What do you think?
Rate this book
Chronicles of Barsetshire #6
The Last Chronicle of Barset (Forgotten Books) by Trollope, Anthony Sergeyevich (2008) Paperback
“He is so scandalously weak, and she is so radically vicious, that they cannot but be wrong together. The very fact that such a man should be a bishop among us is to me terribly strong evidence of evil days coming”This sensitive depiction of an anguished, self-destructive man is the story of impoverished Reverend Josiah Crawley, who uses a large cheque to pay his debts and is accused of theft. The charge sends shockwaves through Barsetshire as its citizens become bitterly divided. Domineering Mrs Proudie, wife of the bishop, is convinced of Crawley’s guilt and attempts to hound him out of his job, while his family stand by him and strive to maintain their dignity — even when the scandal threatens to destroy Crawley’s sanity. This final volume is the darkest and most complex of all the Barsetshire novels.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1867
180 people are currently reading
6976 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Trollope
2,326 books1,769 followersAnthony Trollope became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works, known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire; he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day.
Trollope has always been a popular novelist. Noted fans have included Sir Alec Guinness (who never travelled without a Trollope novel), former British Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan and Sir John Major, economist John Kenneth Galbraith, American novelists Sue Grafton and Dominick Dunne and soap opera writer Harding Lemay. Trollope's literary reputation dipped somewhat during the last years of his life, but he regained the esteem of critics by the mid-twentieth century.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_...
Trollope has always been a popular novelist. Noted fans have included Sir Alec Guinness (who never travelled without a Trollope novel), former British Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan and Sir John Major, economist John Kenneth Galbraith, American novelists Sue Grafton and Dominick Dunne and soap opera writer Harding Lemay. Trollope's literary reputation dipped somewhat during the last years of his life, but he regained the esteem of critics by the mid-twentieth century.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
January 12, 2025
How masterfully Trollope brought this series full cycle. We began in The Warden with a good man, in Mr. Harding, being mistreated and purposefully misunderstood, met his extended family, as his girls settled their lives with the men who were to be their husbands. In this last book of the series, we see how Mr. Harding has settled in his old age and where the girls, now women, have landed. We take up all the characters we met throughout the series and feel a great sense of closure as all the plot lines are brought to a close.
But this book is not only about revisiting the stories we already know; it is also about another clergyman, Mr. Crawley. Accused of stealing a check and unable to explain his possession of it, he is brought before the Magistrates and bound over for trial. His own confusion about both his acquisition of the check and as to how he has landed it such a strait, being a very honest and upstanding man who has sacrificed everything for the good of his parish, is at the center of this last tale. Perhaps the saddest part is that Crawley is made to doubt himself.
“There are different kinds of sickness. There is sickness of the body, and sickness of the heart, and sickness of the spirit;—and then there is sickness of the mind, the worst of all.”
The consequences of this prosecution, and sometimes persecution, reverberates through the entire community and we are able to see the hearts of so many in how they react to Crawley’s misfortunes. I could not help feeling that, given the same set of circumstances, the wealthy man would have been treated much differently than the poverty stricken Crawley.
I was brought to tears and to moments of rage as the story wound itself down. As he so often does, Trollope gives us people, with all their wondrous kindness and horrible pretension, none of them perfect or perfectly evil. At the same time that you want to hug them, you want to smack them. They throw away their own happiness with stubbornness and dogged determination not to yield or admit mistakes. They push one another beyond the brink, or cling to a pride or sense of injustice, until they cannot escape the holes they have dug themselves.
They come very easily, these quarrels, but the quittance from them is sometimes terribly difficult. Much of thought is necessary before the angry man can remember that he too in part may have been wrong; and any attempt at such thinking is almost beyond the power of him who is carefully nursing his wrath, lest it cool! But the nursing of such quarreling kills all happiness.
I have loved every moment of the six books in this series. As I have closed the pages on each one, I have whispered to myself that it was the best. In fact, they are all top-notch, and this last is not the least. I am looking forward to starting The Pallister novels next and hoping they will be a fraction as good as this. I am grateful that Anthony Trollope was so prolific. Loads of good reading in my future.
But this book is not only about revisiting the stories we already know; it is also about another clergyman, Mr. Crawley. Accused of stealing a check and unable to explain his possession of it, he is brought before the Magistrates and bound over for trial. His own confusion about both his acquisition of the check and as to how he has landed it such a strait, being a very honest and upstanding man who has sacrificed everything for the good of his parish, is at the center of this last tale. Perhaps the saddest part is that Crawley is made to doubt himself.
“There are different kinds of sickness. There is sickness of the body, and sickness of the heart, and sickness of the spirit;—and then there is sickness of the mind, the worst of all.”
The consequences of this prosecution, and sometimes persecution, reverberates through the entire community and we are able to see the hearts of so many in how they react to Crawley’s misfortunes. I could not help feeling that, given the same set of circumstances, the wealthy man would have been treated much differently than the poverty stricken Crawley.
I was brought to tears and to moments of rage as the story wound itself down. As he so often does, Trollope gives us people, with all their wondrous kindness and horrible pretension, none of them perfect or perfectly evil. At the same time that you want to hug them, you want to smack them. They throw away their own happiness with stubbornness and dogged determination not to yield or admit mistakes. They push one another beyond the brink, or cling to a pride or sense of injustice, until they cannot escape the holes they have dug themselves.
They come very easily, these quarrels, but the quittance from them is sometimes terribly difficult. Much of thought is necessary before the angry man can remember that he too in part may have been wrong; and any attempt at such thinking is almost beyond the power of him who is carefully nursing his wrath, lest it cool! But the nursing of such quarreling kills all happiness.
I have loved every moment of the six books in this series. As I have closed the pages on each one, I have whispered to myself that it was the best. In fact, they are all top-notch, and this last is not the least. I am looking forward to starting The Pallister novels next and hoping they will be a fraction as good as this. I am grateful that Anthony Trollope was so prolific. Loads of good reading in my future.
April 1, 2008
This is dessert, the reward for having read the first five books of Barset. If Tennyson asks to see "the exact spot where Louisa Musgrove fell" in Lyme, then take me to the cathedral in Barset, so I may look at the memorial to Septimus Harding and pay my respects. I forgive Archdeacon Grantly everything for giving Mr. Crawley his father's book of sermons. And Johnny Eames and Lily Dale! Did M.D. ruin their chances? And Mrs. Proudie! Rally, bishop, rally. And the Dickensian Mr. Togood, surely an acquaintance of the Cherrybles.
My goal was to read all six during Teddy's first year, but it took a year and a half. And I will miss the wonderful hours I spent in Barset.
My goal was to read all six during Teddy's first year, but it took a year and a half. And I will miss the wonderful hours I spent in Barset.
December 29, 2017
As expected, this was a triumph. I love Anthony Trollope, and I have loved the Barsetshire novels so much, that I almost worried this final book might not meet my expectations, or might tamper with the novels of the previous books in ways I wouldn't like. However, I should have trusted Trollope more - this last book in the series is absolutely superb, with brilliant characterisation, a wonderful plot, and everything as it should be. I won't doubt Trollope again! The series overall is brilliant and this is no exception. What an author.
May 6, 2015
Fantastic! What a book! If you like great big long sagas full of crime, romance and interesting, if obnoxious, characters, this is for you. Its a beach book, a recovering-from-flu book or a flight-to-Indonesia (24 hours!) book. Of all the Barchester books, this one is the best. You don't need to read them in order either but it helps with the chronology of the characters.
September 9, 2022
Do you want to try the classical Victorian author Anthony Trollope?
If so, read this series. Do not choose the Palliser Series . I erroneously shied away from the Barset series because I thought religious issues would play a predominant role. Trollope states as the book reaches its end that his characters are drawn not from the perspective of their professional duties. Why? He felt he lacked the necessary competence for such a task. He writes of them as normal human beings, not as professional entities. He draws their weaknesses and strengths. Each one's character comes alive. Each one feels so real. You feel as though this community of people and sites, gatherings and traditions actually exist. I have come to know these people. They live and breathe for me. I have come to feel part of their lives. This is the first series where I have felt so much a part of another world.
