Midwinter

by John Buchan

Set in 1745, as Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebel army marches south into England, Midwinter tells the story of Alastair Maclean, one of the Prince's most loyal supporters. Sent on ahead to carry out a secret mission of great importance for the Jacobite cause, Maclean is befriended by two extraordinary and very different men--Dr. Samuel Johnson, an impoverished tutor and aspiring man of letters; and the shadowy figure known only as 'Midwinter.' But England in 1745 is a land awash with double-dealing and betrayal, and, as his enemies close in on him, Maclean uncovers evidence that there is a traitor at work, someone so close to the Prince that no one suspects him....

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Adventure, Scotland, British Literature

Paperback

First published August 1, 1923

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midwinter was written at Elsfield Manor, the country house in Oxfordshire which John Buchan purchased in 1919 as his family home. The book features Dr. Samuel Johnson who, in real life, walked out from Oxford to have tea with Mr. Francis Wise, a former owner of Elsfield, in the summer of 1754. In Midwinter, Buchan indulges himself by imagining what Samuel Johnson may have been up to in the ‘missing years’ not documented by his biographer, James Boswell, using the literary conceit of some discovered documents as the basis for the story.

The book’s hero is Alastair Maclean (no, not that one), a young soldier pursuing intelligence duties in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Like John Buchan, Alastair is Scottish but sees something of his homeland in the landscape of Oxfordshire.

In my earlier blog post about the book, I noted that Kate MacDonald had described Midwinter as a ‘Buchan mystery thriller’ but with a historical setting. I wasn’t sure if I agreed with that description at the time but, having read the book, I absolutely see what she was getting at. In Midwinter, there are many of the elements readers have come to expect in a spy thriller: narrow escapes for the hero who is often a hunted man not knowing who to trust; the use of codewords, secret networks and disguises; and the race against time to save the day. A ‘damsel in distress’ in the person of the fragrant Claudia Norreys adds an element of romantic adventure to the book.

I must also mention some great descriptions of food in the book such as the following gargantuan meal enjoyed by General Olgethorpe: “…he ate heartily of everything – beefsteak pie, roast sirloin, sheep’s tongues, cranberry tarts and a London bag-pudding – and drank a bottle of claret, a quart of ale, and the better part of a bottle of Madeira’. As well as wondering (like me) what on earth a ‘London bag-pudding’ is, you may also marvel at the General’s capacity for alcohol as the author assures us that he ‘did not become garrulous, nor did the iron restraint of his demeanour relax’.

Kate MacDonald also comments that the eponymous (Amos) Midwinter might be a grown-up Puck taken from Kipling’s Puck of Pook’s Hill. Indeed he is a mix between a tinker and a pixie, a charismatic figure who can seemingly travel at will without detection and conjure up assistance from the band of like-minded individuals who style themselves ‘The Naked Men’. With their ability to move, track and observe unseen, they embody the spirit of what Midwinter refers to as ‘Old England’. Asked by Alastair, “Where is this magic country?”, Midwinter replies, “All around you – behind the brake, across the hedgerow, under the branches. Some can stretch a hand and touch it – to others it is a million miles away”.

Midwinter is a lively historical adventure story by the end of which Samuel Johnson has been persuaded that his future lies as a man of letters and Alastair has been forced to make a fateful decision between his loyalty to the cause and the aforementioned damsel. Could that decision, the author poses to the reader, have changed the course of history?

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was that. The first half starts off with a bang and draws you right into the story; then all at once the MC, Alasdair, begins to make a fool of himself and ignore the counsel of those wiser than himself. Obviously, knowing the history of the time (Bonnie Prince Charlie), I knew ahead of time that he couldn't succeed in his mission...but how it came about really felt contrived. Also, in disappoint there is a bit of cursing, and the whole thinking of another man's wife with fondness really got on my nerves.

