The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Anybody else starting to keep a character list? We’ve met quite a few new characters this week.

Uncle Ben (Reuben) comes for a holiday visit to the Ridds. He is a well-to-do merchant and is robbed on his journey. To add to that indignity, the rascals tie him backwards to a wild pony. John finds him and brings him home. The Doone’s are thought to be the culprits.

After bringing the problem to the local church warden, it becomes apparent just how fearful everyone is if the Doones. Uncle Ben wants justice which doesn’t appear to be forthcoming. John and Uncle Ben go to the Doone’s area where John, once again sees Lorna. He is now a young man in love.

1. Ho does social class affect the characters?

2. How can Uncke Ben justify his opinions about females, yet need advice from Mother Ridd?

There are probably many layers in the book and details that I haven’t noticed. I didn’t pay much attention to how jolly good Reuben expressed his opinions about females. Mother Ridd is his sister, after all.

I am very much paying attention to some other relationships, but even when reading about this, the writing and reasoning is densely woven and I can’t follow the writer’s thoughts every time.

Did John Ridd really say this to Lorna!!?

“Few mothers have such a son as me.”

:) hahaha

Charlotte wrote: "I am very much paying attention to some other relationships, but even when reading about this, the writing and reasoning is densely woven and I can’t follow the writer’s thoughts every time."

The descriptions while beautiful can be a bit distracting

They are especially beautiful now that he is seeing everything through lovesick eyes. I think Blackmore did a great job of describing someone in love.

I am finally able to read a few words of the dialogue which remains the hardest for me to understand. And I am re-reading several of the other passages trying to understand them. I know the meaning of the words, but when I try to comprehend the passage as a whole, I find it is because of missing commas and word order that it is giving me difficulty.

Also, I started later than everybody else and was shut in before I could read about the cookies. Now I want some LD cookies the whole time I am reading!

Sometimes if you read the dialog aloud it will start to make sense

I made it this far! This section was so full I actually forgot about Uncle Reuben until I read the comments here. I don't have much to add, except the sheep scene was eerie and ominous.

The part with the foreign woman (presumably Lorna's mother, and Sir "Captain" Ensor's wife or mistress) in the first section was really weird, but I understand her behavior better now. This is a woman who's probably never allowed to see or talk to anyone outside the Doone family. She's probably out of Doone Valley only rarely. Her husband is surely controlling and probably abusive. John Ridd, a young teenage boy, is someone she can safely enjoy a quick bit of human interaction with before she returns to her isolation.

Lori wrote: "I made it this far! This section was so full I actually forgot about Uncle Reuben until I read the comments here. I don't have much to add, except the sheep scene was eerie and ominous.

The part ..."

I’m as yet unsure who the lady is. Keep reading. It does pick up

Charlotte wrote: " I didn’t pay much attention to how jolly good Reuben expressed his opinions about females. Mother Ridd is his sister, ..."

Actually, Mother Ridd is Uncle Ben's niece. Reuben is Mother Ridd's mother's brother, so is her uncle and a great uncle to Jan, who is of the same generation as Uncle Ben's granddaughter.
An aside, I never thought about Ben being a nickname for Reuben before. Probably because I run into very few Reubens, Makes sense. (And if I ever open a restaurant I'll call my double meat reuben sandwich the "Big Ben.")

Charlotte wrote: "Did John Ridd really say this to Lorna!!?

“Few mothers have such a son as me.”

:) hahaha"

Yes, this made me snicker! After the many times John has repeated how he's a nobody or that others were so much better than him, this seemed so uncharacteristic!

Speaking of little things that make me snicker, one of my favorite quotes in the section has been - " For my part, I slept well that night, feeling myself at home again, now that the fighting was put aside, AND THE FEAR OF IT TURNED TO THE COMFORT OF TELLING EACH OTHER - WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE."

I enjoy these little gems that make me smile during the midst of a serious story.

Yes, Blackmore’s humour is also what makes me read on.

Perhaps there is also some humour and irony in the titles of each chapter. I am not sure.

It is only after reading 400 pages that I realize that the titles are not written at the top of each chapter. In my book there is only the number of the chapter. But in the table of contents I find the names of each chapter. I wish I could read them as a I progress with each chapter.

Charlotte wrote: "Yes, Blackmore’s humour is also what makes me read on.

Perhaps there is also some humour and irony in the titles of each chapter. I am not sure.

It is only after reading 400 pages that I realiz..."


I had to switch to my kindle as I was traveling and the book really bigger than I wanted to carry. There are only chapter numbers on it.

Charlotte wrote: "Yes, Blackmore’s humour is also what makes me read on.

Perhaps there is also some humour and irony in the titles of each chapter. I am not sure.

It is only after reading 400 pages that I realiz..."

You give a good point - I never thought of looking for humor in the chapter titles. It has certainly made me notice them more!