188. The Master of Ballantrae

The Master of Ballantrae
Robert Louis Stevenson
1889
Around 250 pages

A week ago we said goodbye to Maupassant, now we are bidding farewell to Stevenson. And just like Maupassant before him, Stevenson ends his time on The List with a story about a rivalry between two brothers.

The novel begins in 1745, the year of the Jacobite rising. The Durie family is worried about losing their status if they are found to be on the wrong side of the rising, so they hatch a plan: one of their sons will join the uprising while the other son will join the loyalists. Both sons wish to join the uprising but after a coin toss the matter is settled: The eldest son, James, will join the rebels while the younger son Henry will be a loyalist. This sets up a rivalry that spans decades, all recounted from the point of view of the family's steward.

I took this novel with me on a semi recent trip to Scotland. I am quite glad I did, because I was able to visit the Writer's Museum in Edinburgh (which was basically a shrine to Stevenson with some Walter Scott paraphernalia thrown in). Of course, I had read Stevenson before but I would argue this is the most historical of his novels, and it was fun reading it with the correct scenery behind me.

Stevenson expects you to know about the Jacobite uprising, which I didn't, so I was a bit lost at the beginning of this. I am also not a huge fan of the adoring servant being the narrator. There's a reason Margaret Mitchell didn't have Mammy narrate Gone With the Wind. Of course, that reason probably has a lot to do with racism. Ahem. Not the best example. My point is, it comes across as an outdated, frankly obnoxious perspective, where people of a certain class aren't worthy of having their own stories told.

Frankly, I enjoyed his other novels better, although this one is certainly more ambitious than the others. I felt that certain parts dragged on too long and the whole "prodigal son returns" trope works better when it isn't done three times in a row. By the time James reappeared the last time, I was ready to close the book on both of them.

FINAL RANKING OF STEVENSON:
1. Kidnapped
2. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
3. Treasure Island
4. Master of Ballantrae

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into a 1953 film with Errol Flynn. I don't remember any character being hot enough in this to justify that casting.

Original manuscript has been lost.

UP NEXT: Hunger by Knut Hamsun. I'm eager to read any novel by someone named Knut.

182. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson
1886
Around 150 pages

I quickly devoured the horror novels on the List, as there aren't that many to begin with. This is one of those stories that people are so familiar with they don't bother to read anymore. This is a shame, because it is actually quite an enjoyable novel.

After the evil-looking Mr. Hyde tramples a young girl, he gets Dr. Jekyll, a respectable, cultured man, to pay for the damages. Dr. Jekyll also alters his will so Mr. Hyde will be the sole beneficiary. Gabriel Utterson, Dr. Jekyll's lawyer, suspects that Mr. Hyde is blackmailing poor Dr. Jekyll and decides to get to the bottom of the issue.

Like I said, people don't really bother to read this story anymore, so there is a fundamental misunderstanding about its plot. I think most people believe that Mr. Hyde was the product of an experiment gone awry, like the Green Goblin or The Hulk. But Mr. Hyde was actually the desired outcome of the serum: he would allow Dr. Jekyll to indulge all his heavily repressed urges without suffering the pangs of a guilty conscience. Dr. Jekyll is completely aware of how he behaves as Hyde. For me, this makes the story much more complex and provides an interesting commentary on the Victorian culture of repression.

So read this novella and you too can feel superior.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

The idea for this novella is said to come from a dream Stevenson had. And a ton of cocaine.

UP NEXT: She by H. Rider Haggard. More politically incorrect adventures!

180. Kidnapped

Kidnapped
Robert Louis Stevenson
1886
Around 350 pages

Stevenson presents us with another fun adventure novel. While I am not entirely convinced that it was necessary for the Listmakers to include both Treasure Island and Kidnapped (I would have nixed Treasure Island), this was still an entertaining read.

David Balfour, a 17-year-old orphan, travels to the House of Shaws in Cramond to see his Uncle Ebenezer. His uncle is a miserly and paranoid. After staying with him a few days, David begins to suspect that his father was actually older than Ebenezer, making him the true heir of the family fortune. After narrowly escaping a booby trap set up by Ebenezer, David agrees to accompany Ebenezer alone to a pier and, predictably, is kidnapped by the captain of a ship. Oh, David. I think his uncle's name should have been a tip off.

Given the title of the novel and the extraordinary stupidity of the protagonist, you spend the beginning of this novel wondering when the adventure will actually begin. Once David is onboard the Covenant (another cursed name), things really start to pick up. I loved his relationship with Alan Stewart, and historical information very interesting (my previous knowledge of Scottish nationalism is entirely Mel Gibson-based).

So yet another fun, breezy novel. Our lightheartedness is reaching an end, however, as Hardy looms before us.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Inspired by the real life Appin murder and the James Annesley case.

UP NEXT: The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. I think we are just bouncing between Thomas Hardy, H. Rider Haggard, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Which is kind of all right with me.

171. Treasure Island

Treasure Island
Robert Louis Stevenson
1883
Around 250 pages

After assigning such heavy novels, the Listmakers give us a bit of a break with this one.  Although it certainly doesn't qualify as a favorite, it was a fun respite from some of the denser books on the List.

Jim Hawkins, the son of an innkeeper, recently lost his father.  An old sailor, Billy Bones, arrives at his family's inn and warns Jim about a one-legged pirate.  After Billy suffers a stroke, he tells Jim that his creepy shipmates want the contents of his sea chest.  Jim discovers that the sea chest contains a treasure map and well, adventures ensue.

Obviously, this is one of the most iconic novels of all time and it was interesting to check out such a famous story.  Clearly it is not the most contemplative book I have ever read, but it was exciting and short.  We don't get a lot of junky books on this List, so I would recommend this after reading something particularly grueling.

RATING: ***--


RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Robert Louis Stevenson said that this was a book for boys, and that women were excluded.  Makes sense, consider our cooties.

Invented the concept of "X marks the spot" and a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder.

UP NEXT: A Woman's Life by Guy de Maupassant.  Sounds cheerful.