For actual enjoyment, in the end, I'd give it about a 2.5 rating. But, Dr. (Samuel) Johnson is portrayed so accurately that I spotted the misquote from him in Carnegie's famous book (end of the first chapter) and learned a bit more about the time period. Strangely, the title character (the guy on the cover) makes only cameo appearances, so that also is strange.

All in all, a decent read, but probably not one I will reread.

*Content: cursing, d*, h*

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

31 AUG 2014 - currently reading. I am reading this one in advance of The Master of Ballantrae



Both authors cover the same subject matter - the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. I thought it would be interesting to read how each author wrote about the Cause. Nice cover too!

P.S. Find your free version here:

http://www.feedbooks.com/book/1185/mi...

http://www.openisbn.com/isbn/0755117093/
(Note: You are able to read online here or download to PDF - this site has annoying "flashers" (those damn gifs (which I personally hate) on the first page. But you can download it as a PDF to your reader and be done with the flashers!

https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/buch...

Read about Midwinter here at WIKI:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwinte...


2 SEP 2014 -- a young solicitor is charged with reading a long-forgotten manuscript discovered whilst cleaning out the cupboards of a company of solicitors. The tale written within those old tattered pages is one of intrigue, adventure, duplicity, and our story of Midwinter.

[Elizabeth Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three weeks before Midsummer is an odd time to be reviewing Midwinter, to be sure, but I've just got back to our place in France and found it lying on my desk here. I must have got it out when rummaging through the cardboard boxes in which most of my light reading has been stored since we moved into a smaller flat in town . . . A hideous copy from Hamlyn Books which, it seems, I bought second-hand in Helsinki's marvelous Akademiska Bokhandeln. So it seems likely that my first reading fell around Midsummer, too, since that's the time to be in Finland. I know I loved it then: spies, rebellion, hopeless love, a plucky and clever girl, and a charming portrayal of Dr Johnson. If I can't remember where or when I first read it, and have to go by clues, it must have been pretty absorbing!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Buchan fan for many decades I was surprised that I've not rated this book, which I must have read at least thrice. It's vintage, with the strengths and weaknesses of the writer on full display. Buchan is belittled by many readers who find his women too idealized, even infantilized, like Claudia in this book. He is also a snob. I take those traits equably, and value his emphasis on courage, loyalty, honor, self-discovery, self-sacrifice and (dare I say the hated word) chivalry. This is a first-class historical novel, though it falls short of the very high marks of The Blanket of the Dark and Witchwood.

[Eugene · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason I was exactly in the right mood to read this book, and thus rarely have enjoyed a book more. Buchan is already one of my favourite writers and I do love a good historical novel. Set during the Jacobite uprising in 1745, the main protagonist is a young Scot called Alastair Maclean. He has come from a military life in France an is one his way through England on a mission of intrigue, trying to drum up support for 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' as his forces marched south. Buchan is a genius at many things, but particularly good here at describing English life, current and 'Olde Worlde'. The enigmatic titular character, Midwinter, leader of the Naked Men, inhabits the old and long-enduring England of earth and ancient woodlands. In some ways he is a mentor to the young Scot, in others a temptation for MacLean to abandon his clan loyalties and go 'off-grid.'
Anyway, without giving too much away, the story soon moves from politics and war to romance, of the noblest sort. But it is also a story that embraces realism, self-denial, and failure. It is certainly no fairy story, nor an outright adventure story like the Hannay stories.
So, five stars, with each and every one thoroughly well deserved. I feel inspired to read more historical novels now. But can I find one to match this?
In summary,

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm enjoying this book. It's well written and is an interesting telling of the Jacobite Rebellion of the 1740s during which Bonnie Prince Charles tried to regain his family's (the Stuarts)possession of the throne over Britain, Scotland and Ireland. As it's doesn't go into explaining much at all of the rebellion and the various parties involved, I'd suggest doing a quick Wikipedia review of the Jacobite rebellion. I read somewhere that Tolkien was fairly influenced by Buchan's writing and you can see that when you read this. His descriptions of the natural environments through which the main character Maclean travels are inspiring and his character man-of-nature Midwinter seems to be a prototype for Tom Bombadil.