Trollope's women are strong.
Trollope writes with humor.
Trollope knows people. This is reflected in what his characters say, think and do.
I am sorry I have reached the end of the series. Impulsively I want to immediately read the books again, so I don't have to leave the characters. Knowing them now so well I might better comprehend the choices and decisions made along the way.
The books of this series are now available free for Audible-UK-Plus members. They are read by Timothy West. He is the narrator to pick for this series. His narration is topnotch.
Five stars for the book and the audio narration. Don't miss this!
*********************
Palliser Series:
1.Can You Forgive Her? 3 stars
2.Phineas Finn 4 stars
Standalones:
*The Vicar of Bullhampton 5 stars
*Dr. Wortle's School 3 stars
*Sir Harry Hotspur Of Humblethwaite 2 stars
*The Way We Live Now 1 star
Chronicles of Barsetshire:
1.The Warden 3 stars
2.Barchester Towers 4 stars
3.Dr. Thorne 4 stars
4.Framley Parsonage 4 stars
5.The Small House at Allington 5 stars
6.The Last Chronicle of Barset 5 star
If so, read this series. Do not choose the Palliser Series . I erroneously shied away from the Barset series because I thought religious issues would play a predominant role. Trollope states as the book reaches its end that his characters are drawn not from the perspective of their professional duties. Why? He felt he lacked the necessary competence for such a task. He writes of them as normal human beings, not as professional entities. He draws their weaknesses and strengths. Each one's character comes alive. Each one feels so real. You feel as though this community of people and sites, gatherings and traditions actually exist. I have come to know these people. They live and breathe for me. I have come to feel part of their lives. This is the first series where I have felt so much a part of another world.
Trollope's women are strong.
Trollope writes with humor.
Trollope knows people. This is reflected in what his characters say, think and do.
I am sorry I have reached the end of the series. Impulsively I want to immediately read the books again, so I don't have to leave the characters. Knowing them now so well I might better comprehend the choices and decisions made along the way.
The books of this series are now available free for Audible-UK-Plus members. They are read by Timothy West. He is the narrator to pick for this series. His narration is topnotch.
Five stars for the book and the audio narration. Don't miss this!
*********************
Palliser Series:
1.Can You Forgive Her? 3 stars
2.Phineas Finn 4 stars
Standalones:
*The Vicar of Bullhampton 5 stars
*Dr. Wortle's School 3 stars
*Sir Harry Hotspur Of Humblethwaite 2 stars
*The Way We Live Now 1 star
Chronicles of Barsetshire:
1.The Warden 3 stars
2.Barchester Towers 4 stars
3.Dr. Thorne 4 stars
4.Framley Parsonage 4 stars
5.The Small House at Allington 5 stars
6.The Last Chronicle of Barset 5 star
December 14, 2022
Done! The book and the entire Chronicles of Barsetshire. What can I say. Not a book for every reader and yet if you like Dickens, then Trollope is an easier read. But, my oh my are these guys wordy!! Close to 900 pages and could easily have been 300 pages left as Trollope loves to get sidetracked and I thought he did in this one with characters that are only introduced in this book or partially revisited characters that serve little purpose. But back in the day, readers had little other distractions and so Trollope and Dickens certainly keeps them occupied. This entire book revolves around a minister who allegedly passed a stolen check for $20 and the entire county of Barsetshire is involved. Some storylines end good, others blah (like why does Lily Dale insist on being an Old Maid, or OM as she refers to herself when people want to marry her?) All in all a good read but you need to begin at the beginning since Trollope follows many of his characters trough this epic series. Gotta take a bit of a break before I begin more of his works. A fine writer, but oh so wordy!
November 24, 2024
What better way to celebrate The Last Chronicle of Barset than
Barsetshire Limerick
There once lived a novelist Anthony Trollope
Whose numerous books takes a while to swallow:
Such a good long Victorian yarn he span,
With so many a damsel and clergyman,
That many a reader got caught in their Trollope.
I admit, I got caught too. Just as I expected, in this sixth and last instalment of his Barsetshire saga Anthony Trollope sets out to tie all the loose ends, and this is going to take quite a long while... With almost each next novel in the series being longer than the previous, this Last Chronicle is the longest.
The abnoxious characters will finally fall, the noble will be rewarded, for the most part, all in due time, after many intrigues and misunderstandings. Good damsels will cry and blush, bad will scheme and plot. Clergymen will preach, suffer, scheme and triumph (not necessarily in this particular order and not always in equal proportion).
We shall spend lots of time in a gloomy society of indomitable reverend Josiah Crawley, the perpetual curate of Hogglestock, and other less gloomy members of his long-suffering impoverished, underfed and overpreached family. Mr. Crawley's trials and tribulations will play central part in the plot, but plenty of other subplots will be needed to take care of all the loose ends.
Mr. Crawley before the Magistrates. (Illustrator George H. Thomas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Fortunately, this multi-twisted yarn contains just enough satire and comic relief to make this much-too-many-pages experience enjoyable. Besides, by the sixth book the familiar characters feel like old aquaintances, and it's hard not to be curious about their fate and not to feel at home in their company.
Trollope is never ahead of his time, but very much part of it. Far be it from me to expect him to be a feminist, but many of his female characters are, in my opinion, absolutely rotten fruits of an overripe male imagination, especially Lily Dale.
After many a twist, those readers who persevere will eventually reach the last chapter:
CHAPTER LXXXIV.
CONCLUSION.
It now only remains for me to gather together a few loose strings, and tie them together in a knot, so that my work may not become untwisted.
I confirm: the work is not untwisted, rather anything but. The Barsetshire universe, carefully span by Trollope, rises out of the many yarns and twists in all its long-winded Victorian glory.
As Trollope himself puts it in the last paragraph:
And now, if the reader will allow me to seize him affectionately by the arm, we will together take our last farewell of Barset and of the towers of Barchester. I may not venture to say to him that, in this country, he and I together have wandered often through the country lanes, and have ridden together over the too-well wooded fields, or have stood together in the cathedral nave listening to the peals of the organ, or have together sat at good men's tables, or have confronted together the angry pride of men who were not good. I may not boast that any beside myself have so realized the place, and the people, and the facts, as to make such reminiscences possible as those which I should attempt to evoke by an appeal to perfect fellowship. But to me Barset has been a real county, and its city a real city, and the spires and towers have been before my eyes, and the voices of the people are known to my ears, and the pavement of the city ways are familiar to my footsteps. To them all I now say farewell. That I have been induced to wander among them too long by my love of old friendships, and by the sweetness of old faces, is a fault for which I may perhaps be more readily forgiven, when I repeat, with some solemnity of assurance, the promise made in my title, that this shall be the last chronicle of Barset.
And as George Eliot is reported to have said, "I am not at all sure that, but for Anthony Trollope, I should ever have planned my studies on so extensive a scale for Middlemarch, or that I should, through all of its episodes, have persevered with it to the close."
(Read in 2021.)
Barsetshire Limerick
There once lived a novelist Anthony Trollope
Whose numerous books takes a while to swallow:
Such a good long Victorian yarn he span,
With so many a damsel and clergyman,
That many a reader got caught in their Trollope.
I admit, I got caught too. Just as I expected, in this sixth and last instalment of his Barsetshire saga Anthony Trollope sets out to tie all the loose ends, and this is going to take quite a long while... With almost each next novel in the series being longer than the previous, this Last Chronicle is the longest.
The abnoxious characters will finally fall, the noble will be rewarded, for the most part, all in due time, after many intrigues and misunderstandings. Good damsels will cry and blush, bad will scheme and plot. Clergymen will preach, suffer, scheme and triumph (not necessarily in this particular order and not always in equal proportion).
