Customer Reviews

The Master of Ballantrae (Dover Thrift Editions)

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First, to point out a deficiency in this title's listing--it is certainly not intended for a Young Adult readership. Despite Stevenson's reputation as an author of "boy's books," he proves in THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE that he is a pyschological novelist of the first order. In fact, in reading this retelling of the Jacob and Esau myth, I was struck by the novel's surprisingly modernistic qualities, and cannot help but wonder if Joseph Conrad did not read and admire this story. The multiple points of view and the subtle attention to psychology and symbolism truly puts this book a generation ahead of its time.

This book is no TREASURE ISLAND or even KIDNAPPED, and concludes ambiguously and one could argue bleakly. But despite that, or perhaps due to it, THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE is one of the all-time great historical romances in English Literature. Not to be missed.

The Master of Ballantrae is a classic story of personal conflict. The story revolves around the conflict of two brothers, the older free spirit and the younger restrained. The conflict that arises between the two results from events early in the book, but Stevenson, heaps fuel on the fire throughout the bulk of the story, until it climaxes in the ultimate confrontation.

We tend to think of Robert Louis Stevenson as an author of children's books, since most of us are first introduced to his work through Treasure Island and Kidnapped. While those books offer some hint of the levels his skill as an author can reach, The Master of Ballantrae offers the adult reader the full breadth of the author's abilities. P-)

I was eager to read this book since I had read stevenson's works as a child. But this book left me so confused. The idea, what Stevenson had in mind, was brilliant; that of a story within a story, but others adding their two cents worth so that you're not sure who is telling the truth. But I found the narrative confusing. For instance, ONE of the narrators keeps saying "my master" which, in some instances, referes to the father of the boys. Then at another point it refers to Henry--one of the brothers. At another point, it refers to the Master (of Ballantrae) himself. On top of this, the disjointed narrative only added to my confusion. I liked the style well enough, but found the plot confusing. Sorry.