[Alyssa Bohon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having enjoyed (with perhaps richer satisfaction than I have had with any other fiction) the Richard Hannay stories, I was looking around for more from Buchan and found Midwinter. It seemed like a good winter read. Though it does take place largely in wintry weather, I soon discovered that Midwinter was the name of a (most fascinating) character. But I was absolutely tickled to discover Dr. Samuel Johnson rumbling through the pages of this adventure. His character was portrayed so like all that I had previously read of him, I could hardly believe that Buchan had not known him personally. The adventure was not of the same victorious nature of the Hannay tales, but it was rich with romance and adventure and did not disappoint.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 1924 novel set in England during the 1745 rebellion, following the travels of an agent (called Alistair Maclean!) sent to solicit support for the Scottish cause, but ends up being pursued after a double-cross. It has elements of 39 Steps moved back 150 years, as the pursued moves around ‘Old England’ with the help of the mysterious character Midwinter. He meets Samuel Johnson, who comes out with his famous quote ‘When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life’ over 30 years earlier than the date to which it is attributed, but what the heck. It has pace and style, but stops short of the bloodthirstiness of the typical swashbuckler. I enjoyed it immensely.

[John Hardwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trifle old fashioned in its style but the plot hangs together and the characters are well formed. The descriptions of weather and countryside help place the 45 in a believable context.

[Adam Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My last book of my mini-look at books with Jacobites in it is Midwinter by John Buchan, a book I was particularly interested to read as a young(ish) Samuel Johnson turns up as one of the key supporting characters.

Initially presented as some lost Boswell papers, Midwinter is the tale of Jacobite agent, Alastair Maclean and his sojourn into England during the ’45 to gain support from the English. There he gets embroiled in the search for a run-away daughter and discovers traitors in the Jacobite ranks whose interference may damn the whole endeavour.

The pretence at being Boswell’s papers only really exists in the first and last chapters and the novel is told very much as a twentieth century novel, with no attempt to make it sound like a report or even an artefact from its time. This is fine as the novel is essentially a spy behind enemy lines story and extra layers of artifice would have sapped the tension. Impressively, the book does build up considerable tension, despite the fact that it’s a forgone conclusion that Maclean will fail in his mission. This is partly because the audience becomes invested in the fate of Maclean and partly because the characters themselves have no knowledge of how history will pan out and their urgency is infectious.

Maclean is aided by a character called Midwinter and his Naked Men. He is the king of the secret Old England, a shadowland of charcoal burners, woodsman, servants and other forgotten people. At times he seems Puckish, at others a bit like Merlin. He reminded me of Cock Lorrel, the mythical king of the beggars that Chaunting Nick Swain enlisted to aid the Jacobites in The Virtue of this Jest - one of my favourite books. He’s a manifestation of the (dubious) unbroken pagan tradition in England.

The book’s introduction made a lot of the fact that in this book, the Highlander Maclean goes into England and finds it a strange, wild and barbaric place where people speak in incomprehensible dialect. Usually, it’s the tips of Scotland portrayed as savage and unchristian, but here it’s the snug middle of the country. This alien England shares the same land as the smug, comfortable England which Maclean is trying to prod out of inactivity.

The spy plot of double-crossings, betrayal, capture - and nearly being fed into a huge hole in the ground by a crazy man is a very interesting one and Maclean’s story, of a dedicated soldier and idealist who loses it all, was moving. I was, however, only paying attention to one character.

I was led to believe this was a book that portrays Samuel Johnson as heading up north to join the Jacobite Rebellion. Although he did have some sympathy with the Stuart cause, and was decidedly anti-whig, it would have been very against character to have him march up to join an armed uprising - his main political desire was stability, he’d never have joined in an action to upset it. Johnson in this book has left London (and Tetty, who gets a namecheck) and become a private tutor. His charge, who nicknames him ‘Puffin’, runs away with an a man who is unsuitable for her and he sets out to get her back. He is fiercely loyal to the woman (who everyone seems to fall in love with, for no discernible reason) and her shacking up with a Jacobite supporter is what brings him into Maclean’s company.