We shall spend lots of time in a gloomy society of indomitable reverend Josiah Crawley, the perpetual curate of Hogglestock, and other less gloomy members of his long-suffering impoverished, underfed and overpreached family. Mr. Crawley's trials and tribulations will play central part in the plot, but plenty of other subplots will be needed to take care of all the loose ends.
Mr. Crawley before the Magistrates. (Illustrator George H. Thomas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Fortunately, this multi-twisted yarn contains just enough satire and comic relief to make this much-too-many-pages experience enjoyable. Besides, by the sixth book the familiar characters feel like old aquaintances, and it's hard not to be curious about their fate and not to feel at home in their company.
Trollope is never ahead of his time, but very much part of it. Far be it from me to expect him to be a feminist, but many of his female characters are, in my opinion, absolutely rotten fruits of an overripe male imagination, especially Lily Dale.
After many a twist, those readers who persevere will eventually reach the last chapter:
CHAPTER LXXXIV.
CONCLUSION.
It now only remains for me to gather together a few loose strings, and tie them together in a knot, so that my work may not become untwisted.
I confirm: the work is not untwisted, rather anything but. The Barsetshire universe, carefully span by Trollope, rises out of the many yarns and twists in all its long-winded Victorian glory.
As Trollope himself puts it in the last paragraph:
And now, if the reader will allow me to seize him affectionately by the arm, we will together take our last farewell of Barset and of the towers of Barchester. I may not venture to say to him that, in this country, he and I together have wandered often through the country lanes, and have ridden together over the too-well wooded fields, or have stood together in the cathedral nave listening to the peals of the organ, or have together sat at good men's tables, or have confronted together the angry pride of men who were not good. I may not boast that any beside myself have so realized the place, and the people, and the facts, as to make such reminiscences possible as those which I should attempt to evoke by an appeal to perfect fellowship. But to me Barset has been a real county, and its city a real city, and the spires and towers have been before my eyes, and the voices of the people are known to my ears, and the pavement of the city ways are familiar to my footsteps. To them all I now say farewell. That I have been induced to wander among them too long by my love of old friendships, and by the sweetness of old faces, is a fault for which I may perhaps be more readily forgiven, when I repeat, with some solemnity of assurance, the promise made in my title, that this shall be the last chronicle of Barset.
And as George Eliot is reported to have said, "I am not at all sure that, but for Anthony Trollope, I should ever have planned my studies on so extensive a scale for Middlemarch, or that I should, through all of its episodes, have persevered with it to the close."
(Read in 2021.)
November 5, 2021
I really love Anthony Trollope and I can forgive him almost anything except having to read about Lily Dale & Adolphous Crosbie again! :(
Otherwise I love this book, even though Barchester Towers still remains my favourite book from the Barset series.
Otherwise I love this book, even though Barchester Towers still remains my favourite book from the Barset series.
February 28, 2019
Reaching the end of Trollope’s tales of Barsetshire left me very nearly lost for words.
The first book – 'The Warden' – created a world and set it spinning, the books that followed illuminated different places and different lives being lived in that world, and now that I have read this book – a grand finale in the best sense of the words – I can’t quite believe that the world Trollope created isn’t still spinning and that he isn’t going to tell me more stories about it.
It was lovely that so many characters from all of the other books in the series made appearances. There were some that I missed, there were a couple I wouldn’t have missed if they hadn’t been there, but it worked.
There were so many strands, and they had so many different qualities. Some were more effective than others, I enjoyed some more than others, but they worked together and as I read I realised that Trollope knew exactly what he was doing.
The central strand – the story that you’ll read about if you pick up a paperback copy and read the words on the back cover – concerns an alleged theft by Josiah Crawley, the poor, proud and pious perpetual curate of the parish of Hogglestock. When I first enountered Mr Crawley, in 'Framley Parsonage', I had read those words, he knew that he would be the central figure in this final book, and I wasn’t at all sure that he was the man for the job, but now that I have read the book I realise that he was.
While Mr Crawley is not high on the list of Trollope characters I would love to meet, he is one of his most complex and psychologicaly interesting creations; this man who is difficult and yet loved and supported by his wife are children, who is viewed harshly by the world and yet judges himself more harshly still.
His story in this book was compelling, and Trollope did a wonderful job of drawing others into that story.
Mrs Proudie had not doubt at all that he was guilty and that all of the weight and authority of the church should be deployed against him. When the bishop tried to explain that the church didn’t – and couldn’t – work like that she carried on regardless, but is really did seem that the time when the bishop would stand firm against his wife’s wishes had finally come.
Major Henry Grantly, the son of the archdeacon, was a widower with a young child and he had been courting Grace, the eldest daughter of the Crawley family. His father was appalled that he would not end that relationship when new of the theft broke, and father and son were at loggerheads.
Lily Dale came to the assistance of Grace; and Johnny Eames volunteered to go in search of the dean and his wife, who were travelling abroad and may be able to cast some light on the circumstances of the alleged theft …..
I liked Lily in this book much more than I did in 'The Small House at Allington', and though the general consensus seems to be that the story her relationship with Johnny didn’t need to be revisited, I was pleased that it was given another twist and a proper resolution.
I was less pleased with the introduction of a new story and a new set of characters in London. The story had its moments but it didn’t sit well against the story that was playing out in Barsetshire and I would have much rather spent more time with old friends there.
My only other – minor – reservation was there were echoes of earlier books in the series in a few of the characters and events of this book.
As always with Trollope, there is much joy in the details
- Mrs Thorne giving exactly the right advice and support to young lovers.
- Mrs Grantly talking about Mrs Proudie – and calling her a virago!
- The dowager Lady Lufton offering real, practical help to Mrs Crawley.
- Mr Harding reminiscing about old bishop with Dr Grantly over a glass of port.
There is also joy in seeing how so many pieces of story fit perfectly into place – there are a great many ‘ah moments’ in this book.
That Henry Grantly was a widower with a child reminded me that his grandfather – Mr Harding – was a very old man. The story of the final act of his life and his departure from this world was beautifully told, losing him really felt like losing a member of the family, and every detail – including a final suggestion he made to his son-in-law – was exactly right.
A great deal happened in this book – I think it would be fair to say that all life is here – and though I finished reading at the end of last year I can still feel the emotions I felt when I was reading.
I meant to read another Trollope this month but I couldn’t, and I think it was because I wasn’t quite ready to let go of this one.
The first book – 'The Warden' – created a world and set it spinning, the books that followed illuminated different places and different lives being lived in that world, and now that I have read this book – a grand finale in the best sense of the words – I can’t quite believe that the world Trollope created isn’t still spinning and that he isn’t going to tell me more stories about it.
It was lovely that so many characters from all of the other books in the series made appearances. There were some that I missed, there were a couple I wouldn’t have missed if they hadn’t been there, but it worked.
There were so many strands, and they had so many different qualities. Some were more effective than others, I enjoyed some more than others, but they worked together and as I read I realised that Trollope knew exactly what he was doing.
The central strand – the story that you’ll read about if you pick up a paperback copy and read the words on the back cover – concerns an alleged theft by Josiah Crawley, the poor, proud and pious perpetual curate of the parish of Hogglestock. When I first enountered Mr Crawley, in 'Framley Parsonage', I had read those words, he knew that he would be the central figure in this final book, and I wasn’t at all sure that he was the man for the job, but now that I have read the book I realise that he was.
While Mr Crawley is not high on the list of Trollope characters I would love to meet, he is one of his most complex and psychologicaly interesting creations; this man who is difficult and yet loved and supported by his wife are children, who is viewed harshly by the world and yet judges himself more harshly still.
His story in this book was compelling, and Trollope did a wonderful job of drawing others into that story.
Mrs Proudie had not doubt at all that he was guilty and that all of the weight and authority of the church should be deployed against him. When the bishop tried to explain that the church didn’t – and couldn’t – work like that she carried on regardless, but is really did seem that the time when the bishop would stand firm against his wife’s wishes had finally come.
