The Master of Ballantrae Robert Louis Stevenson Books
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The Master of Ballantrae A Winter's Tale is a book by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, focusing upon the conflict between two brothers, Scottish noblemen whose family is torn apart by the Jacobite rising of 1745. He worked on the book in Tautira after his health was restored. The novel is presented as the memoir of one Ephraim Mackellar, steward of the Durrisdeer estate in Scotland. The novel opens in 1745, the year of the Jacobite Rising. When Bonnie Prince Charlie raises the banner of the Stuarts, the Durie family—the Laird of Durrisdeer, his older son James Durie (the Master of Ballantrae) and his younger son Henry Durie—decide on a common strategy one son will join the uprising while the other will join the loyalists. That way, whichever side wins, the family's noble status and estate will be preserved. Logically, the younger son should join the rebels, but the Master insists on being the rebel and contemptuously accuses Henry of trying to usurp his place, comparing him to Jacob. The two sons agree to toss a coin to determine who goes. The Master wins and departs to join the Rising, while Henry remains in support of King George II.
The Master of Ballantrae Robert Louis Stevenson Books
Master of Ballantrae is the story of two brothers, one good and one bad. James, the wicked one, is heir to the family fortune, is daddy's favorite, and can charm the rattle off a snake. The good brother, Henry, is quiet and self-effacing and not much liked by anybody. The novel is set in England in 1745. James, "the Master", runs off to join Bonnie Prince Charlie who is striving to restore the Stuarts to the throne. When James does not return after several years, he is presumed dead and Henry marries Allison, his brother's fiancée, and becomes the new heir.But the Master is not dead, nor does he die at several other opportune moments. He seems to have nine lives and with each one he comes back to haunt and torment his brother. Honestly, to read of his constant villainy juxtaposed with his power to beguile and deceive gave me the shivers. And it made the book very hard to put down.
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The Master of Ballantrae Robert Louis Stevenson Books Reviews
The cover of the book is unclean
An excellent book well worth the price!
Here is a dark tale you would not expect from the author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped. Here weak virtue fails in the face of impassioned wickedness, and Stevenson shows us a world no happier than Hardy's or Melville's. Until you have read Master of Ballantrae, you have only partly understood Stevenson, and have still to meet one of the most masterful villains in English literature— James Durie may change your idea of your own strength of character. A thoroughly gloomy book I am very glad to have read.
A classic that reads like a multi-person diary. Very enjoyable. Language is a bit archaic but worth figuring out. I truly loved it.
I found this book rather heavy going because of the language. which is of course quite old. The story was good and interesting, but I would not read it again.
The Master of Ballantrae is the story of the conflict between two Scottish brothers, set in the time of the Jacobite uprising. It is a story of a family divided and in many ways the two brothers symbolize the duality of man’s nature and the corrupting force of pride. It is narrated by multiple secondary characters who were involved at critical time points in the brothers’ lives. The primary narrator is Mackellar, Henry’s steward who also serves as the moral voice in the novel. Henry and James are seemingly opposites. Younger brother Henry is responsible, dull, altruistic, serious, and hard working. James (the Master of Ballantrae) is irresponsible, selfish, charismatic, and manipulative. The novel follows the fate of the two brothers after they flip a coin to decide who leave the home to fight with the rebels. Over the course of the novel, the characteristics of the two brothers become slightly less black and white. The story is jam-packed with adventures that come in the form of pirates, sea voyage, sibling rivalry and family conflict, double-crossing, and buried treasure. Yet despite all its adventure, it is first and foremost a grim and depressing view of human nature.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. It was very dramatic book and filled with so much action that it was hard to put down. However, the drama was so over the top that it often felt cartoonish for me and this detracted from the message (which I thought was rather clever). I would have preferred more nuanced characters, but the two brothers were portrayed in such extreme ways that I found them unrealistic (and I realize that the author’s intention was to highlight the extremes). The most interesting parts of the book were the glimmers of complexity in their characters and I wish there had been more of this. Despite it’s weaknesses, I enjoyed reading this book and definitely worth the read for those who like Victorian era adventures.
This novel, set in Scotland and at sea and in colonial America, tells the story of two brothers -- one egotistical and abusive, the other noble and yet somewhat submissive -- from the point of view of a hired accountant or factotum, Mr. McKellar. Overall it is a dark tragedy, with a noble family all but extinguished through gross family dysfunction. It was fairly short as novels go, and the pace was good, so I found it easy enough reading, and despite the gloomy plot, I did enjoy it. Robert Louis Stevenson is a fine storyteller.
Master of Ballantrae is the story of two brothers, one good and one bad. James, the wicked one, is heir to the family fortune, is daddy's favorite, and can charm the rattle off a snake. The good brother, Henry, is quiet and self-effacing and not much liked by anybody. The novel is set in England in 1745. James, "the Master", runs off to join Bonnie Prince Charlie who is striving to restore the Stuarts to the throne. When James does not return after several years, he is presumed dead and Henry marries Allison, his brother's fiancée, and becomes the new heir.
But the Master is not dead, nor does he die at several other opportune moments. He seems to have nine lives and with each one he comes back to haunt and torment his brother. Honestly, to read of his constant villainy juxtaposed with his power to beguile and deceive gave me the shivers. And it made the book very hard to put down.
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