an entire winter by the fire-place in order to savor it fully.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than just the story., August 21, 2000

By 

Sailoil - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lorna Doone (Wordsworth Classics) (Paperback)

Lorna Doone is a classic tale of romance and bravery, vengance and villany. What is important about the book besides the story is the societal subtext. When you read this book you get a picture of what made the British Empire great. We see Master Jan, or John Ridd, a simple squire, who catches his own fish, harvests his own wheat at the head of his labourers. This humble man is not afraid to take matters all the way up to his king and expect justice in return. We see a comedy of errors as militia groups vie with each other and end up fighting each other instead of the enemy. The whole tale is told amid the last battles ever fought on English soil during the little known Monmouth rebellion. A remarkable and noteworthy book, which tells more than the main story. It is both a great read and a portrait of English rural society of the time.