Major Henry Grantly, the son of the archdeacon, was a widower with a young child and he had been courting Grace, the eldest daughter of the Crawley family. His father was appalled that he would not end that relationship when new of the theft broke, and father and son were at loggerheads.
Lily Dale came to the assistance of Grace; and Johnny Eames volunteered to go in search of the dean and his wife, who were travelling abroad and may be able to cast some light on the circumstances of the alleged theft …..
I liked Lily in this book much more than I did in 'The Small House at Allington', and though the general consensus seems to be that the story her relationship with Johnny didn’t need to be revisited, I was pleased that it was given another twist and a proper resolution.
I was less pleased with the introduction of a new story and a new set of characters in London. The story had its moments but it didn’t sit well against the story that was playing out in Barsetshire and I would have much rather spent more time with old friends there.
My only other – minor – reservation was there were echoes of earlier books in the series in a few of the characters and events of this book.
As always with Trollope, there is much joy in the details
- Mrs Thorne giving exactly the right advice and support to young lovers.
- Mrs Grantly talking about Mrs Proudie – and calling her a virago!
- The dowager Lady Lufton offering real, practical help to Mrs Crawley.
- Mr Harding reminiscing about old bishop with Dr Grantly over a glass of port.
There is also joy in seeing how so many pieces of story fit perfectly into place – there are a great many ‘ah moments’ in this book.
That Henry Grantly was a widower with a child reminded me that his grandfather – Mr Harding – was a very old man. The story of the final act of his life and his departure from this world was beautifully told, losing him really felt like losing a member of the family, and every detail – including a final suggestion he made to his son-in-law – was exactly right.
A great deal happened in this book – I think it would be fair to say that all life is here – and though I finished reading at the end of last year I can still feel the emotions I felt when I was reading.
I meant to read another Trollope this month but I couldn’t, and I think it was because I wasn’t quite ready to let go of this one.
November 13, 2023
A fitting ending to the series! We get all the threads from prior books gathered back up together & it's nice to see so many characters we know have their stories resolved (some happily, some less so). I'd say for the series as a whole, I preferred the first three books over the last three, but it's a wonderful reading experience as a whole
January 10, 2020
”I know very well that men are friends when they step up and shake hands with each other. It is the same as when women kiss.”And so the long, arduous, fitful, endearing, maddening, and epic-filled Chronicles of Barsetshire are at an end… and it’s a glorious end that my four-star rating can’t truly reflect, unless you’ve read them all in order and in fairly quick succession. It feels, in many ways, like the end of an era; the close of a century.
"When I see women kiss, I always think that there is a deep hatred at the bottom of it.”
As is usual with Trollope, he takes his time to set the stage; but since most of his novels in the Barsetshire series are not as long as this, the last, one, here he takes triple the amount of time: where he normally needs about a hundred-or-so pages to set the preliminary characters into motion, in The Last Chronicle it takes him nearly three-hundred pages to do so. Some of this is awkward and clumsy, with quite a bit of redundant scenes toward the beginning of the novel, especially as he attempts to gain the reader’s sympathy for poor Josiah Crawley, a perpetual curate (and an unlikely protagonist for this, but, as it turns out, the perfect one) who is accused of stealing a check for £20.
Many of the characters that populate The Last Chronicle appear in the previous four books, but especially from Framley Parsonage and The Small House at Allington —and, of course, the fire-cracking Mrs. Proudie, whose shenanigans make Barchester Towers the comical tour de force that it is, even though it’s a bit of an outsider when taken with the rest of the Barsetshire books. Lily Dale and John Eames return, Dr. Thorne and Mr. Harding… it’s much fanfare for the swan song, and it’s as thrilling to read this closure to a world that only Trollope could make seem so real as it is to leave it behind, tucked coolly on the bookshelf to delve into in perhaps another decade or so.
Love, romance, deceit, gossip, back-stabbings, and several twists and turns that show Trollope is at his finest, wanting quite obviously—but successfully—to end the series with a flourish and a great deal of lament and remembrance. The sole reason for the four-star rating is the very slow and clumsy start of the book; it seems that Trollope knew exactly what he was doing (when does he not?), but that in dealing with this many characters and more subplots than any previous Barsetshire novel, he couldn’t settle on where the focus was.
While many readers below suggest that this (or any) of the books could be read as standalone novels, I would disagree: one really needs to see the progression of the characters; the different ways and great lengths to which Trollope goes in his world-building of this fictional place that, by the end, feels like such a real world inhabited by real people; and one needs a lot of the backstories from the previous two novels especially to really understand Lily, John, Grace, and some of the other characters’ transformations across time and space. (For a good Trollope standalone, might I suggest The Claverings ?)
Definitely read these in order, slowly: this is a series to be savored, and read again and again. This is my second time reading the series; it will definitely not be my last.
December 1, 2017
It was a long, but satisfying, haul through the chronicles of Barsetshire - and such a pleasure to be reunited with so many of the characters in this final novel in the series. Trollope has one major plot device in the storyline - did high-minded but poor Rev Crawley steal a cheque for 20 pounds? - and from that stone thrown in the pond of Barsetshire, everything else ripples out. As usual, Trollope include a romance - that between Grace Crawley and Major Henry Grantley - but money, social status, reputation, honour, pride, partisanship and even a little bit of piety are more to the point. The last 200 pages (of 930 in my edition) fly by, but let's be honest: the book does proceed at a rather stately and unhurried pace. Trollope does manage to throw in a few surprises, though, and there was more than one touching scene which brought tears to my eyes.
I've read the entire series with a group of friends who wanted to try Trollope - all of us first-time readers of this great 19th century figure - and it has been such a wonderful and memorable journey. #trolloping
I've read the entire series with a group of friends who wanted to try Trollope - all of us first-time readers of this great 19th century figure - and it has been such a wonderful and memorable journey. #trolloping
April 13, 2015
Since Mr. Trollope was so kind as to address me directly throughout the novels, I feel justified in addressing him directly in return: Dear writer, you done good! I'm so impressed that you brought it all home in the last book. You made me laugh. You made me cry. Thank you for characters like Mr. Slope, Mrs. Proudie, Lady Lufton, Lord De Guest, Mr. Crawley, Lily Dale, Archdeacon Grantly, Mathilda Dunstable, La Signora Madeline Vesey Neroni, Bertie Stanhope (who I think was in P.G. Wodehouse's mind when he conceive of Bertie Wooster, by the way), and sweet Bunce. Thank you most of all for Mr. Harding.
I am so glad I read these books in order and didn't skip any. When considering reading the series, I was feeling daunted and almost succumbed to the idea of just reading Barchester Towers, the most well known according to Wikipedia, but I am so glad I started with The Warden. Mr. Harding, whose book it is, is one of my favorite characters in literature. (Favorite likable characters, that is.) Trollope has some pretty compelling dislikable characters, too. The over all effect of the books really worked for me.
I really love Trollope's sense of humor and romance and his keen insight into character. This is a guy who loves love stories; are the books have a central courtship story with attractive young people falling in love, etc. etc., real Marriage Plot books, but they also have real meat on their bones. They easy to read but are not trash.
For me, the length of the series is a positive rather than a negative attribute. When you find an author you really love, prolixity is awesome. Trollope's output is awesome. Literally. I'm awed.I will be reading the Palliser series too as soon as I can make time. I've been told by people I trust that The Eustace Diamonds is lots of fun, but I'm a series gal, so I'll start at the beginning.
As for Barsetshire, I am almost certain to reread the series. I could read them all again right now, in fact, but I'm (probably) going to restrain myself.
ETA: I read The Way We Live Now in recently and thought it was excellent. The Barsetshire series is much warmer in tone; Trollope's whole approach to his characters is intimate and almost partisan. He addresses the reader often, and the books are both funnier and more touching. TWWLN was excellent, maybe better in some ways, but I didn't feel the same love for the world or the characters.
