Bonnie Dundee

by Rosemary Sutcliff

In exile in Holland, Hugh Herriot recalls the exploits of his youth as a follower of Bonnie Dundee who tried to win back Scotland for the Catholic King James and whose death during a victorious battle proved to be a final blow for the Jacobite cause.

When young Hugh Herriot first met John Graham of Claverhouse, the legendary heroic leader of the King's cavalry in Scotland, he knew his life would never be the same. Some said "Bloody Claver'se" was in league with the devil - but Hugh was determined to follow the dashing soldier anywhere.

Joining Claverhouse - Bonnie Dundee - meant turning against his own family, religious rebels called Covenanters, who were terrorizing the land. It meant fighting battles that would decide the fate of his king and country - and that were more harrowing than he could have imagined. Most of all it meant leaving Darklis, the beautiful, mysterious girl who shared his secrets - and his love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Young Adult, Scotland, 17th Century

204 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Rosemary Sutcliff, CBE (1920-1992) was a British novelist, best known as a writer of highly acclaimed historical fiction. Although primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults. She once commented that she wrote "for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."

Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.

Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.

Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...

Reviews

[Maureen E · Rating 5 out of 5]

by Rosemary Sutcliff



Well, Rosemary Sutcliff did it again. In her marvellous way, she spun a beautiful and tragic story out of a fairly obscure historical event. In this case it was the life of John Graham of Claverhouse, also known as Bonnie Dundee. He was Scottish and loyal to James II and VII even after the Glorious Revolution. The story is told from the point of view of Hugh Herriot, his follower and servant. Dundee himself emerges as an extremely likable figure, but Hugh's own story is just as fascinating. Although the period (1670s-80s, roughly) is much later than most of Sutcliff's books, she displays the same grasp of the historical events as well as personalities. I always enjoy her detailed and loving descriptions of the countryside and Dundee certainly delivered on this. In addition, she was able to catch the Scottish voice without resorting to unreadable dialect a la George MacDonald.

As a side note, I looked up John Graham on Wikipedia while reading the book, which was a mistake, so don't do it. Anyway, it turns out that he was descended from Richard III, who happens to be one of my favorite Misunderstood Historical Figures*, which just made me love him even more.

There are some mentions of 'second sight' and that sort of thing in the book, but really it's so small that I don't think you'd be justified in skipping it because of that.

Book source: Inter-library loan

*see The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey

***

I hadn’t ever read this one before and unfortunately I made the mistake of looking up the title character on Wikipedia. I read the last thirty pages or so with tears streaming down my face. Set in the 1670’s-80’s, it follows the life of John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, a Scottish general who supported James II/VII after the Glorious Revolution. But Hugh, the narrator, emerges from the background to become just as important as Graham. Beautifully written. (Jan 2010)

[Littlerhymes]

The story of John Graham of Claverhouse, later the Viscount of Dundee, who died in the Jacobite uprisings in Scotland in 1689. The story is told from the point of view of Hugh Herriot, who starts as the groomsman for Claverhouse's young bride Jean. Hugh later becomes one of his trusted soldiers and a kind of squire to Claverhouse himself.

Not one of my favourite Sutcliffs because I felt a bit disconnected from all the back and forth between the warring royal houses and I don't know enough about this time in history, so at times this dragged. But it's still Sutcliff, which means it's so carefully written and interesting and very tragic.

I did particularly like the bookends of this and that Hugh frames the story from a painter's eye, retelling the tale to his own grandchildren.

[Dalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A piece of historical fiction on a time period I was not familiar with. It tells the story of John Graham, Viscount Dundee, a Jacobite leader in Scotland and foe to the Covenanters. Told through the eyes of Hugh Herriot, a young man who follows Graham, it covers some of the conflict between the Covenanters of Scotland and the Royalists, then moves into the Glorious Revolution and the Jacobite rebellion in Scotland, initially with some success but eventually fizzling out. While parts of the story felt a little too neat, overall it was quite enjoyable and informative. Glad to have picked it up from a thrift store on a whim.

[Janhmmn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit of Scottish / British history I didn't know much about, and Rosemary Sutcliff can be relied upon to tell a good tale with well researched history in it

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun YA read based on a time period--1680s Scotland and England--about which I previously knew very little. Battle and political tragedy and innocent romance.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hugh Harriot sets down the memories of his youth serving John Graham of Claverhouse, in a Scottish burr and vernacular that allow his voice to ring inside your head.

I liked this book, it's charming and different from anything I've read before. It has the feel of folk lore and an ever so slight pinch of fairy-tale. I enjoyed the young man, Hugh's, hero worship for Claverhouse as well as his love for his horse and his dog.

Rosemary Sutcliff is a nimble and quick story teller, I will try her again. She's capable of creating vivid images and a memorable story with few words and within few pages. This is a quick read at just over two hundred pages but adds another perspective to what I've already read on the period.

I recently read 'Civil Blood' by Meredith Stephure which covers the Glorious Revolution in greater detail and clarity. I don't think reading 'Bonnie Dundee' immediately after 'Civil Blood' is necessarily the best order to enjoy this book. Unfortunately I found that the redundancy detracted a bit from the experience.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Bonnie Dundee" was John Graham of Claverhouse (1648-1689), the Scottish soldier who led the first Jacobite uprising against William of Orange, who took the British throne from his father-in-law, King James II, after defeating him at the Battle of the Boyne.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is very sad but descriptive.

[Doodles McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a young teenager I liked this story of Bonnie Prince Charles. Good for 12 year old girls