The notion of a pre-dictionary, pre-fame Johnson is a wonderful one. We look at Johnson now as this established and semi-revered figure, a source of wisdom and wit. It’s easy to overlook what an unprepossessing figure he cut, and how at odds his first impressions were. Hogarth thought Johnson was ‘an idiot’ when he first saw Johnson. Much is made of his contradictory ‘shabbiness and self possession’, his lanky ungainliness with a surprising athleticism. Johnson in this can hold his own in a fight, can offer wise advice, will cling on tenaciously to help a friend in need and is also uncouth, awkward and something of a joke. The fact that he’s always twitching, tapping his fingers or ‘rolling his head like a marionette’ is never ignored, but nor is his ultimate decency and intelligence. It’s a really nice portrayal (though the quotes from future Johnson lines can be heavy-handed).

The front of the book boasts Midwinter is one of the finest historical novels ever written. It’s not quite that but it is a thrilling spy story set in a very realised historical setting with a cameo from one of my favourite figures from history - so not too shabby.

[Jack Deighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is another Scottish novel which scratches the 1745 Rebellion itch but unusually this one is set entirely in England. Presented as a partially incomplete found manuscript it tells the story of Alastair Maclean who had lately been in the service of the King of France but had returned to British shores in order to facilitate the rising of Charles Edward Stuart’s supporters in Wales and the West of England.

Maclean’s mission is a dangerous one; a traveller on the byways in those days was always apt to come under suspicion. With the help of the Naked Men and their leader - the Midwinter of the book’s title – he escapes from apprehension by a man charged with taking any who can not give a good account of themselves to the local magistrate, and arrives at the house of Lord Cornbury, a known Jacobite sympathiser but also one who recognises the folly of the Prince’s enterprise. From then on Midwinter’s group pop in and out of the narrative.

The company at Lord Cornbury’s is supposed to be mainly Jacobite but later it transpires there is a traitor to the cause amongst them, one who thereafter continually dogs and frustrates - given the outcome of History how could he not? - Maclean’s efforts to get to Derby with supposedly good news. Lady Mary Conbury has an unusual take on Mary Queen of Scots. “‘Her frailties were not Stuart but Tudor. Consider Harry the Eighth. He had passions like other monarchs, but instead of keeping mistresses he must marry each successive love, and as a consequence cut off the head of the last one. His craze was not for amours but for matrimony. So, too, with his sister Margaret. So, too, with his great niece Mary. …. What ruined the fortunes of my kinsfolk was not the Stuart blood but the Tudor – the itch for lawful wedlock which came in with the Welsh bourgeoisie.”

A surprise visitor arrives in the form of a tutor to a seventeen-year old girl, Claudia Grevel. This ill-clad worthy is none other than Samuel Johnson, disturbed that Claudia has run off with a Mr Norreys and seeking help to catch the pair before they can be married, a task in which he is doomed to fail. Johnson and Maclean become friendly and travel together for the latter half of the book. Johnson's appearance in the novel allows Buchan to insert into the text some of that gentleman’s aphorisms.

At a later point the pair fall into the hands of troops loyal to King George. Their commander is a General Oglethorpe whom they met at Cornbury. He berates Maclean on why Charles will not succeed. A new breed of belief, the Methodists, had arisen in the south - “with them is the key of the new England, for they bring healing to the souls of the people. What can your fairy Prince say to the poor and hungry?”

Maclean thinks both Midwinter and Oglethorpe spoke of England like a lover to his mistress and that the country was akin to a spell on sober minds. He tells Midwinter, “You in England must keep strictly to the high road, or flee to the woods – one or the other, for there is no third way. We of the Highlands carry the woods with us to the high roads of life. We are natives of both worlds, wherefore we need renounce neither,” and indeed Midwinter spends most of his time in that mystical realm, the greenwood.