I am so glad I read these books in order and didn't skip any. When considering reading the series, I was feeling daunted and almost succumbed to the idea of just reading Barchester Towers, the most well known according to Wikipedia, but I am so glad I started with The Warden. Mr. Harding, whose book it is, is one of my favorite characters in literature. (Favorite likable characters, that is.) Trollope has some pretty compelling dislikable characters, too. The over all effect of the books really worked for me.
I really love Trollope's sense of humor and romance and his keen insight into character. This is a guy who loves love stories; are the books have a central courtship story with attractive young people falling in love, etc. etc., real Marriage Plot books, but they also have real meat on their bones. They easy to read but are not trash.
For me, the length of the series is a positive rather than a negative attribute. When you find an author you really love, prolixity is awesome. Trollope's output is awesome. Literally. I'm awed.I will be reading the Palliser series too as soon as I can make time. I've been told by people I trust that The Eustace Diamonds is lots of fun, but I'm a series gal, so I'll start at the beginning.
As for Barsetshire, I am almost certain to reread the series. I could read them all again right now, in fact, but I'm (probably) going to restrain myself.
ETA: I read The Way We Live Now in recently and thought it was excellent. The Barsetshire series is much warmer in tone; Trollope's whole approach to his characters is intimate and almost partisan. He addresses the reader often, and the books are both funnier and more touching. TWWLN was excellent, maybe better in some ways, but I didn't feel the same love for the world or the characters.
May 6, 2016
Today I have the pleasure of reviewing a really terrific (and terrifically long) book. The Last Chronicle of Barset is 852 pages in my edition, all of it dedicated to a series of interweaving plots roughly centred around one character, a clergyman named Josiah Crawley, who has been accused of stealing a cheque for twenty pounds. Before I move on to the body of this review, I just need to say this: I've now read all six books in the Chronicles of Barset, and this one stands head-and-shoulders above all the rest--a grand finale well worth the name, a powerful character study, a splendid and engrossing story, a book bursting with amazing Christian wisdom and encouragement.
This was definitely a five-star read for me - a rating I award to only about 6% of the dozens of books I read each year. The Last Chronicle of Barset is quite simply, splendid.
Warning: While I'll be trying to keep them to a minimum, there will be a few spoilers for some of the previous books in the series in this review, especially The Small House at Allington. Also, if you are already convinced to read the book, you might like to stop here and go and do so, because while I don't give away the ending, I do discuss the plot in some detail.
(See my full, in-depth review on my blog!)
This was definitely a five-star read for me - a rating I award to only about 6% of the dozens of books I read each year. The Last Chronicle of Barset is quite simply, splendid.
Warning: While I'll be trying to keep them to a minimum, there will be a few spoilers for some of the previous books in the series in this review, especially The Small House at Allington. Also, if you are already convinced to read the book, you might like to stop here and go and do so, because while I don't give away the ending, I do discuss the plot in some detail.
(See my full, in-depth review on my blog!)
June 8, 2010
With a meal where the portion size is a little too big, if you intend to get through it, you have to work fast or you'll falter and feel too full to finish. Similarly, a thousand page book about the doings of 19th century rural English clergymen has to be taken at a pace of about 100 pages a day, or there is some risk of falling off the horse.
Those of who have read any of the prior Barset novels and any of the Palliser series know how Trollope liked to contrast city and country life - the former fast-paced and typically somewhat immoral, the latter society, however, riven by its scheming and jockeying for position. Virtue, as is common with the Victorian novelists, does win in the end but it's a tough go at times.
For anyone who is not already a Trollope enthusiast, I may not be firing your imagination - tant pis, as he is well worth some attention and eventually, I (or someone else) will construct the blurb that gets you started.
Those of who have read any of the prior Barset novels and any of the Palliser series know how Trollope liked to contrast city and country life - the former fast-paced and typically somewhat immoral, the latter society, however, riven by its scheming and jockeying for position. Virtue, as is common with the Victorian novelists, does win in the end but it's a tough go at times.
For anyone who is not already a Trollope enthusiast, I may not be firing your imagination - tant pis, as he is well worth some attention and eventually, I (or someone else) will construct the blurb that gets you started.
April 30, 2024
Rather sad to have finished, but plan on a re-read.
May 11, 2022
It feels a bit mournful to say goodbye to Barsetshire. The characterizations, dialogue and descriptions in this installment were stellar; the plotting involved some retreads but no matter. Trollope surprised me once at that; for the rest, it all worked out as expected.
April 26, 2023
5+⭐️ It is with great sadness and satisfaction I end my season in Barset. What an epic journey! The sweetness and humility of Mr Harding. The pride and contradictions of Mr Grantley. The arrogance of Mrs Proudie. The twists and turns of many romances. The silliness of good-hearted Johnny Eames. The wisdom and sacrifice of Doctor Thorne. The great suffering and stubbornness of Mr. Crawley. I have enjoyed them all and will return to them again in the years to come. Bravo, Anthony Trollope!
November 9, 2011
OK. Time to come clean. The original reason for me to read this book is that it is on THE LIST - the '1001 Books to Read Before You Die' list. But, it is the last book in a series of 6 titles and I was worried that I would not be able to follow the plot or be missing something, so I decided to read the entire series. Like so many other Victorian authors, Trollope can be verbose. Taking on the challenge of finishing the entire Barchester series meant reading 3414 pages or listening to over 119 hours of audiobooks. Now that's a commitment! I hesitantly started the first book of the series, The Warden and found that I liked it. It wasn't earth shattering, but the characters were quaint and even after reading this (relatively) short book, I had a picture in my mind of a charming English setting filled with believable characters and resolving some of life's day to day conflicts. I took a break from the story, but every few months, I would feel like picking up the another book in the series. By the time I had finished Book 3, I was hooked. I even watched a few of the TV serials made by the BBC - I just could not get enough of the characters and conflicts of this charming world. I both read and listened to this entire series. The narrator, Simon Vance, was absolutely amazing. And by the time I had finished listening to the last chapter - 119 hours later - I was really sad to see it end.
March 24, 2024
Review coming to my YouTube channel soon ... but I loved it.
December 29, 2018
Although I started listening to this book, I changed over to reading it; to slow down the process (I tend to speed-listen on my kindle to keep my mind from wandering) to make sure I had every crumb of detail and to drag this The Last Chronicle of Barset out for as long as possible. Alas! The foray is over. Time to return to reality, although it felt very real there. Will I ever return? Who knows? When I last left almost 20 years ago, I did not expect to return. Perhaps nostalgia will call me back again ... depending on how many years are left me ... and how many other GoodReads beckon elsewhere.
BTW, if you have never visited Barsetshire, you do NOT KNOW what you are missing! Pick up a copy of The Warden and get to know Septimus Harding, his Bedesmen and the rest of the residents in this most beautiful of literary shires. You will be so glad you did!
November 26, 2018: This could almost be Part 2 of the The Small House of Allington, the two stories are so closely connected. Very many of the characters introduced throughout the entire series make a comeback in this book. Enjoyed it right off the bat!
BTW, if you have never visited Barsetshire, you do NOT KNOW what you are missing! Pick up a copy of The Warden and get to know Septimus Harding, his Bedesmen and the rest of the residents in this most beautiful of literary shires. You will be so glad you did!
November 26, 2018: This could almost be Part 2 of the The Small House of Allington, the two stories are so closely connected. Very many of the characters introduced throughout the entire series make a comeback in this book. Enjoyed it right off the bat!
July 7, 2017
The final book in Trollope's Barsetshire series is simply a masterpiece of character and setting. The basic plot, which revolves around a clergyman, Mr. Crawley, accused of stealing a check, is rather thin and stretched out, but Trollope populates his novel with some of the most well-realized characters in Victorian fiction. Mr. Crawley himself, proud, impoverished, depressive, is particularly superb.
The novel can be read on its own, but as it pulls together people and even plot threads from earlier novels in the series, I think it's stronger if you've read all of them (or at least The Warden, Barchester Towers, and The Small House at Allington).
