Novels written in the last century are not everyone's cup of English tea, so taste thereof with literary trepidation. This book is quite different from Blackmore's AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND; no intertwined Fact and Fantasy here, but a curious blend of Romance and Adventure, as if the author were not entirely certain which genre he was brewing up in the wild countryside. In my opinion, LORNA is much more readable and almost enjoyable.

If was slow getting into, but one must make allowances for Blackmore's (to us) antiquated style: archaic vocabulary, country dialect to slog through, plus religious and political warfare--obscure historical references for most Americans. Expect highly improbable plot contrivances, with unrealistic events thrown in to help the romantic protagonists. Yet for the majority of the novel, the plot moves right along over several years, to reach a satisfactory denoument, with most of the young people married off and Justice being served.

The tale opens when 12-year-old John Ridd (the hero/narrator) of Somerset returns home from school to discover that his father has beem murdered by a renegade band of footpads and cutthroats--the Doone clan. That den of some 40 thieves has long been a thorn in the side of honest landowners and the local constabulary. John encounter their sweet young "Queen" Lorna, who wants none of their mayhem, on several occasions during her childhood, until they finally meet as teens, though he is much older.

His heart is instantly captivated; thus he undertakes to win her love, which is difficult considering the bitter feud between their families and her elevated social class. As if Love cares for mere class distinctions! Many years pass with counterplots and revolutionary hopes, espionage for the King and a secret gold mine. Yet our hero will have none but his beloved Lorna, as he researches her mysterious background. Blackmore's style includes sly humor, wry wit and jibes at London in general, as he spins this rustic tale of Romance and Adventure. The plot is chaste and the vocabulary might prove too great a challenge for junior high kids. The novel was written before there was a Young Adult market, but it would be fine for diehard Romance fans or students of 19th century literature.

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.

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.