This is a tale packed with adventure, incident, betrayal and peril, but also insight. And it displays an eye for landscape which, though in this case is the English countryside, is a hallmark of Scottish writing.

[Brian Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midwinter is one of John Buchan’s better novels. The story is set in 1745 when Bonnie Prince Charlie’s sweeps down from Scotland to take the throne from and unpopular George the Second. The main character, Alistair Maclean, is an officer and Jacobite in the service of the prince. His task is to seek out and win support- military preferably, from Old England for the Scottish campaign. The story however has little to do with the campaign and even Midwinter (who features only periodically) and is more about the adventures of Alastair Maclean and the setbacks in fulfilling his mission.

This is a well written novel though in a verbose form of English peculiar to the 1930s. While the story has a good realistic easy to follow plot and might otherwise appeal to a Scot, it is spoiled by poor proof reading. Scots in particular find it highly offensive to be referred to as Scotch (Scotch being a liquor) and Scotchman instead of Scotsman. Apart from these bad errors and a title that is totally misleading, this is a good novel.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- I appreciated a lot of things about this book, but it was by no means a page-turner. It is written during the time of the Jacobite uprising but specifically focused on one fictional Scottish soldier running errands for the Bonnie Prince in England. He is supposed to find out how many English troops are willing to join with the Scots in declaring Charles Stuart king. Perhaps my favorite element was the inclusion of the real-life figure of Samuel Johnson in his younger days. That was a nice touch.

[Andrew McClarnon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a Christmas present from my mum, straight out of the left field as far as our reading habits, but a fitting companion for soggy grey January days. The style of the writing makes this secret agent story a much more enigmatic affair. Much is made of the setting, the tangle of forest and moorland, where winter brings wind, rain and snow to an already difficult quest. Add in a touch of the pagan magic of the old ways, with a pinch of history and playful biography and it’s certainly a fresh twist for a new year’s reading.

[Dave Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cracking adventure yarn with some beautiful writing. I'd have given it 4 stars but for the scenes with Sam Johnson, which break the spell a bit because of Buchan's insistence on shoehorning in every famous Johnsonian quotation.

This edition has a few typos and is on white paper, but otherwise is decently laid out. The cover is a low-res image which stops the book from looking quite professional, but it's okay.

[Antoine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice adventure to follow for those who know at least a little bit about the Jacobite risings and the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie's attempt to restore the Stuart monarchy on the throne of Britain.

The story is a mix of straightforward action scenes, espionage and political intrigue with lovely descriptions of Oxfordshire. Samuel Johnson also plays a large part in the narrative, with a fictional arc.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Midwinter is neither Buchan’s best nor most famous novel, but it is a rich and well-paced historical adventure with good characters and two striking historical portraits, and for those reasons it is well worth reading." Full review for John Buchan June at my blog.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable historical-spy novel that peters out a bit. The portrait of Samuel Johnson is very amusing and the depictions of the English countryside immersive.

[Fionn Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first John Buchan book, which I found interesting and readable enough to make me want to read more of his books. Well rounded characters and I wanted to keep reading even though, knowing history, Bonnie Prince Charlie and his followers weren't going to win!

[Martin Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midwinter's an unusual Jacobite novel. For starters, it's set almost entirely in the depths of Oxfordshire. The hero, Alastair Maclean, is a high-ranking Jacobite officer on a clandestine mission to gain support among the English gentry - far less romantic than, say, Walter Scott's portrayal of quixotic Jacobitism in Waverley. Alastair is forced on the run when he uncovers betrayal among the Jacobite ranks. Unable to trust his old friends and in a race against time, he finds unlikely allies in the English countryside.

Buchan does what he always does best in this book - writes a great yarn full of details yet still ripping along at a fast pace. Midwinter's probably the most expertly plotted Buchan book I've read so far. And when Alastair's on the run, the adrenaline's constantly pumping. Somehow, though, I felt disappointed by many of the beats. The romantic subplot was uninteresting and cemented to me that all of Buchan's female characters are Basically The Same.