The novel can be read on its own, but as it pulls together people and even plot threads from earlier novels in the series, I think it's stronger if you've read all of them (or at least The Warden, Barchester Towers, and The Small House at Allington).
December 3, 2018
Sono molto contenta di essere riuscita in quanto mi ero preposta prima che terminasse il mio congedo maternità: finire tutto il ciclo delle cronache del barset di Trollope nel 2018.
Il reverendo Crowley viene accusato di essersi indebitamente appropriato di un piccolo assegno e in attesa del processo è osteggiato da tutta la comunità; nel mentre, l'incresciosa vicenda si accosta a due storie d'amore parallele. L'aratro della narrazione attraversa l'intera contea, rivoltando zolla per zolla la crosta della sua classe dirigente fino a denudarne gli interessi le ipocrisie le reali motivazioni i giochi di potere, di famiglia in famiglia. Questo ciclo è stato perfetto, colossale nel numero di pagine, e intenso: sei libri.. L'amministratore, Le Torri di Barchester, Il dottor Thorne, la Canonica di Framley, la casetta ad Allington, le ultime cronache del barset. Perle di letteratura inglese dell'età vittoriana.
Il reverendo Crowley viene accusato di essersi indebitamente appropriato di un piccolo assegno e in attesa del processo è osteggiato da tutta la comunità; nel mentre, l'incresciosa vicenda si accosta a due storie d'amore parallele. L'aratro della narrazione attraversa l'intera contea, rivoltando zolla per zolla la crosta della sua classe dirigente fino a denudarne gli interessi le ipocrisie le reali motivazioni i giochi di potere, di famiglia in famiglia. Questo ciclo è stato perfetto, colossale nel numero di pagine, e intenso: sei libri.. L'amministratore, Le Torri di Barchester, Il dottor Thorne, la Canonica di Framley, la casetta ad Allington, le ultime cronache del barset. Perle di letteratura inglese dell'età vittoriana.
January 30, 2024
Eccomi giunta alla fine del mio lungo viaggio nella contea del Barset, una parte di mondo che realmente non esiste ma che agli occhi di noi lettori sembra viva. Le ultime cronache del Barset è il sesto e ultimo romanzo appartenente al mastodontico ciclo scritto da Trollope e conclude adeguatamente la serie. In questo romanzo “fiume” vengono riallacciati i fili dei o con gli altri cinque romanzi precedenti ed è un sunto di tutto quello che ormai abbiamo imparato a conoscere e trovato negli altri romanzi.
Al centro della narrazione troviamo la disavventura capitata al reverendo Josiah Crawley (già incontrato ne “La canonica di Framley”), un ecclesiastico in ristrettezze economiche, dal carattere difficile e inasprito dalle difficoltà della vita, che ora si ritrova al centro di un caso giudiziario. Il reverendo è accusato del furto di un assegno di 20 sterline del quale non è in grado di spiegare come e in quali circostanze ne è entrato in possesso; ammette di averlo speso e che glielo ha dato il suo amico Decano, ma questa versione è smentita proprio dalla lettera che quest’ultimo ha inviato ai giudici; Crawley viene così rinviato a giudizio presso la corte d'assise. Questo fatto dell'assegno rubato sconvolge la vita della famiglia Crawley e diviene ben presto oggetto di chiacchiere e motivo di divisione fra gli abitanti della contea, che si dividono in colpevolisti e innocentisti.
Come sempre nei libri di Trollope alla trama cosiddetta giudiziaria, l'autore ne affianca una romantica; infatti, il figlio dell'arcidiacono Grantly, Henry, si innamora di Grace Crawley, la figlia maggiore del reverendo caduto in disgrazia; ma l'autore riprende anche la storia d'amore rimasta in sospeso nel precedente volume, tra John Eames e Lily Dale.
Il dilemma se il reverendo Crawley sia colpevole o innocente proseguirà per tutta la narrazione e influenzerà le altre storie raccontate.
Ne Le ultime cronache del Barset Trollope ci fa una sorta di riepilogo delle vicende accadute nei volumi precedenti con l'aggiunta di alcune nuove vicende e l'introduzione di nuovi personaggi. Crisi di coscienza, sensi di colpa, equivoci, ricerca della verità, rivalità tra donne, ambizioni e lotte di potere, meschinità e ipocrisie sul denaro, pene amorose di alcuni, matrimoni osteggiati di altri, sono i principali ingredienti di questo volume, in cui lo scrittore riunisce molti dei personaggi già conosciuti e risolve anche alcune questioni che precedentemente erano rimaste in sospeso.
Tutto ciò è raccontato con stile scorrevole, elegante e sobrio, con l'ironia e il garbo tipici dell'autore inglese; il suo sottile umorismo e il suo peculiare tratto distintivo di intervenire nella trama per rivolgersi direttamente al lettore, fanno dei suoi libri un piccolo microcosmo molto realistico.
É stato bello immergersi nuovamente nelle atmosfere del Barset; incontrare vecchi personaggi che abbiamo già conosciuto e fare la conoscenza dei nuovi. Personaggi amati, altri odiati, ma tutti inconfondibili, vividi, unici e memorabili perché Trollope, profondo indagatore dell'animo umano, è sempre bravo nella loro minuziosa caratterizzazione tanto che anche stavolta sembrano prendere vita, con tutti i loro pregi e i loro difetti, le loro miserie e le loro nobiltà, le loro debolezze e i loro punti di forza, i loro dilemmi morali e i loro pensieri, le loro delusioni e i loro dolori.
Le ultime cronache del Barset è un libro corposo, dal passo lento e sicuro, piacevole e mai pesante, forse a volte un po' troppo lungo (a tratti si disperde un po' in scene minori lasciando in sospeso il lettore proprio nei momenti cruciali); un romanzo in cui il lettore non si annoia perché lo scrittore inglese non si dilunga inutilmente su determinate scene ma sposta continuamente la nostra attenzione tra le tante storie abilmente intrecciate tra loro. Non mancano scene divertenti a tratti anche comiche (lo scontro tra la signora Proudie e il reverendo Crawley è memorabile), altre drammatiche, tristi, irritanti, malinconiche o inaspettate.
In questi sei volumi è come se avessi passeggiato sottobraccio con Trollope in lungo e in largo nella contea del Barset; un viaggio bellissimo nella verde campagna inglese, tra dimore gentilizie e piccoli villaggi, tra proprietari terrieri, nobili di campagna, ecclesiastici - umili o arrivisti - amori felici e non.
Nonostante non condivida alcune scelte narrative dell'autore inglese (alias il ritorno di quell'infame di Crosbie, le troppe pagine inutilmente sprecate su questo personaggio e la perseverante ostinazione di Lily Dale di non superare il passato), Trollope si conferma ancora una volta un grande scrittore vittoriano (diventato ormai uno dei miei preferiti) capace di mostrarci e aprirci, anche a noi lettori del 21° secolo, una finestra sul mondo vittoriano ritratto nella sua quotidianità.
E ora se il lettore mi permetterà di prenderlo affettuosamente per il braccio, insieme porgeremo il nostro ultimo saluto al Barset e alle torri di Barchester.
[…] Ma per me il Barset è stato una vera contea, e il suo capoluogo un vero capoluogo, e le guglie e le torri sono state davanti ai miei occhi, e le voci delle persone sono familiari alle mie orecchie, e i marciapiedi delle strade della città noti ai miei passi. A tutti loro ora io dico addio.
