The Claverings

Although I enjoy an occasional Trollope, I am not a huge fan as I find most of his writing to be overlong and repetitive. But "The Claverings" is easily my Trollope favorite so far. I was consistently eager to return to the story each evening to learn the resolution of the previous evening's suspenseful situation, and throughout there was just enough tension to have me turning pages (if that's what one does on a Kindle) quickly. Highly recommended!

...I know I did. After being set onto Phineas Finn a year or two ago, I have been unable to stop a frantic Trollope binge-reading. I thought, however, that I had (unfortunately) read everything Trollope had written, but stumbled across this one. It is absolutely wonderful. I'm not sure anyone does love triangles as well as Trollope, and The Claverings offers one of his best yet (Harry, Julia, and Florence). Trollope sets it up such that the reader isn't quite sure where Harry's heart should lie in the end (I, for one, wanted Trollope to pull a Phineas Redux and have Harry end up with "Madame Max." But he doesn't, for many good reasons, none of which will make you feel that it couldn't have ended up well with...well, I won't give away the story.) Needless to say, The Claverings is more than a love story, in classic Trollope fashion. At its most profound, it's a difficult soul-searching of what matters most in life, and how best to get there. And, unlike many of Trollope's other works, he doesn't leave a clear safety net under his characters - you really aren't sure things are going to work out, after all. I would heartily recommend this to anyone who is either an old Trollope pro or someone wanting to get a taste of Trollope for the first time. Perhaps you, like me, will find the world of Trollope to be rich and worthy of a year or two of your free time.

If you enjoy seeing good, but fundamentally human and weak, characters involve themselves in rather funny, socially embarrassing positions, this is a great novel for you. I'm too feminist to rate this novel a five-Trollope's accurate portrayal of the vulnerable position of women in Victorian society unsettled me. There is no powerful, outrageous woman figure like Mrs. Proudie of "Barchester Towers"-Mrs. Proudie does get a one-line mention in the novel, however! There are some wonderful minor characters here-Archie, Sophie, and Boodles are wickedly fun. If you are a Trollope addict not yet familiar with this novel, I'd say this is a sort of happy "Small House at Allington." If you are familiar with Rousseau, you will recognize the main character Julie is Trollope's variation on "Julie ou La Nouvelle Heloise" sans the premarital or adulterous sex. If all this is mumbo-jumbo to you, the book is a wonderful depiction of Victorian life featuring a love triangle.

IF YOU ARE A FAN OF ANTHONY TROLLOPE, DO NOT OVERLOOK "THE CLAVERINGS". "THE CLAVERINGS" MAIN PLOT CONCERNS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO GIVES UP THE MAN SHE LOVES - AND WHO LOVES HER - TO MARRY AN OLD, VERY RICH, UPPER CLASS GENTLEMAN. THE MARRIAGE IS A MISERABLE FAILURE, BUT LUCKILY THE OLD GENTLEMAN DIES, LEAVING ALL OF HIS FORTUNE AND PROPERTY TO HIS YOUNG WIFE. IN THIS MARRIAGE, THE WIFE'S REPUTATION IS ALSO SULLIED BY RUMORS THAT SHE IS HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH ANOTHER MAN.WHEN THE YOUNG WOMAN FINDS HERSELF A WEALTHY WIDOW, SHE DISCOVERS THAT SHE IS UNABLE TO ENJOY HER WEALTH AND TITLE DUE TO THE SLANDEROUS RUMORS THAT BESMIRCH HER CHARACTER. HER WEALTH BRINGS HER NO JOY AS SHE IS ALONE AND SOCIALLY RUINED. SHE THUS BEGINS A CAMPAIGN TO WIN BACK HER FIRST LOVE WHOM SHE WISHES TO SHOWER WITH HER RICHES.PERHAPS THEN SHE WILL FIND HAPPINESS AND RESTORE HER TARNISHED REPUTATION. IN THE MEANTIME, HER YOUNG MAN WHO TRULY LOVED HER HAS BECOME ENGAGED TO ANOTHER FAR LESS HANDSOME AND QUITE POOR WOMAN.THE MAIN ACTION OF THE BOOK REVOLVES AROUND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT DEVELOPS BETWEEN THE ENGAGED YOUNG MAN WHO CANNOT TELL HIS PAST LOVE THAT HE IS NOW ENGAGED, AND THE NEWLY WIDOWED WOMEN WHO IS UNAWARE OF HIS ENGAGEMENT AND ATTEMPTING TO WIN HIM BACK.AS IN ALL OF TROLLOPE'S BOOKS, THERE ARE MANY SIDE PLOTS THAT ARE EQUALLY AS PSYCHOLOGICALLY INTERESTING. ANTHONY TROLLOP DELVES INTO THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ALL HIS CHARACTERS. IT IS NOT AN 'ACTION' BOOK BUT A STUDY OF LOVE AND GREED AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES.I IMMENSELY ENJOYED THIS BOOK.

Since its first appearance in 1867, this novel has been acclaimed as one of Trollope's most successful portrayals of mid-Victorian life. A novel of conflicting choices in love, often accounted one of Trollope's best, but I still prefer the wicked THE EUSTACE DIAMONDS.