Also, Buchan sadly underutilises the two most interesting characters in the book: Samuel Johnson (compiler of the original dictionary) and Midwinter (mysterious leader of the Spoonbills, a band of peasants loyal to a semi-mythological Old England). We see more of Johnson, who often steals his scenes thanks to Buchan's striking portrayal. But we really needed to see more of Midwinter and the Spoonbills - but then Buchan often fails to commit to the more fantastical elements in his stories.

But the book does get extra points for featuring Samuel Johnson beating someone up in a tavern.

[Felicity Terry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not as you might expect a story of the season (though this is in fact quite beautifully described), Midwinter is the name of one of the main characters - a gentleman outlaw, the leader of a rather secretive band of men, a dweller in Old England.

Originally published in the early 1920's and classed by some as a classic of Scottish literature and by others as one of the best historical novels ever written I feel a bit of an intellectual inferior in admitting that I didn't enjoy Midwinter, finding it, as someone brought up on a diet of Philippa Gregory, old-fashioned and, dare I say it, rather staid.

Minus the introduction by Stuart Kelly and the preface by the editor, at less than 250 pages long, on the face of it this is a fairly short novel and yet given the minuscule size of the typeface used in this 2008 Polygon edition and the somewhat meandering plot it seemed so, so much longer.

By no means a book for me, a knowledge of the Scottish history of the time would certainly be a bonus AND I suspect that given the secret society nature of much of the novel this may well be a book better appreciated by male readers.

[Ian Mapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in 1924 and set in the 1700s. Where do I find these books to read? The answer was no doubt in one of my top 100 books lists, where this has been described as one of the greatest historical novels.

Its OK.

It appears that Buchan divided his time writing worthy novels (like this) and more crowd pleasers, like the 39 steps.

This tells the story of a Jaconite agent, Alastair, sent into England to gain support for the uprising. Every chapter starts and ends with a moment of derring do and England must have been a hellish small place, as at every turn, he meets someone that is integral to his survival or to drive the story on.

Midwinter is not the season, but the most elusive character. An old english gentleman, full of fable and myth, who appears with his band of Robin Hood outlaws to come to Alastair's rescue at key points.

A more real character, Samuel Johnstone of Dictionary fame, also makes an appearance to quote his famous lines about being tired of London and who hides under the auspices of patriotism.

Difficult to read because of the dated prose and with characters that come and go at whim. It was short enough that it didnt become a chore.

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Scotsman in Enemy England

Midwinter by John Buchan is a historical spy novel and it's a good book.

The story is set in the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie, more precisely during the Jacobite rising of 1745/46, and its protagonist is a captain of the Scottish army travelling through England to join his Prince in Scotland. On his way he realises that his assumed friends are actually his foes trying to get rid of him with all means because they betray the Jacobite cause. He is helped by a not yet famous Samuel Johnson and a mysterious man called "Midwinter" rescues him ever again from almost certain death.

I wrote a long review of the novel on my book blog which you can find following the link to Edith's Miscellany.

[Ashleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know where this book appeared from on my bookshelve from but I had been looking forward to reading it for a while and was suprised at how unknown it appears to be. It is a decent piece of historical fiction following the adventures of a Scottish soldier in England during the Jacobite uprising. While there are few details on the broader historical context, and much goes unexplained, the story trots along at a fair pace and, in the end, is a decent read - not engrossing but also never boring.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tale set in 1745 concerning a young Jacobite in England who falls in love and also meets Samuel Johnson. There is also the backdrop of the mysterious travellers of Old England. An unlikely story with many coincidences but I found it quite charming.

[Helen Walton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. It doesn't have the charm of Buchan's war novels, but it has all the sentiment and the stereotypes... ah the pure young woman with eyes of a child's innocent clarity and the brave slender shape of a youth. Bleurgh.