Al centro della narrazione troviamo la disavventura capitata al reverendo Josiah Crawley (già incontrato ne “La canonica di Framley”), un ecclesiastico in ristrettezze economiche, dal carattere difficile e inasprito dalle difficoltà della vita, che ora si ritrova al centro di un caso giudiziario. Il reverendo è accusato del furto di un assegno di 20 sterline del quale non è in grado di spiegare come e in quali circostanze ne è entrato in possesso; ammette di averlo speso e che glielo ha dato il suo amico Decano, ma questa versione è smentita proprio dalla lettera che quest’ultimo ha inviato ai giudici; Crawley viene così rinviato a giudizio presso la corte d'assise. Questo fatto dell'assegno rubato sconvolge la vita della famiglia Crawley e diviene ben presto oggetto di chiacchiere e motivo di divisione fra gli abitanti della contea, che si dividono in colpevolisti e innocentisti.
Come sempre nei libri di Trollope alla trama cosiddetta giudiziaria, l'autore ne affianca una romantica; infatti, il figlio dell'arcidiacono Grantly, Henry, si innamora di Grace Crawley, la figlia maggiore del reverendo caduto in disgrazia; ma l'autore riprende anche la storia d'amore rimasta in sospeso nel precedente volume, tra John Eames e Lily Dale.
Il dilemma se il reverendo Crawley sia colpevole o innocente proseguirà per tutta la narrazione e influenzerà le altre storie raccontate.
Ne Le ultime cronache del Barset Trollope ci fa una sorta di riepilogo delle vicende accadute nei volumi precedenti con l'aggiunta di alcune nuove vicende e l'introduzione di nuovi personaggi. Crisi di coscienza, sensi di colpa, equivoci, ricerca della verità, rivalità tra donne, ambizioni e lotte di potere, meschinità e ipocrisie sul denaro, pene amorose di alcuni, matrimoni osteggiati di altri, sono i principali ingredienti di questo volume, in cui lo scrittore riunisce molti dei personaggi già conosciuti e risolve anche alcune questioni che precedentemente erano rimaste in sospeso.
Tutto ciò è raccontato con stile scorrevole, elegante e sobrio, con l'ironia e il garbo tipici dell'autore inglese; il suo sottile umorismo e il suo peculiare tratto distintivo di intervenire nella trama per rivolgersi direttamente al lettore, fanno dei suoi libri un piccolo microcosmo molto realistico.
É stato bello immergersi nuovamente nelle atmosfere del Barset; incontrare vecchi personaggi che abbiamo già conosciuto e fare la conoscenza dei nuovi. Personaggi amati, altri odiati, ma tutti inconfondibili, vividi, unici e memorabili perché Trollope, profondo indagatore dell'animo umano, è sempre bravo nella loro minuziosa caratterizzazione tanto che anche stavolta sembrano prendere vita, con tutti i loro pregi e i loro difetti, le loro miserie e le loro nobiltà, le loro debolezze e i loro punti di forza, i loro dilemmi morali e i loro pensieri, le loro delusioni e i loro dolori.
Le ultime cronache del Barset è un libro corposo, dal passo lento e sicuro, piacevole e mai pesante, forse a volte un po' troppo lungo (a tratti si disperde un po' in scene minori lasciando in sospeso il lettore proprio nei momenti cruciali); un romanzo in cui il lettore non si annoia perché lo scrittore inglese non si dilunga inutilmente su determinate scene ma sposta continuamente la nostra attenzione tra le tante storie abilmente intrecciate tra loro. Non mancano scene divertenti a tratti anche comiche (lo scontro tra la signora Proudie e il reverendo Crawley è memorabile), altre drammatiche, tristi, irritanti, malinconiche o inaspettate.
In questi sei volumi è come se avessi passeggiato sottobraccio con Trollope in lungo e in largo nella contea del Barset; un viaggio bellissimo nella verde campagna inglese, tra dimore gentilizie e piccoli villaggi, tra proprietari terrieri, nobili di campagna, ecclesiastici - umili o arrivisti - amori felici e non.
Nonostante non condivida alcune scelte narrative dell'autore inglese (alias il ritorno di quell'infame di Crosbie, le troppe pagine inutilmente sprecate su questo personaggio e la perseverante ostinazione di Lily Dale di non superare il passato), Trollope si conferma ancora una volta un grande scrittore vittoriano (diventato ormai uno dei miei preferiti) capace di mostrarci e aprirci, anche a noi lettori del 21° secolo, una finestra sul mondo vittoriano ritratto nella sua quotidianità.
E ora se il lettore mi permetterà di prenderlo affettuosamente per il braccio, insieme porgeremo il nostro ultimo saluto al Barset e alle torri di Barchester.
[…] Ma per me il Barset è stato una vera contea, e il suo capoluogo un vero capoluogo, e le guglie e le torri sono state davanti ai miei occhi, e le voci delle persone sono familiari alle mie orecchie, e i marciapiedi delle strade della città noti ai miei passi. A tutti loro ora io dico addio.
June 29, 2015
From BBC Radio 4:
This is the final book in Anthony Trollope's Barchester Chronicles and many of the characters from both "The Small House at Allington" and "Framley Parsonage" return to finish his story of Barsetshire life set between 1855 and 1867. These 4 episodes focus in part on the story of the proud but impoverished vicar of Hogglestock, Josiah Crawley and the accusation that he has stolen and cashed a cheque. The whole of Barset has an opinion about Crawley's guilt or innocence, but no-one is more affected by it than Archdeacon Grantly's son, Henry, who has fallen in love with Crawley's daughter, Grace. Meanwhile, Johnny Eames has returned to try for the hand of Lily Dale, who is still devastated by the betrayal of her amoral fiance, Adolphus Crosbie. Happily, Mrs Baxter returns to tell the tale and give her inimitable opinion on events.
Part One: The Way Things Are
In the sleepy village of Silverbridge, Henry Grantly has fallen in love again and Mr Crawley is to find that a butcher with a vengeance is someone to be reckoned with.
Part 2: Propose Propose
Lily's past returns to haunt her, Grace has a difficult letter to write, Johnny makes a new friend and Mr Toogood begins to live up to his name.
Part 3: Dogged
Johnny traverses Europe trying to save Mr Crawley, who has a revelation in the rain. Meanwhile, Archdeacon Grantly is having trouble with his temper.
Part 4: All the Work of His Life
Johnny's travel abroad brings him an unexpected new friend and an answer to Mr Crawley's dilemma, but what repercussions will it have in Barsetshire?
Music composed by David Tobin, Jeff Meegan and Julian Gallant.
Produced & directed by Marion Nancarrow
Maggie Steed stars as Mrs Baxter and is joined by Adam Kotz, Tim Pigott-Smith, Samuel Barnett and Scarlett Alice Johnson.
The Barchester Chronicles is Anthony Trollope's much-loved series of witty, gently satirical stories of provincial life set within the fictional cathedral town of Barchester and the surrounding county of Barsetshire. With a focus on the lives, loves and tribulations of the local clergy and rural gentry, the canvas is broad and colourful, with a wonderful set of iconic characters whose lives we become intimately involved in as they grow up, grow old and fall in or out of love and friendship across the years.
This is the final book in Anthony Trollope's Barchester Chronicles and many of the characters from both "The Small House at Allington" and "Framley Parsonage" return to finish his story of Barsetshire life set between 1855 and 1867. These 4 episodes focus in part on the story of the proud but impoverished vicar of Hogglestock, Josiah Crawley and the accusation that he has stolen and cashed a cheque. The whole of Barset has an opinion about Crawley's guilt or innocence, but no-one is more affected by it than Archdeacon Grantly's son, Henry, who has fallen in love with Crawley's daughter, Grace. Meanwhile, Johnny Eames has returned to try for the hand of Lily Dale, who is still devastated by the betrayal of her amoral fiance, Adolphus Crosbie. Happily, Mrs Baxter returns to tell the tale and give her inimitable opinion on events.
Part One: The Way Things Are
In the sleepy village of Silverbridge, Henry Grantly has fallen in love again and Mr Crawley is to find that a butcher with a vengeance is someone to be reckoned with.
Part 2: Propose Propose
Lily's past returns to haunt her, Grace has a difficult letter to write, Johnny makes a new friend and Mr Toogood begins to live up to his name.
Part 3: Dogged
Johnny traverses Europe trying to save Mr Crawley, who has a revelation in the rain. Meanwhile, Archdeacon Grantly is having trouble with his temper.
Part 4: All the Work of His Life
Johnny's travel abroad brings him an unexpected new friend and an answer to Mr Crawley's dilemma, but what repercussions will it have in Barsetshire?
Music composed by David Tobin, Jeff Meegan and Julian Gallant.
Produced & directed by Marion Nancarrow
Maggie Steed stars as Mrs Baxter and is joined by Adam Kotz, Tim Pigott-Smith, Samuel Barnett and Scarlett Alice Johnson.
The Barchester Chronicles is Anthony Trollope's much-loved series of witty, gently satirical stories of provincial life set within the fictional cathedral town of Barchester and the surrounding county of Barsetshire. With a focus on the lives, loves and tribulations of the local clergy and rural gentry, the canvas is broad and colourful, with a wonderful set of iconic characters whose lives we become intimately involved in as they grow up, grow old and fall in or out of love and friendship across the years.
May 27, 2021
A satisfy and fitting conclusion to the Chronicles of Barsetshire series. Mr. Trollope deftly works many of characters from the previous five novels into the plot and it is very satisfying for the reader to become reacquainted with them.
The main character here, Mr. Crawley, while a hard-working, dedicated clergyman to the less affluent parishioners of the county, is a hard person to like. At the very beginning of the novel we learn that he has been accused of stealing a 20 pound check. This creates a major scandal within this small community. It doesn't help that Mr. Crawley, refusing to employ a lawyer, makes a complete mess of his defense in this matter. And so, through the trials and tribulations of Mr. Crawley, we meet most of the clerical hierarchy and the landed gentry of the county and quickly learn who will take sides for and against him. We also follow Mr. Crawley's daughter, Grace. She has fallen in love with the son of the local Archdeacon but refuses to take part in the relationship while her father is under this cloud of suspicion. As usual with Trollope, there is large cast of characters, each with their unique quirks and eccentricities. And, for his time, I think he was a master at crafting strong female characters. This reader will not soon forget the bishop's wife, the redoubtable Mrs. Proudie.
Once again, it was a pleasure to escape to this Victorian world. Cheers!
The main character here, Mr. Crawley, while a hard-working, dedicated clergyman to the less affluent parishioners of the county, is a hard person to like. At the very beginning of the novel we learn that he has been accused of stealing a 20 pound check. This creates a major scandal within this small community. It doesn't help that Mr. Crawley, refusing to employ a lawyer, makes a complete mess of his defense in this matter. And so, through the trials and tribulations of Mr. Crawley, we meet most of the clerical hierarchy and the landed gentry of the county and quickly learn who will take sides for and against him. We also follow Mr. Crawley's daughter, Grace. She has fallen in love with the son of the local Archdeacon but refuses to take part in the relationship while her father is under this cloud of suspicion. As usual with Trollope, there is large cast of characters, each with their unique quirks and eccentricities. And, for his time, I think he was a master at crafting strong female characters. This reader will not soon forget the bishop's wife, the redoubtable Mrs. Proudie.
Once again, it was a pleasure to escape to this Victorian world. Cheers!
August 1, 2008
The 6th Barchester novel. Much about the pauper perpetual curate Josiah Crawley and the charge that he stole £20. A wonderful scene where he confronts the Proudies about clerical law allowing him to continue until or unless convicted. Lily Dale still irritatingly "good" and Jonnie Eames not as sympathetic a character as he should be. Interestingly not as happy an ending, or with as many loose ends tidied up as one might expect - especially given that it was explicitly written as the last in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2021
While it has the typical charm of Trollope's books and it was wonderful to see so many characters from the series return, this book was way too drawn out and repetitive. I had to take several breaks reading other books to keep enjoying it at all.
However, I liked all the stories told in this novel and it was a very appropriate and heartfelt ending to this series.
However, I liked all the stories told in this novel and it was a very appropriate and heartfelt ending to this series.
June 28, 2024
I almost never cry, but I have to confess, Trollope got me. No, I didn't sob my heart out, but for me, it was the equivalent.
In this last book of the series, I feel as though everyone we care about in this series "grew up" so to speak. Not everything receives a perfect ending, but it is all realistic, satisfying, and "as it should be." And all without feeling rushed, as so many books do when tying up those loose ends.
the more I chew on the stories and the layers and the whole of the series, the more I see parallels and juxtapositions within those parallels. Mr. Harding and Mr. Crawley are two men who feel a conviction to act in a certain way after unjust accusations. Both do. Both men's actions are respectable as well. However, HOW they live out those convictions shows both depth of character and the differences in the sanctification process. It's a huge lesson.
Some might argue that a few of the young women in the series are overly dramatic, refusing to marry without complete acceptance by [insert persons here] or a similar clinging to some noble purpose. I thought so too as I read it, but upon reflection, I disagree with myself. I think these young women (not speaking of Lily Dale's early protestations but more the latter) were instead showing self-respect and often societal respect for others. That's... brilliant.
Although, maybe it says something about me in that I laughed when someone intimated that a woman's husband would likely beat her and someone else replied that he hoped the guy would do it "gently." Mmmmmwwwaaahahaa.
While this wasn't my favorite of the books, it was A favorite for sure. Only one was "okay" by comparison to the rest, and while some might be better written than others,
In this last book of the series, I feel as though everyone we care about in this series "grew up" so to speak. Not everything receives a perfect ending, but it is all realistic, satisfying, and "as it should be." And all without feeling rushed, as so many books do when tying up those loose ends.
the more I chew on the stories and the layers and the whole of the series, the more I see parallels and juxtapositions within those parallels. Mr. Harding and Mr. Crawley are two men who feel a conviction to act in a certain way after unjust accusations. Both do. Both men's actions are respectable as well. However, HOW they live out those convictions shows both depth of character and the differences in the sanctification process. It's a huge lesson.
Some might argue that a few of the young women in the series are overly dramatic, refusing to marry without complete acceptance by [insert persons here] or a similar clinging to some noble purpose. I thought so too as I read it, but upon reflection, I disagree with myself. I think these young women (not speaking of Lily Dale's early protestations but more the latter) were instead showing self-respect and often societal respect for others. That's... brilliant.
Although, maybe it says something about me in that I laughed when someone intimated that a woman's husband would likely beat her and someone else replied that he hoped the guy would do it "gently." Mmmmmwwwaaahahaa.
While this wasn't my favorite of the books, it was A favorite for sure. Only one was "okay" by comparison to the rest, and while some might be better written than others,
January 13, 2025
What a wonderful finale to the Chronicles of Barsetshire! The second half of this book was 5-star material, but I landed on 4 stars because I did struggle with the plot pacing in the first half. There was a lot of meandering and it was unnecessarily slow, but things did pick up and boy was the second half full of drama and emotional rollercoasters! I loved the ending of this book EXCEPT with regards to Johnny Eames. I won’t say anything more as it would spoil it, but all I will say is TWO LONG BOOKS and that’s the ending we get for Johnny?!!! Ugh!!! But besides that, I thought Trollope ended this magnificent series perfectly. I may have shed a tear or two reading the last paragraph… I could just picture Trollope penning the final words… so bittersweet. This series was such a journey! I’ve also left my ratings and overall ranking for each book in the series below.
Framley Parsonage 5/5
Doctor Thorne 4.5/5
The Last Chronicle of Barset 4/5
The Small House at Allington 4/5
The Warden 4/5
Barchester Towers 3/5
Still can't believe I finished this series... my heart is so full and these characters will stick with me for years to come! Thank you Trollope!!
Framley Parsonage 5/5
Doctor Thorne 4.5/5
The Last Chronicle of Barset 4/5
The Small House at Allington 4/5
The Warden 4/5
Barchester Towers 3/5
Still can't believe I finished this series... my heart is so full and these characters will stick with me for years to come! Thank you Trollope!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews